Gunsmithing

What is a gunsmith? In short, a gunsmith works on guns like a mechanic works on cars. They perform all kinds of repairs, renovations, refurbishing, and restorations. This is different from an armorer, who mostly replaces worn out parts in common firearms. Of course, gunsmiths can also do the work of an armorer, just like a mechanic who usually rebuilds classic cars can also change an oil filter. Gunsmiths have a high degree of skill in the various aspects of working on firearms, and usually have a combination of formal education and experience.

If you don’t have a gunsmith in your area, or at least not one that you trust with your guns, then our services are perfect for you. Our team of professional gunsmiths are certified from Modern Gun School and Sonorian Desert Institute. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

If you’ve ever looked for a gunsmith for any reason, you know that it isn’t all that easy to find a good one. Much like an auto mechanic, construction contractor, attorney, swimming instructor, et cetera, you often don’t know that you’ve found a dud until it’s too late. “Too late” is usually after you’ve parted ways with your hard-earned money, often with no other recourse but to pay someone else to fix the original issue and all of the new issues caused by the inferior work that you already paid for. That can be even more daunting when you look around and realize that there are far more mechanics, contractors, attorneys, and swim instructors in your area than there are gunsmiths.

There are a lot of reasons that you might looking for a gunsmith. Maybe what you want done is beyond your skill set. Maybe you thought you could do it yourself, and have since learned otherwise. Maybe your buddy or some dude you found on the internet claimed to be a gunsmith, and you’re starting to suspect their credentials are not exactly as advertised. Maybe you’ve heard about some other dude who does work out of his garage between 6pm and 8pm every other Thursday and Saturday, except on full moons or in months that end in “y”. One of your buddies took something to him a while back, and now that you reminded him your buddy hasn’t even finished telling you about the guy, because he just realized a “while back” was 9 months ago and now he’s on the phone leaving a voicemail that may or may not result in a returned call. “Some dude” takes time, especially if they’re not a full gunsmithing shop with the faster turnaround provided by having all of the shop equipment on hand. They probably have a backlog, plus a different “day job”, and may have long wait times because they’re waiting on parts.

Perhaps you’ve searched the internet and found some gunsmiths in your area. Now you’re calling around and find out one won’t work on revolvers, but they’ll do MSR’s. This one will do MSR’s, but only if they’re AR’s. This one won’t touch MSR’s, does revolvers, but not black powder. It seems like everyone’s specialized into a niche, but finding that one-stop-shop that you can trust is a rare thing indeed. We aim to meet everyone’s needs, no matter what kind of specialty you’re looking for. Maybe you’ve been looking for a part to an old gun and heard over and over again “they don’t make that anymore”. No worries, we can make those parts that just can’t be found and have it up and running again before you know it.

If you’ve started feeling like you’ve had to launch a full-scale investigation to find the right shop to work on your gun, you’re not alone. Many of us have had these experiences: asking friends, family, acquaintances, and total strangers at gun shops, ranges, clubs, competitions, hunting camps, and anywhere else that firearm enthusiasts hang out. Now you can turn in your badge, detective, because you’ve found us. We understand the intricacies of customizing firearms for women means far more than just a pink paint job. We understand the differences between a long-range match rifle and a long-range hunting rifle. We know exactly why you need that ultralight mountain rifle for your next backcountry big game adventure. We know you like your current carry gun, but you’d really love it if it was cut down and dehorned. If you’re looking to go from tactical to “tacticool”, we get it. Even if you want to do something sort of silly, we’re open to that conversation, too.

Let’s talk about turnaround times on gunsmithing. Some people seem to prefer a longer turnaround, feeling that this indicates the ‘smith really took their time on the job. Others feel that a big backlog equates to a good reference, since a lot of people are willing to wait for their work. Of course, we recognize that some jobs do take longer than others, depending on the size of the project and whether certain parts will need to be ordered or made from scratch. We try to have most jobs done in about a month, including shipping timeframes. To us, the only real reflection of the work performed will speak for itself in the final product, not how long it may or may not have taken.

If you don’t see something in our price list, contact us at (727) 766-0300 or email gunsmith@islandfab.com and chances are we can do it. In fact, if we can’t do it, then maybe it just can’t be done. If it’s beyond repair and needs to go back to the factory, we can help you with that, too.

Whether you’re looking to customize a new gun, tune up and optimize a gun you already have, or see if you can get that antique back up to operational condition, we’re here to help.