Jim, I was wondering if you know of any reliable gunsmiths in Idaho. I am from Grand View, just south of Mt. Home AFB. I would really like to have my gun work done locally(Idaho). It would be nice to actually go and talk to somebody about gun work. I dont mind driving. I think there are a few in Boise. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Good question! I just recently moved to Boise from Fruitland, that�s right on the western border with Oregon, and to be honest I�ve never dealt with any of the gunsmith�s here in Boise.

But � I just recently took a rifle to �Glenn� at Shapel�s in Boise to be rebarreled. I got a pretty good feeling for his professionalism and competence as he was describing what he would do regarding truing the action and installing the barrel. They have a bunch of cut out targets with tiny groups shot by rifles they have rebarreled or put together hanging on the walls. The gun writer John Taffin, who wrote �Big Bore Sixguns� lives around here and has had a good bit of work done at Shapel�s. It is one of those old-fashioned gun stores, small and crowded with guns and old boxes of parts and supplies in every available nook and cranny. The �smithing shop is even worse � barrels and actions and gun parts of all kinds on shelves and literally hanging by wires from the ceiling. I took a lady friend in there one day and she said the place �just reeked of testosterone�.

Sorry I can�t be of more help. I use to have my general gunsmithing done by a guy in Ontario, OR and he is okay, does good to excellent work but delivery times and quality of work were highly variable depending on his moods.

Anyway, Shapels address and phone number is:
1708 North Liberty
Boise, ID 83704
208-375-6159

Easiest way to get there is take I-84 through Boise to the 184 connector toward downtown and get off at the Curtis Road exit. Go left (north) about 200 yards to Fairview, then take a left (west) onto Fairview. Liberty will be the very first stoplight, about � mile down the road. Take a right (north) onto Liberty; Shapels is a little store on the right hand side just past the second block north of Fairview.

Intermountain Outdoor sports had a real good gunsmith named Ron Schemmerhorn or something like that but they went out of business and I don�t know if he found other gunsmithing work in town. You might want to change the title of this thread to something like �Good Gunsmiths in Boise� and maybe some of the other local posters here can steer you to some good names.

Oh, I almost forgot - I was thinking strictly of Boise.

Jack Belk is in Buhl - but you might want to do a search on his name in gunsmithing before making up your mind. I've met him and he knows whereof he speaks, but was/is having some personal problems.

Also Jim Brockman is in Gooding - he is nationally known. His website is:
http://www.brockmansrifles.com

Whiplash, I've had two rifles worked on by the gunsmiths at Shapel's, in Boise. One a bolt action, the other a lever action. Couldn't fault anything with either. The three gunsmiths there, Mike, Larry, and Glenn, know their stuff, and do very good work.

Give them a call and tell them what you want. They are good people with whom you can work.

L.W.

Jim, thanks for the input. Ive been to Shapels a few times for misc reasons. I cant remember which guy it was. But they did replaced a firing pin/spring on my M700, no difficult task, but it was done right. Maybe I should just give them a try. I would feel a lot better if I was able to work with a local shop, as oppossed to shipping. I much rather talk with a gunsmith in person and Shapels might just be the place. I remember first going to Shapels in '93 when I got orders to Mt Home AFB, and yes it does look rustic, and that to me is always nice and warm. When I did talk to one of the smiths' about trueing up my M700 it seemed like they knew exactly what to do. My M700 could use some accurizing as well. I will pay them a visit when I get back in spring. This deployment to Iceland is like being on the North Pole. Again, thanks for the info.