The Gun Digest Book of Pistolsmithing - Jack Mitchell - 1980.pdf

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“Just as the medical profession has its particular fields of endeavor, the gunsmithing trade is the same. A truly custom pistolsmith is a specialist in his own right. To be a good pistolsmith requires certain traits: Almost without exception, he must be a shooter; he must have a thorough knowledge of ballistics; he must be mechanically inclined and be as stubborn as a Missouri mule. A great part of knowing when a pistol is right is by the feel. If the pistolsmith can‘t shoot a tight group with the fruits o f his labors, the probability is that his customer won‘t either. Pistols have a lot of parts confined within a small frame; each can be the cause of problems. Being a good pistolsmith requir es the tenacity to solve each problem, returning to the customer a firearm that is as durable as the mechanical design will permit, as reliable as though a life might depend upon it and as accurate as the particular model is able to perform.”