Rogers, Christensen, XXXXX? XXXXX? The first 2 have a solid carving for all times. A few really great smiths have not made many custom guns, so I wouldn’t consider them eligible. I only placed 2 because the 2 I placed are extremely difficult if not impossible to argue against. They have both been in the trenches for decades and know how to build an exquisite blaster in every way.

 

Burton has to be there.

 

Pete Single

 

Pete definetly knows the 1911 inside and out. I have had the pleasure of speaking with him on occasion, and his no BS approach and simplistic analysis are 💯🎯. If anyone should write a book on the 1911, it should be Pete Single. I’d buy a few copies and give them out as Xmas gifts to my choot’n buddies. Single has also had a great influence on many of our well known and well established 1911 guru’s.

 

Burton, Yost, Rogers, Chambers

 

I consider Chambers more of a 2011 than 1911 smith.

 

Funds not withstanding?
Karl Beining @Karl Beining
Chuck Rogers @pistolwretch
Dave Panciotti @EvolutionArmory
Jason Burton @Jason Burton

When you get up there with those guys though, its so hard in my opinion just to pick 4... For my taste karl makes a perfect gun, from what I've seen. Some of chucks builds i find racey but over all bad ass. And we'll, who doesn't love atleast something he builds. And the level of knowledge, astronomical. Atleast to me. Dave @ EA from personal experience, very technical and skilled. My build arrives tomorrow! And Jason, I think that goes without saying. His builds are just elegant works of art, much like a yost. I could swap one for the other, they with my untrained eyes favor eachother.

 

I won’t name any that I don’t either currently own or have owned & since OP requires the smith to be living that removes John Jardine sadly.
So list of one:

Chuck Rogers

 

Christiansen, Burton, Rogers, Single….Reid needs to be part of the discussion.

 

Interesting that no one has mentioned Schauland.

 

I wouldn't argue against him. I just don't have any experience with him. YET.

 

Kirk at GVF. His style just talks to me
Lou at BEC. Easily identifiable
Chris at Combat precision. Also Easily identifiable.
Burton. Slight edge over ned.

Infinity, kgb, reid, rogers, evolution, Mars armament all can be argued on the list in my opinion.

 

Rushmore to me would me not only making a hell of a gun, but having a decent production level and impacting the smithing community itself. Also consider how a smith deals with customers, communicates, reputation for being difficult or hard to get guns back from...There's a smith or 3 on here that build a damn good gun, but I won't buy one for either there general rep ot how they have interacted with others on here. Sorry its a total evaluation for me.


Yost-Old world craftsmanship, makes grips, carves ivory, huge influence on supporting and encouraging the next generation, louder than words, production numbers, and just a killer builds.
Burton-Magnificent build, highly skilled and refined, very involved with 1911 community, fabulous smith, amazing builds, likes to pull back the curtain on both forums and in media.
Chuck-Never owned one of his full builds but I have shot them and have admired them from afar. Great great great smith and builds a heck of a gun. Lots of innovation and creativity.
1st 3 were easy #4 is hard......I can find arguments against anyone I want to stick here.....I'll go with Pete....I'm hesitant on the number of guns he builds, but there is no argument about impact he's had on younger smiths and the 1911 community, plus the one Pete gun I have ever fired was an amazing gun.

Honorable mention for TC Cussin.....for his contributions to the forum if nothing else 😆

 

Rogers, Burton, Christianen, Single, & Bowen...yes, I know it's five but if we can add "Trumpy Bear" to the original...

 

What about Novak and Bob Cogan

 

Personal Experience only-
I’m shocked Reid hasn’t gotten more acknowledgment. I’ve never touched a Ned build.
Rogers
Reid
Burton
GVF

 

Re Reid, I think its just because of his volume, there arent enough of his guns out there in people's hands to know one way or another. Personally, I love his work when I see him post it and he is someone I would be pursuing once I move out of the PRK.

 

One person I am surprised I never see mentioned is John Yanek.

 

I've shot a Chuck Roger's at the addicts shoot
I have a part Roger's, he did a slide as part of a raffle. I have a Bob Cogan tuned trp. Both shoot exceptionally well. I'd love a Burton and or a @Karl Beining

 

This is like "Best Baseball Players"
These guys all have a different set of strengths and styles. You cannot go wrong with any of them. Just gotta find the body of work that speaks to you. We are living in the golden age of firearms. There are more great builders and more great products now than in all of time.

 

Cant not consider Brandon Bunker.

 

I add @RCSchauland for sure. I don't experience w/ many of top builders outside of him. But the work he has done on 4-5 of my guns has been outstanding.

 

Schauland and Panciotti for sure. Don’t know enough about the others, although I am sure they are true artists.

 

Based on pictures of guns he’s done. I would think Derr would be mentioned.

 

You are a bad, bad man man

 

Bill Wilson

 

Can't limit my selections to four. Yur gonna' need a bigger Mountain.

 

Thats the point, thats what makes it hard and worth doing. Throw up as many smiths as you want doesnt leave much of a challenge.

 

Reid, Rogers, Burton & Yost

 

Burton, Rogers, Reid, and Ned.

 

My Mount Gun Guys would include a who & why.
Burton:
His complete attention to form, fit & function. His skills in using both machinery & hand held tools to do precision, quality workmanship.
Sbardella:
For the determination to make major parts from forgings rather than someone else’s work. Taking ownership from cradle to delivery.
Robinson:
He isn’t above letting customers paint a picture of what they want and he creates it out of metal.
Even though it ends up with his name & reputation on it.
#4 unnamed at this time:
Several fall into the category of design, program and machine operators.

 

I dont feel i have the experience to pic from all of them but my first four i would buy
Rogers
Christiansen
Biondo
Chen
I have a rogers (its swanky but dont think its a full custom but it fuctions flawless would love to buy one of i can ever get the chance) biondo on order those are the two that spoke to my soul first anywho

Id go after chen next