There seems to be enough interest in Jules La Bantchni that I thought it was time to start a thread.
A lot I still don't know about the man. depending on what record you want to believe he was either born in Missouri or Illinois in 1909. Both his parents were Austrian/German. Sometime before 1930 he changed both his first and last name. Why he did this I have no idea and I will continue to use the name that he chose because he did all his gun work under that name.
In 1930 he was living in Chicago and working as an interior designer he then moved to California and went to work at the movie studios working on design sets.
He made his first custom gun circa 1932 and in 1933 he opened his first retail gun shop at the corner of Olympic and 17th street at 1708 17th Street Santa Monica, CA. which he called "Olympic Custom Made Guns”.
By 1960 he is now located at 2202 Pico Blvd in Santa Monica, CA as “Jules’s Guns”. This was another retail gun shop where he also did custom work.
BY the very late 1960s or early 70s he sold his retail gun shop and built his shop on to his house and worked out of there. At some time he did work for Continental Guns,I don't know if he worked at their address or continue doing the work at his home shop.
Research material I have in my files are,
Jules La Bantchni: Profile of a Custom Gunsmith 1972 Guns & Ammo.
Rifles- A Modern Encyclopedia a few pictures and one paragraph by Jules.
"Customs of the Past' by Steve Nelson Gunmaker No. 9 1998.
"Introducing Jules La Bantchni A Big Shot in the Hunters World" By C.A. Mortenson Santa Monica, Calif. Format 1 newspaper article.Source Evening Outlook. 09/22/1952.
I have talked with his Stepson on the phone at length. I've tried to locate his two daughters without luck. I would like to talk with any family members before I ever discuss his real name.
I have about a dozen rifles in my files and would welcome information on any new ones you happen to run across. I've heard many times that his work was featured in Gun Digest if anyone can tell me what issue I would be grateful.
