doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Pachmayr upgrades

Has anyone ever had the occasion to contact Pachmayr Gun Works to research if their gun is an "Upgrade" done by them? I understand that they had very skilled craftsmen at one time (possibly still do?)I have a Mod.'21 which I suspect might have been sent to Pachmayr at one time or another for engraving & refinish.

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks - Bob

Pachmayr upgraded a bunch of Parkers and it is reasonable to think they would do a 21. It is my understanding that the work was sent to Germany for engraving. I am sure someone will have more details on their work.
bill

I don't think Pachmayr Gun Works is still in business,BICBW.

Yes, Pachmayer certainly performed upgrades on Model 21's, LC Smiths, Parker guns, and perhaps others. I've seen more Parker up-grades than any other model; but have also seen Model 21's, and John Allen had a Model 21 up-grade in his shop a few years ago that was gorgeous. It was my understanding that most of this work took place in the 1960's; that the customer just sent them their gun and $5K, and Pachmayer turned their utility grade double into an Invincible, A-1 Special, Deluxe, Grand American, or whatever else was ordered. I've seen some that were really nicely done; and others that were hideous, so each piece must be judged on its own merits. There is a very interesting book called "Frank A. Pachmayer, America's Master Gunsmith" that is an interesting read. As I recall it discussed his up-grading business, and also features pics of some of the guns up-graded there. These Pachmayer upgrades seem to be most noted for their stocks; as Frank Pachmayer logged and sawed his own walnut blanks and obtained some fabulous blanks in the process. He then used many of these blanks on the upgrades.

I have a Guns and Ammo magazine from the late 60s that showed Pachmayr sawmill and some of the knockout blanks they cut! I had a DHE and VHE 20 Parker restocked in the A grade style back then and cost was cheap and work was outstanding. Bobby

I can remember visiting Pachmyer Gun Works on South Grand in L.A. in the early 70's and, while visiting a friend who worked there, watched an engraver upgrading a V grade to an Invincible in house, I don't know if some of the engraving was sent to Europe, but at least one was being engraved in L.A.
Gordon

1984 Guns and Ammo Annual had an article about a Model 21 in 16 gauge that was turned into a work of art by Pachmayr's. I believe the gun was built for Tom Siatos of Pedersen Publishing. It was fitted with false sidelocks that were so well fitted you couldn't even see where they met the action. The engraving was stunning. The wood for the buttstock and beavertail was enough to make one drool out of the corners of one's mouth like Pavlov's dog. The fitted case was made by Marvin Huey and it came with the turnscrews, cleaning rod, and the necessary accourtments. The color photography did the work justice. I have seen pictures of Parker Trojans and VH models that Pachmayr's turned into A-1 Specials or Invincibles. The work was incredible. I have the book on Pachmayr and it has some beautiful photographs of the work that was performed within the confines of 1220 South Grand Avenue.

Pachmyr closed the So. Grand store when I was shooting IPSC in what seems like to me was the early-mid eighties. Around that time, maybe a few years later, a Pachmyr store openned in Pasadena and the International trap and skeet range in Whittier Narrows Recreation Area was taken over by Pachmyr. There was also a gunsmithing business in Monrovia,CA in 1984-85 named Pachmyr, that sent my BSS barrels to Briley. The Pasadena store didn't last long.

I had heard the family sold the business around this time and that seems to fit with all this new business activity around this period.

I've heard the recoil pad business is all that survives of the Pachmyr businesses, and it is owned by someone other than the family

A little personal Pachmayer upgrade story; when Brother Frank Pachmayer was doing his upgrade business, he created a fair number of upgrades that were donated to Ducks Unlimited chapters around the country as raffle items to help them raise money. The winners of these auctions subsequently received 1099's so that they had to report the value of their winnings to the IRS on their tax returns. One of those winners lived in a neighboring county; his story, and a picture of him holding his Parker "A-1 Special", subsequently appeared in the local payment. This guy subsequently received his 1099 declaring the value of this gun at $30K; and somewhere along the line, got an appraisal pegging the value of the gun at $100K. Everything rocked along just fine until he and his bride fell out with each other and the value of the gun came up in the subsequent property settlement portion of their divorce. Seems the husband wanted his wife to accept the gun as a portion of her part of the property settlement; and had his attorney insisting that the $100K appraisal was in fact a realistic value. Well, the wife was a bit suspicious and had her attorney call me (have no idea why he called, or how he think know to call me). Oddly, at that time I had just examined 3 Pachmayer upgrades that were for sale; and asking prices ranged from $6,500-12K. Also, Herschel Chaddick had an original 12-bore A-1 Special for sale at the time for $65K. I had never seen the disputed gun; and even if I had, would have refused to place a value on the. I simply related to the attorney the information noted above and advised him to draw his own conclusions. I also heard later that Pachmayer had some problems pertaining to the $30K 1099 values they assigned these guns, but don't recall the details at the moment.

I remember being in the Los Angeles store when I was a kid, but don't remember the year. There were two later locations in Pasadena, one in an old (large) house adjacent to the property that later became Ambassador College. My recollection is that the house faced Del Mar Avenue near the corner of Orange Grove, right where the Rose Parade stages the floats on New Year's Day. I visited that Pasadena location in the late 60's, but couldn't afford anything in the building. The other Pasadena location opened in a store front in the South Lake Avenue shopping district, probably mid-80's, and did not last long. The demographics of those shoppers did not match the Pachmayr market, although their incomes generally did. Re the range in Whittier Narrows, my recollection is that the name changed from International to Pachmayr, then back to International for a few years before it became Triple B. I think the Pachmayr name and brand are now owned by Lyman Products; the Pachmayr pads are sold by Lyman. There are at least two former Pachmayr gunsmiths still practicing locally. Freddy Brunner is in Escondido and Les Pittman is in Downey, last time I checked.