Clark versus local smith

[jr_roosa]

So, it's finally time for me to be done with my horribly unreliable and frustrating Springfield MilSpec and get it turned into a proper bullseye gun.

I prefer to shoot irons, and so I'm really liking the Clark hardball package, but they quote a 12 month turnaround.

I have a local smith (actually local to where I used to live) who is also willing to rework the gun with a much shorter turnaround. The guys who I shot with in the local bullseye league were very happy with his work, and he's a bullseye shooter as well, so I'm confident that he would produce a reasonable pistol.

I'm not too worried about cost, so that's out of the equation, although I'm pretty sure the local guy can beat their price by quite a bit. The time isn't too big of a deal either, because I'd mainly spend the time trying to consistently shoot expert scores with my .22.

The main question is what I can expect to get from Clark for my 12 month wait? For any of you with modern Clark bullseye guns, are you wait-for-a-year happy with what you got? I've seen some of the Jim Clark Sr. guns on the line from time to time but haven't shot them. I havnen't seen any of their current work.

What do you guys think?

-J.

[Isabel1130]

I think it is always a better bet to go local if you have a competent smith. Not that I think there is anything wrong with Clark but the hassle of shipping a gun, especially when you don't have an FFL is enough to make me go with the in state option when possible. Also if you want the gun finished so you don't miss out totally on the next hardball season, that would be a good idea.

[TonyT]

Clark has a proven performance record. If your loca;l smith can produce an equivalent product then the choice is simple.

[canthit]

I went through the same problem last year and decided on the local gun smith and I am not sorry. It does not carry the name of a well known person, but is probably as good if not better. The main reason I decided on a local smith was the probability of needing some minor tweeking to get every thing perfect, no need to send the gun back and pay shipping. Our local gun smith will usually stop what he is doing and fix the problem on the spot. I think it is much easier to explain or show the smith in person than try to put something in writing or talk on the phone to a person who probablly will not be working on your gun and hope they get it right. You will probably need some minor tweeks before your gun will be perfect (extacter, magazines ext.) Go talk to the local smith in person and get afeel as to how he operates before deciding and talk to fellow shooters who uhad him do work for them.

[TopGun]

My first post! I'm having Clark do a Model 41 conversion for me. My 41 is new but has feeding and magazine release issues so I decided to go with a full-blown Clark conversion with 6.5 inch bullseye barrel.

It should be ready in about 6-7 weeks. I'll know then.

In the meantime, I'll shoot my Feinerkbau AW93 or Browning Medallist for bullseye.

I agree, though, if you have a local gunsmith with the skill, that's a great option.

[trulyapostolic]

It's funny that I found this post after shooting with my wife tonight. This spring I purchased a used and very abused Ruger MKII that was sent to Clark Custom to create a special toy for my wife. I know you're talking about a 1911 but want to convey the quality of work you'll receive from Clark. I wish I would have taken photos of this pistol prior to sending it to clark. It had pits, surface rust, an extremely sloppy bolt, etc... What I received back was nothing short of astonishing. The gun was refinished without the slightest hint of the prior surface not being less than perfect. The trigger is 2.75 lbs with a slight roll. The hammer and sear surfaces were hard chromed after being polished smooth. The bolt is perfectly smooth and tracks straight back and forth. The gun's shooting just over 1" at 50 yards for 10 shots out of my Ransom with CCI SV (yeah! the cheap stuff). The quality of work utterly amazed me. Normally this might not mean much, but every gun I own is custom built or customized by nationally known, reputable smiths. If it were me I wouldn't hesitate to send a gun to Clark. If you want a roll trigger in your 1911 you might want to discuss that at length with them however. At Perry they told me a 1911 roll trigger is just a crisp trigger with creap, very wrong. Their normal trigger work is very nice as I've shot a Clark bullseye pistol last year. Hope this helps.

[Levergun59]

I have not bought a new gun recently, but there is a difference between a gun built by Clark and your local gunsmith. I had a wadgun built by Floyd Smith, in Northern Illinois, whose accuracy was just phenominal. Then I bought a Clark longslide. Floyd,s checkering was dull compared to the Clark. On a hot day that Clark never moved in my hand. It was a glue in. The pin type stippling in front of the mag well was perfection. There are so many fine details that go in making a perfect Bullseye gun and Clark has it down. I sent Floyd,s gun to Clark to finish what is now a fine pistol. Clark has the total package down from decades of customer feedback. Just my take
Chris

[GunRunner]

Call Gil Hebard guns they have Les Baer hardball guns in stock or if not wait is less than 90 days. I bought mine a couple month ago and waited 60 days to get it. The gun quality far exceeds that of clark, mine had a test target of about 2'' with factory 230 fmj ammo.

[6string]

Hi,
Have you had a chance to try any of the guns built by your local 'smith? If you have and like his work, I'd go with your local guy, especially if he is a bullseye shooter using his own stuff.

I talked to Jim Clark Jr. in person at the Charlotte NRA Convention about a 38 WC gun I have that was originally built by his Dad in 1959. I asked about their policy of tuning up guns they had previously built. He was totally disinterested, and dismissed the whole idea of the .38 as "pointless". In fact, he was pretty rude and disinterested in bullseye in general. They seemed much more interested in selling 10/22s and tricked out plinkers and IPSC stuff. I saw only one or two bullseye guns at their display. One of them wouldn't even cycle empty; the slide would just drag and hang up. The triggers on both were rough and stagey. I would think any self respecting bullseye 'smith would have pulled them off the display.

It saddens me to say this, as I have tremendous respect for the work they used to do. I've had the distinct pleasure of shooting many fine older Clarks. But from what I've seen, they're just not the same company. I would never even consider letting them touch my old Clark 38, ever! On the other hand, if fellow members here have had good luck with them recently then I respect their opinion. I certainly don't intend to offend, just relate my personal experience.

In my opinion, if you want a Clark as opposed to going with your local guy, I'd look for an unmolested early Keithville gun.

[jr_roosa]

So, I avoided the black Friday mess at the mall by driving out to my local gunsmith and dropping off the Springfield. Actually he's no longer local because I moved out of state, but that's neither here nor there.

He looked at the pistol, and we went over what it needs and what it doesn't. We'll have a nice national match gun that will eat SWCs too. The bonus is that once he's done with it, I can fly back and try it out in his back yard and have him tweak it as needed on the spot. About 1 month turnaround. Hard to beat that.

Also, it turns out that I'm not crazy, and the Mil Spec was very poorly put together. I think I'm about done with Springfield 1911s.

I'll post the final product when I get it.

-J.

[rickn54]

I sent Clarks a Springfield 1911 several years ago for the bullseye conversion. I was very happy with it. Several of my friends have recently purchard Les Baer Bullseye guns from Gil Hebards. They are also very happy and they had next to no wait time. You could not go wrong with either choice.

[GunRunner]

Are there any moderators for this forum that could delete these off topic items?