Gervase Gunsmithing

Ron Gervase didn't just wake up one day calling himself a gunsmith. He graduated from Pennsylvania Gunsmithing School with a traditional curriculum in machining, stockmaking, checkering, and hot-blue/rust-blue finishing. Then he spent 14 years doing general gunsmithing at Ray's Sporting Goods in Dallas under Dick Cook—a 40-year veteran—and learning machining from Jim Stacy, who has 50 years under his belt.

That's decades of apprenticeship distilled into one shop.

"It takes decades of patience, learning, and practice to become a gunsmith. No gunsmith ever really arrives. Every day brings a new gun design and a new circumstance to master."

Gunsmithing isn't like car repair or phone repair. You can't YouTube your great-grandfather's 1880 Austrian drilling. Parts don't exist anymore. No diagnostic machine tells you where in the cycle a gun is malfunctioning—you need old-fashioned mechanical aptitude and sometimes reverse engineering from scratch.

Gervase handles guns from black powder era to modern full-autos. He'll turn away jobs he can't do well and refer you elsewhere instead of botching your heirloom.

Quick Turnarounds (while you grab coffee next door) - Mount scope and bore sight: $35 - Bore sight only: $15 - Build AR upper: $70–$90 - Build AR lower: $60 - Fit and install handgun sights: $50 - Kwik clean: $50

Metal & Barrel Work - Barrel chambering: $600 - Barrel recrown: $100 - Barrel threading (muzzle brake/suppressor): $160–$225 - Barrel relining: $350 - Pin & weld AR muzzle brake: $120 - Cerakote: $250+ (depending on colors/patterns) - Rebluing: $250+ (depends on prep and finish)

Stock & Wood Work - Refinish stock in oil-rub: $600 - Checker stock: $700 - Recut checkering: $300 - Glass bed/pillar bed: $200–$250 + hardware - Install recoil pad: $100+ (labor + pad) - Drill stock for sling swivels: $35–$50 + hardware - Install adjustable butt plate: $300 + hardware - Install adjustable comb: $800+

1911 & Pistol Specific - Fit 1911 thumb safety: $70 - Fit 1911 grip safety: $70–$400 (if recontour needed) - Fit 1911 or pistol barrel: $70–$90 - Fit 1911 barrel bushing: $70–$90 - Machine pistol slide for RMR-type sight: $250

Other Work - Trigger jobs: $75–$300 - Blueprint an action: $200 - General repairs: $80+ + parts - Custom gun work / miscellaneous accessories: on request - Sight in rifle at range: $100 + ammo - Lengthen shotgun forcing cones: $120/barrel - Custom fit shotgun stock: on request

Does NOT work on: Raven, Lorcin, Bryco, Jennings, RG

Guns break down right before hunting season, not in May. His to-do line gets longest when you need your gun soonest. Two-day turnarounds in May can become two weeks in November. He'll work after hours to expedite jobs when possible, but he won't promise what he can't deliver.

He'll also tell you if your heirloom gun isn't worth the repair cost—frankly, so you appreciate the honesty.

Gervase often has special pieces available for purchase. Currently listing a Ruger M77 ($500). Contact to discuss selling your firearm or arranging a transfer.

Gunsmithing has a heritage of mentorship. Whatever your skill level, Ron takes time to share from his experience—whether you're learning the craft or want hands-on instruction.

Dallas, Texas Phone: 214-356-9194 Use the contact form for quotes, appointments, or to discuss your gun project. Base prices listed above; exact quotes depend on each gun's condition and needs.

Call for best estimate of wait time or to set up an individual appointment or lesson.