My trip to the gunsmith

Pheroze

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My gunsmith

http://lemieuxarmuriers.com/en/armuriers/

is in Chateaux-Richer, Quebec, which is just east of Quebec City. A stunning area, with lots of hunting opportunities. Unfortunately, I don't live there. I chose to live in a place with a lot of city and with minimal hunting opportunities.:rolleyes: I generally communicate with Christian Lemieux by email, and with phone calls when required.

This weekend my entire family had scattered in different directions, my youngest son visited his older brother at University in Toronto. While my wife and daughter went to a family wedding in the Carribean. (I had to work) So, I decided: instead of staying home with the cat I would make the 9 hour trip to visit the shop. It was a great opportunity to bring several rifles with me that I need to get to him. He is tweaking my 308 NM , building my 400 H&H and I have a small feeding issue with an ABolt that I never dealt with.

So, ditching the cat with enough food and water, I took off early Friday morning and made the drive. What a great time:
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Here is the St Lawrence River stocked full of snow geese! The island in the distance is Ile D'Orleans which is a great place to go. In, and near, this area you can hunt geese, ducks, deer and moose!

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Here is Paul engraving for a client. I think his stuff is quite special. Here is a sample I saw on the wall by his workbench:

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This is Hugues, he is the resident stock maker, but is a fully trained gunsmith from Beglium. He works on many projects such as this shotgun:

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While there Christian took me on a walk with his Springer, Bea. She is a 6 year old, and a tenacious one for finding downed ducks. A real cutie. I threw a ball into a dense thicket and I thought she would go mad trying to find it (sorry Bea!)
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Some more shots of the area from a high point....I am in love!
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Well, 9 hours there, 9 hours back, for a few hours with my gunsmith.... totally worth it. And, I decided on a few more projects to be done!

It is a real privilege to watch the craftsmanship that these folks have. And, I am not aware of too many like them in Canada. A lucky find on my part.

Anyways, I hope you like my little "what I did on my Canadian Thanksgiving weekend" essay. Take care all.
 
They own a Springer they must be a good gunsmiths.
Nice diversion and the scenery was well worth the trip
Thanks for sharing the excursion.
 
They own a Springer they must be a good gunsmiths.
Nice diversion and the scenery was well worth the trip
Thanks for sharing the excursion.
Yer welcome! It was a fun
 
Thanks for sharing the journey!
 
Wish I had a good smith near me!
 
Wish I had a good smith near me!
They are 9 hours by highway for me! When I was there a bunch of the projects he showed me were for American clients(y)
 
Seeing real gunsmiths working is special. There seems to be so few of them now days. And when you do find one he is usually covered up with work!
 
Seeing real gunsmiths working is special. There seems to be so few of them now days. And when you do find one he is usually covered up with work!

Yep I took a rifle to a gunsmith in Tulsa Oklahoma and wasn't allowed to speak with him he was so covered up in work.
 
Yep I took a rifle to a gunsmith in Tulsa Oklahoma and wasn't allowed to speak with him he was so covered up in work.
Wow! One busy fellow!
 
Wow! One busy fellow!

Yea I almost walked out of there but I needed some work done so I left the gun with the manager and went on my way. Got the call two weeks later that it was done!
 
Looks like it was a good trip. Consider yourself lucky when able to come across good craftsmen. I'm curious, crossing the border, did you need only your firearms declaration form or was there more to it.
 
I'm curious, crossing the border, did you need only your firearms declaration form or was there more to it.

I live in Ontario, so no international border. Although, Quebec does feel very different, in a good way!:). I always enjoy my time there. People seem to smile alot, but I think that is due to my incredibly bad french!!

Edit: I see we were typing at the same time lol
 
Do you have an estimate when your 400 will be ready??
 
Do you have an estimate when your 400 will be ready??

I didn't ask, but I just heard the barrel has been made by Douglas! :D :cool: So, I am anticipating the spring or summer once the stock is made. I am also going to commission some engraving, so I am not really sure. But, my 308 NM is the priority as I want to take it to Namibia in 2018.
 
What a beautiful place, thanks for sharing
 
Great story and beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing!
 
Pheroze, I see we have made the same road trip (I did it twice)! Christian installed iron sights on my 416 Taylor and Paul did some engraving on my rifle as well. He also installed a brake on my 358 Norma and engraved my 308 Norma. Paul does awesome work. I wish we had someone in Ontario!
 
Thats awesome! Paul's work is exquisite. Was that your 416 Taylor I saw on the work board last week? :DAnd, not being in Ontario is ok because their town is gorgeous! It makes a great pilgrimage:

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Spending time at the gunsmiths and seeing him work on your project adds another dimension to your "connection" to the finished rifle regardless of the extent of the mods or build. That has been a great road trip to get there and back to add to the day.
 

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