Pistolsmith named Best?

I recently acquired a Colt 1911 .45 bullseye pistol. It has "Best 11-87" marked on the barrel with an electric engraver. I seem to remember hearing of a
pistolsmith named Best. Anybody have info on him? I haven't shot it yet, but it seems to be all there, good slide to frame fit, Kart barrel, nice stippling and all that. Any information would be appreciated.

Scott
Oregon

Jack Best

Jackie Best guns are still sought after. Fantastic bullseye guns.

Jack Best passed away in the late '90's.  

From what I could find:  Jack was an armorer/pistolsmiths for the Army MTU at Ft. Benning...SEVERAL National Championships were won with guns he built over the years. 

- Dave

I believe that there are quite a few Jackie Best guns that are still used competitively in southern Wisconsin

dronning wrote:Jack Best passed away in the late '90's.

Early '90s.

I shot 2660 last year with a wad gun that Jackie built in 1991. I've shot an 887, an 888, and an 889 with that gun.

As the folks used to say, "BEST GUNS SHOOT".

I did some work on a Best gun last year. Had about 2 million rounds through it. Very tired. I remember meeting him at Perry. Frank Goza introduced him to me. He built Franks guns. He shot a 2668 or 69 with his guns.
Jon

Jackies guns are good shooters I had one and wish I still did.

I have one of the last guns he built.
Great shooter. I spent lots of time in his shop in Columbus, GA and when he was at Perry. When he passed I put the gun up. A collector piece to me. He was a fine gentleman, kept lots of shooters guns running at canton and Perry each year. Kept my kart running.

A fine gentleman and a fine pistolsmith.
Jackie was old school. He welded up Colt barrels and refit them, if that was what you wanted. Excellent trigger jobs.
My first wad gun was built by him in 1980. Still has the original trigger job with probably 250K rounds. I have replaced the barrel with a Kart.
His work was second to none and his prices were more than reasonable. To tighten the slide,weld and fit a barrel,stipple the front strap, and do a trigger job was around $125.00. His turn-around time was about a month. Unheard of these days.
I still have a low round count wad gun in the safe. I was carrying it as a spare at Perry in the mid to late 1990's. My team mate was having functioning problems in the .45 Team Match. I let him borrow the Best gun in rapid fire. He shot a 100-5X with the gun. IIRC that is the last time it was shot.

we were very lucky in Ga to have some great Smiths from the AMU who stayed around the area in the late 70s and early 80s.. Best, Strahan and Maple were real pistol smiths...Jackie was something else..

john bickar wrote:

dronning wrote:Jack Best passed away in the late '90's.

Early '90s.

I shot 2660 last year with a wad gun that Jackie built in 1991. I've shot an 887, an 888, and an 889 with that gun.

As the folks used to say, "BEST GUNS SHOOT".

Wow and I am not being sarcastic.

Jack came to C-M, then Perry, for quite a few yrs. He once rebarreled a Colt for me and had it delivered in time for the next weekend's match.  I sent the gun and brl to him telling him "no hurry". Later, after problems w/ a .45 I called on a Mon after Sun's match and told him if he could do it by the next match I would shoot, if not, no matter, as it was the last of the season. I had it by Friday!


Jackie Best was a shooter (2600), a pistolsmith, and a friend!


Ron Habegger

Ron

you bring up a good point.. Jackie could shot.. he used to shoot with the Ga. State Team at Perry.. Don't think I ever saw him shoot other than there but it's been a long time...

IIRC , he shot Hunter's Pistol Silhouette and was doing rather well at it.