Gartman Arms Co, Wrentham?

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dwarven1

dwarven1

Lonely Mountain Arms
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Every time I bring my wife's Explorer down to Rodman Ford, I have to pass Gartman Arms Co on Rt 1. Anyone know anything about it?

Ross
 
Yes, I'll start with the recent first.

Perhaps 6 months ago someone asked for a place to help finish the side-plate for a 1919 semi-auto. BATFE apparently has approved a method of making this gun into a legal semi-auto. I knew that Gartman Arms has a machine shop downstairs, so I referred him there.

Well the guy at Gartman arms started ranting that he should call the BATFE and report this poor guy (for an illegal machinegun), etc. The guy ran out of there scared out of his mind.

Some 20+ years ago I was told that the owner was an eccentric and I dropped in there one day to see ONLY VERY expensive shotguns.

About a month ago I tried to stop in there for shits and grins, but he was on vacation. Otherwise he's only open something like 1 late afternoon and Saturday.
 
Guess I won't make a special trip down there, then. Oh, well. Thought I might have found a worthwhile gun shop.

Ross
 
Yea, I went in there once, and it was a little weird. But he has guns all over the walls. You just tell him a number and he'll tell you how much it is. But I think that he does a lot in repairs and the like.

Other than that, I think that they are only open on Thursday and Saturday.
 
Strange place!!!!! I went in to see what he had and to buy some .45's.
Looked at me like I was going to ruin his day and make him do some work. Couple of guys seating there drinking coffee. Felt like I was a door crasher at a secret society

Told me to go to Wal-Mart for Ammo that's were he go's. Had no intrest in showing me any thing at all. Matter of fact he had nothing in the cases except some old beaters.

I wouldn't waste my time ever going there again.
 
I went in Gartman Arms some 25 (?) years ago, or so. He did some work on an old 22 for me. As I remember the owner (?) was an older German/Austrian fellow. When I went picked up the rifle he gave me a little tour and showed me some gold inlaid Drillings and beautiful doubles (Side by Sides). They were some of the very nicest firearms I've ever seen.

Listening to the gentleman explain the nuances of quality firearms, in his Germanic accent, lent a certain quality of authenticity to his words.

I'm told that at one time they had a very good name as a REAL gunsmith/deephole drilling shop, had major milling equipment and old world skills to go with them.


Respectfully,

jkelly
 
Owner seems knowledgable but is more interested in bullchitting than selling off his stock. He is unable to give a price on anything of interest. He has some tags on the items in his case and the prices are outrageous. This will be a great place to bring wads of $100s when he (or his heirs) decide to liquidate.
 
Once this is the place I'm thinking about, the owner is a German who immigrated in the 60's.
Is that down Rte. 1, past Foxboro and the End Zone ? Been there in spring of 2003, together with my daughter.
After talking to him for a while I realized that his accent is from my home state and we kept on talking in German.
Loved the Sturmgewehr 44 and MG 34 he had on display :D
 
Yes that is the place you were thinking of.

Respectfully,

jkelly
 
Under the heading better late than never. He reblued my old Mossberg shotgun and when he was finished it looked brand new, also was very helpful when I was looking at some handguns in there.
 
Gartman Arms

I found this place down the road from Bass Pro in Foxboro today. I think it was actually in Wrentham.
Really small shop with hardly nothing for a selection. I drooled the minute I walked in because I saw a G43 and a Rasheed hanging on the wall. Closer look revealed a Not For Sale tag. In fact the whole place is more of a museum instead of a gun shop.
Just about every milsurp rifle or machine gun made is on the wall and nothing is for sale except a rack of shotguns and a few scattered surplus guns.
Anyone ever stop in there?
 
Yup - first time I stopped, had the same reaction. Owner is semi-retired, does a little gunsmithing here and there, but I take it that most of the time the store is open, it's just good 'ole boys shootin' the shit.

Will be a hell of an auction some day....
 
Gartman Arms is mostly a Smith with a specialty of deep boring. If you look in the back room he has some excellent quality lathes. Not new by any means but still excellent quality machinery.
 
He did a fantastic job on a M1917 Rifle that needed the barrel straightened. Picked it up in a White River Junction, VT Gunshow in 2004 or so for $350, went to shoot it and couldn't hit paper at 25 yds. After moving the front sight almost half out of the dovetail to the left (probably could have used the left protective ear as an aiming point), it would at least get on paper. Grouped wonderfully tho. So I brought it by to see what could be done. Benko said to call back within a week, did and it was ready. Front sight was now centered up, he had test fired it and showed me the target, and brought it out to the range. Nice groups still and now all centered up. No damage to the finish at all, and that was what drew me to the rifle in the forst place - I've only seen one other better looking M1917 and now it shoots as good as it looks. Can be a little gruff at first, and there are usually a few guys sitting around the shop in chairs, but after a few minutes we were all gabbing guns and all was well. So + 1 for Gartman Arms if you need a G-smith - and he has some great wallhangers as well as a few racks of surplus rifles to pick through.
 
Next time you are in there ask him to tell you the story about how his father was an air raid warden, the AA crew shot down a P51 and in sifting through the rubble, they found the pilot's scalp.
 
When you walk into Gartman arms its like going back in time to those old gun stores with the wood and glass display cases with old handguns in them. The walls and racks covered with old rifles and machineguns. Some oldtimers sitting in a corner shooting the shit and in the far end behind an old desk is the owner Benko. He is one of the last of those old school German gunsmiths.
 
gartman arms

yes he is a real gunsmith.god he must be in his 90s.that used to be Johnson arms,the deep hole drills were to drill gun barrels.if he takes a liking to you you have it made.I believe at one time he made double shotguns and engraved.he could fix anything and make parts for any gun.very few of those craftsmen are left.I talked to him about gun laws in germany before WW2 and he owned guns then.men like him could tell about a lot of history.like my friend from Russia in the finnish war and WW2,to bad their gone.arn't many of my friends left.[crying][rolleyes][rofl][smile]
 
I think I'm going to go there this week. His sign says he's only open on Thurdays 6-9 and Saturdays.

I'm thinking about getting a stock rifle barrel "accurized," and I think he may be just the guy to do it.
 
If you have ever had the pleasure of just sitting and talking to Benko you would quickly realize that he is an unbelievable wealth of information. If you are fortunate enough to hear him talk about his history and life experience you will cherish the memory and just maybe see the world a little differently.

He has had a fascinating life.
 
Gartman

remember he is an old fellow and probably one of the best gunsmiths.it was johnson arms back WW2.notice the deep hole drilling shop next door.He went thru WW2 in germany.I may be older.if he knows you he would talk your ear off.I used to go in there yrs ago.always friendly.[grin]
 
I stopped in this place today. I almost did not with the Beware of dog sign on the door and something about needing to ring the door bell. From the outside it does not give a welcoming feeling. In side though... if you love firearms it is a place to see for sure.

Anyway, I asked about a rifle. The older gentlemen, with a German accent, gave me one serious history lesson. Showed me a 1/2 dozen similar types and talked in detail about engravings and years of manufacture. Who used them and when they would be used. It was amazing. I could tell right away this was a special person.

It is IMHO one of those places you have to see because I do not have the words.
 
Next time you are there have him tell you the story of the P51 Mustang pilot who was shot down (Benko was a boy in Nazi Germany and his father had something to do with "civil defense") and they found his scalp some distance from the wreckage. Also about the ME262 Schwalbe's lined up on the side of the "audobahn" in May '45. He's a wealth of info. Great guy to chat with.
This being D-Day anniversary let me extend a very very personal thank you to all the veterans living and those not still among us for their excellence in service and a job well done.
 
Stopped in today. He's quite a character. He explained to me how the AK-47 was developed. Not that I asked, but he seemed eager to tell the story. About a dozen handguns, lots of shotguns, bayonets and lots of milsurps that may or not be for sale. Worthwhile to stop in and view the guns.
 
Benko is still there at Gartman

Well I was in there again today. He was buying a lot of 2 shotguns and an old 22 lever action. He didn't even want the shotguns, just the 22, but took the lot since that's how the guy wanted to sell them. I arranged to buy a second gun from him. A nice old single shot 22 for grandson #2. Bennko is a different sort, from a mold broken long ago. He is a true old world gunsmith, and one worth taking time to listen to a to get to know. Today, I asked when he would start selling off his collection. His answer provided an interesting insight into the man. He said if he sold a gun and got some money, he could put it in the bank and get nothing ( little interest ) in return. If he bought another gun, he would be happy with his investment. He told me that's why he keeps buying and sells very few. I enjoy his stories.
 
Necropost, I know....

I popped in there on a whim a few weeks ago. Ended up talking to the owner for about an hour. Very interesting guy and I enjoyed the conversation. He had some interesting guns I had never seen before and seemed more than happy to talk about them. He didn't seem to mind that I couldn't afford anything he had (I don't think he really cared about selling anything.)
 
I stopped in this place. Cool Place. Apparently the owner has passed away and the daughter is liquidating the shop, the scrap metal and etc. Guns all over the walls, however many were labeled "Private Collection Not For Sale"...I was bummed seeing this on some nice hardware.
 
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