Custompistols.com Home - L. Bengtson Arms Co. - Classic MG Pages - Contact Info
I have been building firearms, mainly Colt .45 pistols, for over thirty years, beginning when I was in high school. I continued this, on a non-professional basis, while serving as a U.S. Air Force officer. During those years, I could afford to have some of the best pistolsmiths in the U.S. and Europe work on my pistols. I was happy with the quality of most of their work, but disappointed in the features offered. Being built by people who had never carried a pistol for a living, many of these pistols were less effective, as combat/self-defense weapons, than those I was building for myself.
I found a great deal of enjoyment in pistolsmithing, so when I left the Air Force I moved to Prescott, Arizona. There, I earned an A.A.S. degree in gunsmithing at Yavapai College while teaching as adjunct professor of business administration at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott campus.
I was part of Jeff Cooper's first Pistol Provost Workshop at the American Pistol Institute in December 1984, to include teaching classes at Gunsite in 1986 and 1987. I had already completed his Basic Course with the Colt .45 pistol, earning the status of expert, and his Special Pistol course, earning the status of Marksman 1.
After receiving the gunsmithing degree, I moved to Mesa, Arizona and opened up my own business. For many years I offered a full range of pistolsmithing services and limited work on fighting shotguns and rifles, as well as an original line of tooling for gunsmiths. I no longer offer gunsmithing services, but am in the process of expanding the tooling line. I have an extensive machine shop and refinishing services in both blueing and applied coatings.
I also hold an Arizona Community College teaching certificate in gunsmithing, and am certified as a police armorer.
L. Bengtson Arms Company
Mesa, Arizona
(602) 329-2082
Copyright © 1998 - 2004 by L. Bengtson Arms Co.