RICHARD ALDIS; A GOOD MAN, GREAT GUNSMITH

by Rob Leahy , Prescott, Arizona, Wednesday, August 28, 2013, 20:40 (4109 days ago)

Big Old Richard Aldis was the house gunsmith for J&G Sales back in the 70 and 80s. He always seemed top struggle to stand upright big and robust looking as he was then. Later I learned that he had MS.
I had a non paying gun shop job at age 14. One of the many things I helped do was polish steel[ A 6" Smython, a 3" M19, a Win Model 12 etc. these were jobs that had been farmed out to our shop by Richard.
Richard indulged me my many questions. He also sold me my first pistol; A Charter Arms Target Bulldog in .44 special. He sold me my next Gun a Chopped tuned 2" Police Positive Special.
When was 17, I told Richard that I was going into the Army MP Corps; he spent a couple hours at the counter with me and his 1911 showing me how to break it down and re assemble it. Richard printed copies of articles on John M Browning, and the 1911 and the M16. He pulled a real M16, not an AR, out of the back and showed me how to break those down... He announced to the whole staff that I was going to sign up. They all stopped what they were doing, and stood up and applauded...1981 at J&G Sales, in Prescott AZ. THAT was the real USA then...
While I was stationed at Fort Huachuca, I made the long 55MPH drive up to Prescott several times. He customized my first NEW gun; a S&W 1955 Target, he chopped it to four inches ramped front sight tuned it and round butt K'd it. He even found me more of the then hard to find FULL moon clips. He next slicked up a 29-2 for me.
That was the last work I had done by Richard. I moved away from AZ looked him up when ever I was back in town.
In 2008, When we finally moved back to Prescott, I looked him up and spoke with Richard on the phone. I offered to build him a full rig belt magazine pouches holsters for what ever he wanted. He politely declined, offering that he was in a wheel chair, carried his gun in a bag, and further explained that he was not expected to live much longer... He was gone within the year...
Yesterday, while perusing my favorite gun shop, Bucky O'Neill Guns, I found this Colt Commander slide that Richard had stamped his name on...I feel a project coming on!

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Of the Troops & For the Troops