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A full-bore interest and high gauge of expertise

Gunsmith Terry Tussey, left, takes aim on a target before test-firing a 1911 Colt pistol as apprentice Kevin Smith looks on. Tussey test-fires all of the guns he repairs at his shop in Carson City, Nev.

Gunsmith Terry Tussey, left, takes aim on a target before test-firing a 1911 Colt pistol as apprentice Kevin Smith looks on. Tussey test-fires all of the guns he repairs at his shop in Carson City, Nev.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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For Terry Tussey, a gun is a puzzle cast in three dimensions, and he is particularly good at solving its riddles. He calls himself a gun mechanic and can repair, restore or modify almost any model brought to him. He also has a reputation for building particularly beautiful .45 semi-automatics from scratch. At Tussey Custom, there is an appreciation -- aesthetic, mechanical and even constitutional -- for these machines that have become such an intrinsic part of American life.
Read Thomas Curwen’s story

An eye for detail

Tussey checks the details on a 1911 pistol barrel at his workbench. He moved to Nevada when he realized that gun legislation in California would affect his business.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A firearms mechanic

Tussey, right, works on a pistol with apprentice Kevin Smith. His business, Tussey Custom, sits on the outskirts of Carson City on a road that leads to a brothel and a stone marker that honors the Pony Express route that passed nearby.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Maximizing his abilities

Tussey, center, talks with apprentices Kevin Smith, left, and Robert Egelston at his shop. Paralyzed in a mountain bike accident eight years ago, Tussey has adapted to his limitations. A elevated platform allows him to operate a mill and lathe from his motorized chair, and a converted van lets him to drive to work.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Learning the trade

Gunsmith apprentice Robert Egelston, 46, lowers a drill bit onto a revolver at Tussey Custom. Tussey, 73, hopes his apprentices can take on more of his detail work so he can semi-retire.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Giving it the shine

Apprentice Kevin Smith polishes a trigger guard on a Civil War-era Colt revolver that was made in 1863. Tussey works on all types of guns but specializes in the Colt 1911, named for the year the Army approved the pistol as standard issue. “The best handgun ever made,” he says with the conviction car enthusiasts save for their favorite ride.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Parts of the machine

Parts from a 1911 await Tussey on his workbench. He builds only about four of these guns a year. The parts come from around the country: frame and slide from Vermont, trigger from Escondido, barrel from North Carolina, hammer from Missouri and grip from Carson City. He then makes sure everything fits.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Checking bullets

Tussey checks pin marks on spent cartridges at his shop. He is one of 61 gunsmiths registered with the American Pistolsmiths Guild. The trade organization promotes the work of elite customizers, whose pistols must pass standards for accuracy and artistry established by senior members of the guild.   (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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