bob chow

06-24-2002, 09:34 PM

Any of you have any of Bob Chows work? I beleive he worked in the SF bay area. He did some neat compact carry pistols and was one of the first to get "serios" with carry beveling etc... Dont here much about him, even on the forums. I missed a Combat Commander at a show once, sure wish i would have purchased it.

ahw101us · 07-07-2002, 09:57 AM

One of the great old time BE smiths. I have seen his work and handled a few of his pistols. A contemporary of John Giles, Shockley, Clark and Dinan. Chow did wonderful work. My favorites are Giles and Dinan because of my location in the midwest, but Chow was well respected on the west coast.

Joe Beary · 08-10-2002, 07:03 PM

There is museum in Elcho(?), Nevada that has F.Bob Chow's Gun Collection in it. I believe it is called the County Western Museum, not positive. Anyhow, if ya'll are ever in Elcho, check it out. It's a beautiful collection, and the rest of the museum is pretty interesting, also. The American Rifleman had a great article on him a good few years ago, if I recall. All the best. Joe :lol:

Renomucker · 08-15-2002, 09:17 AM

Hey Joe, the town you mentioned is Elko. It is located in the North Eastern side of the state, and is home to the largest gold strike in North America.

Joe Beary · 08-15-2002, 09:28 AM

:lol: Thanks Renomucker! I knew I spelled it wrong. One of the nicest places I've ever been, and my favorite town in Nevada. Joe 8)

Gordon Hulme · 08-28-2002, 08:31 PM

I still have my Bob Chow "hardball" Colt 1911 (Marked 1911) bob chow accurized it for my father in late 50,s. It was given to me around 1966 because I was doing pretty well in NRA postal matches and wanted to try a .45 as I was in the army at the time(65-71)and wanted to compete with the military guys.Any way it had a weird double ball bearing deal that pressed up on the barrel, I shot it so much it wore 2 deep grooves in barrel, so in the around 1980 I call Bob Chow to fit a Barsto barrel and refit the dimpled slide stop and replace the 1911 fine checkered hammer with a commander one as I got bit once in a while. He refused to fit the Barstow Barrel "no damn good" and basically told me the gun was worn out and I should start over with a series 70 Gold Cup!He was not the amiable prince that Armand Swenson was but his pistol is still tighter slide to frame fit than any factory Gold Cup after who knows how many rounds and the S&W sights stay set and look swell to this day and the blue and polish job is a masterwork. I had a smith at Gunsite put a few things right and fit the Barstow I think his name was Robar?This gun has all the old time King stuff that was available in the early 60's no extended safeties ect. , but the extra checkering on the frame matches the hammer and safety and seems to be 40lpi so the old boy was a craftsman.

Gordon Hulme · 08-30-2002, 06:39 AM

:wink: The smith at Gun site was Robbie Barkman. And his business is called Robar. and I still have the old barrel with two ball bearing bushings.

08-31-2002, 10:57 PM

Gordon, I have never seen guns built by Armand Swenson or Bob Chow but I have enjoyed reading your posts and responses. It has provided perspective on where we are today and what the past has still to offer. I hope I can provide the same in the next forty years

dclark · 09-02-2002, 10:50 AM

I went to school in San Francisco between 1972 and 1975. I met Bob Chow during that time and spent many pleasant hours there with him and his staff. Nice folks, but not prone to listen to much BS. I have a S&W Model 66 smoothed by him. Nice gun that was stolen a couple of years ago. I handled a number 1911's he did and they all shot well. I passed up buying one becuz I was a starving student. Should have done it, but $300 was a lot of money at the time. Last I knew he had retired at about 80 YOA and is now living in SF and still coaching shooters in the area at over 90. Nice article a year ago in the NRA Shooting Sports magazine on him. He developed or refined a number of BE improvements to 1911s and was on one Olympic team. He had (has?) a very dry sense of humor that could be misinterpreted. Nice guy!

dclark

Dane Burns · 05-15-2003, 08:47 PM

So why can't some one post a picture or two? Outside some old magazines I haven't seen anyhting and can't remember what I saw originally :roll:

06-24-2002, 09:34 PM	#1
Guest Posts: n/a	Bob Chow? Any of you have any of Bob Chows work? I beleive he worked in the SF bay area. He did some neat compact carry pistols and was one of the first to get "serios" with carry beveling etc... Dont here much about him, even on the forums. I missed a Combat Commander at a show once, sure wish i would have purchased it.

07-07-2002, 09:57 AM	#2
ahw101us Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 12	F. Bob Chow One of the great old time BE smiths. I have seen his work and handled a few of his pistols. A contemporary of John Giles, Shockley, Clark and Dinan. Chow did wonderful work. My favorites are Giles and Dinan because of my location in the midwest, but Chow was well respected on the west coast.

08-28-2002, 08:31 PM	#6
Gordon Hulme Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 443	Bob Chow "hard ball gun" I still have my Bob Chow "hardball" Colt 1911 (Marked 1911) bob chow accurized it for my father in late 50,s. It was given to me around 1966 because I was doing pretty well in NRA postal matches and wanted to try a .45 as I was in the army at the time(65-71)and wanted to compete with the military guys.Any way it had a weird double ball bearing deal that pressed up on the barrel, I shot it so much it wore 2 deep grooves in barrel, so in the around 1980 I call Bob Chow to fit a Barsto barrel and refit the dimpled slide stop and replace the 1911 fine checkered hammer with a commander one as I got bit once in a while. He refused to fit the Barstow Barrel "no damn good" and basically told me the gun was worn out and I should start over with a series 70 Gold Cup!He was not the amiable prince that Armand Swenson was but his pistol is still tighter slide to frame fit than any factory Gold Cup after who knows how many rounds and the S&W sights stay set and look swell to this day and the blue and polish job is a masterwork. I had a smith at Gunsite put a few things right and fit the Barstow I think his name was Robar?This gun has all the old time King stuff that was available in the early 60's no extended safeties ect. , but the extra checkering on the frame matches the hammer and safety and seems to be 40lpi so the old boy was a craftsman.

08-30-2002, 06:39 AM	#7
Gordon Hulme Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 443	Robbie Barkman :wink: The smith at Gun site was Robbie Barkman. And his business is called Robar. and I still have the old barrel with two ball bearing bushings.

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08-10-2002, 07:03 PM	#3
Joe Beary Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 47	There is museum in Elcho(?), Nevada that has F.Bob Chow's Gun Collection in it. I believe it is called the County Western Museum, not positive. Anyhow, if ya'll are ever in Elcho, check it out. It's a beautiful collection, and the rest of the museum is pretty interesting, also. The American Rifleman had a great article on him a good few years ago, if I recall. All the best. Joe :lol:

08-15-2002, 09:17 AM	#4
Renomucker Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 17	Hey Joe, the town you mentioned is Elko. It is located in the North Eastern side of the state, and is home to the largest gold strike in North America.

08-15-2002, 09:28 AM	#5
Joe Beary Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 47	:lol: Thanks Renomucker! I knew I spelled it wrong. One of the nicest places I've ever been, and my favorite town in Nevada. Joe 8)

08-31-2002, 10:57 PM	#8
Guest Posts: n/a	Gordon, I have never seen guns built by Armand Swenson or Bob Chow but I have enjoyed reading your posts and responses. It has provided perspective on where we are today and what the past has still to offer. I hope I can provide the same in the next forty years

09-02-2002, 10:50 AM	#9
dclark Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 6	I went to school in San Francisco between 1972 and 1975. I met Bob Chow during that time and spent many pleasant hours there with him and his staff. Nice folks, but not prone to listen to much BS. I have a S&W Model 66 smoothed by him. Nice gun that was stolen a couple of years ago. I handled a number 1911's he did and they all shot well. I passed up buying one becuz I was a starving student. Should have done it, but $300 was a lot of money at the time. Last I knew he had retired at about 80 YOA and is now living in SF and still coaching shooters in the area at over 90. Nice article a year ago in the NRA Shooting Sports magazine on him. He developed or refined a number of BE improvements to 1911s and was on one Olympic team. He had (has?) a very dry sense of humor that could be misinterpreted. Nice guy! dclark

05-15-2003, 08:47 PM	#10
Dane Burns Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Issaquah, WA Posts: 3,831	So why can't some one post a picture or two? Outside some old magazines I haven't seen anyhting and can't remember what I saw originally :roll:

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