They are both generally unfriendly and give the impression you are interrupting their work when you bring a firearm to be repaired, in my case a legacy Remington shotgun that needed to be checked and springs possibly replaced, about as basic as it gets for gunsmithing. Repairs took awhile. Repair quality was good. Charges were reasonable. read more

Best armorers in the NCR. Honest, competent, and knowledgeable. There's a reason these folks have the best reputation around.

Great outfit. I have had two pistols in there. Work was professional with a quick turnaround. This is my armorer for all future work.

I'm very happy with this experience. He was very knowledgeable and did a great job. I'll go again if I need it.

Quality work was completed on one of my pistols. Very happy with the customer service and the quality of the work done.

Sandy and Robert are the penultimate gurus when it comes to gunsmithing. You will NOT be sorry using them for your firearm gunsmithing needs. I've been using them for over 30 years!!! read more

I've been looking around for a trusted gunsmith and he's the one. I'm not familiar with glock pistol. I went there and He's not that friendly though I understand.After two weeks I took the pistol and same thing.I thought the trigger reset is fixed and I found out that I am the problem. I pay $50.00, it's ok. I'll be back if I needed a gunsmith. read more

I don't know if they are the best gunsmiths in the DMV (because I've never been to another gunsmith in the DMV) but they darn sure get the job done and are fair. Not big conversationalists, but they are honest and know their business. I've had scopes mounted, triggers & iron sights adjusted, and I had an old used rifle sanded and reblued to look presentable again. I don't have a workbench, vice, workshop or any tools, so I take everything to them, and they do a great job. read more

Fixed my HG. Son served too in our US Army. Hooah! Highly recommended for all your firearms.

I've been looking for a quality local gunsmith and found one. I went in for a specific service on one of my Smith & Wesson's and Sandy not only corrected the problem I came in for, but some other more minor, less noticeable issues I knew were there, but wasn't too worried about. His work was first rate, turnaround was amazing and his pricing VERY fair given the amount and quality of the work. I've finally found someone local I TRUST to take on some other projects and know I'll get quality work at a reasonable price... read more

The gentleman helped me remove my ejector plunger from my bolt. He is a gunsmith after all . Needless to say, when You need a gunsmith this is where to go. read more

I've had Sandy work on two handguns with different problems and he diagnosed and fix them and they both run great. Prices aren't cheap, they are reasonable. He's one of the top 'smiths in NOVA. Regarding his supposed rudeness. Generally Sandy doesn't want to hear your stories and doesn't care for chit chat. If he thinks you've done something stupid he may point it out. He's got a machine shop full of jobs that need to be completed and that's where he want to be. When in his shop wait patiently until he calls you, show him your firearm, explain what you want, fill out the paperwork, take the ticket, leave. On occasion he will start a conversation and he is able to be engaging and knowledgeable. If this happens, treat it as a gift, when he's done talking, leave. read more

I recently had a favorite revolver I have carried for 50 years repaired and re-blued by Sandy and Robert Garrett at Northern VA. Gun Works in Springfield, VA. I can't express enough how professional and perfect the work was. Today, it is hard to find real craftsmen and/or experts that not only have the knowledge but the interest to do a great job. These 2 gentlemen certainly do and are the best. They exceeded their reputations. The work, especially the hot bluing, was just to perfection. They are obviously busy but if you have patience and want an expert job, you can't go wrong with these guys. I can see why they have been in business over 30 years and still highly sought after. Can't recommend them highly enough! read more

I had a stuck muzzle break, that was pretty rare for the rifle. The staff was extremely helpful, explained what had happened and fixed the issue at a good price. Outstanding service and will definitely use them again for any other issues! read more

Great gunsmith, don't be detered by those who call Mr. Garrett as a grumpy old man he's not that bad. He is however a great gunsmith and there's no where else I take my guns for any issue. I brought in my M1 Garand just to be cleaned because I don't know a thing about them. I brought in a mosin nagant (a war trophy from my grandfather) to have it looked at and cleaned. I brought all 4 of my 1911's for cleaning and fitting issues and lastly I brought in my remington 700 to have him look at it and he asked how I pulled the trigger I had at the time I guess it must've been around 7 lbs or so and he took it down to 3.5 and I love it. Everything I've had done I've been very happy with, as you can see I'm a returning customer. As a note I learned today he is a class 1 gunsmith in that he doesn't do threading for barrels. I had a AMT silverballer that had a threaded barrel I wanted to have changed for a suppressor I bought for it but alas, he was unable to do a barrel thread, other than that bring in your stuff for whatever reason and Mr. Garrett will be able to hook you up read more

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Charged me more to fix a pistol than it was worth. If I would have known, I would have junked it or used it was a memorabilia. The worst part is they didn't fix anything on it, pistol still does not cycle reliably, sights were never fixed. When I complained, their reply was that they lost money on the item since they spent so much time on it. read more

There are few gunsmiths who deliver on their promise, in the time allotted or ahead of schedule and at a reasonable price. We are blessed to live in an area with several and Sandy is one of them. He took care of two Colt Woodsman pistols, a Gen 2 and 3. Both came back flawless, and earlier than promised along with a Colt Huntsman. As these Colts are antiques and inherently complicated they required some fabrication of small parts since you can't purchase replacements anywhere. Sandy was able to do it all in house and the tool steel components, which he made from bar stock and will last forever and beautifully blued - perfect match to the original. His wait is reasonable and he is a consummate professional. Don't expect small talk, and don't waste time on the phone. Its a 2-3 person operation so when Sandy gets on the phone, work doesn't get done. Show up in person, with your firearm ready to drop it off. Tell him what you want, he'll let you know how he'll do it. Shut up and listen. Time is money and the time he saves is spent fixing your or someone else's firearm. If he hired an answering service, the price would go up, so accommodate the gunsmith and he'll take care of your firearm and you. So far I've had him repair 8 firearms and several more on the way in, I don't have any hesitance to recommend him for future work. Sandy is a Master with revolvers, one of the few Colt guys, and rifles, particularly bolt action. He has accurized 3 CZ 452s for me, which my 3 boys use in 3-P sporter class. Check out the wall in his shop, you will be hard pressed to find a better bolt gun builder in America. In addition he did a trigger and front sight modification for hunting hogs on a Ruger Super Blackhawk that is unsurpassed. He's factory certified in the majority of commonly produced firearms by Colt, Remington, Mossberg, and factory trained by Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Beretta and Sig Sauer and a member of the American Pistolsmiths Guild. He is legit unlike many "garage" gunsmiths that may damage your firearm and has been featured in magazines and produced some high level competition rifles, which have targets from Quantico long range shooting events displayed in his shop. He can do Bullseye, PPC revolvers as well as competition rifles. His work on Colt revolvers is incredible. This is a review from a guy who has had A LOT firearms worked on and shot on a military shooting team and a distinguished pistol shot. Sandy is a known quality in the NOVA area. read more

Had a horrible experience with NVGW on a 1911 trigger job years ago. They seem to think that the customer should pay to fix work they did improperly. They never did fix the trigger in any event even after being paid for the initial work and for a second visit to "fix" the issue. Very poor customer service. read more

Sandy and his son are the best gunsmiths in the DMV. Conveniently located in newington. Great service. Both are very knowledgeable and their work is second to none. read more

I recently had a Smith and Wesson Model 69 .44 Magnum with the 2.75-inch barrel worked on by the folks over at Northern Virginia Gun Works. They cleaned up the roughly finished (from the factory) muzzle, fixed the yoke lock (that I had taken apart and lost a piece), and did a great action job for me. They took what I thought was a good gun and made it a great one. The trigger is very nice in both double and single action. They hit both of my trigger weight requests exactly and the trigger is even better than I thought it could be. I give them my highest recommendation and I plan on taking more work to them in the near future. read more

Mr. Garrett is an excellent gunsmith who has performed a variety of repairs and trigger work on my firearms over many years. His work has always been outstanding, he's improved the triggers on pistols I had given up all hope of improving. read more

If you need revolver work done right at an honest price take it to Sandy Garrett at Northern Virginia Gun Works. Last year I took a Ruger Gp100 and an SP101 in for action jobs. The results are incredible- smooth double actions with 100% reliability. I couldn't be happier. Most other gunsmiths will not even work on a revolver. Those that do will only install a spring kit despite their promises. I highly recommend them for all gunsmithing work. read more

I had some work done on an old shotgun by NVGW. It was done well. Very positive experience.

I have been a hunter and shooter all my life, and I feel that if it is not broken, don't monkey with it, being a Marine Shooter, I, 'm not easy to get along with, I feel that it is written in stone, 3006,308,and22-250 are the only weapons that a rifleman need. The Garret family has built me 3 of the finest rifles I have ever seen or owned, Mr Garret (sandy) is a superb gunsmith and has 100% of my trust and confidence, he has the highest degree of integrity. Let me make it clear, If my life depended on making a shot at any distance, I would demand a Sandy Garret-built rifle.(and his son is also a fine young Man), if I can remember he liked those little POP gun assault rifles, he was busy making changes, and Mrs. Garret she had to ride hard and keep the roof on the building, cause those two Rams would but heads from time to time. So to the Garrett family, I say thank you, and I will never forget any of you. R. L. Bauldock GySgt (Sniper Instructor) USMC, yea I, 'm laughing too, I miss you all. read more

I went in with no appointment, because my Glock had a malfunction from bad ammo. I was promptly helped, given a fair estimate, and a acceptable time frame. Both money and time estimates were met perfectly. The workmanship is top notch. I do not hesitate to recommend NVGW for any gunsmithing needs. read more

Awesome service! Believed the extractor broke on my long gun and brought it in on a Saturday. Robert said he would take a look at it and confirm whether it was the extractor "in about a week." Robert called me that Tuesday (yes, three days later, and they are closed on Sundays), explained it was indeed the extractor, and gave me a detailed explanation on what my options were, to include walking me through the firearm manufacturer's website to locate the replacement kit. I ordered it up, had the kit in hand later that week, and dropped it off to Robert on Saturday (a week to the day I dropped the rifle off). Another week goes by (and mind you, this is the holiday season, mid-December), Robert calls me saying my rifle is ready! Granted I did not ask Robert initially what it would cost to fix it, as it is my favorite rifle and would pay just about anything to get it up and running, so I was expecting a crazy price. NOPE! I was surprisingly shocked at how low the price on the invoice was! Way well within my budget and MUCH less than what I though I was going to pay. Took the rifle to the range the next weekend and it shot like a beaut. Actually, it felt better than "Day One" when I first took it out of the case years ago! Can't say more about NVGW! Experts in every sense of the word! Hopefully, I will never have any more issues with my existing (and future firearms), but I know where to take them: NVGW! read more

My Ruger Mark 2 had a trigger job done by Sandy and it was the best trigger job I've ever seen. Wish I had brought my 1911 45 ACP here instead of another local so-called gunsmith. Sandy also gave me tips on how to do some work my to save some money. I really thinks that this place is the best in Northern VA. Sandy is as straight shooter as one can get. I am glad he isn't retiring any time soon. read more

I will not go over there again. While I would love to support a local gunsmith, however, their customer service is on the poor side. Sandy G. will not treat you like a customer, rather you will feel like you are wasting his time the second you step in the door. I think I will take my business else where. I have contacted the cylinder and slide to build my 1911. It may take them about a year, but at least when I talk to Bill on the phone, he talk to me like a customer. By the way, if you are different skin color than I am he may treat you differently. Don't believe me? Bring a Asian to his place with you, and you will see what I am talking about. read more

NVGW is a business that I have to review differently than others. The first time I visited NVGW was about 10 years ago when I was given my first gun as a gift. It was a Taurus 617 and at the time I didn't know how bad Taurus was. On the first trip out with it, the revolver locked up before I could even finish the cylinder. I took the gun back to where I purchased it and they offered to send it back to Taurus for repair. At that point I started doing research and found that sending my gun off to Taurus was going to be a lengthy and costly. Taurus wanted me to pay for overnight shipping both ways, totaling over $100, and then hold on to the gun for 6 to 12 weeks. Being how it was my first gun and all I wanted to do was shoot it, I opted not to send it off. A friend of mine recommended I see Sandy Garret at NVGW since I did not want to deal with Taurus. He did make sure to warn me the Mr. Garret was the poster boy for crotchy old men. I decided despite the lack of a bed side manner, I'd take my broken gun to him for repair. When I met Sandy he lived up to his rep. He scolded my for buying a Taurus and when I explained it was given to me as a gift from my GF, he scolded me for letting a woman buy me a gun. Sandy explained Taurus does not send parts to gunsmiths so it would take him some time to get it working. At that point I was desperate and just wanted to get it fixed so I could take it to the range. I left the gun with him and expected him to have it for the 12 days he quoted me. Three days later I receive a VM telling me that my gun is ready to be picked up. I was really surprised by the turn over and raced over to pick it up. When I got there, Sandy pulled package wrapped in newspaper from under the counter and revealed my repaired pistol. He not only repaired the timing issue, he also did a wonderful trigger job. The entire cost of the repair and trigger job was $75. When he told me the price I was a bit sticker shocked but in a good way. Lets call it reverse sticker shock. I had originally been quoted $100 an hour for the repair only. Mr. Garrett cut me a brake on the price because "he did not feel right charging more than the gun was worth". I sold the gun about a year later but I still miss that trigger. To this day I am unable to find a trigger pull that comes close. Mr. Garret might be hard to deal with but he has a talent and craft that is hard to come by, especially in this area. That's why I believe he deserves a 5 star rating. If you need a gunsmith, I highly recommend Northern Virginia Gun Works. read more

I had a relatively simple problem with my shotgun but it required a level of expertise beyond what the manufacturer was able to give via email and phone. I was trying to reinstall a captive pin that had been removed to install an accessory. This caused many problems and the gentlemen here were happy to help however they could. In the end, a "tool" had to be fabricated to facilitate the reinstallation and they charged me a nominal price for the work and the material. I was very happy with the result and promised future business. This was a small but frustrating problem I had been trying to resolve for months. I was very grateful. I would recommend this shop to anyone with any type of firearms issues and plan to come back with future projects. read more

Sandy and Robert have worked on my guns for over 29 years. They've done great work and I've never been disappointed. I won't go anywhere else. read more

If you want the best, then this is it. Sandy and his brother have worked on several firearms for me over the years and I have always been extremely impressed with the quality of their work and the prices that they charge. It is simply amazing what these folks can do. In fact, I have a Ruger New Model Blackhawk that I will be dropping off as soon as the parts come in. Don't be put off by them if they seem to be a little short in talking to you. Remember they are the professionals and they have guns to fix and get back to their waiting owners. They don't have time to stand around and shoot the breeze with you, swap stories or listen to some amateur tell them how to fix a gun. Explain to them what you need, give them your gun and let them get back to work. You will be very happy with the results, trust me on that. read more

I brought my gun to be repaired not to have a relationship with the Gunsmith. The bottom line is that Sandy did a great job. He restored my Marlin 90 Shotgun. No BS. I would recommend him and his work. I'm very please with the results. read more

So...here I am again with another true story of the magic show that is called NVGW. I brought two pre-war Colt revolvers to Sandy. One for complete clean, insect and refinish and one for clean and inspect. IN a relatively short period of time I got my call to come and get them - they were both completed as requested. I cannot tell you how beautiful the guns look, feel and function. The refinish looked like new....not todays' new but the beautiful Colt Officers model 1939 new that is the age of the revolver. Both weapons are flawless - now. Sandy and Robbie are the only Gunsmiths I know of that have ALL the Colt tools and knowledge the Colt Master Assembly folks had way back when....even more, in my opinion. Case in point, one cylinder had a little fore-aft play that Sandy removed. I asked Sandy why did such a weapon have that play from the factory (.22lr that would not develop that play over time). Hard too tell now but it was corrected perfectly. You need serious tools, experience and artistry to make sure a weapon better than new!! Sandy and Robbie are that kind of artist. To me, when it comes to my weapons, pricing for such a unique and scarce level of service has little priority. I'm not rich but I know extremely high value when I receive it and NVGW is probably the BEST for delivering the highest value at a very fair price - without question. I have been a faithful client of NVGW for over 20 years and will continue until I take my dirt nap. In a former instance, my ex-wife got the judge to award her all the guns I owned at the time. One of them was a beautiful Colt Python that Sandy tuned and perfected. I even offered to give it to my ex 138 grains at a time - but, alas, I lost it to her. I beg for Sandy's forgiveness every time I enter NVGW for losing that weapon. Perhaps, someday, I will be forgiven... until then, I will continue to slink in, request that bygones be bygones and hope my next weapon service needs are met with as much care, expertise and fairness and in the past - so far, so GOOD!!! If you care for your weapons as you care for yourself and your rights under the 2nd amendment, go the NVGW - ONLY. read more

I brought my S&W Model 940-1 chambered in 9mm to NVGW after I tried to shoot ZQI Turkish Military ammo in it. Apparently the hot load bulged out the primer, seizing the cylinder up solid. The night before I worked for an hour trying to coax the cylinder open so I could clear it, but no way. I called three gunsmiths before NVGW, and the quoted lead-time ranged from a month ("We're really busy with the gun show right now") to indefinite ("Bring it in and we'll call you when we can get to it"). Also couldn't get a straight answer from the other guys about what it would cost to clear. At NVGW, owner Mr. Sandy Garrett patiently listened to my story. He asked me if the chamber and barrel were clear, and I told him they were as the gun had fired before seizing and I checked the barrel and chamber with a feeler the night before. He took the gun from me and disappeared into a side room. Five minutes later he came back with the cylinder open, and plunked the offending moonclip containing four rounds and one empty casing down on the counter. "Use good ammo, don't use this stuff!" he admonished. "Yessir!" I said. With that out of the way, Mr. Garrett visibly softened as he told me what a fine revolver that was, and how he would readily trust his life to it. He then showed me that the cylinder had front-back play, and the cylinder slot edges had been peened by firing. He offered to "tune up" the gun for me if I left it overnight, and quoted a price that I would have expected just for freeing the cylinder. The next morning I received the call that my gun was ready. I went to pick it up, and Mr. Garrett explained that he had restored the revolver "the way that the Smith factory instructs". It was great, like new, with a crisp, smooth, trigger, light for a DA Smith. I tried to press Mr. Garrett for details, but he wasn't giving up any secrets that day. Some guys here on Yelp complain about Mr. Garrett's bedside manner. Look, if you want a top flight gunsmith who knows wheel guns better than his own thumbs, gets your gun back in the fight fast, and charges a fair price for excellent service, NVGW is for you. If you want a friend, get a dog. Note to the Asian fellow who felt mistreated: dont be offended dude, he treats everyone that way! read more

As I stated in my earlier review, I'd be coming back. Trigger work needed on a new S&W revolver - mission accomplished. Excellent job as expected. read more

I brought them my mom's 1952 High Standard Field King .22 semi-automatic pistol. Got a nice compliment "they don't make them like this anymore", a surprisingly quick turnaround (3 or 4 days?), especially considering they had to fabricate a firing pin! They charged me a fair price, and now my family heirloom runs like a typewriter! What's not to like? read more

Sandy Garrett is a knowledgeable, experienced, talented gunsmith who has the experience and skills to work on handguns, rifles, shotguns, and most modern firearms. I've used him several times in the past to repair or modify a firearm of mine and his work has always been superb. Sandy has run a successful gun smithing business for many years in Northern Virginia and he has a dedicated following of both fans and critics. There are many times I've sat in his shop and listened to a potential customer spew endless amounts of noise out of their mouths as they try to tell an experienced gunsmith exactly how to fix a firearm they themselves "repaired" or "attempted to repair" and are now asking Sandy to correct their ham-fisted work. I don't know how he can patiently stand there some days and listen to what he has to listen to, but I am grateful and satisfied with the work he has done on several firearms and will continue to use him for all my firearm repair needs. Don't hesitate to use Northern Virginia Gun Works. Sandy is a true old school gunsmith. As dedicated and skilled as they come. read more

Took in my Colt Python after I took side plate off and could not get it back on. Yes - I am a dumbass so I was ready for the scolding. It was pretty mild - considering. Visions or horrifying damage to the snake's innards from my repeated attempts at closure danced in my head with 3 figure repair bills. Two days after I dropped it off, NVGW called saying the gun was ready. A whopping $50. At pickup we discussed not only the repair but a number of tips on care and cleaning of the Pythons. Thank god for NVGW. So nice to have a great gunsmith close by. read more

The best gunsmith around. Don't rush them, they know what their doing. If you want some kid working on your weapon, that's your choice. Sandy and company take their time and do it right. If they have to make a piece, no problem. I've had them work in guns from 1850 to 2016 and always been satisfied. You get what you pay for. Quality and craftsmanship on a gun is what you're looking for, this is the place. read more