About Us

Buddy’s Armory was founded in 2021 by me, Jesse Shwen—better known as Buddy. Back in 2015, I started chambering my own barrels out of frustration with long wait times from other gunsmiths. I also wanted full control over the quality of the machine work being done. Some people ask, “Why the name Buddy’s Armory?” The story goes back to my first job as a machinist. My supervisor had a habit of giving everyone nicknames, and for some reason, he picked "Buddy" for me. (There was another nickname too, but let’s not go there!) I decided to embrace it, knowing one of them would stick. Interestingly, my grandpa went by "Bud" his whole life, so it felt like more than just a coincidence. And that’s how Buddy’s Armory got its name.

I’ve worked in various machine shops since 2009 as a setup machinist and programmer, and as an avid PRS shooter, transitioning to gunsmithing felt natural. Over the years, more and more people started asking if I could chamber barrels for them. I’d been eyeing a CNC lathe for a while, and finally, I convinced myself that starting a company would justify the investment. Fast forward about a year, and the lathe is here. Now, for once, people get to wait on me.