Custom Pistolsmith Terry Tussey Passes Away

by
posted on December 3, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
terry-tussey-custom-passed-away-f.jpg

It is my sad duty to report the passing of Terry Tussey, ace pistolsmith and close personal friend. Terry succumbed to complications of a respiratory infection on the 14th of November. He was 80 years of age. Survived by his wife Teresa and four grown children, Tussey maintained a gunsmithing operation near Carson City, Nev. At Tussey Custom, he specialized in custom work on all types of handguns for 40 years and informally worked on guns since he was in his 20s.

Regular readers of this column may recall Terry's work on several custom projects of mine. Tussey built the Trython revolvers that drew considerable reader interest, as well as the Colt Sheriff's Model with removable cylinder. Terry was well-known in the custom pistolsmith community. As an innovator, he developed several interesting features such as the Stealth-Comp for automatic pistols. He also did special 1911 pistols for actor Steven Seagal.

Terry moved to northern Nevada at about the same time as I did, so I was able to enjoy a quarter-century of friendship and learning from this gifted craftsman. In addition to being an artist in steel, Terry was one of the toughest personalities I have ever known. He was an active shooter, fisherman and outdoorsman until the summer of 2005, when he hit a rock while mountain biking and went over the handlebars into a ditch.

Tussey suffered multiple injuries and was paralyzed from mid-chest down. It took about a year of rehab, but my friend went back to work and completed scores of fine custom handgun projectsfrom a motorized chair. I saw him often in these most recent years and never heard a word of complaint. Rest easy, my friend.

Tussey Custom will continue. His wife Teresa is a strong woman who has kept the books for years and is perfectly capable of managing several younger gunsmiths that Terry had been bringing along.

Latest

Taurus GX2
Taurus GX2

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.