A little bit about who we are... 

The Gun Doctor, Inc. is a full service FFL dealer specializing in the art of hand crafted gunsmithing, serving Chicagoland with excellence since 1972. We are a brick and mortar - good ol’ fashioned - mom and pop shop. Most of our expert staff has been with us for decades, something we wear as a badge of honor. We have developed a reputation for impeccable service, with astounding attention to detail. Everything you heard about us is true - we take a long time to complete your work, but the results are second to none. Our commitment to shooting sportsmen is this: we will never sacrifice quality for speed.

Some History of The Gun Doctor…

Our founder, Mikio A. Sano, immigrated to The United States from Japan in 1953 with the aspiration of becoming a world-class gunsmith. Mikio (affectionately known as “Mik”) was part of the first graduating class of Trinidad State, “America’s Premier Gunsmithing School”. As a Japanese immigrant, the difficulty of this journey cannot be understated. 

After graduating, Mikio began to pursue his gunsmithing career. He began working at Chicago gunsmithing institutions including the famous Scaramuzzo’s at 851 S. Halsted. From there, he branched out taking on freelance work from businesses including Bell’s Gun Shop on Mannheim Rd in Franklin Park, and Hunting and Hobbies on Jensen Blvd in Hanover Park. Mikio soon began to leave his footprint on gunsmithing engineering. Mik is named in the patent for “Auto-Port” (Patent# US4534264A), a recoil reduction system for auto-loading pistols. Mikio also provided firearm props for movies and television, the most famous being 1987’s “The Untouchables”.

In 1972, Mikio opened The Gun Doctor, originally located at 435 E. Maple in Roselle, IL. Mikio’s business quickly became a community staple. Our iconic and recognizable building was located in the heart of downtown Roselle, just steps away from the train station. He developed many cherished friendships in Roselle, most notably those who served with the Roselle Police Department. Mik was proud to serve his customers at this location until he opened a larger shop (our current location) on Lake Street. Mikio was actively involved in his business until his passing in 2006. Today, our shop is still owned and operated by Mikio’s family and apprentices, who are now master gunsmiths. His legacy lives on in each firearm he touched.