10001 Curran Rd, Chatham
217-416-5962
Established: 2017
Owners: Kevin and Lydia Cline
Employees: 2
Services: Gunsmithing
Blue Coat Arms Co. is a two-person enterprise run by Kevin and Lydia Cline. “My wife Lydia is basically the CEO of the business and manages a bulk of the operations while I take care of project development and fulfillment,” Cline said. BCAC is a full-service gunsmithing shop that handles repairs, service/maintenance, restorations and customizations for all firearms for civilian, law enforcement and military applications. Their motto is: “No matter your era, we got your six!”
BCAC was founded in May 2017 as a sole-proprietorship and became Blue Coat Arms Co. LLC this year. Cline started BCAC after graduating from gunsmithing school. “There weren’t many places to get a job or further my apprenticeship,” he said. “There are very few full-service gunsmithing shops around.”
Besides being one of a few full-service gunsmithing shops in the area, what has allowed BCAC to stand out is how they lean into making individual pieces authentic to the person using them. And, firearm education is not optional. “We are big proponents of education. It is one of the core tenets of our business,” Cline said. They will provide education workshops with community organizations such as Operation Blazing Sword, a grass-roots organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ people become responsible firearm owners, and Pink Pistols, a shooting group that honors diversity.
“Whether it is a purchase, repair, custom build, safety workshop or someone just picking up the phone wanting to learn more, we try to make the information accessible to everyone so they can make the most informed decision for their unique situation,” Cline said.
This article appears in 15 under Fifteen 2026.