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Took a rifle to Missoula today to have open sights installed. Over 50 miles one way. When I talked to the smith he said he was so busy that he was not taking on any more new work until the first week in July. Claimed he was working 6 days a week till 10 PM every evening. I've been trying for days to call him, but always got a busy signal. Is anyone else experiencing a similar gunsmith work back up?
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Campfire Tracker
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I'm lucky I guess, the smith I've used recently on 2 builds has had my rifle back to me in a few weeks - this was for a full build with me supplying the parts. And the work has been flawless and they shoot fantastic so no complaints!! But have also waited 2+ years for a build.
"Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else"
"Team 7MM-08"
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Campfire Ranger
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Joined: Nov 2013
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My smith is truly excellent, but getting anything done takes forever because he is so busy. I’m too old to commission a build by him, as it would likely end up in my estate.
On the plus side, I have no worries about him futzing something up.
What fresh Hell is this?
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My guy got swamped with black rifle work during pandemic. Not sure how busy he is now that it seems to be lifting.
Okie John
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Some good gunsmiths are horrible businessmen, taking in far more work and making delivery promises they know they can't possibly keep. One of the best gunsmiths that I've ever done business with would take a deposit to place your job "in line" and then notify you to send your gun a week before starting the job. Upon completion and paying your balance your gun was promptly returned. Too bad other 'smiths don't utilize a similar system instead of making customers wait years for their work.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Shaen are you too busy? Do I need to send my parts off to someone else?  Shaen does great work, at a great price, and in a prompt manner.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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Shaen are you too busy? Do I need to send my parts off to someone else? Shaen does great work, at a great price, and in a prompt manner. I text him a while back asking if he did triggers on a pistol I was looking to have tuned a bit. He replied that he does, but is too busy with rifles at the moment. I’m happy he’s busy.
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Three month lead-time on anything. He's got my projects backed-up, but he's worth it.
24HCF in its entirety, is solely responsible for why my children do not have college funds, my mortgage isn't paid-off and why I will never retire early enough to enjoy the remainder of my life.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
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Anybody left in America that works is busy as hell making up for all the ones sitting on their ass. And I'm not being sarcastic.
_______________________________________________________
An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
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A gunsmith that's not busy is like driving up to a restaurant and your the only one there, on the the other hand I don't appreciate them taking your gun and not touching it for 2 years.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Campfire Outfitter
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Shaen are you too busy? Do I need to send my parts off to someone else? Shaen does great work, at a great price, and in a prompt manner. I text him a while back asking if he did triggers on a pistol I was looking to have tuned a bit. He replied that he does, but is too busy with rifles at the moment. I’m happy he’s busy. Pistols? They still allow you to own those behind enemy lines? 🤣 Three months doesn’t seem long to me. Specially when you compare to some others wait times.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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Joined: Dec 2013
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Campfire Tracker
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Shaen are you too busy? Do I need to send my parts off to someone else? Shaen does great work, at a great price, and in a prompt manner. I text him a while back asking if he did triggers on a pistol I was looking to have tuned a bit. He replied that he does, but is too busy with rifles at the moment. I’m happy he’s busy. Pistols? They still allow you to own those behind enemy lines? 🤣 Three months doesn’t seem long to me. Specially when you compare to some others wait times. You're correct, three months isn't too long. I should've been more specific; three months is for trigger work, bedding, etc. When it comes to a build, he's at a year.
24HCF in its entirety, is solely responsible for why my children do not have college funds, my mortgage isn't paid-off and why I will never retire early enough to enjoy the remainder of my life.
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Mine's not very busy but is lazy as a cut hound. GD
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My gunsmith (me) is so busy he can't find time to do much work on his own projects, and works a minimum of 62 hours a week with some weeks (summer time) going as much as 72 hours.
I stopped taking on new work 4 years ago and the back-log is now "only" 3-3-1/2 years long. I work 6-1/2 days a week and take NO days off but those I need for hunting, 4 days at Christmas time and Easter. I may start taking new work when I get down to a 3 month backlog, but that's years down the road, so I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
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Busy is good, and I'm fine with long lead times. What I've ran into a lot, is the 3 month wait times turns into 6, then 9 and so on. I have a hard time dealing with that.
Shaen has been excellent on that stuff, one reason why he's the first I call.
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Campfire Regular
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Shaen are you too busy? Do I need to send my parts off to someone else? Shaen does great work, at a great price, and in a prompt manner. I text him a while back asking if he did triggers on a pistol I was looking to have tuned a bit. He replied that he does, but is too busy with rifles at the moment. I’m happy he’s busy. Pistols? They still allow you to own those behind enemy lines? 🤣 Three months doesn’t seem long to me. Specially when you compare to some others wait times. Don’t tell anyone, but we’re allowed some guns.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,988
Campfire Outfitter
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The only decent gunsmith around here just announced he is fed up with the stupid regulations in this state and is moving his operation to Utah.... damn it... I was just about to take a couple projects down there for him to get started on and he has pretty much stopped taking on any work in anticipation of moving in the next couple months....
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2008
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Just got the call from mine, dropped er off last Tuesday after work, ready today, that’s after 2 days waiting on the reamer... sure is handy, 👍
Ping pong balls for the win.
Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable
I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ain’t easy havin pals.
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Just got the call from mine, dropped er off last Tuesday after work, ready today, that’s after 2 days waiting on the reamer... sure is handy, 👍 Nice turn around!
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Ya pretty handy, easy drive, no shipping, win/win. 👍
Ping pong balls for the win.
Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable
I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ain’t easy havin pals.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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One of my smiths had a year backlog, and now he isn't taking anymore work he is so buried. He kept raising his prices and it didn't matter, the work kept coming...
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The only decent gunsmith around here just announced he is fed up with the stupid regulations in this state and is moving his operation to Utah.... damn it... I was just about to take a couple projects down there for him to get started on and he has pretty much stopped taking on any work in anticipation of moving in the next couple months.... And we will truly miss him. I bet I end up taking some down to Utah for work.
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after working part time in a gun shop for a couple of years, I quickly noticed that most gun smiths dont like to talk on the phone a whole lot. Some people will call and talk your ear off when your trying to do three things at once.
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after working part time in a gun shop for a couple of years, I quickly noticed that most gun smiths dont like to talk on the phone a whole lot. Some people will call and talk your ear off when your trying to do three things at once. The guy I use is the same way. He likes for you to schedule an appointment and then he'll sit down and talk.
24HCF in its entirety, is solely responsible for why my children do not have college funds, my mortgage isn't paid-off and why I will never retire early enough to enjoy the remainder of my life.
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Posts: 10,355
Campfire Outfitter
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I do all my own gunsmithing, and I am busy gardening right now.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -Ernest Hemingway
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.-- Edward John Phelps
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Old gunsmith I knew, he's gone now only took calls and customers on Mondays. Only way he could get anything done, phone with message and gate locked with a sign explaining why.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2007
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Called a highly recommended stock maker about building from a semi-inlet blank in November and he said 6 wks. Parts went out in early December and in April I called to see how things were going and he said he is way behind (duh) and hasn’t even touched my stock yet. He said he needs to hire someone to answer the phones so I haven’t called back again just waiting and waiting and waiting I guess?
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Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure. Was it a Southwest?
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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Campfire Tracker
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My gunsmith (me) is so busy he can't find time to do much work on his own projects, and works a minimum of 62 hours a week with some weeks (summer time) going as much as 72 hours.
I stopped taking on new work 4 years ago and the back-log is now "only" 3-3-1/2 years long. I work 6-1/2 days a week and take NO days off but those I need for hunting, 4 days at Christmas time and Easter. I may start taking new work when I get down to a 3 month backlog, but that's years down the road, so I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. What are you building that has such a backlog? Can you share some photos?
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Campfire Tracker
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Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2001
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Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure. Was it a Southwest? They're very nice, but IMHO not any better than the top customs at Schon (and at about 1/3 the price). I have one of their best - a "Unique"; one of a kind that I obtained in circa '92.. I still use it today. Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now I cannot fathom why any 'smith would take on so much work that the backlog gets anywhere near that date...
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69
Pro-Constitution.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,354
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure. Was it a Southwest? They're very nice, but IMHO not any better than the top customs at Schon (and at about 1/3 the price). I have one of their best - a "Unique"; one of a kind that I obtained in circa '92.. I still use it today. Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now I cannot fathom why any 'smith would take on so much work that the backlog gets anywhere near that date... I have yet to find a Cue that feels like a Southwest. I prefer my cues plain Jane but have a couple that are a little NICE. Honestly I play the most with my 20oz Lucasi Sneaky Pete.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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Posts: 11,351
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Mine got rich and tends to sit in his hot tub a lot these days. Hoping to hear from him once all my parts arrive at his place for this my last build.
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A gunsmith that is not busy you better wonder y
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Campfire Tracker
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Last edited by szihn; 07/26/21.
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Campfire Tracker
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Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure. Was it a Southwest? They're very nice, but IMHO not any better than the top customs at Schon (and at about 1/3 the price). I have one of their best - a "Unique"; one of a kind that I obtained in circa '92.. I still use it today. Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now I cannot fathom why any 'smith would take on so much work that the backlog gets anywhere near that date... I don't think I would be sending anything to anyone with a 4 year wait, no matter how "good" he is.
Old Corps
Semper Fi
Get off my lawn.
FJB
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Mine is so busy vacationing in Florida the job that he said would be done in 2 day has trenched out to 3 months.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,126 |
Be glad you don't have to deal with custom cue makers. A friend of mine waited four years for a cue and sold it three months later for a profit. Go figure. Was it a Southwest? They're very nice, but IMHO not any better than the top customs at Schon (and at about 1/3 the price). I have one of their best - a "Unique"; one of a kind that I obtained in circa '92.. I still use it today. Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now I cannot fathom why any 'smith would take on so much work that the backlog gets anywhere near that date... I don't think I would be sending anything to anyone with a 4 year wait, no matter how "good" he is. I totally agree..
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69
Pro-Constitution.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
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Posts: 1,313
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,313 |
My local smith was very short on work at the start of the pandemic, and then got very busy.
I ended up sending a rifle to NECG for sight installation, since I'm using their sights. We'll see how that turns out. They quoted 8 months.
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Posts: 5,014
Campfire Tracker
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used to get all my stuff done quick, then the old man got too old and too ill to work, the other guy in the shop has a day job and on top of that, got mixed up with rebarreling/fixing and lighening shytty Kimber & Christiansen rifles that don't shoot worth a squat for the sissy sheep hunters who pizz n moan about carrying a 7lb rifle up a hill, but they pay good $$$ so he quit doing work for us cavemen
"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants".
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