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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,180 Likes: 3
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,180 Likes: 3 |
LMAO... I'm sorry for all your troubles, but this has been a hilarious thread to read.. I can't believe what nightmares y'all have had.. Thank God I don't see things I recognize...  And I aim to KEEP it that way..
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69
Pro-Constitution.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,354 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,354 Likes: 1 |
I think it is like any other business. You have a few bad ones that soil the apple crate for the good ones. I've dealt with enough of them and been around enough of them to know who I would use for various projects that I choose not to do.
Butch
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,944 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,944 Likes: 3 |
tacos, beans and rice
When ever I go to a different Mexican restrant I always order a beef taco, beans and rice; because if they can't fix that dish they can't fix anything.
My suggestion when using a new gunsmith is to first have him crown, bed and adjust the trigger on a Reminton 700. If he screws that up then forget about it! ? ? ? ? ?
By the way, in case you missed it, Jeremiah was a bullfrog.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,944 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,944 Likes: 3 |
I have even been snubbed twice by a 'smith that posts here. I told him I wanted a rifle rebarreled the first time we swapped e-mails and the second time he argued with me on my chambering choice.
Hard to find a good 'smith that is true to their word.
By the way, in case you missed it, Jeremiah was a bullfrog.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,651 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,651 Likes: 4 |
I have no problem with any business person turning down work, but there's no reason not to be civil and polite about it. I'm sure there are lots of jobs that gunsmiths are presented with that they see as a potential problem, or would just prefer not to work on.
One thing I've started to do with contractors is ask them what kind of work they specialize in, and if there are jobs they particularly like or don't like. Interior vs. exterior is one example. I've found that most appreciate your asking, and are honest about it. I figure most people will do their best work on things they like.
Paul
Stupidity has its way, while its cousin, evil, runs rampant.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,102
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,102 |
Im having a gunsmith build me custom gun over 1000 miles away because our local gunsmith will only use what he approves of. When I stated this project,I wanted a custom action and his answer was..."your wasting your money, just blueprint a remington". Well, he was getting an attitude when I just wanted a custom action. He also said stated "hs precision stocks is all he will buy now. .........I told him I will be back when I get some cash to do this......NOT!
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,601 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,601 Likes: 5 |
Phil Harris of Harris Gunworks (or whatever he has changed his name to this time). The only thing that I found that he was really good at was lying - it certainly wasn't in building a custom rifle.
Darrell Holland and Wayne York, on the other hand, have been great to work with.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,206
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,206 |
There is a gunsmith in town around here that is opinionated on everything and if it aint to his liking or line of thinking he wont touch your project.
I've had friends take stuff to him and request something like "I would like you to rebarrel this rifle to a different cartridge for me" well if it isnt a cartridge he approves of he wont even touch it and will tell you right away...saying some things like "why would you want to get rid of that cartridge? it will do just as well as the one you are requesting." you answer him to your reasoning and if its not good enough to him......forget it!
He has lost alot of work from me and my friends because of his attitude, not to mention he is hard to talk to. My fantasy job would be to own and run "Moe's No Questions Asked Gunsmithing" Our motto is if you want it, and can pay for it, YOU GOT IT!! If we don't have it, we will order it for you and NOT try to sell you something off the shelf! Too bad making a living would interfere.........
Moe
"Pick out two!"
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 9,611
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 9,611 |
Last summer I talked w/a well known Mauser gunsmith here on the fire.I told him I had a small ring action and a 35 cal Douglas barrel I wanted to make into a 358.OK tell me what you want and I'll be glad to do it.I wanted a straight Dakota style handle welded on and I got a short swept back one.I wanted the front base to be set up on the back edge of the front of the action.I got standard holes.He put his name on the bottom of the barrel thank God cause he put the chamber stamp about 10 inches from the end of the barrel on the side and crooked at that.powdr
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,262
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,262 |
LMAO... I'm sorry for all your troubles, but this has been a hilarious thread to read.. I can't believe what nightmares y'all have had.. Thank God I don't see things I recognize... And I aim to KEEP it that way.. I'm tickled pink that you're not mentioned here!!  I knew you wouldn't be. 
I saw a movie where only the military and the police had guns. It was called Schindler's List.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 384
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 384 |
Hard to find a good 'smith that is true to their word. Hard to find because they don't advertise. They lay low, trying to keep up with the backlog from word of mouth.
"If all the good luck and all the bad luck I've had were put together, I reckon it'd make the biggest damned pile of luck in the world." Charlie Goodnight
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,651 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,651 Likes: 4 |
Hard to find a good 'smith that is true to their word. Hard to find because they don't advertise. They lay low, trying to keep up with the backlog from word of mouth. Probably a fair amount of truth to that. Some shooters are really secretive about it too. There's a guy I shoot with who mutters "my gunsmith" in hushed tones like it was some kind of state secret. It's funny, because I know full well who he is, as I can recognize his work (and good work it is, by one of the regular posters here). Like I said in my earlier post, may the good ones prosper and their tribes increase. Paul
Stupidity has its way, while its cousin, evil, runs rampant.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,203 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,203 Likes: 1 |
I could write a book on bad service from gunsmiths.
Best advise I could give to you is depend on the recomendations from others, and don't shoot youself in the foot by trying to "get it cheap".
Things that have happened to me:
Wrong quality barrel installed
1 year delivery time, when a month was guaranteed when I had supplied him with all the parts
Gunsmith lost or stole my 222mag reamer that I waited a year to get.
Several have lied to me about the length of leade on their reamers, perhaps the most used lie of them all.
Depend on reputation, I rarely ever believe the delivery time they state.
Sore subject with me.....
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,094
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,094 |
Disclaimer, I have only had rifles built or worked on a half dozen times so my experience is limited.
Having said that I have been fortunate. The last while I have exclusively worked with one mature gentleman. He seems to be very busy so I have to be patient and align with him on what works for him. I don't quizz about cost, I just want it done right.
We align very precisely on what will be done and when.
He has to date done what from eyes is just great work. As well, he is a really pleasant fellow to talk to - which after reading this thread I'm feeling somewhat fortunate.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 39
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 39 |
Yes. Many years ago there was a smith in my town that did good work but then his son took over. I wanted an extra bead put on the rib of my 870 and he drilled it off center. As a young kid I was too naive to gripe. Shortly thereafter it came out in the newspaper that the son was selling or pawning customer's guns to pay for his drug habit so I felt lucky that I got my gun back at all. Kix
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,940 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,940 Likes: 1 |
I waited a year for a tac rig that was supposed to take 7 months to receive. Upon receiving, I noticed that the chamber was not reamed perfectly (leaving marks on brass) and there was a little bit of runoff in the chamber (according to the brass bulging on one side). After spending several grand on said custom rig, I don't feel I got my money's worth. Live and learn....
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,908
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,908 |
Wonder what 'smith this was? Is he mentioned on 6mmbr?
Honestly cant say, I have never been to that site.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 557
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 557 |
Smiths seem to work on a different time scale, if they say 3 months, multiply by 2; no 3; no 4;no...... well you get the point.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,268
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,268 |
I've never got bad work. But I have had a hard time finding a gunsmith willing to do certain projects. They always get around to the "Well if I was you I would chamber it for XXX or add YYY".
I always tell them if they know so much about what I want why don't they just make rifles and put them up for sale instead of calling themself a "custom" gun maker. Converation usually ends right there.
Don't ever try to get someone to build you a rifle that they aren't interested in or excited about. You'll be probably always be last in line in deadline and quality.
Otto is my co-pilot.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,940 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,940 Likes: 1 |
I couldn't have said that better....Well stated!
Don't ever try to get someone to build you a rifle that they aren't interested in or excited about. You'll be probably always be last in line in deadline and quality.
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