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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Three month lead-time on anything. He's got my projects backed-up, but he's worth it.

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.

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.

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.

Mine's not very busy but is lazy as a cut hound. GD

Laughing!

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.

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.

Don’t tell anyone, but we’re allowed some guns.

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....

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!

Ya pretty handy, easy drive, no shipping, win/win. 👍

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...

And we will truly miss him. I bet I end up taking some down to Utah for work.

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.

I do all my own gunsmithing, and I am busy gardening right now.

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.

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?

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?

What are you building that has such a backlog? Can you share some photos?

Greg tannel has a 4 year wait right now

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.


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.

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.

A gunsmith that is not busy you better wonder y

Sure Scorpion. Here ya go.

97 Jaeger mid. by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

aag-443_1 by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

IMG_20151228_081801 by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

Z. 62 44 inch by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

Image-32 by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]


Soaper's 10 by Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

I don't think I would be sending anything to anyone with a 4 year wait, no matter how "good" he is.

Mine is so busy vacationing in Florida the job that he said would be done in 2 day has trenched out to 3 months.

I totally agree..

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.

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