Guest Pukin Dog, SASS#55356-Life Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Bought an MVA malcom scope to put on my 32" barrelled 1885 High Wall. A friend recommended a smith so I took the scope and rifle in. From the start things went bad. The "clerk" took my personal information and proceeded to grab the scope and rifle saying "OK, we'll get it mounted" Whoa big guy, don't you think it would be a good idea to determine where the mount points are since you didn't ask?? So he says, "I suppose you want to see the smith?" Since I've never been here didn't know who he was, and assumed the guy who checked my equipment it him. So now I feel I've got the situation in hand. Told the gun smith who had refered me to him and how glad I was to get a gun smith who knew how to mount a long range scope. WRONG!! He seemed as clueless as the first guy! I'm trying to get him to mark where the mounts need to be and he was basically useless. I informed him that the mounts HAD TO BE 17" apart to allow the clicks to be in even increments of MOA and also to give the needed room for the pope rib to work. Handed him the instructions from MVA and saw him put the instructions in the scope box. He then hurried back to the rear to talk and yak with his friends who I had rudely pulled him from to do my job. 6 weeks later I called and they said "Oh yeah, we had that finished last week". Thanks for calling me. I get up to the shop and the smith brings the gun and scope out and I notice it seems to be mounted with way to little pope rib in front of the stop. He then proceeds to pull out a sheet and says I mounted it 15" apart. WHAT???? The sheet was NOT a mounting instruction, just a table showing how many MOA per click would be moved per the mounting spacing!!! I told him that was NOT what I wanted as now it would adjust at a ungainly .0044 MOA per click. He proceeded to tell me that I couldn't hold that little bit of difference anyway. OK, so now he's insulting my shooting prowess. So I said, where are the instructions I gave you. "Oh, there weren't any that we could find" so he lost the instruction sheet, goes on the web site and just picks out a random number to mount my scope!! I showed him that now, there was 4" of pope rib behind the stop (useless) and only 1.5" in front. Could very probably slip off the rib!! He just kinda shrugged and said it should be OK I was so mad, I just paid him and left. I now need to take it to the gun smith I should have used in the first place. Will have a couple of extra holes in my barrel and a life long loathing of the SOB.
Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 but tell us how you REALLY feel....
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 Sorry to hear about your troubles. I have patients in my dental practice that start out nice and friendly then later turn out to make me wish I'd never let them walk through my door. You just have to deal with it and move on. I hope the next guy does a better job.
Dusty Morningwood Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I had almost the exact same experience having a Hi-Lux Malcolm scope mounted on an original Husqvarna commercial rolling block. I did not want to drill holes in the barrel, so I made detailed instructions on how I wanted to have him fabricate a count that fit into the rear dovetail. Picked up the rifle and it was D&T and scope mounted in such a way that it was so far forward I could not see anything but a pinhole of light when I held it up. Had to have the whole thing done over. My complaints were met with a shrug. And this was supposedly a good, old-time gunsmith!
Noz Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I had an "expert" gunsmith ruin a barrel for an 1866. He cut 3 dovetails in it then realized it was almost 1/8" out on headspace. His comment "Sorry, here's my bill"
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I had an "expert" gunsmith ruin a barrel for an 1866. He cut 3 dovetails in it then realized it was almost 1/8" out on headspace. His comment "Sorry, here's my bill" If I had gun in hand I'd have just walked out with it.
Alchemy John Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I hired a "gunsmith" per recommendation of the local gun shop. He managed to bugger most of the screws he used a poorly fitting screw driver to and otherwise make a mess (I view the $200 as ransom to get my gun back). The local gun shop was presented with his work and they threw out his business cards. I also had a certain 4 letter company provide lousy customer service and a poor repair that had to be sent back. We need a list of reputible gunsmiths and contacts here on the wire. I would like to start by mentioning Lassiter, he did great work for me.
Matthew Duncan Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 We got a new auto mechanic in town. Handy for me because I can drop my truck of and walk a block to work. He came highly recommended too. BUT I DON'T KNOW HIM FROM ADAM! Did I take Gray to him. Nope. I took my beat up 1984 Chevy S-10 to him. Gas leak and I think the gas tank will need to be replaced. I knew it wasn't the gas tank (fuel pump). He called and told me nothing wrong with the tank it's the pump He passed my test and now I trust him with Gray. I also learned not to give verbal instructions, write them down. Then they can't claim ignorance!
Chili Ron Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Howdy, Put your ignition key on a .308 dummy round keychain. Seems like that key never gits lost and the BS factor drops a LOT. I like to take work to someone who does that sort of work often. My Rugers went to a Ruger specialist , marlins went to Rusty Marlin(duh). If you hear something like 'Never did any like this before.....' RUN. Best CR
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Howdy, Put your ignition key on a .308 dummy round keychain. Seems like that key never gits lost and the BS factor drops a LOT. I like to take work to someone who does that sort of work often. My Rugers went to a Ruger specialist , marlins went to Rusty Marlin(duh). If you hear something like 'Never did any like this before.....' RUN. Best CR Howdy Chili Ron, Humorous story: Last year, somebody handed me a Marlin and one of the first things I said was; 'Never SEEN anything like this before'... It was a new Remlin. Yep, gotta is fixed and it FINALLY turned out as good 1894 Marlin as you could ask for. I wanted to buy it from the owner but they wouldn't sell it after the work was finished. Don't blame em. I figured you would enjoy that little story. ..........Widder
Cat Brules Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 "gunsmith horror story" Why do your refer to this individual as a "gunsmith," and why did you pay him for damaging your weapon? Had one like that. I asked him to cut down one of my .45-70 Marlin 95's to a 16 1/4" barrel and put a ghost ring sight on it. Three weeks later I went back, not having heard from him. Someone had stolen my rifle from his shop and not only did he fail to notify me, but had not called the police either. I contacted the police, but nothing ever came of it. The gunshop? I found another rifle in a publication and made him buy it. It arrived in less than flawless operating condition and I told him he'd have to repair it. He gave me a bill for the repairs, which I tore up, dropped on his display case and told him he was dreaming if he thought I was going to pay him to fix the rifle. I told him that if I found anything wrong with the rifle when I fired it, that I'd be back for him to do his job right. Fortunately, the rifle functioned fine and I never did get the work done to it that I originally brought it in for. Today, I'm glad I didn't.
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I've never lived in any state that required any kind of license (other than a standard business license) or test for someone to hold themselves out as a gunsmith. Anyone can claim to be a gunsmith.
Rancho Roy Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 There are few folks in life you have to be more literal with than a gunsmith and a barber! Pay with a credit card and then cancel the charge...............???
WymoreWrangler SASS 46187L Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I had a so called custom gunsmith screw up a rear sight installation on a Colt 1911, luckily I took it too a good smith that fixed it correctly. Now I'm damn picky on who works on my guns...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Maybe a couple of you guys should start your own Gunsmithing biz...and do it right. And I'm sure it would be interesting to hear the Gunsmith's side of the story. But don't worry too much, Gunsmithing is going out of style and you'll have very few choices. FunFunFun!
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Certain gunsmiths specialize in certain kinds of guns and mods. If you can find the right kind of gunsmith for your work, things work out very well. If you do not, you can have a disaster. I found a gun smith once that specialized only in sight installations (iron and scope). He fixed some mistakes from others and from ME. Unfortunately he has retired as many gunsmiths have done recently.
Guest Pukin Dog, SASS#55356-Life Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Maybe a couple of you guys should start your own Gunsmithing biz...and do it right. And I'm sure it would be interesting to hear the Gunsmith's side of the story. But don't worry too much, Gunsmithing is going out of style and you'll have very few choices. FunFunFun! It wouldn't bother me if this particular so called gunsmith went out of business. I told him several times that the mounts HAD TO BE 17" apart. Then personally handed him the instructions. There was no uncertainty about what I wanted done. He flat out did not listen to his customer. There is no "his side of the story" to be had.
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 Of course there isn't. Cheers. Phantom
Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I gave a Marlin to a "renowned" CAS gunsmith for action work and some standard replacement parts. The gun functioned fine but it was stiff. I picked up the gun at a shoot a few weeks later and excitedly took it to a practice bay to try it out. Well, it wouldn't cycle w/o "double-clutching" the action. No problem, the guy is right here. I'll take it back and have him take a look at it. I took it to his booth and explained my concerns. He loaded it up with dummy rounds and cycled it, having to "double clutch" several rounds out of the magazine full. He said, "There's no problem". I took my gun and contacted my credit card company. They got my money back minus parts. Pay with a credit card. Fillmore
twelve mile REB Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I have been shooting custom guns since the late 70's and can say that no two smiths are alike and that even the best make mistakes. There are lots of gun plumbers and you pay your money and take your chances some do fantastic work ... is proof of that others not so good. Never had a problem with Cowboys and Indians Jim and TL are the best. Not because they have never made a mistake but because to my knowledge they have always fixed it. They have listened, not always easy, when an alligator mouth is in the process of overloading a humming bird ass and done their best to satisfy the customer. Speaking only for myself I can say that TL has a particular talent and that is to give me what I want rather than what I asked for. 12
Outrider, SASS #72622 Posted January 24, 2014 Posted January 24, 2014 I gave a Marlin to a "renowned" CAS gunsmith for action work and some standard replacement parts. The gun functioned fine but it was stiff. I picked up the gun at a shoot a few weeks later and excitedly took it to a practice bay to try it out. Well, it wouldn't cycle w/o "double-clutching" the action. No problem, the guy is right here. I'll take it back and have him take a look at it. I took it to his booth and explained my concerns. He loaded it up with dummy rounds and cycled it, having to "double clutch" several rounds out of the magazine full. He said, "There's no problem". I took my gun and contacted my credit card company. They got my money back minus parts. Pay with a credit card. Fillmore YEP!I learned the hard way. Sent my OMVs to a guy who was supposedly the first and best ever on Vaqueros short stroke. One was great; the other was crap! Wouldnt even line up right to load. I didnt send it back a third time. Eventually sold them to Cowboy who does his own work. They shoot great now! Had I paid with CC, I would have reported him to the fraud dept of my bank.
Ninety Caliber Al, 50218 Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Personally, I put that profession in the same category as some others categorized as "avoid if at all possible, if not, proceed with CAUTION".
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