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How long is too long for a gunsmith??


Big_Country

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3 hours ago, Big_Country said:

I did not ask for pictures. I have given him this much time I will see if he follows through with “almost done and ready to test fire” or if it continues to drag, I will take the other offered advice and follow up with a certified letter.

 

I see from all of the other posts that I am not the only one that has experienced this type of issue. As SASS is our organization I would think they would want this type of information shared to help prevent it from occurring. 

 

Thanks

BC

I totally agree.   SCJ

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If SASS starts allowing its members to use the forum to list problems of named gunsmiths, they will

have to also allow gunsmiths to list names of customers to avoid doing business with..... :o

 

Actually, if Dr. Bottlestopper has a problem with Gunsmith Mr. Smellfunkus and post his displeasure on

an open forum, other gunsmiths will have a good reason to refuse doing any business with Dr. Bottlestopper.

 

Something to think about.

 

..........Widder

 

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13 hours ago, Big_Country said:

I did not ask for pictures. I have given him this much time I will see if he follows through with “almost done and ready to test fire” or if it continues to drag, I will take the other offered advice and follow up with a certified letter.

 

I see from all of the other posts that I am not the only one that has experienced this type of issue. As SASS is our organization I would think they would want this type of information shared to help prevent it from occurring. 

 

Thanks

BC

Sharing the information is one thing, Sharing the identity of the smith is something else. we are only getting one side of the story and that's never the right thing to do. 

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Wider I agree it should go both ways. If a shooter is a problem customer or a deadbeat and does not pay then the gunsmiths deserve to know.

 

Son of the Midnight Star

we cannot name names. That is why I suggest a place where both sides of the story can be told. If you look at the original question, I wanted to know if this was normal or not. I would welcome the other side of the story. That was the other issue, no communication, no story, so I started to worry. And wanted to know if I was just being impatient or if I was justified in my concern. 

 

Thanks

BC

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I am a 97 gunsmith. It is the only gun I sell or work on. I get calls and emails regarding my sales and services.

Point One: After some discussion with my potential customer I instruct them to go to the SASS wire and check my references. Some do and some probably do not. This forum is a good starting place to determine with who to send, purchase, barter, or whatever. Recommendations can be sent to person asking by P.M. or by not "piling on" on the forum request. Unfavorable recommendations can and should be made by P.M. 

 

Point Two: For service work the question is usually how long before I get it back. The answer is difficult. I look at my repair rack and see the 97's there, maybe there are 6 of them and I estimate 2-5 days on each. When wood is refinished it goes to the 5th day easy. So I am looking at 12-30 days. I tell the customer if your gun arrived today it would be about 30 to 40 days before I can get to it. I also tell them that when the gun arrives it goes to the back of the rack and will be worked on in the order it was received. Sometimes I can get lucky and some of those 6 guns are not as time consuming to repair as estimated and I can get to the next gun(s) earlier than estimated. On the other hand some of those guns take longer and I have to notify my customer of the delay.

As said in the above replies, communication is key.

 

Point Three: Regardless of what it takes, and sometimes at a loss of revenue on my end, I will protect my reputation as a gunsmith and member of the CAS family.

I don't mean to sound like a prima dona but this method of dealing with my customers is a simple straight forward way to do business. It has served me well for 20 years and has kept me in the good graces with the CAS members, and hope it does for another 20. Hmm I guess that's dreaming.

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1 hour ago, Outlaw Gambler said:

I am a 97 gunsmith. It is the only gun I sell or work on. I get calls and emails regarding my sales and services.

Point One: After some discussion with my potential customer I instruct them to go to the SASS wire and check my references. Some do and some probably do not. This forum is a good starting place to determine with who to send, purchase, barter, or whatever. Recommendations can be sent to person asking by P.M. or by not "piling on" on the forum request. Unfavorable recommendations can and should be made by P.M. 

 

Point Two: For service work the question is usually how long before I get it back. The answer is difficult. I look at my repair rack and see the 97's there, maybe there are 6 of them and I estimate 2-5 days on each. When wood is refinished it goes to the 5th day easy. So I am looking at 12-30 days. I tell the customer if your gun arrived today it would be about 30 to 40 days before I can get to it. I also tell them that when the gun arrives it goes to the back of the rack and will be worked on in the order it was received. Sometimes I can get lucky and some of those 6 guns are not as time consuming to repair as estimated and I can get to the next gun(s) earlier than estimated. On the other hand some of those guns take longer and I have to notify my customer of the delay.

As said in the above replies, communication is key.

 

Point Three: Regardless of what it takes, and sometimes at a loss of revenue on my end, I will protect my reputation as a gunsmith and member of the CAS family.

I don't mean to sound like a prima dona but this method of dealing with my customers is a simple straight forward way to do business. It has served me well for 20 years and has kept me in the good graces with the CAS members, and hope it does for another 20. Hmm I guess that's dreaming.

 

This gentleman/ gunsmith has it nailed.. 

Time frame given and continues with communications..

20 years under his belt and I hope he gets another 20..

Great post Outlaw GamblerB)

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin' I ain't a '97 shooter..

but this gunsmith's service is what I'd expect..:)

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Here's what I gather from this thread: The "gunsmith" has a full time other job and works on firearms part time when the mood strikes him.  Anyone who waits a year with no excuse like - "I've been in the hospital for a heart transplant" .... is a ________ !

 

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A lot of CAS gunsmiths do this part time, but many aren't.  I played gunsmith roulette starting last fall for a few guns.  Not one met their estimate.  One met his second timeline, one "rescheduled" three times(interesting reasons each time) and finally almost met it, the third I had my gun sent back after missing the 3rd time and not having started.(if the third time isn't the charm, no matter how good the work is, you're probably not going to be happy no matter what)  

 

There is a reason so many people do their own work...

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Some quality craftsman are NOT businessmen and don't refuse and/or give realistic dates for fear of disappointing and/or losing the work.  We have a excellent local mechanic but you just have to remember to time 4 the times he tells you.

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On the flip side,  Jimmy Spurs is QUICK!  I got my pistols from him in < a week. 

 

And I might add, excellent work. My revolvers are slicker than snot on a doorknob! 

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Of the gunsmiths I have dealt with over the years, Cowboy smiths and others,  have pretty much been

within their expected time frames for the work I requested.

 

BUT, as someone who has worked on Marlins and now Henry .22 rifles, one of the WORSE things a customer

can tell a gunsmith is..... "Take your time.   I'm in no hurry to get it back".

 

If I get a Marlin with a 1-2 week expected turn around time and the owner tells me to ....."take my time because they

aren't in a hurry to get it back",   and at the same time I get 4 Henry .22 rifles (which take a day to

set up),  I'm gonna get those Henry rifles completed first, which means I won't even get started on the Marlin

for about 5 days.

 

Customers need to be cautious of their information to the gunsmith and hopefully, good communications

will prevail with happy endings for everyone involved.

 

..........Widder

 

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I can heat my shop just fine in the winter. Once the temperature starts to climb over 100 degrees then the shop time drops dramatically. You just cannot get enough cool air to fill the room and run dust collection at the same time.

Shaping wood and finishing with sweat dripping in your eyes is not any fun.

October through April - 3 months for a stock is my standard quote.

May through September - 4 months.

 

I am told by others that do the same work that I have a quick turn around.

 

 

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13 hours ago, Hoss said:

On the flip side,  Jimmy Spurs is QUICK!  I got my pistols from him in < a week. 

 

And I might add, excellent work. My revolvers are slicker than snot on a doorknob! 

I’ve never quite understood that expression. Having two small kids, it’s not uncommon to give snot on a doorknob, or various other places. And I’ll tell ya it’s far from slick. Especially once it dries. 

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29 minutes ago, Redwood Kid said:

I’ve never quite understood that expression. Having two small kids, it’s not uncommon to give snot on a doorknob, or various other places. And I’ll tell ya it’s far from slick. Especially once it dries. 

 

Its known as a Southern expression of something being smooth, slick, 'glass-slick'.

 

Basically, the expression was originally..... "slicker than snot on a GLASS doorknob", because snot is slick, as is a glass doorknob.     You are correct in that it ain't slick once its dried..... but once its dried, it's no longer snot....... it  booger residue..... :lol:

 

Other expressions that are credited to Southern phrases (true or not) are:

 

1.  Colder than a Witch's TTTTT in a brass bra

2.  Hotter than 2 rats in a wool sock

3.  Fling a cravin on ya

4.  knee high to a grasshopper

5.  lower than whale poop

6.  meaner than a junk yard dog

etc.................

 

..........Widder

 

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33 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Its known as a Southern expression of something being smooth, slick, 'glass-slick'.

 

Basically, the expression was originally..... "slicker than snot on a GLASS doorknob", because snot is slick, as is a glass doorknob.     You are correct in that it ain't slick once its dried..... but once its dried, it's no longer snot....... it  booger residue..... :lol:

 

Other expressions that are credited to Southern phrases (true or not) are:

 

1.  Colder than a Witch's TTTTT in a brass bra

2.  Hotter than 2 rats in a wool sock

3.  Fling a cravin on ya

4.  knee high to a grasshopper

5.  lower than whale poop

6.  meaner than a junk yard dog

etc.................

 

..........Widder

 

Oh I’m well away of the expression, and the others having spent my military career in the south. Even picked up a bit of the accent. I just never found snot to be slick. Even wet it’s kinda sticky. 

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Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362

 I bet he gets his finished guns back before the wire stops talking about it.  :P :FlagAm:

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2 hours ago, Big_Country said:

OLG,

 

 After receiving the communication Wednesday and being a Holiday weekend I am giving him until next week and then reaching out again. 

 

 Thanks for inquiring. 

BC

 

This guy gets the patience of the year award, or is it two years now??

anyway better man than I am. 

I think you are giving him every chance to make good while also to hang him self. The choice is his. Let’s see if he pulls through

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It seems almost everything I’ve gotten for sass has taken longer than the quoted time. My Shiloh Sharps was quoted 14 months, took 2 years. Custom colt quoted 18-24 months, Been well over 2 years now. Mernickle rig took an extra 3 months. El Paso Saddlery took an extra 2. Knudsen hat took an extra 6. In all cases, except for the Colt, communication was great with reasonable explanations for the delay. I don’t mind setbacks, but I don’t tolerate a lack of communication or the obvious excuse after excuse. I would have asked for my guns back a long time ago 

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On 4/17/2019 at 3:24 PM, Jess Nicktem, SASS #47284 said:

I have two custom hats on order with the same hatmaker. Each hat is a few hundred dollars. 

 

I have been waiting for 11 years. I'm never going to see those hats.

 

Not a gunsmith, I know. But I feel the pain.

 

That falls under fraud laws and should be reported to his State's Attorney General, the local authorities in his area, and the US Postal Inspection Service.   If it's too late to do all that, just me, but I'd also be filing a civil suit.

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On things I can't do myself, I deal with Three Cut.  He tells you where you are in his list.  Anything he's done has been in the ballpark of what he told me.  There are no favors.  As he does one, he picks the next one in line.  He tells you where you stand when you ask.  I had a 97 that about every 20 rounds would not cleanly eject.  Intermittent faults are the hardest to fix.  I got it back yesterday and everything I shot with it ejected cleanly to 4 to 6 feet away from the SG.  Well worth the short wait and the cost.  And he doesn't accept payment until the job is complete.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 4/18/2019 at 9:53 AM, Outlaw Gambler said:

I am a 97 gunsmith. It is the only gun I sell or work on. I get calls and emails regarding my sales and services.

Point One: After some discussion with my potential customer I instruct them to go to the SASS wire and check my references. Some do and some probably do not. This forum is a good starting place to determine with who to send, purchase, barter, or whatever. Recommendations can be sent to person asking by P.M. or by not "piling on" on the forum request. Unfavorable recommendations can and should be made by P.M. 

 

Point Two: For service work the question is usually how long before I get it back. The answer is difficult. I look at my repair rack and see the 97's there, maybe there are 6 of them and I estimate 2-5 days on each. When wood is refinished it goes to the 5th day easy. So I am looking at 12-30 days. I tell the customer if your gun arrived today it would be about 30 to 40 days before I can get to it. I also tell them that when the gun arrives it goes to the back of the rack and will be worked on in the order it was received. Sometimes I can get lucky and some of those 6 guns are not as time consuming to repair as estimated and I can get to the next gun(s) earlier than estimated. On the other hand some of those guns take longer and I have to notify my customer of the delay.

As said in the above replies, communication is key.

 

Point Three: Regardless of what it takes, and sometimes at a loss of revenue on my end, I will protect my reputation as a gunsmith and member of the CAS family.

I don't mean to sound like a prima dona but this method of dealing with my customers is a simple straight forward way to do business. It has served me well for 20 years and has kept me in the good graces with the CAS members, and hope it does for another 20. Hmm I guess that's dreaming.

 

I'd recommend this feller. ;) ^^^^^^^

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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I received an email reply back stating both 97’s are almost finished. I asked for a date estimate instead of “almost” I have not received that yet. 

 

As as I said in the start of this thread, the gunsmith does great work. My intention was not to cause any issues, but to ask the question of if I am being impatient or justified in my concern. 

 

I know “Life Happens” and as many in the thread have said, as long as it is communicated then the customer can decide if they want to wait or not. 

 

I try try to be as patient as possible and consider the other side of all issues. But, for me to consider them, I must know them. 

 

I have even been called a _______ for waiting over a year. I may be several things, you fill in the blank. I consider my self someone who follows the Cowboy Way. My word is my bond. If I tell you something I stick to it. I try to help others and be considerate of their situation. I try to deal with everyone fairly and honestly. 

 

I will let everyone know the final outcome, hopefully there will be a happy ending at the end of the saga.

 

Thanks

BC

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Pizzt;  I cheat ...

I figure if I know I have a 3 month Back-log I tell folks it will be 4-6 Months .....

And I have never had a complaint when it's done in 3 ....

 

At a SASS Nationals a number of years ago, a posse member had a "Slicked-up Cowboy" job done on his Double , it was a really easy opening gun ,,, it opened every time he pulled the trigger  Bang open .... After fighting it for two stages , he borrowed my spare....  I offered to fix it for him and have it back to him next day, He said yes ... At the lunch break time I skipped lunch and fixed the gun and had it back to him in time for the afternoon shooting...  And the Price was Priceless ,,, I did it for free .... He was a new Shooter....

 I did Not do the Original Work on the Gun , but I have since corrected several action jobs done by that same smith ....

 

Jabez Cowboy

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1 hour ago, Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 said:

 

 I did Not do the Original Work on the Gun , but I have since corrected several action jobs done by that same smith ....

 

Jabez Cowboy

 

Probably a better choice of words would be that you have corrected several action jobs done by that same 'Gun Butcher'.

 

There are some folks who think they qualify to work on certain firearms only because they were successful changing out a hammer spring..... :o

 

Keep up the good work and kindheartedness, Jabez.

 

..........Widder

 

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Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362
3 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Probably a better choice of words would be that you have corrected several action jobs done by that same 'Gun Butcher'.

 

There are some folks who think they qualify to work on certain firearms only because they were successful changing out a hammer spring..... :o

 

Keep up the good work and kindheartedness, Jabez.

 

..........Widder

 

 

 

 I put a new hammer spring in my framing hammer and it went full auto on me and hammered every nail in sight works great even improved accuracy.:rolleyes: :FlagAm:

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24 minutes ago, Texas jack Black SASS#9362 said:

 

 

 I put a new hammer spring in my framing hammer and it went full auto on me and hammered every nail in sight works great even improved accuracy.:rolleyes: :FlagAm:

 

Noah had a hammer like that also..... ;)

 

..........Widder

 

 

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The late Harry Pope master barrel maker had this sign posted in his shop.  He had more work than he could handle.

 

NO DELIVERY PROMISED. TAKE YOUR WORK WHEN DONE OR TAKE IT ELSEWHERE. IF YOU MUST KNOW WHEN I WILL BE THROUGH WITH YOUR WORK THE ANSWER IS NOW. TAKE YOUR WORK AWAY. I DON’T WANT IT. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN I WILL BE THROUGH. I WORK ELEVEN HOURS A DAY. DAILY INTERRUPTIONS AVERAGE ONE AND ONE-HALF HOURS. DARK WEATHER SETS ME BACK STILL MORE. THERE IS BUT ONE OF ME. I’M HUMAN AND I’M TIRED. I REFUSE TO LONGER BE WORRIED BY PROMISES THAT CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT ALLOW ME TO KEEP. YOU’RE A LONG TIME DEAD. IT IS TIME TO BEGIN TO LIVE.

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