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My Stoeger was deemed 'unsafe to fire'


Roger Ball

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Howdy, pards.

 

I shot my first match in just over a year yesterday. Boy, was that nice. The main reason I'd been away was a six-month deployment; however, random work and life commitments kept me from making a match since I got back in late March. Another issue that kept me away from a match or two was that I didn't have my shotgun. I finally got it back about three weeks ago (late Sept); here's the story.

 

I took my shotgun to a gunsmith back in the first week of April hoping to get a crack in the stock repaired (ref. picture 1). I don't normally care too much, but this gouge leaves the action exposed. After a few (alleged) unsuccessful attempts at finding 'the right piece of wood' to splice in or procuring a replacement stock, the gunsmith elected to send the gun to Stoeger for install and fitting of a completely new stock (late July). There was a mix-up in coordinating my consent for that due to the fact that I was underway, but, I should have sought greater clarification and requested the gunsmith not send it off. Regardless, eventually the smiths at Stoeger get to my firearm, and apparently, they did not like what they saw. Stoeger contacted the gunsmith who shipped it to them to say that the gun appeared to have been modified, and they would not work on it in such a state. Frustrating, but ok, I understand that. At this point, it's late August, 4.5 months after this saga began, and I just want my doggone shotgun back.

 

Well, back it comes, and with a cute little surprise. Some clown at Stoeger decided that because they deemed the firearm unsafe, he or she was entitled to scribble on it, in four locations, in what appears to be silver Sharpie, their determination of 'unsafe to fire.' See the attached pictures. Along with that comes the invoice for their 'work,' which includes a nice little list of what they deemed unsafe.

 

I bought this shotgun about three years ago brand new from Longhunter's in Texas. The folks there did the work on it before I ever saw it, and did a great job. Ironically, Stoeger's list of 'unsafe' modifications reads exactly like the bill of sale for what I paid Longhunter's to deliberately modify!

 

Stoeger doesn't want to work on the shotgun due to modifications? Perfectly fine.

Stoeger wants to deem it 'unsafe to fire?' Fine.

Stoeger wants to deface my property by scribbling their OPINION in four locations across my shotgun?! HELL NO, that's not fine!

 

Further, to have the audacity to say on the invoice that their solution is 'to contact customer about purchasing a new gun-' are you kidding me?!

 

This really got (and gets) my blood boiling. Respect for personal property is a paramount value in my book. To wrap it up:

1. The crack in the stock isn't repaired.

2. There's nonsense scribbled on my shotgun.

3. I haven't yet figured out how to effectively remove it without harming the finish.

4. 5.5 months were wasted.

 

But, to end on a high note, because I try to be happy- at least I have my shotgun back and got to shoot a match.

 

Thanks for reading,

Chantilly Shooter

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Apparently hanging a red tag on the trigger guard with an explanation is against company policy?

 

I was PO'ed just reading about it.

 

Good thing they don't work on cars.

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I think there is a gunstock maker in Georgia, Macon gunstocks. Might be worth a try.

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Probaly should feel lucky they only used a silver sharpie to disable this dangerous weapon and not a engraver or chopsaw!!!!     Sorry but have heard of their ignorance before       GW

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Good thing that marker "clown " doesn't inspect shotgun shells at Winchester .......

 

Lighter fluid should clean it up without harming the finish.   I use it on vintage guitars.

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29 minutes ago, Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 said:

WD-40 is really good at taking ink off.

I use Sharpies to mark ammo & WD40 takes it right off with a rag.

 

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Hey CS, I noticed the marker writing on your SG at the unload table and wondered what that was. If you’ll be at Dulzura on Saturday let me look at it and maybe I can repair the stock. If not Dulzura PM me and I can meet you somewhere in North County and see what we can come up with. Welcome home by the way, you shot real well for being off so long. I have a ton of walnut, I’m pretty sure we can come up with something.

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Same thing happened to me about 7 years ago.  Got a brand new Stoeger 12g shotgun and had it worked over by a good cowboy gunsmith.  The stock ended up missing the piece at the same location as the OP.  Took it back to the gunsmith who sent it to Stoeger and they returned it to the gunsmith with the same "Unsafe To Fire" scribbling on it.  The gunsmith was able to get a replacement stock from a 3rd party supplier and bedded it to the gun and it was fine after that.  Apparently the same "expert" is still employed there.

 

Kajun

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15 minutes ago, Wyatt said:

It is a modified firearm. They have to do that to avoid lawsuits 

 

Besides it gives it character and a great story. I would proudly leave the markings on it

Yep.  The thinking is if they repair the stock and send the gun back as is and something goes wrong they can be held liable as they knowingly worked on and returned an "unsafe" gun.  I understood, at least a few years ago, that if you returned a modified gun to Ruger for a repair they would take out the modified parts and install new factory specs parts.  Perhaps other manufacturers do the same. 

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Reading the title was all that was needed to know what happened. This has been discussed more than once. Being somewhat new, I can see that you didn't know this would happen. Your gunsmith probably should have, but what is done is done.

Worth repeating.  I understood, at least a few years ago, that if you returned a modified gun to Ruger for a repair they would take out the modified parts and install new factory specs parts.

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Change your alias to "Unsafe To Fire". Problem solved.

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The gun was modified. For them to work on a modified gun makes them responsible for anything that may happen. I understand if you send a "cowboyed" pistol to Ruger they will send it back repaired. As in everything that was modified replaced with stock parts.

Stoeger's expert did exactly as the company asked him to do. Don't touch modified guns.

Sharpie comes off easily.

Ike

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Your very lucky. About 7 years ago a friend bought a used Stoeger coach gun that someone put very light springs in. It would open upon firing. Took it to the local Stoeger dealer to get a new set of springs. The dealer recommended sending it back to Stoeger for repairs. The story line was the same as the above example.

 

Only thing was his was spray painted yellow. The whole shotgun,. Then they wrote on it with a red marker. "Unsafe to Fire."

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Here's how a wood carver would fix your gunstock in a half-hour. 

 

If you're handy with wood, the chip can be easily repaired.  Take the stock off the shotgun.  File or use a flat sanding block to work the chipped spot until you have a flat surface.   (It doesn't have to be square to the stock contours, just be sure it is a flat surface.)

The flat will likely end up longer and wider than the original chip.  That is OK.  Find a roughly matching piece of wood that is large enough to more than fill in the missing wood.   Make sure the facing (bottom) surface is flat to face closely with the cut out area on the stock.  Use one of the more viscous Cyano-acrylic glue (Superglue) formulas to glue the replacement piece to the cut away stock.  Be generous with the viscous glue.  Wet both parts with glue, then firmly  press them together-- by hand is fine, but wear an expendable glove.  If you apply CA glue accelerator to the outside edges of the glue joint, it will catalyze the whole joint and set up in seconds, filling any gaps between the wood piece and stock with clear polymer. 

Then carefully file or carve the stock (and any extruded glue) back to original inletting contours and sand smooth.   

The CA glue is a permanent, waterproof, durable, and only slightly visible bond.  Spot finish the worked-on area.   

 

Good quality CA glue and accelerator can be found at any hobby supply that sells model airplane making materials.  Several viscosities are available.  For wood, use higher viscosity.  

The piece replacement will take only a few minutes.  The recontouring/inletting needs to be done more slowly and carefully.  If you mess things up or don't like the outcome, just file it off and redo the process. 

 

I've probably carved half a thousand wildlife, fish and decoy carvings, and many have sold at auction upwards of $3K, many much higher.   Very few of them went all the way to completion without something having to be cut off and repositioned, using the above method.   CA glue and accelerator are a woodcarver's  very best friend.  

 

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48 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Call Longhunter, and see if he has a spare stock.

Lacquer thinner or Acetone will remove the grifity.

OLG

Have you tried Hoppes #9  on the ink?   Might work.  Won't hurt the gun 

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It was good to see you yesterday, and you're getting back to form really quick. That 17 second stage to end the match was awesome.

I forwarded this thread to Double Diamond in hopes that he may have a cure for the stock.

 

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My first Stoeger broke out the piece like yours..  :huh:

Luckily I saved the broken out piece.. :) 

I'm somewhat of a woodworker and was able to glue the piece back on..

I noticed that there wasn't any clearance at all between the gun stock 

and the receiver.. So... I took my Dremel and relieved the whole area

between the receiver and gun stock.. :D. No more problems with that Stoeger..

Well.. Except my wife confiscated it for her use.. :blink:

My next (replacement for me)   Stoeger... before it happened again... 

I took a thick plastic charge card (you know the ones..

Samples you get by junk mail) and cut it down to a small rectangle..

drilled a hole in it where the mounting bolt for the stock goes through...

and placed it between the wood and steel that bolts the stock on..

I now have that clearance (thickness of plastic card)

all the way around the receiver.. Don't have to use the Dremel.. :wacko:

It's been shot now in many matches over 15 years..

No offer of..  or showing a split.. :)

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin' (disclaimer) I ain't a gunsmith tho :huh:

Edit: I'd be upset too.. And I'd use WD40 too

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ive never heard of this before , i see your reason for being upset , maybe stoegar doesn't really want to sell these to cowboy shooters ? 

 

not really winning any friends on this as a company 

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28 minutes ago, watab kid said:

ive never heard of this before , i see your reason for being upset , maybe stoegar doesn't really want to sell these to cowboy shooters ? 

 

not really winning any friends on this as a company 

Not uncommon at all for gun makers not to work on modified guns. 

It's a Liability thing.

The paint marker deal was asinine!

OLG

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5 hours ago, Kid Rich said:

That crack is common on those shotguns. Comes from poorly done inletting. Easy fix is take stock off put tape on metal replace stock and fill hole with JB Weld when it hardens you can file it to form.

kR


I have a new Stoeger.
Would you please expand on your idea?
I'm very curious, and not yet catching your drift.
If there is a "preventative" I can take with my new Stoeger, I would like to do it before it breaks.

Am I understanding you are using JB Weld to fill some void in the stock?

 

[ edit ]

I am also wondering if liability is the reason some of the sharp ol' boys like Widder, are no longer working their magic on customer rifles.
Is the threat of Death by Lawyer high enough now to force these pards into retirement?

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I'm with ya I'd be smokin hot about that mess. As for the sharpie easiest way I've gotten it off is to scribble over it with a dry erase marker. Let that dry a few minutes and then wipe clean with a damp rag. Windex works faster than water. Learned that when the kids were young and ornery. 

 

T.F. Jack

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YEP!

Businesses are now run by lawyers. 

Especially those related to firearms and ammunition.

Just think about the long-winded legalese stamped on your barrels.

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15 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Hey CS, I noticed the marker writing on your SG at the unload table and wondered what that was. If you’ll be at Dulzura on Saturday let me look at it and maybe I can repair the stock. If not Dulzura PM me and I can meet you somewhere in North County and see what we can come up with. Welcome home by the way, you shot real well for being off so long. I have a ton of walnut, I’m pretty sure we can come up with something.

 

You just absolutely cannot beat a pard like Yul!  My advice is to take Yul up on his offer.  You'll not only probably get your gun fixed, but you'll have the opportunity to hang out with a top-notch gent all day.  Win, win!

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11 hours ago, bgavin said:


I have a new Stoeger.
Would you please expand on your idea?
I'm very curious, and not yet catching your drift.
If there is a "preventative" I can take with my new Stoeger, I would like to do it before it breaks.

Am I understanding you are using JB Weld to fill some void in the stock?

 

[ edit ]

I am also wondering if liability is the reason some of the sharp ol' boys like Widder, are no longer working their magic on customer rifles.
Is the threat of Death by Lawyer high enough now to force these pards into retirement?

Nothing complicated about it. Put tape on the metal part of the sg where the stock used to fit put the stock back on, fill the hole where the wood used to be. When it sets up remove the stock, the tape will prevent the JB Weld from sticking to the metal. This is for a stock that has broken. If you want to prevent this from happing take the stock off look for shiny spots where wood and metal contact (where the op's sg broke) sand them a little and put sg back together. KEY word here is a LITTLE.

kR

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