Anyone heard from john @h-g firearms?

[Sitzme]

I bought a set of dies from him this summer. It took a little while to get them but then I found that the bullets didn't want to eject from the point form die. I sent the die back and have been waiting ever since. At first he was going to try to lap it but then said he would replace it. Being backed up is one thing but I don't like that he is shipping new orders before fixing/replacing mine. I paid in early August. I have been told more than once that it will be "shipped Monday". I really hope that he takes care of things and really is just backed up.

[RwBeV]

Don't hold your breath to long I sent him a check last Feb for a set of dies and press, he wont answer my calls at all now. He had been giving me every excuse you can think of, I gave him the benefit of the doubt but that's done now, he screwed me plain and simple. I have my own shop so I know how easy it is to get behind, most folks just want to know that your still working on there stuff, but to not communicate at all? That's BS, if I sound mad that's because I am, I have bought quite a few things from him in the past and thought that we had become pretty good friends, we spent lots of time just talking "Shop" but I guess that's done now. I have friends on some of the Forums that have been having the same problem as me, so like I said don't hold your breath to long.
Bob

[blltsmth]

UPDATE!!!! I finally heard from John before Christmas that my core-seat die was ready to ship. After 10 days of him being snowed in and with no power, THE DIE FINALLY MADE IT HERE JAN 2, 2014. IT EVEN FITS AND WORKS WELL. I guess we should just chalk this up to being backed up on orders/bad luck/bad customer service, WHATEVER!! My thanks to Mr. Floyd in Utah for making me a core seat die according to my dimensional drawing and what great turn around time!!!You really got me making bullets again without having to wait months and months!!! Great workmanship and great customer service. THANKS LaFaun!!!!!

[jimbull34]

Heres my up date on H-G firearms, I talked with the sheriff's department there six weeks ago and the deputy went out to see him and John told him that my stuff would be sent out in a week. That was six weeks ago and still no dies, not contact. I am talking with the sheriffs deputy tonight when he goes on shift. He is going to make another report and turn the whole matter over to the district attorney for proscuition for fraud. Any one who has the same problem can call the sheriffs office at231-839-4338 Deputy Nick Brief.

[mold maker]

Success is a killer. I feel sorry for John, same as I did for most of the other machinist, trying to produce something, to make our casting and reloading, easier/faster/better.
I also understand the frustration of his customers.
A hobby suddenly turns into a monster, that cost a fortune, in money and time.
Being totally slammed with orders, is a testament to its inventor, while becoming a ball and chain around his neck.
I don't know John from Adam, but the story is the same.

[mactool]

Im in the same boat as you. I ordered a 223 3 die set on flea bay end of september, and ordered a lead tip die on the side all in all $712 incl postage, and then an additional $143 for custom fees and handling. In the beginning we had a great communication, and the lead tip die was almost ready. At some point I couldnt reach him and filed a complaint on Ebay. He promtly answered. and the day befoe the complaint would be cancelled he mailed me Again, and naive as i was believed him, and i didnt follow up on the complaint. on the Nov 22 he wrote and told me he was not dragging hes heels, but needed som spring wire, which he had ordered from Corbin, it seemed that it would arrive the day after, and then just 5 min of Work, and the dies would be mailed. Since the I havent heard from him, havent been able to reach him on the phone, or on mail. Today I called Ebay, and they would, out of courtesy, mail him Again, but other than that my Money seems to lost so maybe deputy Nick Brief is a solution. But handeling a fraud case from over seas, well, hmmm maybe not

[Sitzme]

I exchanged a couple emails with John about the point form die I'm waiting on. It was supposed to have shipped about 3 Mondays ago and apparently didn't. Anyone know anything new?

[MOcaster]

I got his home phone number from him a few days ago. (231) 839-2014. I didn't get it but a "friend" did. When the "friend" made the connection between him and myself, John promptly replied to my emails.

[300savage]

at this rate it sounds like his days of being too busy may soon be a thing of the past.

[RwBeV]

After I contacted the Sheriffs department up there, I got an email 2 days later that he was sending my dies. I emailed back and asked about my press and he pretty much blamed all his problems on me, and the press is not in the mail even though he told me he had it done almost a year ago. Im still waiting for the dies to show up in the mail. What good are a set of dies with no press??

Bob

[blltsmth]

Here is another UPDATE: John contacted me on 1/3/2014 by e-mail and said he had found the ejection pin punches for my 223 die set and didn't remember what he needed to do with them. I replied that he was supposed to be replacing them because the ones he sent were too small. Been over a month now and despite numerous e-mails and calls, NO RESPONSE!!! It is a good thing I have the capability to make my own ejection pins and replace the ones I wear out or I would be sitting here looking at this die set and wandering what the ?????.

[Socal147]

Another one to avoid. All good to know info....... Thanks all!

[Sitzme]

3/10/14 My point form die came in. First bullet stuck, backed die out, 2nd bullet stuck. Started checking things and it looks like after core seating the bullets are coming out the same size or a smidge larger than the point form die. My understanding is they should be .0003-.0005 smaller. I made some new ones and set the core seat die so that the bullet just barely stayed in the die. Still pretty close.

When I ordered this set I was one of the early orders and I intended to review them. That may still happen but it may be a while until I can sort everything out. Before reviewing I need to be sure that any problems are not due to my operation of the set.

[blltsmth]

I would seriously check those dies out to the nth degree!!Dealing with John has been NOTHING short of pleasant! My core swage die was wrong on the threads and took 3 months to fix it. There is probably little doubt that the final size on your die is too large. Haste makes waste and it sounds like john is busy trying to play catch-up and ignoring EVERYONE in the process. my 2 cents worth! Don

[Sitzme]

Well I emailed John about the sticking bullets and he had some advice including mash a couple pure lead ones first. The lead ones also stuck. Under a magnifiying glass it looked like the point had roughness from not being lapped or polished quite enough. Someone here posted a while back that it needed to be close to perfect. The side walls looked good and seem about the right size so I ordered some diamond paste to lap/polish the tip but just couldn't wait. I made a couple of cane_man's bullet laps and used Brasso to polish. It is not coarse enough but I wanted to be careful. I would polish for about 10 minutes and go stick another bullet but they started coming out easier. Then one gave kind of a pop and almost fell out. I gave it another 20 minutes of polishing and the die works with bullets now. I will spend more time on it when the diamond paste arrives but I got enough bullets (22) to verify function. The amount of force to eject seems to vary a little and I assume that is why the tips are different. The cases are Federal and the cores weighed consistant. I feel better about all this now. Here are 9 of the first 22. I am new to swaging.

[Bowfisher]

I've had good dealings with HG in the past, but this last deal has left me infuriated. I won't be dealing with him again, for anything... I don't know what his issue is but I had to get the Deputy in his county involved to get some of my stuff I paid for. Still waiting on more...

[historicfirearms]

I live about a half hour from this guys shop. Been here 37 years and quite involved in shooting and guns the whole time. Before now, I have never heard of this guy. Next time I am over that way, I will stop in to see what's up.

[blltsmth]

Run a check on flea-bay for swaging dies.....he has three or four sets up for auction!!! It would be real nice if John would at least take care of the other people who have bought dies from him and are awaiting corrections to those dies, or missing parts for same before he dissatisfies new customers......still waiting since January for ejection pin punches he said he would send ASAP. Just my other 2 cents worth! Don

[Chuck Walla]

I just checked evil-bay and you are right. Man this guy is someone to stear clear of, thanks for this thread. I also saw that other guy selling a set for $475 that's not even finished. I had watched his videos on you tube and he is definitely very unskilled in die making. There is a thread on him from way back that members here noticed. He says on his evil-bay ad that he's getting out of it because he can't make any money at it. I wonder why. You can't sell junk for 4 or 500 dollars. There are some real goofballs trying to make dies out there.

[GMike]

I am still waiting for him to send me mine stuff and he had made every excuse in the book why he is not sending it to me and it he told me everything was done last month but I guess post office is 30 days away on a really good horse. Than he send me a tracking number to shut me up and he never took it to post office it said electronic shipment received April 21 and it was 2 day priority and now is May 7th lol I am about to fly over there and get my **** it is getting really annoying and he gets mad at me for sending him emails he took my money and now I have to pull teeth to get it back I am so mad.