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Thread: Questions about gunsmith delay

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Randy, you summed it up pretty well. I occasionally get accused of being a gunsmith... I’M NOT!. I’m a mildly competent parts changer. If minor repair work needs doing on my guns, I can usually muddle through. A gunsmith can modify or even fabricate parts as needed and really understands the workings of the guns he works on as well as having the skill and talent, as well as the equipment, to do that work.

    A few years ago I went into the newly opened shop of local “gunsmith.” When casual inquiry disclosed he owned neither a lathe or mill, I knew he would be doing very or little work for me!

    OTOH, I’ve had two custom revolvers built in recent years, one of which took 4-5 months, the other eight months to the day, both as promised. These were nationally known ‘smiths with thriving practices... talent is in demand and I was willing to wait my turn!

    To the OP, just for the record, what kind of work did you (finally) have done? If the holdup was waiting for a part, or some special tooling, delay would be understandable. Of course illness of the ‘smith or his family or other complications may have entered in...?

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  2. #22
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    I was having a custom scope mount and iron sights installed. Both of which were things he specialized in and made in house. Some of the delay could have been fabrication of the parts, and possibly workload issues. I'm not sure, but he did keep in touch with me, which I appreciated, and the work was very well done.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    I stopped doing gunsmiths along time ago. If I can't fix it then I ask someone to tell me how to fix it. The I fix it myself. I do have some skills that most don't have.

    When a guy quotes me a lead time of 2 weeks or 2 months to do a simple job like drilling and tapping two holes for a receiver sight which is a 20 minute job,,, I have to ask why?

    I have ran a machine shop for nearly 30 years, and if a simple job comes in that means Cash Money in an hour or less, it gets done immediately. If it is a complicated job, then fine, it gets put in line with the rest of them. But putting "everything" in line in the order it comes in the shop is dumb. And saying there is other customers in line in front of you that have big jobs that you'll just have to wait for just pisses me off.

    Next if you are going to a Custom Smith that is building a Custom Gun for you, then it takes as long as it takes, and you can't snivel about that. Building a Fine Best Quality Gun takes lots of time. Just ask the big English makers why that is.

    But simple work shouldn't take very long at all, unless you are going at the wrong time of year and he's packed with work..

    There is a scope repair shop we all know of that quotes 12-15 months turnaround for a simple 1 hour Weaver Scope Repair. Then I talk to the guy and find out he only wants to pay his people by "Piece Work" at below Minimum Wage and can't seem to keep employees, and that's why he has such long lead times!!! I told him he was an idiot and found another outfit that turned the scope around in less than a week. Poor business people generally don't do good work anyway. And Idiots shouldn't be dealt with under any circumstances!!!

    You've kind of got to be able to judge a persons character by talking to them over the phone.

    Example #1: Terry Tussy (built all of Steven Segal's guns) took my Ruger SBH and cut off the barrel installed a new front sight and rear sight and reblued the gun in 2 weeks. I thought it would take more time,, and he was in a wheel chair!

    Example #2: Idiot from Scope Repair Shop. Might know scopes but has no idea how to run a business or how to get work out the door.

    Some Gunsmiths are better than others. Long back log generally indicate one of two things. Either guy is really good and many people have come to him, or he is really slow and can't get stuff done . Caveat Emptor!

    Randy
    I always tried to keep things in line as they came in. The 20 minute jobs would get done while waiting for some other part of the process, like browning, blueing, or stock finish to do their thing. I could do a lot of that type job in those slow periods.
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  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    I always tried to keep things in line as they came in. The 20 minute jobs would get done while waiting for some other part of the process, like browning, blueing, or stock finish to do their thing. I could do a lot of that type job in those slow periods.
    And this is exactly what a competent business person does!

    It's called "Fill in Work" and there is always plenty of it to go around unless you simply ignore it in which case it will go elsewhere. If you do it people appreciate that you were willing to work them in and will come back and tell all their friends too.

    I recently took the Radiator from my Jeep to several shops in town to get a simple repair done. The ones who actually understood English wanted a week to 2 turn around. Finally asked a friend who runs a Auto Repair shop and he sent me to an outfit in Oxnard CA. I showed up there at 4:45PM on a Friday afternoon, discussed what I wanted with the guys, showed them pics of the Jeep, and left it figuring it would be done on Monday.

    I got back home at 5:45 PM and the phone rang as I was driving in my Driveway. It was done! I picked it up on Saturday and it cost me $125. and I gladly paid it as the work was done first rate. I send everyone with Radiator/A/C work to them now.

    I don't claim to be an 'Influencer" ,,, but I am one!

    So they made $125 in 30 minutes, instead of sitting around drinking beer late on a Friday eve. This is what we are talking about.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  5. #25
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    Every circumstance is different. I do my own work so it doesn't apply to me, but, not long ago I was doing work for others. First in line gets priority.......unless...

    you are waiting for a new barrel to be delivered, or a stock, or reamer. Then, fill in work is completely fine. But when the parts come in, everything takes a back seat until the first job is done.

    It's a hard balancing act. But I think a smith should give every effort to finish the oldest job as soon as he can. It's the fair thing to do.

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Since the OP was dealing with a manufacturer of parts, it may be that the operations would be done in batches and his job would get done when the batch came up. I had a pistol barrel rebored and rifled and I’m sure he waited until he had several of that caliber to do on one setup... but that was pretty much expected by me. Just a possibility.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  7. #27
    Boolit Buddy Phat Man Mike's Avatar
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    I had a customer drop off a .22 for a liner installation. This situation has things going crazy. I was on a list for drill rental and reamer rental. Told my customer to come get the rifle, when the tools came in we'd finish the job.

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Gunsmiths are under tight constraints between hunting seasons target seasons and then the normal repair work and custom work. A good top name smith can have a long list waiting. Then are the casual shooters and hunter that bring the rifle in a week before season to have work done. I once installed 20 some plugs in shotguns in one day helping a friend out. These were all walk ins 3 days before season opened. My match rifles wee always rebarreled during the off time but then I also had 3 m1as and 2 match rifles, so they could be down some.

    Also work with your gunsmith if you know what you want order the parts and take it in when you have them. This does several things for him, It frees up his time on the phone / internet ordering parts, or making the list for a worker to order them. This also gives him more time to work on jobs ahead of yours. When he gets to your project its all there and ready to go this makes it a smoother process for him. Some parts come in in a few days some may have a lead time of several months to a year.

    Some smiths are always late or behind on jobs. Some do pretty good with estimates. When a smith dies, fire or other catastrophe happens if you dont have the claim ticket chances are slim of getting your fire arm back. Ive seen this with a shop fire an bankruptcy foreclosure,and a closing. Even with a claim ticket it gets iffy.

    I am glad the OP got his rifle back and done satisfactorily.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master
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    I'll second the bit about having either claim ticket or job order. Had a rifle in for some work and the smith passed away. Originally the shop that had sent the rifle had catered to high power, bench rest shooters. So there more than a few high end rifles in this smith's shop. Took about two months to get my rifle back as they had to go through all the firearms he had in his shop for various jobs. Frank

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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