Need some Help!!

[Powderface]

I called the local San Diego gunsmiths yesterday, I'm just not willing to spend $20 per hole to get my 98/22 mauser drilled and tapped for a scope. That was the cheapest I was able to find locally.

I am willing to send it to anywhere I can get a recomendation from fellows.

The total work I'm looking for is to D&T for scope and cut & crown barrel to 24".

Mike

[StarMetal]

Mike,

To send it somewhere involves licenses and postage. Does the bolt need bent down too? Also the original safety won't work cause it stickes up to high in it's travel from off safe to safe. Recrowning the barrel involves alittle work. What did the gunsmith give you for total costs on all you want done?

Joe

[grumble]

Mike, why not do it yourself? If you're gonna spend $40 to D&T it, you might as well have the jig and tools when you're done. Cost will be about the same.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=603260

You can do the same with the bolt-bending (if needed), replacement safety, and crowning. Depending on what you want as a finished product, you can either save money, or break even and still own the tools.

[Jumptrap]

Mike,

To send it somewhere involves licenses and postage. Does the bolt need bent down too? Also the original safety won't work cause it stickes up to high in it's travel from off safe to safe. Recrowning the barrel involves alittle work. What did the gunsmith give you for total costs on all you want done?

Joe

Joe,

You're mistaken on one point. It does NOT require a license to send your gun, anywhere in the United States, to a gunsmith for service. The gunsmith logs it in his books, repairs it, logs it out and returns it. I hate to have to go dig through the last regulation book BATF sent me, so I ask that you take my word for it.

As for postage...you are quite correct.

[StarMetal]

Jump

You're right about that. But I tell you what, try explaining that to some UPS outlets. I'd had some give me a hassle when I had a license.

Joe

[Jumptrap]

Jump

You're right about that. But I tell you what, try explaining that to some UPS outlets. I'd had some give me a hassle when I had a license.

Joe

Joe,

Remember the sign at the zoo...'Don't Feed the Animals'? It also applies to UPS apes. I never tell them what is in a package....and if they ask, I lie. But then again, I never use them anymore. If a package has to go to Smith and Wesson...make the address say SW Company or Smith but not S&W or something obvious. I think Browning uses BAC and then the address. If i was forced to declare the contents, I'd say 'machined parts'.

[Powderface]

Quite a discussion I started.

My bolt handle has been replaced with a new one to work with a scope. I installed a new Dayton-Traister trigger and low swing safety, the safety just required a the removal of a small amount of material from the shroud.

I was aware of the laws as far as sending firearms directly to a gunsmith in a different state, even here in Kaliforniastan. All I need is a recomendation of a smith to do this work.

Thanks for all the info so far.

Mike

[swheeler]

powderface; you shouldn't have had to remove any metal from the shroud, just the cocking piece.

[lonewolf5347]

http://websearch.cs.com/cs/boomframe...barrels.com%2F
I can say here is a small company out of PA. that does excellent work ,I used this company as far back as the early 70's,

[Buckshot]

............Powderface, while that sounds like a lot if you consider that's 3 holes so $60. Most automotive shops around So. Cal are gonna zap you $70 to $85 and hour, shop labor. Consider also that the cost of his action jig was probably amortized long ago, but he DOES have one.

Actions are different but drilling the holes can be tricky even with a jig, as you sure don't want to bust one off. Ditto tapping, and THAT is the wicked part and on occasion you WILL bust a tap. A good drill bit that size may only run 89 cents but a good tap is going to run close to $6. You don't use ones you buy at Harbor Freight at 99 cents per dozen.

As a smart businessman, he realizes that holding up a relatively straightforward job like D&T'ing for a scope while he orders a #29 drill and a 8-36 tap isn't smart. Therefore he'll have several on hand. That's money he has had to lay out to service his customers.

So when you consider the time to set it up, drill the holes and then tap them, plus his potential liability if he DOES bust one (and it's not just breaking the tap), and his equipment he bought so he could do the work, it's not out of line. Check sometime and see what it costs to get a dovetail cut! Dovetail cutters (real good ones) can run $80 and they're fragile SOG's.

One other thought. If you ship it it's going to run somewhere between $16 and $24 (or more) round trip depending. If it takes them a week to do it that's 2 weeks. It may go on a list and take longer, but time might not be an issue.

..............Buckshot