Wondering where you guys would draw the line.

Second time (in a row) where I got the gun back and something wasn’t done the way I asked.

Like asking for medium rare and getting well done.

Made a comment about the mistake (over the phone) and just heard crickets.

2 strikes and you’re out sound fair? 3 strikes?

Great guy but, if you can’t get the order right, then wtf?

Fool me once, that's on you. Fool me twice, that's on me.

yep, no way it's hapening a third time.

Messing up once, Ok mistakes happen. Do it twice, they need to reevaluate their in house systems. They are failing to accept that they are forgetful, and are not combating ways to correct it. Or, they are not doing what was asked on purpose, and doing what they want to do.

Crickets after learning the mistake tells me all I need to know. They are dumb or don't care.

FIRED!

What work did he screw up?

I recently had a smith tell me when all the parts were dropped off he was waiting on parts for all his other jobs and he could get on it immediately. Probably 3-4 days.

He then dropped the reamer I had selected and broke it in the middle of reaming the chamber. He then ordered a new reamer and barrel because he didn’t want to cut the chamber with two different reamers. He communicated this and replaced it at his expense.

By the time the parts came in he was working on the jobs he had been waiting on. He avoided me during this time.

At 10 weeks I called him and told him I would be picking everything up in 3 days. He said the rifle would be ready.

When I got there it turned out he had a minor surgery during that time and went back to work early to finish my rifle. He was essentially fired as of that day but he did turn out a beautiful product. Had he communicated better I would have never gotten frustrated.


So yeah, communication and giving a crap goes a long way.

Yep, fired an ammo guy (THF member) because he did not do what he said he was going to do! His online reviews reflect as well.

It’s difficult to find a competent smith these days but they do exist.
First time that it’s not done correctly, I’m gone.

1st mistake, as long as it gets handled. Everyone makes mistakes, it’s how they take care of it. Crickets on the second mistake? I’m done

Yep.... Need more info.

This goes for anything in life for me' Screw me once......

Bought a 308 barreled action (from pt&g) and told him just to blueprint, chamber and thread the bolt knob. So that’s 3 things total.

I get the gun back and he did those things but also cerakoted the whole thing black and permanently installed one of his homemade muzzle brakes. See picture. (This is the second time he’s cerakoted one of my guns without permission) never even discussed a brake and I said PLEASE don’t paint this gun. C’mon man!!

Also had a DBM installed and requested a 10 round magazine, got a 5 round mag instead.

There were a couple extra wear marks/blemishes as well. The list goes on but I’ll stop there.

My stepson is in gunsmithing school. He needed some old wood firearms to refresh. I sent him my 10/22 and told him to figure out how old it was. I've had it since 1995, and he figured out it was built in 1984. I told him to take the stock down to bare wood and apply 3 coats of boiled linseed oil, and cerakote the barreled action.

One of his instructors told him not to apply the oil and stain it instead. Stepson did what the instructor told him, then sent me a pic. I reminded him that I said to oil it. He told me his instructor told him not to since it was birch and not walnut. I said "!!!! YOU TELL THAT OLD BASTERD ITS NOT HIS F-ING RIFLE! IT IS MY RIFLE, SO DO WHAT I ASKED!!!". I was so pissed, I damn near drove to the school. My wife convinced me not to. Then told my stepson, to do what the people ask for, with their firearm. It's theirs, and many of them are very connected to them. If someone asks us to make the rifle purple, it's going to be purple. They are paying for it, do what they say, PERIOD!

So, evidently this is not uncommon in the gunsmithing industry. A Smith making unilateral decisions, without consulting the customer. Well, I ain't havin it. Exactly what was asked for will be done, plenty of communication, and honesty.

Kinda narrow minded aren’t you. I see that every time I look in the mirror. Getting tired of 6 months to do a one day job.

did he charge you for the extra work? From the little I can see. he did a great job. Did he include a threaded muzzle protector?

I realize he didn't do what you asked but looks good for free

Couldn't agree more.

Harkens back to the saying, if you want something done right, gotta do it yourself.

So glad the industry is moving to modular pieces so guys can build their bolt guns at home.

Those are the last dollars he will ever get from me.

None of that is hard to fix...the break will come off, it's threaded on (he did a good job blending it). He's got a blast cabinet, he can blast it all back stainless. Mag is a simple swap (as you know).

I'd not use him again after him doing it twice but I'd ask him to fix the stuff you didn't want and not charge you...I've been fortunate that my guys have always done exactly what I asked OR have suggested something different that was for my benefit.

Sorry, sucks but it sounds and looks like he does good work and just doesn't do a good job organizing what is needed. I've seen some great folks in the service industry that do great work they just do a crappy job organizing and managing the work...he appears to be one of those, just based upon what you have said and what that muzzle looks like.

He did charge me...

Similar to last time, figured the black cerakote didn't look bad so chalked it up to him making an honest mistake.

Agree the muzzle brake looks great though.

Mainly shoot suppressed so now I have the added cost of cutting it off and re-threading the barrel.

Alas, not worth bemoaning a chitty outcome.

Just take my lumps and move on.

Man I'm not a confrontational guy unless someone is just waaay out of line.

Would rather just take the loss and try to forget about it.

He's also 45 mins away so there's that

If they do something you didn’t ask for they sure as he!! shouldn’t ask to be paid…..it wouldn’t be out of the question for the customer to ask him to replace the gun!

You specifically asked him NOT to paint the gun, and he did. You did NOT ask for a brake, and he installed one. That, my friend is WAAAY out of the line. Especially charging you for what you did not ask for. I do not like being confrontational either, but he'd have gotten an earful from me at pick up time, and the gun never would have left his shop in that condition. I'm getting pizzed just thinking about someone doing something like that to me.

I’ve had this experience.
I no longer deal with him.

I would like to know who this is so I don't make the mistake of ordering

if you don't want to post it here, please PM thanks

No matter the profession, without any form of industry credentials you have nothing other than reviews from past customers to get an idea of someone's knowledge and expertise.

I’d probably go to jail over some [censored] like that if he didn’t offer to replace it 100% new at his cost. You can’t untuck it.