When to fire your gunsmith (or anyone for that matter)

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.

That would be good to know.

Was anything of this in writing, such as a written estimate with the work to be performed?

He did this to you once. He smelled blood the second time around and damn, he got paid again. He probably sensed your kind nature and played it to his advantage, sorry that happened. Permanently installing that brake is over the top. I would have dropped cash on the counter for what I thought was fair for only the requested work and walked out.

I don’t disagree with you, it had already been a weird day and this was the FU cherry on top to close it out.

Curious part was that he forgot to charge me for other things so the bill was almost correct.

Still about $250 above what it should’ve cost though.

To me, I looked at it like I paid $250 to re-learn a very old lesson.

Saw the red flags the first time and ignored it.

Paid the price on the second go round.

No one to blame but me.

Scheels.

I know nothing about the quality of their work, but they have to have solid business practices. Their rates for services is posted and I bet that when you drop your gun off you leave with a written estimate for operations to be performed, and any deviation is approved with a text or phone call before they proceed. No reason a sole proprietor can't operate the same way.

Regrettably none of it was in writing. He was talking notes when I dropped the gun off so I trusted he knew what he was doing. Part of me wants to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he’s got early dementia but you could very well be right about him smelling blood in the water.

It's what I do.

Here's whats wrong, here's how it can or cannot be fixed. Here's how good or bad it shot.

I've been asked to pillar and bed, only to find out it is already done. No charge.

Here's your load development pics (usually good news). There was one a few weeks ago, I suggested it was a bad barrel. And let's quit throwing good money after bad.

Honesty is the best policy.

Had no idea Scheel’s had a gunsmith department.

Good tip!

Pricing is here: https://www.scheels.com/on/demandwa...ny_TX_469-854-7500_www.scheels.com_4.pdf

You are the guy thay says a college degree automatically makes the person holding it smart.

Just like a demonrat. You believe things that are just not so.

Post his company name

We need to know who is too retarded to do what they are paid to do only

It’s a good policy.

I for one don’t want to use this gunsmith but I don’t know who he/she is and who to avoid

Sent you a PM GusWayne.

Happy to inform anyone else who is curious but would prefer to do it privately.

Got his name from someone on this forum and don’t want to burn any bridges.

I want to know. We may have things to discuss.

I don’t know why people pass it around behind closed doors, if it’s true state facts and everyone has to deal with them.

In business, if they did something I did not request I would not be paying for it.

Same. This story seems like theft/ransom or something. Absurd.

Not hard to figure out. He's burned more than a handful on here and other forums.

Who was it?

Not my intent to be overly secretive.

Have to be careful about what you post publicly though.

Sent PMs to those who asked.

I’m sure there are many who have nothing but good things to say about the guy.

Just hasn’t been my experience.

Your mileage may vary.

Odd you say that. I know who it is now because I ask and have never heard a single bad word about this smith. I think these issues are a recent event in his life. Maybe the last year or so. I also think this information should be public but given the circumstances I don’t want to be the one to out him either. When I used him he told me he could start immediately because all his work was waiting on parts and he had 13 customers parts going out to cerakote. I thought that odd when he said it. I know now that was odd. I’m guessing he didn’t have 13 customers wanting cerakote.

Texasflip, give me two more examples of this smith having issues and I’ll out him myself. If it’s the same guy.

I'll take a PM to get the name please.

JR

Didn't know we had any gunsmiths on here other than :

TDK and this doesn't sound like a service he offers.

Oh Yea KENZ but aren't they just handguns?

I don't see Trigger Time on here anymore..

Some of y'all need reading comprehension lessons.

The Dude was speaking of firing an ammo guy...he's been very verbal here in the past with his axe he has to grind. I'm not taking sides I'm just saying he's been pretty up front in who that is and stated his reasons. The other party said his piece and has moved on, for good measure he isn't changing The Dude's perspective or position.

We have several gunsmiths on the form...TDK, Trigger Time, S&S's crew, Kenz, etc...I don't exactly know who Dusty is referring to but I am 99% it's none of them and pretty much suspect whom it is. I know exactly who wp's is because I had asked previously because I wasn't aware of anyone in the town he had mentioned (in another post).

Yeah it was a guy on here that sells reloads not a smith.

@Judd...spot on with the reading comprehension comment.

The past is the past. No need to mention that person by name any longer.

the guy that sell Reloads on here, must be Chad

so who is the gunsmith in question so we can all avoid a hassle?

Correct, none of those guys.

I’m still fairly new to the forum and not interested in quarreling with anyone.

Anyone who’s enquired about it, I’ve told.

Dad always said “friends come and go, enemies accumulate”

For the record, I think the guy had an otherwise great reputation over the years.

Not sure what happened.