Gunsmith Rant

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Well I finally got my barrel. It was 3 months late but no big deal now that I finally have it. I'm building a savage so I can finally bolt it together myself.

I'm excited to get the rifle built, 1. Since it's my first savage and 2. When I finally do shoot it I can tell FEENIX how much superior Remington's really are! ;)

I just got my savage build all together the other night. I still haven't had a chance to shoot it yet but ill be posting my results.
 
Well I finally got my barrel. It was 3 months late but no big deal now that I finally have it. I'm building a savage so I can finally bolt it together myself.

I'm excited to get the rifle built, 1. Since it's my first savage and 2. When I finally do shoot it I can tell FEENIX how much superior Remington's really are! ;)

Please, by all means. :Dgun)
 
I sent Dave Bruno a Krieger barrel the beginning of last month. He told me 2weeks for chambering it (6mm Competition Match) and threading for a brake. To him and back to me, 3 weeks it took. During this to his mom passed away and he also had that to contend with. That is why the 3 weeks. This is the fourth barrel Dave has done for me. 3 Savage that use the nut and one shouldered barrel for my Hall action, all 6 mm Competition Match. Every one was done in a timely manner, and shoot Bugholes.

Don Dunlap
 
I had tried reaching my gunsmith by FB pm and finally sent a email and got an indignant reply from him. He was going through a grieving experience and His comment about his grief being a inconvenience to me I will attribute to his state of mind. I am sure he will come to realise there was no way I could of been aware of the circumstances, since our communication is always initiated on my side. I just hope that next week I get the project back completed and not just parts thrown into a box. I honestly am dumbstruck as to how this project has turned sour from no fault of my own? I have paid in full over 5.5 months ago and had a 7 week schedule quoted at the beginning. I hate feeling like I have no control over a sutuation. In my line of work this kind of lack of commitment to schedules and lackluster communication with paying clients tends to put you out of favor with repeat business very quickly.
 
It's amazing what you can learn to do on YouTube and Google searching.

The only time so far I decided to NOT purchase the required tool(s) myself and try out a gunsmith... it took 7 months and MANY trips back to the gunsmith to simply stake a 1911 front sight on. And the process isn't even done yet. I still don't have my 1911 pistol. I should have just purchased the tool and did it myself. (I will admit though, they answer every time I call and they have been very polite and apologetic).

There are also usually local groups called "Makers". Just google the name of a city near you along with the term "makers group". They have any major tool that a gunsmith would have and there are people there that will help you.

One of my friends didn't want to pay for some performance parts for his BMW track car. He got it done with some help at this local Makers group showing him how to use a lathe.

I've changed a few barrels on rifles that use the barrel nut system now. I know one of my Rem 700 rifles will need a barrel soon and I'm thinking about changing it to the Rem/age nut setup so I can do it myself. Only thing holding me back is the appearance. But I'm mostly leaning towards just wanting to do it myself.
 
HA! The best gunsmith in the Las Vegas valley is out of the private smithing business and now is totally given over to a secret US gov't. contract. CRAP!

He once re-chambered a .22 L.R. Green River octagonal barrel to .22 WMR for my Ruger 96/22 magnum lever action rifle. And it shoots 3/4" to 1" at 50 yards. Not bad for a lever gun shooting .22 magnum, a cartridge not noted for supreme accuracy.

Eric B.
 
I've had many custom guns built by several different gunsmiths. Even though I've had problems with a few of them I didn't realize that the problems were so wide spread. Kind of gives the industry a black eye.

One of my rifles was built by Chris Matthews. The rifle was finished on time but brass seized in the chamber after firing, even light loads. He had me buying all different brands of brass and even a new set of custom dies, all to no avail. I eventually brought the rifle to another smith who recut the chamber. Problem easily resolved but a full year was wasted by the original builder jerking me around and I had to pay for the repair of a brand new custom rifle.

My biggest complaint with custom gun builders is unrealized completion dates and a host of excuses that are just too convenient and unverifiable. I guess we all have our own limits of patients. My personal threshold is about 1 year.

I had Mike Bryant of Wheeler TX build me a heavy bench rifle. It took nearly a year for completion but he told me that up front. Despite the fact that the rifle is one of the most accurate guns I had built, I just don't want to wait that long for a build. I ultimately found another smith who could complete a quality build in less time.

Kevin Cram (MCR) has built a few rifles for me. Every one was a shooter and all completed "on time". He also fixed a few problems others had created.

By and large, few things give me more pleasure than shooting a very accurate rifle. I can thank the many quality smiths that have built rifles for me, some advertise here. Good job and keep timetables realistic.
 
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