Gunsmithing All I can say is UGH

117D-RTO

117D-RTO

Shooter ready, standby...
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 2, 2010
296
77
Erie, Colorado
#1
I bought an Obermeyer barrel from bughole / Southwest precision rifle in April, fast turn around and great service.

Hand over my action and barrel to local gunsmith, he said 2-3 months and he should be done.

Called at the 4 month mark and got the "real busy, behind on things, only one guy back here" answer I was expecting.

Called back at 5 month mark, said he was getting close to finishing it but that his reamer wouldn't fit and that the bore was tighter than he expected. He was going to see about finding a reamer and would get back to it. I DID tell him it was an Obermeyer barrel when I originally dropped it off, but I did not know about the implications of the tighter bore at the time.

It's now 6 months later, Gunsmith says it's $200 for the reamer and I either wait to see if his 'sources' can turn one up that I can borrow or I pay for the reamer. I have decided to go pick everything up from him and hope that Bugholes/SPR can do the work for me.

I am sharing responsibility on this one but it's just UGH...I was hoping to have this rifle for hunting season but will have to use my target rifle instead.
 
#2
Re: All I can say is UGH

maybe I just don't understand the chambering process, but what does it matter that it is a tight bore? Anyone like George, Chad, Terry, Roscoe, or Bugholes care to chime in?
 
#4
Re: All I can say is UGH

Well, Obies are notoriously tight, so it absolutely makes a difference.

Telling the smith up front you've got any Obie <span style="font-weight: bold">SHOULD IMPLY</span> he'll need smaller pilot bushings for the reamer...which brings up the other point:

Why is your smith chambering your precision rifle with a reamer that doesn't use removable pilot bushings????

EDIT: Just re-read your initial post and see this is for your hunting rifle... Using removable pilot reamers isn't *as* critical for hunting rifles where top accuracy isn't *as* crucial, but nonetheless, I think most people would agree any rifle chambering job should be done with a removeable pilot.
 
#5
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Why is your smith chambering your precision rifle with a reamer that doesn't use removable pilot bushings????
</div></div>

I'm just the end user here bro, and to be brutally honest I was hoping to have a quick turn-around and sacrifice some extra expertise by going with a jack of all trades smith versus a precision rifle specialist. The rifle would see more use as a practical rifle / hunting rig than benchrest so I figured it was not such a big deal.
 
#6
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 117D-RTO</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was hoping to have a quick turn-around and sacrifice some extra expertise by going with a jack of all trades smith versus a precision rifle specialist.
The rifle would see more use as a practical rifle / hunting rig than benchrest so I figured it was not such a big deal. </div></div>

Why use a premium quality barrel if you are not going to use a premium quality gunsmith?
That guy probably would have been just fine with a Douglas or Shilen barrel and the gun would have shot great for your intended purposes.
 
#7
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2156SMK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[
Why use a premium quality barrel if you are not going to use a premium quality gunsmith?
</div></div>

I got the Obermeyer because of its availability at the time, plus the price was right.
 
#8
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2156SMK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Why use a premium quality barrel if you are not going to use a premium quality gunsmith?
</div></div>

Damn dude, you just can't be satisfied can you. In another thread he said, "why use a quality gunsmith when you're just going to build a shitty no quality gun".

Not everybody on this forum is a millionaire like you.
 
#10
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sin City Shooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In another thread he said, "why use a quality gunsmith when you're just going to build a shitty no quality gun".</div></div>

Those are not the words I used.
If you are gonna quote me, at least do it precisely.
Don't make up your own words and attribute them to me.
 
#12
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Deadly0311</div><div class="ubbcode-body">maybe I just don't understand the chambering process, but what does it matter that it is a tight bore? Anyone like George, Chad, Terry, Roscoe, or Bugholes care to chime in? </div></div>

I'd say the smith is used to using solid piloted reamers. In cases like this you don't have the luxury of simply switching out the pilot to fit the bore. You either buy a new tool or put some mad ninja skills to work on a surface grinder/tool room grinder and alter the pilot size yourself. (and only a complete moron would do this btw)

-PTG offers a service where they convert solid piloted reamers to a removable one.

Or you can just do it right to start and order a set of pilots for a given caliber and then never have to worry about it again. The issue there is they cost $8.00 a piece and you can EASILY burn up a few hundred bucks on just ONE caliber- especially 30 cals because of the broad range of bore dimensions used. (I own EVERY single pilot from 17 cal to 50 cal and it was very painful paying that bill. But you do it ONCE and never have to dick with again which makes it so worth it in the long run)

Judging by the tone of the OP's verbage I'm guessing this smith isn't known for custom tool making/cutter grinding.

FWIW, we have a 96 hour turnaround on B/A work.

C.
 
#13
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Deadly0311</div><div class="ubbcode-body">maybe I just don't understand the chambering process, but what does it matter that it is a tight bore? Anyone like George, Chad, Terry, Roscoe, or Bugholes care to chime in? </div></div>The obermeyer bores are tighter than most others, this is a constant. That being said, his bore/groove dimensions are clear on his website. I've had several Obermeyers returned by gunsmiths because they weren't aware of the bore size and pilot requirements (no more!), so let me try to help this along a little bit.

<span style="font-weight: bold">COMMON PILOT SIZES NEEDED FOR OBERMEYERS</span>
6.5mm: .2540, .2538, .2536 (yes you read that right)
7mm: .2744, .2742, .2740 (.2755 bore until about mid 2011)
30cal: .2982, .2980
338: .3280

OP- send it here, I'll get you all hooked up...
 
#15
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2156SMK</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sin City Shooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In another thread he said, "why use a quality gunsmith when you're just going to build a shitty no quality gun".</div></div>

Those are not the words I used.
If you are gonna quote me, at least do it precisely.
Don't make up your own words and attribute them to me. </div></div>

No, because I'm making fun of you. Chill out and laugh.
 
#16
Re: All I can say is UGH

I had the chance to stop by chads shop a week or so ago on a trip out to wyoming. I cant believe those guys can turn around barrel chambering like they do. I have yet to have them chamber a barrel for me but they will. There work is very impressive. They have all there ducks in a row. If you send your barrel and action to them it will take less time than you spent on the phone with the other smith.
 
#17
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bertshortmag</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> There work is very impressive. They have all there ducks in a row. </div></div>

Which is more than we can say for your grammar.
 
#18
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bcw1284</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bertshortmag</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> There work is very impressive. They have all there ducks in a row. </div></div>

Which is more than we can say for your grammar. </div></div>

It's spelling, not grammar.
 
#19
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 117D-RTO</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought an Obermeyer barrel from bughole / Southwest precision rifle in April, fast turn around and great service.

Hand over my action and barrel to local gunsmith, he said 2-3 months and he should be done.</div></div>

Unless he was world-class, that is a ridiculous wait. And if he was world-class, he'd likely be a LOT faster. Why do so many guys trust their "local" hacks? I don't trust such chumps to do anything but make excuses. That's their real expertise. Mike Bryant in TX would be one of the first people I'd call.
 
#20
Re: All I can say is UGH

Just remember that people like Mike Bryant started as the "local hack" at some point. I help out at a local shop whenever home as the smith is a good friend and it gives me access to the machinery. I would go nuts without the ability to do my own gun work. We have done some chambering jobs but I still send mine out to Mike Bryant in Texas as he built the rifle that 75% of my barrels go on. However I am very impressed with Mr. Dixon and his turn around times and if I ever needed perfect work done now I would use him but as it sits everything in my life moves at a half mile an hour so I would rather stick with older slower shops.
 
#21
Re: All I can say is UGH

I would do whatever it took to cooperate and get a reasonable resolution.

Just an additional thought or two on a related subject:

Once you had the rifle in hand and the so-and-so at arms length, I would remind you that you might still have the option of executing a Vertical Buttstroke on the SOB for jerking you around.

When a contractor abuses a customer in such a blithe and brazen manner, they might possibly be held accountable for their arrogance. Contractors who anticipate pissing off customers could do well to keep this and similar concepts in mind.

There are many means available for achieving this; but I really do tend to admire the more direct approaches.

For the more arrogant contractors amongst us, I strongly recommend free shipping.

It could have some hidden benefits, like keeping your abused and thoroughly pissed off customers out of your personal space. A personal space could probably also be defined as a contact zone.

Greg
 
#22
Re: All I can say is UGH

I do not understand how my poor spelling and grammer has a thing to do with this mans gunsmith problems? I will be the first to admit my grammer and spelling skills are not good, but i didnt think that this forum was for working on those. I am just trying to help this man find someone to chamber his barrel not add to his frustration. You need to ask yourself do you want your gunsmith to be really good at spelling or working steel? I am not a gunsmith but have worked in the metal working industry for 25 years and have a good idea of quality metal work. Your off topic reply and badgering me is what gives snipershide a bad name. Sniperhide has gotten a reputation for this and it is too bad. This type of thing only drives away the serious shooters and competitors. Then that just leaves the guys that want to correct spelling and grammer not a good knowledge base for a shooting forum.
 
#23
Re: All I can say is UGH

Relax, you're not the first to come to such conclusions here, and there's still a ready store of serious shooters here at The 'Hide.

Maybe when you've been here longer, you'll take a more leisurely approach to the inevitible and omnipresent a++holes.

Greg
 
#24
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Deadly0311</div><div class="ubbcode-body">maybe I just don't understand the chambering process, but what does it matter that it is a tight bore? Anyone like George, Chad, Terry, Roscoe, or Bugholes care to chime in? </div></div>

The 'pilot' on the reamer was too large for the bore diameter!!
 
#25
Re: All I can say is UGH

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 117D-RTO</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bought an Obermeyer barrel from bughole / Southwest precision rifle in April, fast turn around and great service.

Hand over my action and barrel to local gunsmith, he said 2-3 months and he should be done.

Called at the 4 month mark and got the "real busy, behind on things, only one guy back here" answer I was expecting.

Called back at 5 month mark, said he was getting close to finishing it but that his reamer wouldn't fit and that the bore was tighter than he expected. He was going to see about finding a reamer and would get back to it. I DID tell him it was an Obermeyer barrel when I originally dropped it off, but I did not know about the implications of the tighter bore at the time.

It's now 6 months later, Gunsmith says it's $200 for the reamer and I either wait to see if his 'sources' can turn one up that I can borrow or I pay for the reamer. I have decided to go pick everything up from him and hope that Bugholes/SPR can do the work for me.

I am sharing responsibility on this one but it's just UGH...I was hoping to have this rifle for hunting season but will have to use my target rifle instead. </div></div>

Anytime you are lucky enough to get one of 'Boots Obermeyer' barrels.....GET IT! Won lots of matches shooting his barrels!!
 
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