Gunsmithing When Gunsmith Won't Return Call or Email

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smellnsweets

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Minuteman
Feb 22, 2013
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Houston
Smith has my gun and all the parts for a new rifle build. Work was to be done within 10 weeks. I have a signed contract. Smith hasn't answered email or returned phone call for one month and the gun is due. I know he is in town. I am ready to pay him for the completed rifle. This guy is highly touted in this forum. Suggestions on where to go from here, please.
 
You have to give a guy a little leeway, getting compensated for a build should be incentive enough but?? I'm friends with a smith, and can tell you walk-ins are a curse from hell. Why go through logging a gun in for an overnight stay when you can get it out the door now, and a cash deal!!
I understand not taking calls when you're running equipment and working during the day, it's a major interruption! But any smith who can't have some morning coffee, waiting to POOP can't fire off a few emails???

I"m somewhat close to C Dixon on the hide also, if you could go back through his threads and see how before he had time to mess with RC planes, you wont see that today, and long hours are the norm, something most of us wouldn't be willing to do. You say he's in town, maybe a visit would be more in line, if it's the same town!
Word of warning, before you post up his name, which will get asked for, you may try to get this settled offline.
 
these gun smiths should not take on so much work at one time. there is no excuse for not returning calls. this is a customer service based business. with out customers you have no business.
i would go see the smith.

these smiths are not doing all the long hours for the customer. they are doing it because they over booked them self's and in the end it will kill them or give them a bad reputation.
 
I'm not offering up the name of the smith at this point. I know a bad rep will kill a business. The guy is out of town, about 160mi drive. I dropped off EVERYTHING needed for my rifle build: Rem 700 rifle, new Krieger barrel, new Manners stock with pillar bedding in place, Badger rings and DBM metal, new Timney trigger, for a M40A1 build. Should have been about 10 hours work. Cost was set at $875. Now the guy is a ghost for 4 weeks. I had a friend email him and he responded immediately to him yesterday. Guy doesn't return my calls or emails. I have NOT been a pain in the ass, either.
 
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Only did this once..long time no hear from out of state smith..
I had a lawyer write him a letter which expressed my dissatisfaction and threatened action in Federal Court
Heard right away.. :)
 
So it's week 4 out of 10? Give him a little more time. Your parts are probably sitting in a waiting rack. It shouldn't take him but 3-4 days to finish it.

It is wierd he's ignoring you.
 
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I'm not offering up the name of the smith at this point. I know a bad rep will kill a business. The guy is out of town, about 160mi drive. I dropped off EVERYTHING needed for my rifle build: Rem 700 rifle, new Krieger barrel, new Manners stock with pillar bedding in place, Badger rings and DBM metal, new Timney trigger, for a M40A1 build. Should have been about 10 hours work. Cost was set at $875. Now the guy is a ghost for 4 weeks. I had a friend email him and he responded immediately to him yesterday. Guy doesn't return my calls or emails. I have NOT been a pain in the ass, either.

It's real easy to get totally swamped in a gunsmithing shop. Once you become swamped the only thing you try and do is work your way through it and not give yourself a stroke from the additional stress. There have been times when it can be so busy that I stop all communication just to keep my gun mojo going. Unreasonable gun-stalkers were the main reason I got rid of my cell phone. Recently a guy cornered one of the girls who work in the shop while she was shopping at Wal-Mart with her kids. He was loud and demanding...we had his rifle (muzzle brake, trigger adj and shorten LOP) for less than a week.

Sometimes weird things happen to slow production down like all out gun panics forcing the gunsmith to sell guns, take calls, ring up sales...my own production practically ground to a halt during the second half of December and all of January. The gun store part of the business was too busy AND with the increase in the retail business the amount of gun repairs etc that came in were staggering. Year to date I have a 71% increase in shop business. Incredible!


Maybe his helper quit, maybe his wife is sick or he is...I'd leave the guy alone for a few days and let him work. If he still doesn't return your original emails then there is a problem other than being swamped.
 
To Lucky Jack: Nope. It's pretty clear he is avoiding me specifically. My gun is due. He was willing to take an order from a friend of mine who contacted him yesterday by email. He replied immediately. He is not responding to my email or phone messages. He is not taking calls directly. Never has.
 
Three step to problem resolution:

1. Call ATF and report him for holding stolen weapons
2. Send a nice box with cell phone, modeling clay and wire all taped together-include a note saying next time he will not see you coming.
3. I prefer to deal with name gun smiths who earned their reputation- I take the time they quote and double it in dog years, When my precious comes home...its just the way I wanted and it is the perfect result of working with a fine shop, being patient, the blend of talent and quality parts. I wont drop names but the top guys have a wait list for a reason. quality is worth the wait...While there are a few crooks and bad examples...there are ten times as many good guys who get behind with supply chain issues, staff issues, or they over commit out of a good heart.
4. There are enough name brand rifles for sale on any given day in the for sale section...a man with the correct number of hundred dollar bills in his man purse...can have a cool new tool in 72 hours.
5. Grow a pair!
 
Gun Smiths are not Gods, your post is weird, you won't name him (because some people on this board think he is "super duper"), but if someone with a set of balls had called this type of thing out 10 weeks ago, maybe you would have found a real gun smith. You can almost be certain, you aren't the first guy he has lied to, or taken money from without the intent to making good on his promise, but as others did not want to point the finger at anyone that calls themselves a gun smith, you didn't know, and now find yourself with a guy that is avoiding you, costing you time and $$$$, now you are going to have to go to a lot of trouble, and maybe just get back what you dropped off, and never see any of the money you paid up front. Post the guys name, at the least you can help someone else from making the same mistake. Otherwise what is the point of the post?
 
just so i understand this correctly, your signed contract says it will be done in 10 weeks?

i really don't understand why gunsmiths/builders state a delivery time. what is wrong with saying it will be done when it is done? if you are in a hurry and need it in x amount of time, either make sure the actually delivery date (not estimated) is in writing or find the builder that will commit to what you want in the time you want.
 
Yes, I have a signed contract that says it will be done in 10 weeks. I made sure of that after the fiasco I went through trying to get a rifle made with a company I found out too late was disreputable. You might search out my first post on Sniper's Hide forum for background. I am not the only member here who got the shaft from that company.
 
Gun Smiths are not Gods, your post is weird, you won't name him (because some people on this board think he is "super duper"), but if someone with a set of balls had called this type of thing out 10 weeks ago, maybe you would have found a real gun smith. You can almost be certain, you aren't the first guy he has lied to, or taken money from without the intent to making good on his promise, but as others did not want to point the finger at anyone that calls themselves a gun smith, you didn't know, and now find yourself with a guy that is avoiding you, costing you time and $$$$, now you are going to have to go to a lot of trouble, and maybe just get back what you dropped off, and never see any of the money you paid up front. Post the guys name, at the least you can help someone else from making the same mistake. Otherwise what is the point of the post?

I haven't paid him anything yet. He has my gun and all the parts I dropped off with him. I will only name him as a last resort because he DOES have a good reputation on this site. I'm just confused by my experience.
 
You're getting a lot of lame advice, mainly pawprint, just drive up and see the guy, I doubt the guy has any intentions of dusting anyone. Your good friend should have inquired as he was committing to have work done.
10 weeks in gun smith time is nill, I just had a rifle finished after 1 1/2 years! And caller ID is the next best thing since canned beer to one party in the call, he's not finished and ignoring you. If I haven't finished up some tasks for my wife and she tries to call, I'll put her on disfuckingregard.

Posting any name on here will solve nothing.
 
Yes, I have a signed contract that says it will be done in 10 weeks. I made sure of that after the fiasco I went through trying to get a rifle made with a company I found out too late was disreputable. You might search out my first post on Sniper's Hide forum for background. I am not the only member here who got the shaft from that company.

If you sent him all the parts originally, and he was not waiting on any parts, 10 weeks seems like plenty of time to me.
Maybe, the next time you have a gunsmith sign a contract with a completion date, make sure you put liquidated damages in the contract so if the work is not completed by the agreed upon date, he would pay you. This is standard procedure in many businesses such as in the highway, construction, housing industries.
Don't see why it could not be implemented in the gun smithing industry as well.
 
Pretty sure I know the smith just thinking about your location and the smiths within 160 miles.

I would also say 10 weeks is a give or take if you dropped off every single part and only needed assembly and finish. I have waited so long on rifles before that I forgot I ordered them until they called for payment. Custom guns are an odd thing to deal with and there is allot of waiting involved. No excuse for lack of contact though. If I can post this from Pakistan im sure the smith can reply to an email before actually starting work.
 
You have a decision to make. While I understand your legitimate reluctance in posting his name, if the facts are as you say- and you can back them up if the smith responds to your allegations here, then I would do so. The bottom line is this- a WRITTEN contract, is exactly that. Don't sign it, if you can't live up to the terms; much less avoid the customer who only wants to hear from you. By saying you haven't been a pain in the ass, I'm assuming your contacts haven't been threatening, only straightforward requesting an update.

In any case, were they my parts, I'd drive over there- pick them up (you say you haven't paid him anything) and send them elsewhere. Time to cut your losses and move on, chalk it up to a learning experience.

Now, if you find out that your parts have been "cannibalized" somehow, and he can't produce everything you gave him...hmmm....just sayin....
 
Copy and paste this link, email it to him. Sometimes a firecracker in the butt cheeks gets a person off their ass!

Got an email from the smith. Gun will be ready soon and I have a pick up date. He said his computer went down. I don't know why that would affect his answering machine, too? I wanted to meet him today and he replied he was too busy. He didn't like that I e-mailed him a link to this thread. Go figure. I'll keep you informed of how it goes. I'm expecting a laser ...
 
Really Kurt? You know for a FACT that he is a one man shop. You know he has a waiting list a mile long, if not longer. You know he builds some of the finest shooters made. Yet you feel the need to start something like this? Of course, all those that do not know him dog-pile with the standard fare...he's a liar, thief, show up at his door step, call the ATF 'cause he's stealing guns, etc..etc..etc. SMFH... all ya'll can ram it.

You made the choice to have him build you a fine shooter. You know not what has gone on behind the curtains because all you see is the all powerful OZ turnin' barrels, as it were. Can't be any more complicated than that, right? I wish you actually DID have some insight behind the curtain over the past few months...you may be ashamed of yourself (I would be).

No, I do not agree with the lack of comms. However, it might be the only ay he can get any work done. That phone rings constantly over there. How do I know? Because I've sat at his reloading bench to help him prepare for a national championship match...prepping his brass and loading his ammo while he was turning out rifles for customers. Do you honestly think he's trying to screw you over?
 
Well said Sir W!

He (said gunsmith) tells me it hasn't been 10 weeks YET! I would think some dumbass wanting something that he can't do from someone that can would be willing to wait until the deadline passed before trashing them. As far as I know there is nothing in the "contract" that says he has to babysit you on the phone or answer any of your emails. It is funny to me that so many of you guys think your stuff is so important and you should get VIP treatment.

Sweets, He told me today your action was blueprinted but you might get a box of parts if you push it. I tried to talk him out of that but he's not happy. After reading this I'd expect a box of parts and a bill for the blueprinting. I'd suggest am email telling him to proceed and let you know when it is done. Or get it and get in line for the next 10 week wait. Ball is in your court. Cheers
 
Builders bitching about a customer.

Guy says he won't return emails or phones calls but returns his friends email the same day when contacting for a new bill. Coming out and calling the guy a liar, which he could be, but if he has a contract with a start date and 10 weeks has passed, that smith will be full of shit.

I don't care how reputable a gun smith is, you don't ignore a customer.
 
This reply is too late but here goes -
You could have posted a thread- I am looking to use X gunsmith. Do any of you know him personally?

You could then email / PM with people who know him to see I they would be willing to make a call on your behalf.

Some folks dig themselves in holes and then keep digging by not returning calls/ emails and other actions.

They benefit from someone helping them dig out of the hole.
 
Some times a people need some personal time. Time with the wife and kids. I know most of the broke dicks that have to have the Ultimate Sniper Rifle built don't have that enjoyment in life because they sit alone at the reloading press waiting for the phone to ring. Ask any of the super smiths on here or anywhere if they disagree. If they side with you, they are lying!
 
Service is service, first rule is treat customers right and take their calls or hire someone to do so on your behalf.

Read the thread. He's a one man shop. Funny thing is gunsmithing trashes all the rules in sales. "the customer is always right" I've told many where the door was. There are always 2 holding the door open for the guy that leaves mad.
 
I was looking for a smith to install or make and install a barrel for me, I called a barrel maker that a old long range benchrest shooter recommended I called him 2 times no answer and (different days) on the 3rd try he answered he was so nice and finished the barrel installed it and coated it in ONE week I was amazed with the job he did and yes he makes the barrels, the machines were amazing and he had very interesting facts that I did not know about barrels that he told me so now I want another barrel just to talk to him.
 
Guys I get all of that, my point is you don't willfully ignore folks that are paying for your services. Tell them to fuck off and die pick up their shit etc. but don't just ignore a guy that has patronized your business.
 
Read the thread. He's a one man shop. Funny thing is gunsmithing trashes all the rules in sales. "the customer is always right" I've told many where the door was. There are always 2 holding the door open for the guy that leaves mad.

Bullshit. Thats what that sentiment is. "Fuck your customers because you can" is a bad business model. Period. And you dont deserve mine. This whole thread is starting to piss me off.
 
Read the thread. He's a one man shop. Funny thing is gunsmithing trashes all the rules in sales. "the customer is always right" I've told many where the door was. There are always 2 holding the door open for the guy that leaves mad.
then don't promise something you can't deliver. And as previously stated, the "one man shop" ignored his emails and calls but had the time to respond to his friend about a build the same day. You keep ignoring that fact no matter how many times it's stated.
 
then don't promise something you can't deliver. And as previously stated, the "one man shop" ignored his emails and calls but had the time to respond to his friend about a build the same day. You keep ignoring that fact no matter how many times it's stated.

If you only had a clue. Running an operation like his is a juggling act. PM sweets and ask him when the 10 wks is up. Every minute he (smith) spends on the phone or emailing subtracts from the 10 weeks. Imagine having 20 guys calling and emailing daily. I personally am concerned about the lies about Benghazi and watch fox news. I hope you could afford the smith the same concern.
 
Ah, the great unwashed. I honestly wish some of you that have armchaired this thread could sit in the shop for one day...ONE DAY! You would throw up your hands and say...no way...no way would I deal with what he deals with daily. Phone ringing whilst turning barrels, coating parts, putting a stock on the mill to do some fine tuning so it fits the customer just right...building rifles that cover multiple shooting disciplines, etc. I've been in that shop while he had a barrel chucked up, reamer going in...and the phone rings...it's the customer of the build he's working on.
Guess what.. change #4.. I've decided to do 'insert caliber here' instead of 'insert caliber here' and leave it at 28"...I want it to be an F-Class type build. Well, spec sheet says cut to 23" from breach (to save weight on an HV contour) and chamber to 'insert caliber here'. Barrel has been cut, and reamer has started cutting....as the customer calls to change his mind for the FOURTH time (heard the conversation on speaker phone).
Gunsmith informs the customer that the build has begun as per the latest specs.... customer gets huffy...really? What does gunsmith do? All stop... removed barrel...went to HIS OWN BARREL STASH for his OWN RIFLE BUILD...pulled same type of 6.5mm barrel and proceeded with the build per the customers last change after confirming 'no more changes'. I don't know about you, but I'd have told the customer 'sorry'...I've already started and there's no making changes now.

One man shop, small business owner, trying to please everyone as best he can (with no complaints from any that I know of). One guy gets a case of the ass and it's the gunsmith's fault by default.....gotcha. Two sides to everything, and the side that has been presented has some fuzzy 'facts'...and I use that term loosely.
 
Customers are always a pain in the ass in any business. Many times they're dead wrong. The proper way to handle those pains in the ass is with patience and a smile. That's not a philosophical statement. It's just good business.

Many small businesses fail because the owner tries to do it all on his own when he really shouldn't based on the nature of his business, his workload and limitations in his business management skillset. If a business owner finds himself in a position where he can't respond to his customers in a timely manner, it's time to think about making some changes. Gunsmiths aren't exempt from this reality. Not if they want to have an excellent business to match their excellent product.
 
I'm wondering, if any of the defenders of poor business would offer the same consideration if it were, let's say, there pick-up truck? All the parts that were needed for an engine upgrade/rebuild were purchased and delivered to an engine shop, a full agreement was made on the work to be done, a contract with completion date was signed, and yet when the date rolled around, no truck. I would not be happy, obviously there are a lot of guys on this very board that wouldn't mind one bit. I can only imagine the mechanic threatening to have your truck shoved out into his lot, will all the parts in a box and a bill for the work he had already do, because you had the nerve to expected the work to be done as contracted!! If the smith in question was running behind, due to unforeseen circumstances, a phone call, an email-some kind of contact with the customer prior to the pick-up date, with an explanation, would go a long way in keeping the problem from becoming a pissing match. If you've ever borrowed money, and had a contract (payment agreement) with a bank, see how they treat you if you just don't deliver your payment on time (and do not take their phone calls, etc.). What are contracts for in business? I've always thought it was so both parties knew what their responsibility was, and in the case of a written contract, to have proof of the agreement. It appears that some on this board feel a gun smith's word, or signature on a contract does not/ and should not hold him to the agreement as he is a gun smith, now if he were a auto mechanic that would be a different story. just saying.
 
Smith hasn't answered email or returned phone call for one month and the gun is due.

Holy crap man why are you calling? you have been calling for a month on a 10 week build that is NOT even due yet
So after 4 weeks you started calling LMAO
The smith your slamming is 10mins from my house, I vouch for him 100%
He has way more patience than i, I would tell you to come get your crap and find another smith
No one wants a peach of a customer like your self
Why dont you tell us how many times you have called and emailed on this build before completion date?
The smith is NOT the issue here, YOU are
Sorry you have been mistreated by other smiths, again why are you calling and calling and calling for over a month on a 10 week build which has only just reaching due date?
No wonder he wont acknowledge you, PITA
RELAX bro
You might wanna rethink this, as in apologize for harassing the shit out of the guy for over a month on a build that is NOT overdue
WTF are you bitching about?
So all you have done is lost a good smith to work on your gear, OUTSTANDING press on

PS
I hope he gives you a box of parts, as thats all you deserve for acting like clown
 
I'm wondering, if any of the defenders of poor business would offer the same consideration if it were, let's say, there pick-up truck? All the parts that were needed for an engine upgrade/rebuild were purchased and delivered to an engine shop, a full agreement was made on the work to be done, a contract with completion date was signed, and yet when the date rolled around, no truck. I would not be happy, obviously there are a lot of guys on this very board that wouldn't mind one bit. I can only imagine the mechanic threatening to have your truck shoved out into his lot, will all the parts in a box and a bill for the work he had already do, because you had the nerve to expected the work to be done as contracted!! If the smith in question was running behind, due to unforeseen circumstances, a phone call, an email-some kind of contact with the customer prior to the pick-up date, with an explanation, would go a long way in keeping the problem from becoming a pissing match. If you've ever borrowed money, and had a contract (payment agreement) with a bank, see how they treat you if you just don't deliver your payment on time (and do not take their phone calls, etc.). What are contracts for in business? I've always thought it was so both parties knew what their responsibility was, and in the case of a written contract, to have proof of the agreement. It appears that some on this board feel a gun smith's word, or signature on a contract does not/ and should not hold him to the agreement as he is a gun smith, now if he were a auto mechanic that would be a different story. just saying.


That's a very good analogy. I'm in the auto repair business and I would not be open if I treated my customers in this manor. I think the BIG difference between the two businesses is that rifles are built as a "pleasure" with discretionary money and auto repairs are done out of need. I rarely deal with a customer that is truly happy to be paying their bill at my shop. Not because they don't appreciate the service I have provided but because it was not an expenditure that they have budgeted for.

Custom gunsmith work is in a class all of it's own because customers are opening their wallets and WANT TO pay for your service. I think a lot of smiths take advantage of this situation by putting their customers on the back burner. It's a shame.
 
If you only had a clue. Running an operation like his is a juggling act. PM sweets and ask him when the 10 wks is up. Every minute he (smith) spends on the phone or emailing subtracts from the 10 weeks. Imagine having 20 guys calling and emailing daily. I personally am concerned about the lies about Benghazi and watch fox news. I hope you could afford the smith the same concern.
Well ya know what, if it's too difficult for him then maybe he should stop. My smith is very very busy, but on his voicemail he has a schedule of when he will answer the phone and return phone calls...every time I call him during these hours he magically picks up the phone and is happy to talk to me. He knows that customers keep him in business and he respects them, hell I could call him every week and he won't give a shit.
 
Posts like this are funny, sweets replied 22 posts ago that the issue has been resolved. Yet we continue to pile on, trying to figure out who's right here, the smith or sweets. If anyone who's had a custom rifle built and has no horror stories, my hats off to you and the smith you chose!
It's funny also all the GOOD advice we pass on to smith's as to how to run their business. Like any of them are going to read this thread anyway. I hope I don't piss the guy off who said hiring someone to answer the phone would be inline, like paying someone 12 bucks an hour to do this and maybe sweep up is in the budget. Also, any call answered would probably require the person coming into the work area to get the info from the smith anyway, so why not take the call yourself?

It'd be safe to say, "smith's are breed unto themselves", and with all the idiosyncrasies between them, dealing with them reminds me of dealing with an even more complex package, my wife!
 
I'm wondering, if any of the defenders of poor business would offer the same consideration if it were, let's say, there pick-up truck? All the parts that were needed for an engine upgrade/rebuild were purchased and delivered to an engine shop, a full agreement was made on the work to be done, a contract with completion date was signed, and yet when the date rolled around, no truck. I would not be happy, obviously there are a lot of guys on this very board that wouldn't mind one bit. I can only imagine the mechanic threatening to have your truck shoved out into his lot, will all the parts in a box and a bill for the work he had already do, because you had the nerve to expected the work to be done as contracted!! If the smith in question was running behind, due to unforeseen circumstances, a phone call, an email-some kind of contact with the customer prior to the pick-up date, with an explanation, would go a long way in keeping the problem from becoming a pissing match. If you've ever borrowed money, and had a contract (payment agreement) with a bank, see how they treat you if you just don't deliver your payment on time (and do not take their phone calls, etc.). What are contracts for in business? I've always thought it was so both parties knew what their responsibility was, and in the case of a written contract, to have proof of the agreement. It appears that some on this board feel a gun smith's word, or signature on a contract does not/ and should not hold him to the agreement as he is a gun smith, now if he were a auto mechanic that would be a different story. just saying.

This is a terrible analogy. I explain the problem to people all the time. Go pick up the phone book. Look for "auto mechanics." They're a dime a dozen. Now, look for Lawyer, Doctor, acupuncturist...and then look for gunsmith. If it's in there once you're lucky. That's why we are overwhelmed, and can tell people to come pick up their marbles and go play somewhere else. It's the most simple case of supply and demand there is. How many guns are there in America? How many gun owners? How many gunsmiths? I've never once walked into the shop and not had a lot of guns to work on; even before I opened.
 
Gunsmiths are in demand. This country has gone guncrazy. A contract is a contract. If you can take in new buisiness, you have time to reply to a current customer. If you break a contract or having trouble meeting a deadline you owe a customer and explanation.

I used to race mustangs and I was dropping off a block at a machine shop. A young kid came in wanting a motor built cash in hand. The owner told him he was booked up and could not take his business at the time.


Pretty simple when your the baddest gunsmith in Texas and work is running out your ears.
 
Just taking a guess here, but i just about bet this isnt the first time the OP has had so called trouble with a smith. Custom rifles take time and everyone with half a brain knows this. I know who the OP is talking about and i assure everyone here, he is doing the best he can plus some!!! This hole thing is stupid!!! Lee

By the way, He doesnt answer your calles or emails because he already knows what your going to say, and you already know he is doing his very best!!
 
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