Rufus The Bum Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Why is it that almost every gunsmith I talk to act like I'm insulting them if I ask for my gun back in 2 weeks? I talked to a big name gunsmith Friday and he had the nerve to tell me that normal turnaround time is 3 months!!! Are you kidding me? Why do these guys even advertise for IPSC shooters business when they know we won't put up with that? I understand that custom pistol builders usually have a turnaround time of 1 to 3 months when BUILDING a gun, but my gun requires probably an hours worth or work to smooth up the action, there is absolutely no way I will wait 3 months, I won't even wait a month. If it can't be done in 2 weeks, I won't even consider sending in my gun. If you can do it in 2 weeks, please let me know and I will give you my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWLS Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 I totally agree with you...but I don't have a solution. They ALL do it because they know we can't go anywhere else. In a day or two, we will hear all sorts of justifications as to why things take so long sometimes......things like "do you want it done fast or do you want it done right?" will be said. Depending on what part of the country you live, JPL up here in Seattle is a great gunsmith and provides timely service. I can put you in touch with him if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Generally they are 1 man shops or might have a couple employees. The good ones are busy enough that if you want it you get on a list and wait your turn. The smart ones have a list and call you a week or so before they are ready for your gun, that way you can still be shooting it instead of waiting. It sucks but that is the nature of the beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Most Gunsmiths only "make" about $25-40 an hour in shop rate. Look at all the capital equipment they have to buy, overhead they have to keep, taxes and fees, then pencil all that out and you'll know why it takes 3 months to finish your gun: because there's no way in hell they could afford to add staff to get your gun done any earlier. If you want to be demanding, then be prepared to cough up. Gunsmithing has to be one of the most "upside down" businesses you can be in. It takes a HUGE capital investment so you can make nothing. Software consulting companies can charge $100-150 an hour with their only costs being a $2000 computer, desk, internet, and electricity. Wanna be a highly-paid gunsmith? Get ready to shell out $15K for a Bridgeport, another $15K for a lathe, $10K in specialized tooling.... Get the picture? Be nice to your gunsmith. He deserves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 My last gunsmith built me a full-on Open gun for zero labor cost. Why? I got him a job that wasn't gunsmithing. Sad, but true. He could do some good work too. Most smiths will do emergency repairs and such on short order, IF you are an established customer with them (and preferably, it's a gun they built that's broken). Otherwise your best option if it's not highly-specific IPSC-work is probably to find a local guy that does good work, but isn't so famous he's swamped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 True, gunsmiths don't make squat. That's why most all the successful ones get into the parts business. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted March 11, 2003 Author Share Posted March 11, 2003 I agree most gunsmiths are poor, there seems to be a general "I'll get to it when I get to it" attitude amongst them. 3 months for a trigger job? Unacceptable. You sure don't make no money with that attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Two words...Benny Hill. Send slide on Monday, had it back Thursday of the next week with a spiffy new dovetailed front sight and low-mounted Bo-mar rear sight. Send slide/frame fit on Monday, 17 days later there was a complete Open gun laying on my front porch (stupid FedEx can't read "adult signature required" tags, which is another story...but lots of hate, so appropriate here). Actual milage may vary, but that is my 3.2 cents Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Wakal didn't mention the extremely happy wife in 17 days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I used to live near Clark's, so had a couple of their guns over the years... after waiting usually 6 months or so for it to be built, I'd usually have a couple "minor" tuning problems over the next month or so needing work after a match at their range.... " Hi guys, my hammer is still falling, can you look it at?" "Sure". ""Oh, you mean now? You'll have to leave it, have it back to you in about 2 or 3 months". " But you just built it, and it doesn't work right" "Sorry, soonest we can get to it, we have other paying customers waiting for their guns too" Needless to say, I learned how to do my own trigger jobs, and don't shoot Clark guns anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted March 12, 2003 Author Share Posted March 12, 2003 I agree, I learned many years ago to never use them. Name me one person who is willing to let their gun sit in some gunsmiths shop for 2-3 months? Word of advice.....Don't market towards USPSA shooters and then have the nerve to say "Our turnaround is 2-3 months" That's absolutely insane. There are other gunsmiths who would appreciate my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 What you are probably not considering is that these gunsmiths make most of their $$$ on building guns. So its a trade off for them. The more of these repair jobs they do, the less time they have to spend on the money makers. I see this all the time in the construction industry. Try getting a roofer out to do a small roof repair and you'll easily wait 4-6 weeks, if you want a roof (and its not hail season) you'll wait 2-3 weeks. Bigger jobs mean more $$$ in the door. Rufus, if you're in Texas, you may want to look up Tony Kidd near Seguin (outside of San Antonio). I stopped by one day when I was working there last summer to have a chat and asked if he'd look at the ambi on my SV. I brought it by a week or so later and he fixed it while I waited, about 10 minutes. Tony Kidd Another option there in Texas, who does almost all trigger work is Teddy Jacobsen in Houston. Actions By T The other alternative is to either do the trigger yourself or get a Tri-Glide (SV part) for a drop in trigger job, might as well get the sear while you are at it. One last note. Most of these guys who do any kind of custom work, whether its guns, motorcycles or whatever are really big on first come, first serve. Jesse James of West Coast Chopper is notorious for it. If you try to buy ($$$) or talk your way to the front of the waiting line, you'll be asked to take your business elsewhere. Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit tried to do that on a custom bike (which go for $55,000 to $150,000 from West Coast). Jesse James told him thank you, now leave. He didn't get the bike, and likely never will. Read about it in Fortune Small Business magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 If gunsmiths piss you off, try buying a Langlitz leather jacket: http://www.langlitz.com A six month wait is totally normal - and they couldn't give a rip *who* you are. Bruce Willis and Arnie have to get in line and wait just like everybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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