I Hate Gunsmiths

[Duces Tecum]

I have never had one single good experience with a gunsmith . . . .I am glad that factory rifles and pistols are becoming so good that I can avoid using gunsmiths.

Recovering these memories is like picking a scab.

When I was young and single, I had a brace of unfired Series 70 1911s and a pair of NIB P-35 Brownings built by a "world-class" gunsmith (now deceased, through no action of mine). Afterwards, none of the four pistols would get through a full magazine without malfunctioning. Since he'd been paid, he took no interest in correcting his work.

On another occasion, years later, I had a special-purpose rifle built by a school's resident gunsmith. The agreement was that it would be ready for use in the class. When I arrived on location I found the work on the rifle had not begun. It was impossible to take the class. I received neither a refund of my deposit nor the return of the parts I supplied. Surprisingly, the school maintained a regal disinterest. Although I could not attend the class already paid for, I received no tuition refund. I was offered a ticket to some future class. Sort of like the "No returns. Store credit only" signs behind the register of low-end retailers.

The result of these experiences was that I transferred my affections to Glocks and AR's. When something breaks that I can't fix on the kitchen table, the gun goes straight back to the mother-ship for repairs. Like the OP, I never again relied on a "gunsmith".

[Duelist]

I have twice used local guys to install sights that I couldn’t manage - first on a 3913, next on a 92a1. GLOCK sights, I’ll do myself. One of the things that is turning my head to GLOCK is being able to do most things without having to use a smith or have tons of training: a little more skill is required than to assemble a Legos set, but not much.

[drummer]

I'm convinced that a large percentage of 1911 'smiffs are con artists. It's so hard to figure out which one to hire that I don't want to get anywhere near it anymore. The plastic fantastic guns are many times over more reliable than a custom 1911 for pennies on the dollar. Going through Joe Chamber's Instagram pics the other day, he posted a pic of a custom 1911 costing several thousand dollars with a poorly installed barrel. Buyer beware.

You know it's bad when you expect your smiths to run way past their given time frames. I remember being shocked back in the day when I sent a FAL kit to Mark Graham at ARS and he called me on the phone to let me know he was working on the build and it was ON TIME! Granted, building surplus rifles is a bit different animal than piecing together a custom 1911.

I've had decent experiences with some pistolsmiths but I don't know if they're in business anymore and therefore don't want to name them. My penchant for custom knives has proven that knife makers aren't any better at running businesses than gunsmiths. The ones that are really good at both typically excel. RJ Martin and Jerry Fisk come to mind.

[Robinson]

I've used a semi-local gunsmith for 1911 work on and off for several years. He has always done nice work for me, but most recently he missed two mistakes. The front sight extended over the front of the slide instead of being flush, and if you pulled the trigger hard you could get the hammer to drop without the grip safety being disengaged. Not typical of his work at all. I ended up fixing both problems myself.

For any future work I'm not sure what I will do. Finding a smith who really knows 1911s is a challenge. There are a couple bigger names who still take smaller jobs and I will probably go that route. The shipping is a pain, but can't be avoided it seems.

[Totem Polar]

On another occasion, years later, I had a special-purpose rifle built by a school's resident gunsmith. The agreement was that it would be ready for use in the class. When I arrived on location I found the work on the rifle had not begun. It was impossible to take the class. I received neither a refund of my deposit nor the return of the parts I supplied. Surprisingly, the school maintained a regal disinterest. Although I could not attend the class already paid for, I received no tuition refund. I was offered a ticket to some future class. Sort of like the "No returns. Store credit only" signs behind the register of low-end retailers.

That right there would sour me on the ‘smith, the school, traveling to training, and large parts of the human race—all at once.

Let me guess, you also had hotel and airfare expenses too.

[farscott]

I'm convinced that a large percentage of 1911 'smiffs are con artists. It's so hard to figure out which one to hire that I don't want to get anywhere near it anymore. The plastic fantastic guns are many times over more reliable than a custom 1911 for pennies on the dollar. Going through Joe Chamber's Instagram pics the other day, he posted a pic of a custom 1911 costing several thousand dollars with a poorly installed barrel. Buyer beware.

I agree. I have witnessed and/or experienced pistols from three very famous smiths that would not run and required remedial work from a different smith. In the 1911 realm, the only smiths who get my business today are John Harrison, David Sams, and SACS. I would also use either of the "Ro(d)gers twins" (Chuck Rogers and Bob Rodgers). Life is too short for me to risk a project on an unknown -- and that is a shame.

[Casual Friday]

"Brethren, I have found it to be a greatly fortuitous venture in only carrying and shooting arms that can be properly maintained and repaired for the cost of less than a satchel of barley with parts no more than one half days wagon ride away."-George Washington (probably)

[JAD]

I am way into five figures with custom work; Yost, multiple Wilson cats, Heinie’s shop, Barrkman, Laughridge, Morrison, a few others. Never had anything like an issue. This is almost all 1911 work, though— I think OP’s tastes run to non-such and gamer guns, and I think maybe that draws a different breed.

[Clusterfrack]

Recovering these memories is like picking a scab.
On another occasion, years later, I had a special-purpose rifle built by a school's resident gunsmith. The agreement was that it would be ready for use in the class. When I arrived on location I found the work on the rifle had not begun. It was impossible to take the class. I received neither a refund of my deposit nor the return of the parts I supplied. Surprisingly, the school maintained a regal disinterest. Although I could not attend the class already paid for, I received no tuition refund. I was offered a ticket to some future class. Sort of like the "No returns. Store credit only" signs behind the register of low-end retailers.

The result of these experiences was that I transferred my affections to Glocks and AR's. When something breaks that I can't fix on the kitchen table, the gun goes straight back to the mother-ship for repairs. Like the OP, I never again relied on a "gunsmith".

Wow, that really sucks. It's hard to believe people who take pride in what they do would treat you that way. If I screwed something up like that, I would bend over backward to make it right. Free rifle, free class, what else can I do for you?

The cost of doing the right thing is usually not that great, but the cost of doing the wrong thing can be huge. Yet so few businesses understand that.

[GJM]

Bitching about gunsmiths is like shooting IDPA, knowing how to manage a gunsmith is like USPSA.

Let’s start with the basics. What sane individual, with business sense and technical ability would chose to make a career around dealing with gun owners, working on guns. So almost by definition, they have a few screws loose, or they would do something more secure and lucrative like work as a mechanic for a car dealer.

I have had custom projects take over ten years, and almost every good project has been imperfect in some way on the first delivery. The first mistake is considering your needs, when you really need to start with an honest appraisal of the gunsmith’s strengths and weaknesses. Once you have an idea of what makes them tick, you can develop a relationship where you meet their needs, and in the process get what you need on a reasonable timeline.

I could go on for paragraphs, but what I said at the end of the previous paragraph is the secret code.