How long is too long?

taylorce1 · Oct 17, 2007

I've had a rifle waiting to be built by a local smith for just over a year now, am I being too paitent?

The summer of 2006 I aquired a Zastava long action with standard bolt face and double set triggers for a pretty good deal. Then I was thinking of re-stocking one of my older commercial mausers so I picked up a factory second "Exihbition Grade" Carlo Walnut stock from Richards Microfit pretty reasonable as well. To make a long story short I would have had to re-barrel my old Mauser to make it look right in this stock because it was opened up for a #4/5 countour barrel. So I decided to go ahead and build something on my Zastava action that was just laying around the bench.

So I took the action and stock down to a local smith near my house. I own a rifle already built by this guy that I love in .338-06. I bought this rifle second hand from a local and that is how I found out who built this rifle. Since I like my .338-06 so much I decided to give this guy a shot at building my first custom rifle.

After talking with him I settled on a .25-06 as this would fit nicely in a gap in my calibers. We decided to go with a 26" stainless barrel in a #5 countour as I'll probably only use this rifle at the range and the ocasional pronghorn hunt. Since my action isn't stainless I decided to use KG GunKote for the final finish as well. So I paid him 1/2 up front to get the ball rolling and he told me a 6-9 month wait for a time frame on my rifle which was fine as I wasn't in a hurry at that time to get it.

I dropped everything off mid October and didn't really check in again until mid March right when the 6 months was up. Well he hadn't started the rifle yet and honestly admitted he was running behind on his work, but promised to have my rifle done so I had time to work up loads before pronghorn season. So I went ahead and paid him all but the last $100. I started checking in about every other month with him just too let him know I wanted my rifle.

Anyway pronghorn season has come and gone and still no .25-06 in my rifle inventory. This was pretty frustrating to me and when I last checked he still hadn't started on my rifle, but had the barrel in. Should I be PO'd or should I just suck it up because I pretty sure it will be a very good rifle when finished. I called some of his refrences before I went to him and everyone I've talked to who uses his rifles are very satisfied customers.

I'm using High Tech Customs BTW.
http://www.htcustoms.com

TScottW99 · Oct 17, 2007

I have no problem with waiting a year or so....... as long as I am told it will be that long. If you tell me 6 -9 months then I want the rifle at 9 months. I can also understand running behind but when he gave you a second date with no rifle then I would be ticked myself.

JD338 · Oct 17, 2007

I had my 280 AI built by Williams Gun Sight in Davison, MI.
Dropped it off 3-23-05 and picked it up 6/9/05.
I paid them in full when I picked it up.

I had this same rifle bedded into a LSS stock and decided to use a local smith Jeff Oden of Al & Bob's in Grand Rapids, MI. He told me a couple of months but I started putting on the heat after 5 months and finely got it.
I'll never use him again, PERIOD!

The longest part of the wait is the barrel or maybe a custom stock.
Once they have everything, they will start the work. For me, 12 months would be ok if that is what I'm told up front.

JD338

Guest · Oct 17, 2007

I think it's time to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with your gunsmith. I'd take some time, go by his place, and just present, politely, a deadline that is reasonable (like maybe he should get your rifle done in one month or give back everything except the cost of the barrel and let you take your parts to someone who wants to build it). I'd even be a little sticky about the barrel being 'cost' not retail, as he shouldn't really make any more money than the 'interest' on a rifle that was paid for but never built. Sounds like he is a poor time and money manager, and likely won't get to your rifle for another year or two as he has no incentive, it's only going to be a $100 payday when he does. I would also let him know that this is the only choice - guarantee the rifle, or return the money and parts. Otherwise, he has stolen from you, and you can pursue him if you'd like, though it is probably an expensive lesson learned. I would make it cost him as much or more through bad publicity if he doesn't get on the stick.

taylorce1 · Oct 17, 2007

Sounds like he is a poor time and money manager, and likely won't get to your rifle for another year or two as he has no incentive, it's only going to be a $100 payday when he does.

I'll agree I probably shouldn't have paid that much on the rifle. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't blow the money on my Alaska trip. I got invited last minuet to go to Alaska in May on a bear hunt. I'd already set aside the money for the finished rifle and the scope I wanted. I was in a spending frenzy as it was the first of March and I didn't have anywhere near the gear I needed to hunt AK.

When you are not equipped and haven't been planing for a couple of years for this kind of hunt money goes fast to get you caught up. I decided to use the money set aside for the scope to buy a new scope for my AK trip. I had an old scope lying about that would work for my pronghorn hunt, but I felt I needed a better scope to go to AK with. So not to dip into the money I'd set aside for this rifle I decided to put it against the balance.

I was hoping it would be done by at least the middle of August. I've been checking in with him every month since I got back from AK. Last time I was in his shop my folder had moved from his waiting parts rack to the jobs being worked rack by his vault, that is how I finally found out my barrel was in.

I've been trying to make my whishes known without being too pushy. I want a good rifle not some POS slapped together to get me out of his hair. I've tried to be understanding as well that this guy moved to a bigger shop this year, plus guides moose hunts in AK, and elk hunts in Colorado, but I'm still getting tired of waiting.

Powerstroke · Oct 17, 2007

taylor,

I hear you ! I'm in somewhat of the same boat. Dropped a 22-250 off to be rebarreled into a .260. pretty easily performed. I've been waiting over a year and a half now. I've turned into pretty much of an a-&^$#.
I was told I'd have it for deer season last year....well, I leave Friday morning to go, and still don't have it.

JD338 · Oct 17, 2007

At this point, you won't have it for this season. Get your rifle and money back and call Rob Carnes at Williams Gun Sight Co. 800 530 9028.

JD338

Guy Miner · Oct 17, 2007

Jim Cloward of Machias Washington took just over a week to build my Rem 700:

Trued the action
Threaded, chambered and installed the Krieger barrel
Adjusted the trigger to a crisp 3# as I'd specified
glass bedded the factory HS Precision stock

Jim ordered the barrel when I called him. He told me when the barrel arrived, and I took the rifle to him. About a week later, I drove back to Jim's place, paid him and picked up the rifle. It shot great! I'd expect nothing less, Jim is a former 1000 yard prone U.S. record holder and is also the U.S. Palma team armorer. I was impressed that he handled my relatively simple job so quickly.

A year or two later I decided to replace the factory HS Precision stock with a McMillan stock - and took it to Rick Freudenberg of Everett Washington http://www.freudscustomrifles.com

Rick opened up the barrel channel on the stock and had it bedded and back to me in about a month - he was pretty busy at the time.

Regards, Guy