Have you ever had ????

K

KEYBEAR

New member
I called a new to me Gunsmith today to have some work done .
A lady answered (the wife) and I told her what I needed done .

I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 7.5 inch barrel
I would like the Barrel cut to 5 inches and the Original front sight installed .
The barrel would need a blue job .

She got my phone number and said she would call back with a price .

About an hour later she called back . She ask me to send a picture ??
I ask if they knew what a Super Blackhawk looked like .

Never had this ask before ? Have you
 
One of the crosses customers are too often asked to bear is the telephone answerer who has no idea of the work that is being done. The worthy idea is to allow the worker to get on with his job and make money and not have to go to the phone and answer dumb questions. But it does frustrate customers.

If it is not practical to actually go to the shop, maybe they have an e-mail address or would take a message for later reply. Good general gunsmiths are thin on the ground, and usually are way behind in their work; the old time smith who spent a half day chatting with the gang are gone. A gunsmith today who can do that is either worthless or bankrupt.

I suggest sending (snail mail) a picture of the gun with a concise description of what you want done, asking for a firm quote and a reasonable completion time from when you send/deliver the gun to him. No reply means no interest.

(As an aside, the oddest response I ever received was when I called a yellow-pages advertised roofer to get a quote. The lady who answered the phone (Yeahh?) seemed taken aback when I asked about roofing work. I confirmed the name and number and said that the ad was for roofing work, and her reply was, "Oh, is that what he does?")

Jim
 
I suggest sending (snail mail) a picture of the gun with a concise description of what you want done, asking for a firm quote and a reasonable completion time from when you send/deliver the gun to him. No reply means no interest.
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Pretty good advise.

A lot of people think a smith should know every model of gun being built, they also think you should know of the latest blaster written up in a gun rag.

I can assure anyone a one man shop does not have time to read gun rags and as many different models of guns that manufactures produce there's no way to keep up with all them.

I always preferred an e-mail with pictures, I could read them at night or early mornings after the shop closed or opened.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
Phone calls

are part of doing business, but sure can get distracting...
One young fellow called to ask if I could build him a rifle just like in his video game.
Told him to bring a picture and specs and we could discuss it.
He wanted to know why I did not know what he was talking about. Told him I was too busy gunsmithing to play video games.
He never showed up...
 
She's not a gonne person but helping out hubbie who is one. You'd think everything would be tagged or placed in a box with his name on it.
 
I am helping out a friend, who owns a small gun shop, as a part-time Smith. He interfaces with the customer and I will do the job. He will ask the customer all the dumb questions for the information I need to have.

I've heard of most of the guns that come in. But most of them I have never worked on. I need to do research before I start.

-TL
 
Yes he (the gunsmith) may not of ever seen or heard of a RUGER ?
What was I thinking an oddball firearm like this (a RUGER) .

the lady that answered the phone is his wife and part off the shop (two person shop) . I do not think he should need a picture to have an idea what a Super Blackhawk looks like . Yes I understand it is a new product only a little over 60 years in production and number one Revolver in this country today .

By the way I live about 40 miles from his shop .
I really do not think it is worth the trip .
 
Yes he (the gunsmith) may not of ever seen or heard of a RUGER ?
What was I thinking an oddball firearm like this (a RUGER) .
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How many models of Super Blackhawks are there?
I have two in 44 magnum and both have different types of front sights, one pinned the other dovetailed, both read "New Model Super Blackhawk" on the frame. One the cylinder has been ruined by some ham fisted hobbyist who opened the chamber throats to .438 plus.

the lady that answered the phone is his wife and part off the shop (two person shop) . I do not think he should need a picture to have an idea what a Super Blackhawk looks like . Yes I understand it is a new product only a little over 60 years in production and number one Revolver in this country today .
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A picture sure would help to know which style of sight he's dealing with if he's to give an accurate quote on price.

By the way I live about 40 miles from his shop .
I really do not think it is worth the trip .
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With your attitude I don't believe he will consider that a loss.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
With your attitude I don't believe he will consider that a loss .
Do you need a picture of a 1911 to know if you can change the grip panels


I agree 100% my attitude sucks but it is the only one I have .
I did tell his wife it was a three screw Super Blackhawk and the sight was sweated on . Also that a reblue was not necessary .
I did i mention the smith does not have a lathe .

I can find a real gunsmith one that knows what a Ruger looks like .

I do thank you .
 
I agree 100% my attitude sucks but it is the only one I have.
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Not easy to cover all the bases, there is a remote chance the smith has had customers that did not know the make and model even thought they were looking at it..

Then there is the nature of the Internet. I was on a socially dysfunctional forum years ago when a Class111 smith posted a question. There was no reason for anyone participating on that forum worrying about being liked; most members did not even like themselves. I contacted the smith off line and had him mail the problem parts to me for repair. Anyhow, he took something apart and then it swarmed on him. No one could figure what happened and saying “I do not know” was in no ones vocabulary.

F. Guffey
 
Today is a lot different than 10 short years ago . I have known good Gunsmiths and people that call them self a Gunsmith mounting a Scope is not Gunsmithing . With the economy like it is a lot of new Gunsmiths have just gone into business . This fellow has little to offer a customer but he has a great WEB-SITE ?

I pay for my toys and am careful how they are treated . I do not take my car to a person with some tools and no experience using them .

When it comes to having work done on my firearms I need to feel the person is qualified to do the work . Asking what a ruger looks like is not a confidence builder
 
Keybear fancies himself to be a gun expert. He recently told someone on this forum that it is illegal to shorten your own gun barrel...:rolleyes:

There are quite a few reasons the smith could have wanted pictures, and legitimately so. I'm quite sure he won't miss your business.
 
Bill DeShivs

I thank you but really ??
I see you are an expert ,

I guess you are correct I should of sent my firearm off with a picture .
What did we do before the internet send a painting ?
When did people get so silly ?
 
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What did we do before the internet send a painting ?
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Picked up the phone and had civil conversation with the person on the other end of the line...................or, and I know this is a bit much for some people................ you grabbed your gun, drove to the shop, and explained what you wanted done.
 
Crankylove


I did call but could only talked to the wife (her job)
His shop has some strange hours . Open four days a week and that if not
going to a gun show . This is the very first Gunsmith to ever ask for a picture of the firearm . This is not my first time having guns worked on .

It really is not a big deal I found a Smith and the gun with be in his shop in a day or two . I am surprised so many people think this is the way to do business . I think this Smith did me a favor no idea how he would cut the barrel let alone install in sight .

I do thank the people that responded I found it entertaining if not funny as hell .
 
Glad you found a Smith that makes happy.

. I am surprised so many people think this is the way to do business .
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Just about every gunsmith I've had contact with in the last 20 years has been a one man show, working in a shop next to his house. Whether full or part time, it's only them. Most of them don't have somebody answering the phone for them, and arent going to stop work every time the phone rings. You either leave a message, and they call back when they are done for the day in the shop, or you call back later. The ones that do have somebody to answer the phone, its either wife or kids and they take your name and number, and you get a call from the Smith when he's done in the shop.

Even the "big time" smith's I've contacted (Z Hat, and a couple others about rechambering a rifle), I've had a very nice secretary/receptionist explain that the smiths were all busy in the shop, and asked me to send an email (gun make, model,caliber, and as detailed a description as possible about the work I wanted done), and one of the gunsmith would respond as soon as possible.

It's not that they are too stupid to know what you're talking about, or they don't want your business, it's just the nature of their business.
 
keybear said:
A lady answered (the wife) and I told her what I needed done .

I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 7.5 inch barrel
I would like the Barrel cut to 5 inches and the Original front sight installed .
The barrel would need a blue job.
Click to expand...

keybear said:
I did tell his wife it was a three screw Super Blackhawk and the sight was sweated on . Also that a reblue was not necessary.
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Well, so far you've told us that you told his wife that a reblue either was or was not necessary.

Based on your confusion in your own posts, I would consider the original gunsmith lucky to NOT get the job!
 
Yes a reblue (to the barrel) was or was not necessary .
If you have a problem figuring out I can help .
I do not know if the Smith does blueing and I was only thinking of the barrel .
Being that the sight would be replaced it would be a very small spot needing a touchup . (not a big deal) or I really do not care blue it or I will touch it up .

I hope that helps you .

I do thank you for the concern .
 
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