I wasted $105 today

[Standing Wolf]

Over two months ago, I took my eight-inch Colt Python to a local gun shop whose owner assured me his gunsmith was a Colt revolver expert.

I've been sending my Pythons to Cylinder & Slide, but a.) the good folks there won't adjust a single action trigger pull below three pounds; b.) I'd rather do business locally, and c.) shipping firearms is expensive, and of course, there's always the risk they'll be stolen.

I wrote specific instructions on the work order: I wanted a two-pound single action pull, a smoother double action pull, the crane retaining pin cap removed and replaced—I supplied the part—the barrel crowned, and a Patridge sight .100" wide built to replace the factory original ramped sight .125" wide. A two-pound single action trigger is decidedly light, but light triggers are what my arthritic hand prefers, and anyway, this isn't a personal or home defense firearm by any stretch of the imagination.

I called after five or six weeks to find out how the job was coming along. It was coming along, the guy said, and oh, by the way, was a "partridge" sight one of those round-topped ones?

Hindsight being 20-20, I should have pulled the plug on the job that very minute.

I explained a Patridge sight has a vertical rear face favored by bullseye shooters and justifiably loathed by people who holster pistols. He said he'd have his gunsmith get right on it, and not to worry about a thing. He called back a day or two later to say his gunsmith wanted just to chop off the factory sight's ramp to spare me the expense of having him create a new sight. It didn't sound like a very good idea, but I figured if it gave me a good picture, a short front sight ought to work as well as a long front sight.

He called this afternoon to say the work was done.

I could tell the single action pull was nowhere near two pounds, and the double action pull was still heavy and uneven. Some Pythons are perfect out of the box, and some aren't. This one wasn't. The chopped front sight looks ridiculous from the side, but it's the right width, and would actually get the job done—except the self-styled "gunsmith" left stratches in the rib. The owner swore the single action trigger pull wasn't an ounce over two pounds. I told him it was at least three, perhaps as much as three and a half. He said he'd bet money on it, but he didn't have a scale. The barrel was "crowned," all right: it looks as though someone touched it with a counter-sink drill bit for about three seconds. "Well, there's all different ways of crowning a barrel, you know," the owner said.

I paid the $105 bill, took the poor long-suffering revolver home, and measured the single action pull: three pounds. The self-styled "gunsmith" hadn't even bothered to check it! I called the shop. The owner said I could bring back the gun, and his self-styled "gunsmith" would make it right.

It might snow in Phoenix on Independence Day, too! I'm thoroughly sick and tired of self-styled "gunsmiths" who aren't competent to do the work they say they can do, leave scratches on guns, slop through jobs, and don't even trouble themselves to use the tools of the trade.

I'd be ashamed to treat my customers that way.

 

[tonyz]

I have to agree that there are many many people who think that they are gunsmiths. But dont have the correct knowlage, tools or mindset to come close to being a quality smith.
We have several so called Gun Smiths in the area that I would not let work on my BB guns.
I ask a local Smith who said his specalty was 1911 custom work, if he could remove all the creep from my Colt 1911 trigger and lighten it to about 2 1/2 to 3 LBs, he said no one could remove all the creep from a colt brand 1911. I wont be letting him touch my guns.

Tony

 

[SouthpawShootr]

My dad had a similar experience several years back. He bought a 29 and decided to have an action job done. Took it to the local gunstore smith who messed it up so bad that new parts were required. My dad took it to another gunsmith about an hour away who was recommended by just about everybody. 2 weeks later the revolver was returned exactly the way my dad wanted it to begin with (he had a Python also and refused to let anybody touch it). These are expensive guns and there is no excuse for somebody butchering them. Now you are left with the cost of repairing this guys mistakes on top of the unfinished work you wanted done. Have you checked to see what the Colt custom shop can do? I doubt they would be willing to do a 2 pound single action. Makes me wonder what this guy did to the internals since he was so inept at simple crowning.

 

[4V50 Gary]

On trigger pulls, the single action trigger is between the trigger (tail of the trigger is the SA sear) and the SA notch on the hammer. That notch can be polished as can the sear (with a very fine stone). The DA trigger is adjusted by bending the mainspring and unless done right, can result in misfires (too light and it's unreliable).

 

[VaughnT]

I can totally sympathize. I dropped my 1911 off for some small work, mostly drop-in replacements, and six weeks later he hadn't done a thing but file a bit on the grip safety. This was four weeks after he said he only needed "another week or so"!

When I finally went to settle the bill, parts were bought for the gun, he actually had the audacity to charge me $20 for the filing work he had done! I can't stand people like him and won't give him a second chance.

 

[444]

I have been through similar senarios several times. I should have learned the first time, but I am an idiot. Please indulge me this one tale to illustrate the point.
I got a smoking deal on a Springfield Armory "Loaded" 1911. Supposed to be brand new from a dealer. The gun doesn't shoot for crap. 5"-6" groups at 25 yards. I also had one of my Colt's with me at the range and could hold 10 ring accuracy with it; It wasn't my fault, the gun wasn't accurate. I also noticed that the slide didn't move freely. It was binding in a couple places. The guy I was with was shooting the same gun with a Bar-Sto barrel in it. He stripped his gun and let me use his barrel. Groups shrunk by 200%. It just so happens that he has another Bar-Sto barrel lying around which he will be glad to sell. I bought it, but this one didn't drop in, it would require fitting. A local yokel had mentioned that he used to be an armor for the Army team, so I take it to him for barrel fitting. Get the gun back, he butchered it. So, I send the gun to Bar-Sto. It comes back and is unbelievably accurate but the slide is binding so bad that it won't fuction twice without having to force the slide forward into battery by hand. Now I wised up. I packed the whole thing up and sent it to Clark Custom Guns. I am getting an accuracy job that includes barrel fitting, slide fitting etc. I am also getting a trigger job. Cost is $390. Everyone I told gasped at the price. I told them that they were right, it was a lot of money. Intead of sending that kind of money to a national known gunsmith and competitor I should just continue to pour money down the drain with these clowns around here and I may never get anything worthwhile. Other guys said I should have returned the gun and got a new one. I don't agree. I would rather have a gun customized by Clarks than a new Springfield even if it costs me more money. Quality will be remembered long after the price is forgotten.
What do I get from Clarks that I didn't get from the local hacks.
#1 I got a letter telling me that they had recieved my gun along with an estimate of when it will be done. They also told me that I had paid them $32 too much.
#2 I get an accuracy guarentee complete with a test target with my gun fired from a machine rest. Guarentee is 10 rounds into less than 2.5" at 50 yards.
#3 I get to specify what trigger weight I want. Trigger jobs are priced according to weight.
#4 If I ever wanted to sell, what do you think would impress a buyer more; Bubba working in his garage or Clark Custom Guns ?
#5 Bona Fide credentials
#6 Long Standing National Reputation behind them.

 

[629 shooter]

Yeah I have dealt with local incompetents myself. I myself also had to deal with a shop that promised a certain weight on a trigger pull on a rifle only to deliver something else. I guess they figured I was just too dumb to know what a 2 pound trigger pull felt like. They actually had a trigger pull gauge there because when I took it back they tested it at well over 3 pounds! The guy said I could leave it for their smith to work on again but I figured that one barrel "ding" was enough.

Had one pistolsmith locally that was actually in the American Pistolsmith Guild which I thought required some level of competence. Thought he could do some simple trigger work and sight replacement on a Sprinfield 1911. Botched both jobs. Gave me the wrong front sight and the trigger binded badly. He finally got it to the point of acceptability the second time. Very disappointing experience.

Yeah , I had Clark customize one for me about 14 years ago - it cost a lot - no doubt about it! But it was done right! The trigger was better than I had hoped for and the accuracy was unreal! My friend who competes at the national level uses Clark guns. When it is time for a serious pistol next time I will be sure to use the services of a professional outfit with years of experience. There is good reason why some outfits are known and respected at the national level.

That does not mean that "unknown" local smiths cannot perform good work - but there is a risk there that I am not willing to take anymore!