A Christmas Horror Story

Sarge55 · December 27, 2002, 01:40 PM

Santa was very good to me this year, even though I haven't been so good. He left me a Series II stainless steel Kimber Compact 45 with Meprolight Night Sights under the tree. Unfortunately, the old fat guys dealer must contract out his firearms work to one of those butcher "Gunsmiths" we've all heard so many horror stories about. Anyway...

After opening up all the traditional yuletide gifts (shirts, underwear, sweaters, etc), I finally come to the Kimber I've been wanting. On my initial fondling of the pistol, everything seemed perfect, almost orgasmic. Couldn't wait to get her out to the range and put her through the paces. Later on Christmas day, still filled with glee, I decided to give her a quick cleaning and lube in preparation for our private time the next day... All of a sudden, my glee turned to HORROR!

I opened up the little plastic box the Meprolight Night Sights had originally came in and found the plain black sights that came with the gun, along with a tiny coil spring. My first thought was, What's with the coil spring? Lo and behold, the "Gunsmith" that installed the night sights failed to reinstall the Series II Firing Pin Block Plunger Spring to the Firing Pin Block Plunger under the rear sight! NOT GOOD, NOT HAPPY!
After cooling down a bit, I decided to check out the night sights that Santa's dealer had sent out to be installed. As if things weren't bad enough, I saw that the front sight was burned out!

Well, long story shortened a bit, it's going to take about 10-14 days to get my slide back. I'll be sitting on pins and needles the whole time, just wondering what's gonna be screwed up when I finally do get it back. I can imagine...

Anyone else have any inept "Gunsmith" horror stories to share with us?

BigG · December 27, 2002, 02:55 PM

Hate to hear that, Sarge. Hope the fix meets your approval but that really sucks.

Wox · December 30, 2002, 12:32 PM

Talk about problems with gunsmiths...

I purchased a new Kahr MK9 about 3 months ago. At the time of the purchase I elected to have night sites installed, which the dealer informed me could be put on by his smith. Well, I had my wife pick up the gun a few days later. When I inspected it, both the front and rear sight "channels" were gouged out to fit the new sights. The work was so sloppy you would think the smith would be embarassed to present it. On top of that I touched (literally touched) the front site and it fell off. I could not believe the gun had been returned to me in that manner. Of course I brought it back to the shop, and do you know what the gunsmith told me. "Well, those sights weren't really made to fit that gun." I won't even comment on what ran through my head when I heard that.

So the pistol was sent back and I acquired a new pistol with night sights from my dealers "supplier." When I got this pistol home I found that the slide wasn't working properly, it would hang open after each shot (I blame Kahr for this one), and once again the front site fell off (I blame the smith for this one)!! I thought by then that just maybe I wasn't supposed to own this gun, at least with night sights!

Since then the gun has been sent to Kahr, and I'm starting to lose my patience. They have made no response in about 6 weeks, seems like long enough. I really like the pistol, but if it doesn't go well this time I might just have to give up!!

Happy holidays all!

Greg

**Mike Irwin** · December 31, 2002, 02:51 AM

Wow.

That just positively STINKS!

I'd suspect that the front sight wasn't "burned out" but that the capsule had been damaged on installation.

johnbt · December 31, 2002, 11:32 AM

THE ELVES DID IT! THE ELVES DID IT!

Good thing Santa took their Dremel away.

Hope you have a happier New Year.

John

**4V50 Gary** · December 31, 2002, 01:44 PM

Santa's elves aren't factory certified.

ehenz · December 31, 2002, 02:38 PM

Whaaaa!

I got nothin for christmas

At least nothing I could shoot.

444 · January 1, 2003, 12:58 AM

I sent a Hi-Power to MMC to have a set of adjustable night sights installed. I didn't hear anything, I called, they said I need to talk to so and so and he wasn't there right now. I called back, he still wasn't there. Finally weeks later, so and so called to tell me that they screwed up. The gunsmith had milled the slide for a 1911 rear sight which hung over the back of the slide squarely in the way of the hammer.

Of course MMC is a reputable company and they bought me a new slide and installed the right sights on it. They returned my old slide as well. Little did they know that I had installed an aftermarket hammer on my gun and the old slide with the wrong sights works fine. So, I now have two slides with adjustable night sights on them. I don't need two slides, but what the heck ?

Erich · May 18, 2004, 02:01 PM

So, Sarge, how did it work out?

Sarge55 · May 18, 2004, 02:18 PM

Got the Compact back from Kimber in about 10 days. New night sights and the spring was reinstalled. The pistol turned out to be one sweet shooter! Never a bobble.... and we both lived happily ever after.

THE END

Erich · May 18, 2004, 03:40 PM

Yay!

Mr_Magoo · May 19, 2004, 01:56 AM

I brought my Rifle into the smith for what I thought was a simple task, to install a peep rear sight and a globe sight in front. It took from Sept. of 2002 until July of 2003 to do the job! During that time interval, I had a heart attack, bypass surgery, rehab, and a lot of other crap happen. I took less time to heal than the rifle did!

I will never use that smith again . . .

December 27, 2002, 01:40 PM	#1
Sarge55 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 1999 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 167	A Christmas Horror Story Santa was very good to me this year, even though I haven't been so good. He left me a Series II stainless steel Kimber Compact 45 with Meprolight Night Sights under the tree. Unfortunately, the old fat guys dealer must contract out his firearms work to one of those butcher "Gunsmiths" we've all heard so many horror stories about. Anyway... After opening up all the traditional yuletide gifts (shirts, underwear, sweaters, etc), I finally come to the Kimber I've been wanting. On my initial fondling of the pistol, everything seemed perfect, almost orgasmic. Couldn't wait to get her out to the range and put her through the paces. Later on Christmas day, still filled with glee, I decided to give her a quick cleaning and lube in preparation for our private time the next day... All of a sudden, my glee turned to HORROR! I opened up the little plastic box the Meprolight Night Sights had originally came in and found the plain black sights that came with the gun, along with a tiny coil spring. My first thought was, What's with the coil spring? Lo and behold, the "Gunsmith" that installed the night sights failed to reinstall the Series II Firing Pin Block Plunger Spring to the Firing Pin Block Plunger under the rear sight! NOT GOOD, NOT HAPPY! After cooling down a bit, I decided to check out the night sights that Santa's dealer had sent out to be installed. As if things weren't bad enough, I saw that the front sight was burned out! Well, long story shortened a bit, it's going to take about 10-14 days to get my slide back. I'll be sitting on pins and needles the whole time, just wondering what's gonna be screwed up when I finally do get it back. I can imagine... Anyone else have any inept "Gunsmith" horror stories to share with us?

December 30, 2002, 12:32 PM	#3
Wox Junior Member Join Date: August 14, 2002 Posts: 14	Gunsmith Woes Talk about problems with gunsmiths... I purchased a new Kahr MK9 about 3 months ago. At the time of the purchase I elected to have night sites installed, which the dealer informed me could be put on by his smith. Well, I had my wife pick up the gun a few days later. When I inspected it, both the front and rear sight "channels" were gouged out to fit the new sights. The work was so sloppy you would think the smith would be embarassed to present it. On top of that I touched (literally touched) the front site and it fell off. I could not believe the gun had been returned to me in that manner. Of course I brought it back to the shop, and do you know what the gunsmith told me. "Well, those sights weren't really made to fit that gun." I won't even comment on what ran through my head when I heard that. So the pistol was sent back and I acquired a new pistol with night sights from my dealers "supplier." When I got this pistol home I found that the slide wasn't working properly, it would hang open after each shot (I blame Kahr for this one), and once again the front site fell off (I blame the smith for this one)!! I thought by then that just maybe I wasn't supposed to own this gun, at least with night sights! Since then the gun has been sent to Kahr, and I'm starting to lose my patience. They have made no response in about 6 weeks, seems like long enough. I really like the pistol, but if it doesn't go well this time I might just have to give up!! Happy holidays all! Greg

December 31, 2002, 02:51 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Wow. That just positively STINKS! I'd suspect that the front sight wasn't "burned out" but that the capsule had been damaged on installation. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

December 31, 2002, 01:44 PM	#6
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,298	Santa's elves aren't factory certified. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

January 1, 2003, 12:58 AM	#8
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	Anyone else have any inept "Gunsmith" horror stories to share with us? I sent a Hi-Power to MMC to have a set of adjustable night sights installed. I didn't hear anything, I called, they said I need to talk to so and so and he wasn't there right now. I called back, he still wasn't there. Finally weeks later, so and so called to tell me that they screwed up. The gunsmith had milled the slide for a 1911 rear sight which hung over the back of the slide squarely in the way of the hammer. Of course MMC is a reputable company and they bought me a new slide and installed the right sights on it. They returned my old slide as well. Little did they know that I had installed an aftermarket hammer on my gun and the old slide with the wrong sights works fine. So, I now have two slides with adjustable night sights on them. I don't need two slides, but what the heck ?

December 27, 2002, 02:55 PM	#2
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	Hate to hear that, Sarge. Hope the fix meets your approval but that really sucks.

December 31, 2002, 11:32 AM	#5
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	THE ELVES DID IT! THE ELVES DID IT! Good thing Santa took their Dremel away. Hope you have a happier New Year. John

December 31, 2002, 02:38 PM	#7
ehenz Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 1999 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 308	Whaaaa! I got nothin for christmas At least nothing I could shoot.

May 18, 2004, 02:01 PM	#9
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	So, Sarge, how did it work out?

May 18, 2004, 02:18 PM	#10
Sarge55 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 1999 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 167	Got the Compact back from Kimber in about 10 days. New night sights and the spring was reinstalled. The pistol turned out to be one sweet shooter! Never a bobble.... and we both lived happily ever after. THE END

May 18, 2004, 03:40 PM	#11
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Yay!

May 19, 2004, 01:56 AM	#12
Mr_Magoo Member Join Date: January 11, 2001 Posts: 46	I brought my Rifle into the smith for what I thought was a simple task, to install a peep rear sight and a globe sight in front. It took from Sept. of 2002 until July of 2003 to do the job! During that time interval, I had a heart attack, bypass surgery, rehab, and a lot of other crap happen. I took less time to heal than the rifle did! I will never use that smith again . . .