What to do about a lusy gunsmithing job?

[Oleg Volk]

Recently, I got a very nice M48 Mauser. It was in very good shape and worked well. I didn't like the V-notch rear sights and decided to put a Lyman aperture sight on the receiver.

I specifically asked if it can be installed without blocking the stripper clip guide and got a "yes" to that. The smith called to ask if it was OK to inlet the stock for parts of the sight to clear and got an OK for that.

When I saw the gun, the first thing I found is that the stripper clip guide was blocked. Next, I tried to zero it and found that the original V-notch got int he way of the aperture. I asked if the original rear sight can be removed. "Yes" The smith ended up cracking the rear sight base in half and still failing to remove the sight ladder. He asked if I want to keep the cracked sight base on, take the whole sight base off (leaving an un-blued ring on the barrel) or cut the "ears" which held the ladder off. I chose to cut them off and that was done exceedingly crudely.

The gun wasn't assembled right after that and the sling swivel ended up on the wrong side. When I asked to have it re-nstalled (as they had brass and wooden punches and I didn't), the smith grumbled but did so. I didn't realize that the retainer spring which keeps the barrel band in place wasn't put in right and it flew off when the gun was fired. I never found it.

I am not sure what to do. The smith isn't the owner of the place. The owner tried to help out: he gave me a taller front sight blade and promised to find a replacement retainer spring. They cracked the top handguard while removing the sights and replaced that right away, too.

The rifle shoot much better with the new sight (2/3" group at 25m rather than 2 1/2-3" I got with the V-notch). It also looks so ugly I feel like crying when I look at it. It is also a lot less functional as it won't take clips and all my 8mm ammo is on stipper clips. Originally, I planned to put a better trigger into that gun but at this point I feel like scavenging the Lyman sight and chucking the rest into trash.

That gun shop installed a sling swivel before and re-assembled a Govt.380 which I messed up. They seem to do good work, normally, and are usually friendly. I don't feel angry at them but I am upset. Do you think it would make sense to communicate my take on this to them or just let it slide? If let them know, in what form? Not sure what they can do. I also wonder if I should look for another smith? My experience with another Nashville shop has been unsatisfactory. So far only Tamara's smith has done consistently good work but he's in Knoxville.

PS: Talked to Paul ("The Rifleman") and he said that, if nothing is resolved by the time he comes to visit in October, he'll bring a spare barrel, stock and tools and re-build it as an M98 or make it into a well-finished sporter. So, worst-case scenario wouldn't be too terrible.

[C.R.Sam]

Do you think it would make sense to communicate my take on this to them or just let it slide? If let them know, in what form?

Print out your post here and give a copy to the owner. Pics n all.

Sick. But, regrettably, not a unique experience.

Sam

[Hemicuda]

wow... looks like a soo-chef made an attempt at gunsmithing...

I'd be in that shop bitchin' up a storm, were I you... that has GOTTA be made right... (and there's also NO reason to junk that rifle yet... maybe sporterization is in line... (get rid of that sight sleeve, and replace the stock) if you are into that...

[Kaylee]

Oh eeeww..

Didn't even bother to polish and cold blue the sawn point on the ladder sight? Ick... Bummer Oleg.. was this the same feller we were talking with the other day?


Given that they do all this fancy custom work on Mauser actions... I'd be inclined to ask if they'd like to buy back the rifle they butchered to use in their own sporterizing shop, then take the $$, buy another Mauser, take it to a more conscientous smith, and start over. Your money, your gun, your relationship.


The reason I'd insist on replacement is 'cause you specified being able to use your Lyman sight without losing use of the stripper clip guide. Fixing that problem would leave adjacent tapped holes in the receiver. Likely not a blow-up-your-gun problem there -- but definately an eyesore.

-K

[CWL]

No reason to get pissed off -yet.

Contact the owner and explained the situation, show him the rifle and the areas of dissapointment. Ask for replacement or suggestion for resolution that you can live with. Most 'gun people' will probably want to stand behind their shop's work & reputation.

If he is unhelpful or unwilling to make amends, then you have every right to be upset.

[WESHOOT2]

Learned.

Pay the money for a known extreme-quality gunsmith. Worth it.

For ALL handguns go here: www.americanpistol.com

For long guns: how the heck would I know?

[James K]

Oleg and guys.

I can't help with that rifle (Gawd, what a mess!), but evidently that "gunsmith" didn't know how to remove a Mauser sight leaf. Just in case some others don't and want to, here goes.

Looking at the rear sight from the side, there is a horizontal hole about 1/8 inch in diameter in the front of the sight base. (It looks like there might be a cross pin in there.) There also might be a small pin, about the diameter of a pencil lead, inside that hole. K98k and M48 have the pin, not all Mausers do.

Drive out the small pin, if present, either direction.

Then, wedge the back of the sight leaf up a little and use a brass punch to press down and back on the front part of the leaf, right above where the horizontal holes are. If you press down hard enough, and ease back at the same time, the leaf will pop out to the rear. You can then see that what you thought was a large pin is actually two round projections that are part of the sight leaf. (Aren't you glad you didn't try to drive out the "pin" with a big hammer?)

The leaf spring can then be removed. The leaf is put back by reversing the process.

Jim

[gk1]

You have handled the situation admirably, Oleg! I think I would likely have beaten the "gunsmith" vigorously about the head and neck with the rifle had that happened to me.

Is this the same smith that has done work for you before? Has he recently suffered a head injury? I can do better than that with my Dremel, and it would be criminal for me to charge for my services. By all means, speak FIRMLY to the owner of the shop, and don't settle for anything less than what you wanted when you started, or a replacement and a refund!

George

[4 Eyed Six Shooter]

Looks like your smith did a lousy job. As a gunsmith myself, the best thing you can do is to take the time to explain in detail what you want done and make sure that your smith understands exactly what you want done. Also advise him that if he runs into any problems to call you before making any changes to your firearm that alters it's looks or funtion. Myself, I would be looking for another smith. If I returned a gun to a customer looking like yours does, I shouldn't be in business.
Go back to the shop owner and show him the result of the smiths work and ask to have your firearm repaired to your satisfaction.

Good Luck, John K

[Oleg Volk]

I need a good smith in Nashville. I might give Specialty Arms another try (they fixed feeding problems with a 1911 but didn't fix haphazard ejection...at least they didn't mess up the gun).

PS: They've treated me right up to now. I will propose that I will give them the corpse of the M48, keep the Lyman sight I bought and get their M48A (and have them de-grease it). I'll be out $15 for the drilling/tapping and the time spent working on the M48. They'll be out some labor and replacement gun but get an action out of it and keep a long-term customer happy. That seems reasonable to me. If it doesn't seem reasonable to them, I will ask what they propose. I don't think that they know how unhappy I am. The smith tried to downplay the occlusion of the clip guide when I brought that up.

In the future, I will be sure of putting all of my requests in writing, that would have helped with the cli pguide...but I could not have anticipated the poor job done with the cracking and then cutting of the original sight mount. I've seen the good work they do for others and can't figure out why my order got such a brush-off.

[444]

I could have done a better job than that on my kitchen counter and I wouldn't dream of working on my guns. That is a real shame. I would demand that this be made right. Hell, if I was the owner, I would offer to buy you a new rifle. Those Yugos don't cost all that much. He could make that money back on your next couple purchases. As it is, he is just going to lose a customer. I wouldn't just let it drop, no way. There is no way they could justify that kind of "work".

Having a good local gunsmith would be nice. I have never found one here. I agree with WESHOOT2 (I usually do, but not always). I find a good gunsmith. I mean a nationally known gunsmith and send my work to him. 99% of the time, they don't charge any more than some hack working out of his house. Today I sent a 1911 slide to Bar-Sto to have a barrel fitted. I initally took it to some local clown who did a terrible job. The fricking slide won't go forward all the way; and he charged me for the work. I need to be reminded of my mistakes every once in awhile and this was yet another wake up call; don't look for convienence, don't try to save money; go to a GOOD gunsmith and have it done right. Shipping sucks and costs money, waiting sucks, but bite the bullet and face the facts; a craftsman is a craftsman; these guys ain't craftsman.

[Romulus]

Oleg, don't let them slide on this one...what the pictures show is a sick joke. Either replacement of affected parts or of whole rifle, nothing short of that. If this were your car coming out of a dealer's repair garage nobody would think it unreasonable.

[RomaRana]

Can I ask what the hell shop did that in nashville? Also, if you want the best gunsmith in that area take it to lock, stock, and barrel in franklin. Tom does great work and you will not be unhappy. If you want their phone number just say so and I will post it. After you get your gun back from this place you will wonder where the hell this place has been hiding all this time. Their specialty is 45-70 BPCR. People send him guns from all over the country to work on.

[RomaRana]

Also you can fix all of that easy. You can get a new spring from gun parts corp. If you want the reciever sight moved then you can have screw put in the old holes and then ground to match the rifle. you can also get the ladder sight assembly replaced. The ladder retainer is silver soldered in place all they have to do is heat it and knock it off then put a new one on.

YOU CAN SAVE YOUR GUN

[Ron L]

What to do about a lousy gunsmithing job?

I'd take a set of files and a dremel tool to that "smith's" noggin until he looked about the same as the rifle. Then I'd go about worrying about the rifle itself.

Looks like things could be smoothed over a bit, but at what expense? Unless the rifle has some sentimental value, you may be better off starting off with the M48A, which sounds like a better starting point at this time. I'd insist that I'd not be out the $15. What the hell for? All the grief that smith has caused? I don't think so. And that owner should probably be willing to let it slide anyway just for the sake of good customer relations. Then I'd hightail it as far away from that smith as possible and let someone else do what you really want. If it were me, I'd want the corpse, get the M48A and walk without owing anything.

[Oleg Volk]

While looking at the rifle, I observed that the newly installed front sight was crooked. Great! Went over there today and tried to talk to Mr.Binkley. He did not want to hear what I had to say in much detail.

I stated that the sight installation covered up the clip guide and that feature was important. I specifically asked before the installation that the clip loading be retained.

Binkley: "You got to lose something to get the peep sight."

Volk: "Your smith called and sekd me if it was OK to inlet the stock for the sight. He said nothing about the clip guide getting covered up."

Binkley: "That's just the way it is if you want the peep sight."

Volk: "Also, the front sight ears were chopped very crudely."

Binkley: "I will tell you whose fault it is. It's your fault! You wanted it done quickly."

The promised part (barrel band retention spring) did not materialize, either. He offered to sell me another Mauser, if I wanted an original rifle. A that point I decided that I won't be using his services and left. I didn't say much, though he knows that I am disappointed.

I can offer a ceaveat: these people can do good work but sometimes don't bother and show a very poor attitude towards fixing problems. I am very disappointed and slightly miffed.

Fortunately, my friend Paul is coming with tools and spare parts and will make something usable from the poor abused M48 carcass.

[CZ Gunner]

Makes me sick when some old "saw bones" rips one apart like that .... let us know how it turns out?

Good luck,

Gunner

[Betty]

What an a$s! What a total freaking a$s!

And I was going to give them my business - there was an 1897 Winchester for sale there that I was going to buy, and I was going to have a tritium sight installed on my 640 (and I was thinking about getting porting) and a new tritium front sight installed on my 11-87.

He won't be getting squat. At the next gun show, I'm walking around with a sign tacked to my back that says, "CUSTOM GUNSMITHING BUTCHERED MY RIFLE." This business survives by word of mouth. It can die like that too.

If it were me, I'd take his sorry butt to court and he'd be buying me a new rifle. I don't roll over.

[johnbt]

This is the second story like this I've read today. At least you didn't pay over $600 for a front sight and a sticky safety, but it still stinks when a good gun gets buggered up.

http://www.huntamerica.com/wwwthread...b=5&o=&fpart=1

John

[Tamara]

That absolutely sickens me.

Stuff like this really makes me appreciate my 'smith.

For you E. Tennessee folks: Shannon Jennings @ Randy's Guns & Knives 865.688.0077 is da man.

[Jason Demond]

Oleg, it makes me want to cry too. That gun butcher should never touch a gun again!

:barf:

[James K]

All too common a story. A good gunsmith builds a reputation. Then he dies, loses interest, or gets too busy, and the bulk of the work is taken over by his "apprentices" who are untrained, incompetent, lazy or don't care, or any combination of the above.

If the show owner is a good guy, he tries to make good and meantime educate his hired help. If he is not, he tells the customer to go to a warm climate, figuring that another sucker will walk in the door in a couple of minutes.

I hate to see any gunsmith shop fold, but some deserve it.

Jim

[Jim Watson]

No mercy, pass the word.
We put a store (not guns) here out of business for mistreatment of an employee - a shooter's wife - by adverse publicity and boycott.

[Oleg Volk]

Please re-post on other forums. I am less interested in revenge at this point than in saving others from such an experience.

[Jim Watson]

OK, but what to do about the rifle?
I'm with RomaRana, patch it up and shoot it.
The bad news is, the local klutz screwed it up.
The good news is, it works and is suitably accurate.
The next one off the boat might not be.
So get it to a good shop - it isn't THAT far from Nashville to Knoxville along I40.
Have the Lyman sight properly located. If that uncovers the klutz holes, put plug screws in them.
Have the front sight straightened up.
Have the tangent rear sight base milled or filed flat and darkened with cold blue.
Scrounge up a bandspring.
Go shooting.