I Feel Dirty

[GSPV]

My bud at work that I got into shooting asked me to fix the scope mounting job that he did on his “hog rifle”.

It was a Marlin 336, Simmons 3x9 (“It got great reviews!”), unknown mounts, and some no name see through rings.

The picatinney mounts that he bought looked rough.

The off brand rings didn’t fit the picatinney mounts well. The part that snugs up just didn’t dovetail with the mount cleanly.

The ring screws weren’t all tight. That’s because he tried to use his brand new Wheeler torque driver. Those screws didn’t fit a single Allen tip in any of my Wheeler kits. I found one that was snug in my metric set of automotive Allen keys.

I found that the top of the 336’s receiver was cut at a taper relative to the bore. In both left/right and fore/aft.

When mounted, the danged rings were off, too. But not the same as the receiver.

The boresight was nowhere near where it was when he did it. He bought a Wheeler laser like mine. I had no choice but to just do it all over again with mine. Since the top of the receiver was all si goglin, I have zero confidence that the bore site is good because it depends on the muzzle being cut square to the bore.

I feel dirty and I’m going to tell him that I guarantee nothing about this job. I’m also going to tell him that if he wants me to help him he’s going to have to quit getting junk.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[ShootDots]

I know an engineer who has worked at NASA for just about all of his adult life. He makes pretty decent money and loves to shoot. He buys "good rifles" (i.e. 700 Rems.) then has a 'smith work over the action, put a Krieger barrel on it, a nice Bell and Carlson Medalist stock, that the 'smith beds and uses either worked over Rem triggers or possibly a Jewell from time to time. Then he goes around and picks up a variety of "range brass" laying around. He can never shoot to HIS expectations. When told repeatedly to get Lapua or Norma brass, he fails to do it and continues to use "range brass".. No amount of reminding him will ever get him to change! I hope your bud is not one of those type fellows. However, if he is, you have one of two choices: 1.) politely tell him about the junk he buys and admonish him not to do it>>but continue to fix his problems. OR 2.) just quit fixing his junk and hope he learns that way.. Either way, it could put a strain on a friendship. Let's hope that does not happen.. But I understand exactly where you are coming from..

 

[1611]

I know an engineer who has worked at NASA for just about all of his adult life. He makes pretty decent money and loves to shoot. He buys "good rifles" (i.e. 700 Rems.) then has a 'smith work over the action, put a Krieger barrel on it, a nice Bell and Carlson Medalist stock, that the 'smith beds and uses either worked over Rem triggers or possibly a Jewell from time to time. Then he goes around and picks up a variety of "range brass" laying around. He can never shoot to HIS expectations. When told repeatedly to get Lapua or Norma brass, he fails to do it and continues to use "range brass".. No amount of reminding him will ever get him to change! I hope your bud is not one of those type fellows. However, if he is, you have one of two choices: 1.) politely tell him about the junk he buys and admonish him not to do it>>but continue to fix his problems. OR 2.) just quit fixing his junk and hope he learns that way.. Either way, it could put a strain on a friendship. Let's hope that does not happen.. But I understand exactly where you are coming from..

I’ve shoot excellent groups with range brass out of a factory M700. Nothing against high end brass I’ve shot excellent groups with it too lol

 

[Delfuego]

Maybe you're being too nice? Treat them a different way. Shame them. "What's that hunk o junk scope?"; "Nice rings, you get a free bowl of soup with those?". Just a thought. Tough love baby.

 

[Evan]

If you haven't, then you should make him watch what you're doing and point out all the ways that stuff is sub-par and then suggest what it should be like. If he doesn't like that, then his head is too big and he needs to go deflate it somewhere.

 

[Boisblancboy]

If you haven't, then you should make him watch what you're doing and point out all the ways that stuff is sub-par and then suggest what it should be like. If he doesn't like that, then his head is too big and he needs to go deflate it somewhere.

Agreed, maybe he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.

Might just have to lead him to the water. Some of us that have been around the sport for awhile may take some of the simpler things for granted.

 

[snert]

Had (note tense) a bud who was on a budget. Little budget. Not a bad thing mind you, but when his stuff didn't work he would blow a gasket. he would pester the manufacturer. he would bug me. I fixed his stuff several times, and finally in frustration, after listening to him complain about his Mossberg 500 deer "rifle' i just told him to stop and take up golf. He might still be mad at me. Not sure. have not heard from him in a long time. It is all about realistic expectations.

 

[CT10ring]

My bud at work that I got into shooting asked me to fix the scope mounting job that he did on his “hog rifle”.

It was a Marlin 336, Simmons 3x9 (“It got great reviews!”), unknown mounts, and some no name see through rings.

The picatinney mounts that he bought looked rough.

The off brand rings didn’t fit the picatinney mounts well. The part that snugs up just didn’t dovetail with the mount cleanly.

The ring screws weren’t all tight. That’s because he tried to use his brand new Wheeler torque driver. Those screws didn’t fit a single Allen tip in any of my Wheeler kits. I found one that was snug in my metric set of automotive Allen keys.

I found that the top of the 336’s receiver was cut at a taper relative to the bore. In both left/right and fore/aft.

When mounted, the danged rings were off, too. But not the same as the receiver.

The boresight was nowhere near where it was when he did it. He bought a Wheeler laser like mine. I had no choice but to just do it all over again with mine. Since the top of the receiver was all si goglin, I have zero confidence that the bore site is good because it depends on the muzzle being cut square to the bore.

I feel dirty and I’m going to tell him that I guarantee nothing about this job. I’m also going to tell him that if he wants me to help him he’s going to have to quit getting junk.

Sorry for the rant.

stick w your bud. He does not have your grasp on machining, and prob will never have the insight needed. A good friend is rare indeed.

 

[LGKLAS]

I have not won the lotto, nor am I a trust fund baby but in the case of a friend having junk rings/mounts for his scope, and another using range brass; I'd break down and buy one a decent set of rings/mount and the other 100 pieces of Lapua or Alpha brass as a Christmas present or Birthday present. But I go back a long way and thru a lot of 's' with most of the few friends I have, so it is not all that big of a deal. Besides, things like that between friends balance back out over time.

 

[dolek]

Better to lift a friend up , than to knock him down . We don't always see things the same...that being said,I bite my tongue a lot .

 

[Texas10]

I've been around aircraft most of my life, building, flying, repairing, and competition. I've found that there is a certain population of people who seem to make a game out of buying junk and expecting it to perform like the the gold standard. In every case I've seen, they have the means to do it right or purchase well made items, but they always go cheap, and still complain when it doesn't preform like the brand name item. I don't pretend to understand it, I just know when to distance myself from them.

Darwinism tends to sort out these folks when it comes to flying. I suspect in shooting sports it's somewhat the same. Just try to make sure you are somewhere else when the parts start flying.

I like the idea of gifting a box of quality brass, but I doubt it'll change what is apparently engrained in his DNA. He'd probably put bullets from pulled down WWII ammo in them.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Take a look in the mirror, ask yourself what you're doing that bugs him. This may be his way of telling you something and you don’t know it.

 

[carlsbad]

Be a little kinder. Tell him you did your best but the components do not fit well. He'll ask if he should return them and you'll rub your toe in the dirt and tell him that's about the best he can expect from those components. Eventually he'll ask you what he should buy.

 

[jackson1]

This an all to common story is the world of shooting sports. Many of my close friends and shooting buds in the area suffer the same afflictions mentioned above. Expecting quality results from less than quality equipment and even sloppier loading techniques, is all to common. I am very open about what I do and have showed them my equipment in detail. Still they muddle on. One friend gives me weekly advice from unknown people on some Facebook group he talks to. On more than one occasion another friend came over with half a casing stuck in the chamber, which I remove. On measuring his assorted brass I find they are 0.06" beyond the trim length, I recommend a case trimmer. One of my favorites was a friend that never used a sizing die on his pistol brass and wondered why his bullets kept sliding back in the magazine. We have been life long friends and still are, but I have also moved on and made more friends with a group people that are also on this site. Just must travel farther to do it. There are many levels of dedication in this hobby and sometimes the journey gets bumpy. I ain't perfect either.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Toe Dippers, is what I call them. They want to be there to see what’s going on, but never had one intention of ever jumping in and swimming.

 

[GSPV]

He’s a good friend. I’m not going to be rude to him. It’s just frustrating to go from quality components when he takes my advice (which is, by proxy, from you guys) to cheap ass components when he gets advice from reviews on the web (where he knows nothing about the person and their competence).

He’s a good guitar player. He’s constantly trying to get me to buy a guitar and learn to play. He’s recommended a Gretsch Streamliner guitar, a certain amp, Yadda-yadda. I feel certain he’d be disappointed if I ran out and bought a cheap Chinese piece of crap after he took the time to research a good recommendation for me.

I’ll just keep plugging and try to get him sold on the idea of quality.

 

[Delfuego]

Better to lift a friend up , than to knock him down . We don't always see things the same...that being said,I bite my tongue a lot .

If your friends cant tell you the truth, who can?

 

[Someoldguy]

He’s a good friend. I’m not going to be rude to him. It’s just frustrating to go from quality components when he takes my advice (which is, by proxy, from you guys) to cheap ass components when he gets advice from reviews on the web (where he knows nothing about the person and their competence).

He’s a good guitar player. He’s constantly trying to get me to buy a guitar and learn to play. He’s recommended a Gretsch Streamliner guitar, a certain amp, Yadda-yadda. I feel certain he’d be disappointed if I ran out and bought a cheap Chinese piece of crap after he took the time to research a good recommendation for me.

I’ll just keep plugging and try to get him sold on the idea of quality.

If you're 'yadda-yadda' about guitar details, what causes you to believe he doesn't feel the same about firearms and accessories?
MAYBE he just takes interest in shooting sports so you've something to talk about besides . . . . football?

 

[antelopedundee]

IMO using Weaver style rings that attach to the base/rail using allen head screws is a BIG FAT NO NO.

 

[Someoldguy]

IMO using Weaver style rings that attach to the base/rail using allen head screws is a BIG FAT NO NO.

What system do you prefer? One piece rings and base or . . . . ?