I Feel Dirty

[msinc]

I have two guys that about 5 or 6 years ago were just like the OP's friend. I did whatever they wanted regarding the gear they bought and often it just didn't work out too good. Finally, they both got to the point where shooting the same 1 1/2" or 2" groups while I had bullets touching most of the time caused them to ask why, since they often spent the same amount of money as me.
Sometimes it's best to let 'em get to that point and then tell them. I aint giving nobody a shine...I wont call their guns and equipment junk, but if they ask I will not lie to make them feel good either.

 

[hogpatrol]

I have a similar situation. Friend has a custom rifle, about $2500 just in parts, then puts a $300 dollar scope on it.
I tell him he now has a $300 rifle.

 

[Someoldguy]

I'm kinda looking at things from the opposite end. I'm more interested in what makes a rifle accurate than I am in competition. Also, I've no mentor so what little I know I've had to glean from internet forums. I don't have a lot of disposable income, and I've been bitten in the backside by misinformation enough times that I believe none of what I read and half of what I see, provided I see the same thing twice.

I can't afford to travel around and shake hands with any of you fellows, so I'd just like to say thanks for sharing what you know. The fact to fiction ratio is definately better here than many other sites I've followed.

 

[antelopedundee]

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

I have a couple of one piece Redfield bases from years ago and a 2-piece Redfield base setup. Last couple are the 2 piece Leupold bases # 49842. Attached with torx screws now of course. Years ago I swapped out the allen head screws for slotted. Allen head screws are ok for securing ring halves since you don't need that much to tighten them.

 

[snert]

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.

Tried...he blew me off. Maybe it was me, but not given opportunity to fix it so kinda stuck.

 

[GSPV]

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

The rings attach to the bases with a 12mm head bolt. The ring halves were some odd cod allen bead size. That’s the biggest reason that he gave it to me to fix.

They are some off brand that I’ve never heard of. Made in China. They don’t seem to mate up with his bases exactly right either.

I told him about this stuff today and he said “it’s just a hog rifle”. Yet he is going on a paid hog hunt soon.

 

[GSPV]

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?

Maybe him coming to my desk 3 times a day, every day, to ask questions...

He keeps running into things and saying “Why didn’t you tell me that?” I did. He just chose to get on the web and pay more attention to 4,000 reviews on Amazon.

 

[Cloudrepair]

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.

Maybe you have the answer right there a way to breach the subject of crappy parts.
Buy the cheap guitar and show him (just make sure you can take it back ) then ?
But then again I just bought a nice bass that should be all good but I'm finding a bunch of stuff that needs replaced.

 

[hogpatrol]

I've found some just have to learn the hard way. To them, I say take it to a gun shop or gunsmith and pay to get it fixed. Nothing educates better than having to pull out a wallet and part with a handful of cash.

 

[GSPV]

Maybe you have the answer right there a way to breach the subject of crappy parts.
Buy the cheap guitar and show him (just make sure you can take it back ) then ?
But then again I just bought a nice bass that should be all good but I'm finding a bunch of stuff that needs replaced.

I hit 8 or 9 BJJ classes every week. My fingers are jacked. I don’t even know why he thinks that I can play... He’s working out of town away from his wife. I’m guessing that he wants someone to hang and do things with. I’ve tried to get him to come to BJJ with me, but he has better sense than I do.

 

[TC260]

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

They're cousins to also common crew that throws of money at everything with no idea how to use it

 

[antelopedundee]

The rings attach to the bases with a 12mm head bolt. The ring halves were some odd cod allen bead size. That’s the biggest reason that he gave it to me to fix.

They are some off brand that I’ve never heard of. Made in China. They don’t seem to mate up with his bases exactly right either.

I told him about this stuff today and he said “it’s just a hog rifle”. Yet he is going on a paid hog hunt soon.

If it's any sort of standard thread you could probably go to a machine supply store and get some allen/hex head screws for the scope rings that would work better.

 

[Bojo]

I for one machining issues or not with the 336 am Un able to fire one with see thru mounts. I find them to be one of the most messed up design ever. Couple the 2.25" plus inch hight above the bore plus the drop in stock that was designed for a near perfect eye/sight/bore alignment.
A lever gun whether it be a Marlin , Winchester, Browning or any other nice one I'm missing seem to be a match made in heaven for an open sighted brush gun that gets on target fast .

 

[Evan]

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.

I've got a couple buddies like that. We take turns buying each other lunch when we meet up. All works out the same as buying just your own lunch in the end, but treating each other to lunch is just so much nicer.

 

[snert]

Seems like maybe I wasn't clear or maybe a bit gruff in my writing...No question I hurt my buddy somehow...maybe not by the golf comment, maybe something worse...dunno. he aint talking. But I did pay his bills for a year when he was unemployed. So I ain't a total arse...

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

I've found some just have to learn the hard way. To them, I say take it to a gun shop or gunsmith and pay to get it fixed. Nothing educates better than having to pull out a wallet and part with a handful of cash.

I always try to help people where and if I can but f*#$t when you text me every hour for a week straight when you got your new rifle and asks about what brass and bullets and powder to use and I tell you every time start with X, Y and Z its the proven components. Then when I see you at a comp you complain about how crap this is and why is it not shooting as all the others and after 5 minutes you tell me you decided to go a different rout after all the conversations we had and your now using brand A, B and C because you wanted to be different or special i don't know than your on your own

 

[Someoldguy]

The rings attach to the bases with a 12mm head bolt. The ring halves were some odd cod allen bead size. That’s the biggest reason that he gave it to me to fix.

They are some off brand that I’ve never heard of. Made in China. They don’t seem to mate up with his bases exactly right either.

I told him about this stuff today and he said “it’s just a hog rifle”. Yet he is going on a paid hog hunt soon.

Now that I understand better, I'm not sure I'd have tried to 'fix' it for him. Sounds like a built-in excuse. He misses a hog because that cheap crap shot loose and I'm guessing he'll blame you.

'No good deed goes unpunished.'

 

[dolek]

If the friend is seriously getting under your skin maybe just fade away from the whole thing . Most true friends finally come to realize they are irritating if you give them a chance to think about what they are doing . I have faded away many times through my life , a couple times I did not and things got ugly....I regret the ugly ones .

 

[dcali]

Reminds me of my old job as a freelance web guy. Clients would want to not hire a graphic designer, not spring for quality photographs, use the cheapest hosting, not bother writing good copy, etc. The first thing I tell a new client is how important all that stuff is. Some listen. Some don’t. The difference in the final quality is night and day.

As a result, I have built some websites that I would never put my name on. It feels dirty to me but it’s what they wanted and asked for. Glad to be done with that business. I hated making low quality stuff even if it was what the customer wanted.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

I felt the same way when I bought a Glock.