New Build timeline ?
- Thread starter Topwater
- Start date
I would venture to say, that it depend on the quality and popularity of your chosen gunsmith coupled with the availability of parts.
Barrels for instance can take months to over a year to obtain if ordered directly from the manufacture. Yet they can be bought from retailers in a few days, for a slight increase in price. I've ordered using both methods and have found no difference in the quality. This is where the gunsmith chosen is most important.
Not all gunsmiths are equal. The best gunsmiths are in high demand and have a big backlog of work waiting to be completed. And you can expected him not to promise a specific date to deliver the finished date, because he knows that there is always a chance of complications arising during the process. Most really good smiths are a one man operation. These are the guys who not only build guns but are also frequent competitors and constant winners.
Barrels for instance can take months to over a year to obtain if ordered directly from the manufacture. Yet they can be bought from retailers in a few days, for a slight increase in price. I've ordered using both methods and have found no difference in the quality. This is where the gunsmith chosen is most important.
Not all gunsmiths are equal. The best gunsmiths are in high demand and have a big backlog of work waiting to be completed. And you can expected him not to promise a specific date to deliver the finished date, because he knows that there is always a chance of complications arising during the process. Most really good smiths are a one man operation. These are the guys who not only build guns but are also frequent competitors and constant winners.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Its 9-12mo right now at a minimum if you deliver a deposit and drive off. Can be a month if you pay extra to get the components yourself.
Yep, gunsmiths typically have to wait the same amount of time for components as anyone else. In this time, with long lead times on multiple items of a build, things can and often do come up that can hold the whole project up for months. This can work both ways. For example...say I've got ten jobs waiting on bbls and the barrels are delayed for one reason or another. Well, those barrels all come in whenever they do. In the meantime, I've quoted a time frame for your build. Now I just had ten builds get back in front of yours. Make sense? It's almost a no win situation for the smith. Is he to put the others off longer so that he can keep your quoted lead time right? The same can happen whether he or the customer supplies the parts but overall, I prefer a customer supply the parts and keep me out of the middle for the most part. There are pros and cons to that too, like a defective product etc. And yes, some of the best smiths have a regular job and are 1 man shops, to boot. Ultimately, if you want it now, try walmart but if you want the best, one just has to understand both sides and be patient. This is a boutique and small market where quality should come first because that's what the customer is going custom for, in the first place. It's just not an easy position to be in at times, for both the smith as well as the customer.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
Depends on parts. If you have to order an action, barrel, and stock, plan on a year to get them. If you can find them in stock then great but many of the parts I use are not stocked by anyone. Once all the parts are in hand the rifle can go in line to get built. Most good gunsmiths are buried right now. 6 months would be a good turn around for a rifle to get built, many are a year+. Its just how it is, the only way a smith can get his wait times down are to turn more work away. I have started to do that because I hate the huge backlogs. Its very stressful. You cant find good help that will really care about what they are doing like the guy putting his name on the barrel will. Prices on everything are going up so labor prices will follow, eventually it may balance out and wait times will get reasonable. I fix a decent amount of rifles that are sent to me because they dont shoot. Some pretty small stuff can prevent a rifle from being competitive, so wait times should not be too high on the list for choosing a smith. They are busy for a reason. JMO.
The quality is always worth the wait, you pick your smith (and if they pick you) you know what you will have when you get it. The best like Alex are always way busier than they actually have time for.
You chose your smith give them a break and know it will be great when you get it. Also consider all the time your smith spends helping you with questions (Thanks Alex) with tuning, minor issues, set-up.
It appears that I may have to take another avenue to resolve my dilemma. Two years have passed. Now the smith declines to reply to texts ( his preferred method of communication ) or answer his phone. He also refuses to send photos of any work that is supposed to be in progress.…..Totally unacceptable business practices.….. what pressures would you suggest I apply to help speed up the job? I have heard from a few of his other clients that this is a chronic occurrence with his work.
Pull the work and move on. More pressure or anything else will most likely end in you being unhappy with the results. I've gone through this with engines for race bikes. Gotta know when to cut the cord. He might be super swamped and working 8 days a week, but that doesn't excuse some kind of communication.
Component parts are the main problem over here.if I haven't got the barrel blank in stock I have to find a supplier who has if they haven't it can be 6-12 months for US barrels.Sassen normally take 8-10 weeks.actions are another headache,stocks not to bad as a rule.proof House are taking up to 2months.i have 3 rifles there now.been there 7 weeks.proof testing is a pain but it's law in the UK.
Surprise, surprise………..now he’s apparently changed his email address.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Used to have a guy on here fluting bolts (not our beloved boltfluter) that was holding up builds for years, and even with people calling lawyers, cops, atf, his day job, calling him out on here and all, people STILL were sending him work. Its amazing.
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
Shooters in Texas who have been around since the 1990’s can tell you some real horror stories about several Gunsmiths who simply left town, leaving more than a few customers hanging.
But you know what. They reappear, hang out a shingle and the cycle starts all over again.
Every Trade has it’s share of unscrupulous vendors. Many are quite good at their craft, and do fine work.
They are just terrible business men.
But you know what. They reappear, hang out a shingle and the cycle starts all over again.
Every Trade has it’s share of unscrupulous vendors. Many are quite good at their craft, and do fine work.
They are just terrible business men.
I have yet to use his name. I‘m trying to be patient but patience is running more than a bit thin!
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
I just cannot believe how soon folks forget. I guess the 3rd time is a charm on that one
I'd never give a job to a 'smith that is part time and loves to BS. Those are sometimes the ones that get years behind on just a couple of builds. Complete rifle builds can drag out forever even for full time builders if the customer needs an oil finished stock, checkering, etc. they're both just time consuming. Replacing barrels on the other hand isn't that time consuming and there is no reason for a full time 'smith to be "years" behind. When I was 'smithing full time I seldom went over a month to replace a barrel but I hustled and didn't stand around BS'ing. I got sort of a bad rap for being an a$$hole because I wouldn't BS with the boys but they seemed to get over it when they got their barrel back in reasonable time.
jimmymac
Jim McGregor
It's crazy you are still waiting. Sorry to hear the persistent problems continue. I'm about ready to cut the cord over here.
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
I bought a Defiance Ruckus with trigger off the sale board. Ordered a prefit from Carson at Lilja. I could just drop it in an HS Precision but I’m making a custom Mesquite stock for it. Total build time will be spread over about a month and a half, as I build three other guns.
I figured out a long time ago that I could save a lot of time and money if I learned how to do a few things myself.
I figured out a long time ago that I could save a lot of time and money if I learned how to do a few things myself.
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Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
Pretty good advice. You are not going to learn the details about what really makes for consistently accurate rifles if your just dabbling in it. Some guys want to be friends with their smith and that can happen but the last reason Id want you to bring me a job is because you like me and I am friendly at a match. I dont think I have that problem though, lol.
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