[AU Gunsmithing]

Here was another extensive refinish job. Customer only wanted metal work done, he said he will be replacing the wood himself. Next time somebody asks you why gunsmithing is expensive just show them these pictures. 21 hours worth of work and remember this is just on the metal components for a refinish job, if we would include the stock, hours of work would double.
HERES THE BEFORE AND AFTER*** P.S remember all refinishing done is per the customers budget. On the specific refinishing job we focused on just external rust removal, barrel honing, and refinishing all external material. As well as light touch up work on the internals. Wood not included

 

[Jack]

Nice work. I wonder. . .wouldn't it have been cheaper to just buy a new Mossberg?

 

[AU Gunsmithing]

Nice work. I wonder. . .wouldn't it have been cheaper to just buy a new Mossberg?

Yes it definitely would have been plus cheap guns don’t refinish well because there’s to many defections in the metal the factory hides. But money’s green...

 

[JBelk]

Australia must have a warped economic situation with guns. A good job, but it's like shooting once to make sure the gun works before you shoot the snake----Why not experiment on the snake and save ammo?
A good job on a good gun makes much more sense to me. Don't waste you shoulders, elbows and thumbs on unworthy projects.
<From an old worn out gunsmith's perspective>

 

[shawlerbrook]

Agreed ! That was a candidate for a camouflage paint job with something like Alumahyde II.

 

[AU Gunsmithing]

Australia must have a warped economic situation with guns. A good job, but it's like shooting once to make sure the gun works before you shoot the snake----Why not experiment on the snake and save ammo?
A good job on a good gun makes much more sense to me. Don't waste you shoulders, elbows and thumbs on unworthy projects.
<From an old worn out gunsmith's perspective>

I understand where you’re coming from. But for me still being young this was a great learning experience. The biggest lesson that I learned from this is just when does say no. Well let’s also remember some customers don’t care what the prices they just want it done. And I can say for this project the customer was billed accordingly and was extremely happy.

 

[AU Gunsmithing]

Agreed ! That was a candidate for a camouflage paint job with something like Alumahyde II.

The receiver is Cerakoted, but everything else thats steel is blued. The customer explained to me that this has sentimental value which means he wanted it done properly. All that’s left is putting new wood on it. Which he said he was going to do.

 

[JBelk]

Welcome to the trade and welcome to the forum. It's a tough way to make a living ....even tougher when you can't say 'no'. I understand perfectly.

 

[shawlerbrook]

I guess there are some things that are priceless to a customer and I can understand that. It is said that the perfect deal is when both sides walk away happy, and it sounds like this was the case.

 

[Hawkeye Hunter]

What's that saying? "The customer is always right"(as long as he has the money)!! Sentimental logic never makes any sense & I stopped trying to understand it long ago,

 

[AU Gunsmithing]

What's that saying? "The customer is always right"(as long as he has the money)!! Sentimental logic never makes any sense & I stopped trying to understand it long ago,

With a project like this we do it in steps, contact the customer after every process is complete. This is to insure that neither of us exceed our budget. It is by no means an insult, if anything it’s looking out for the customer. This gun had a long story. It was very sentimental because it was a gentleman‘s fathers who’s health is not the best and his son wanted to restore it for him and did not care about the cost...

 

[shawlerbrook]

I guess I don’t make any sense then because quite of few guns in my safe have a very special sentimental value. I actually feel sorry for those that have never experienced that feeling.

 

[Darkker]

I actually feel sorry for those that have never experienced that feeling.

Seriously......??
Unless I keep someone else's junk in with my own junk, I can't have the same "feels" that you do?

If it takes some pressure off you, don't lose any sleep on my account; I certainly don't.

Cheers

 

[Hawkeye Hunter]

I guess I don’t make any sense then because quite of few guns in my safe have a very special sentimental value. I actually feel sorry for those that have never experienced that feeling.

What I was referring to was people spending ridiculous amounts of money "fixing up" a piece of junk just because it belonged to "Grandpa". If Grandpa gave a rat's *** about it, it wouldn't be a piece of junk in the first place. Quality guns owned & cared for by our ancestors should always be cherished, but that junk Mossberg being fixed up is a bad joke!

 

[375Carp]

I guess a guy could have formed great memories with a Mossberg instead of a Browning Superposed.

I have my Grandad's Springfield 86C. It has been used as it was a tool on a farm, not a cherished hunting rifle. Used mostly to keep cats out of chickens and dogs out of the sheep. I have heard a great many stories about that rifle from my Dad. I don't think the stories would have been any better or shooting it any more satisfying if it had been a Remington 37.

 

[AU Gunsmithing]

What I was referring to was people spending ridiculous amounts of money "fixing up" a piece of junk just because it belonged to "Grandpa". If Grandpa gave a rat's *** about it, it wouldn't be a piece of junk in the first place. Quality guns owned & cared for by our ancestors should always be cherished, but that junk Mossberg being fixed up is a bad joke!

I do agree people should take care of their stuff. But I was just doing as a customer asked. I did try to inform them of the value obligations being of how bad the shotgun was.

 

[JBelk]

Always give the customer multiple choices and let him decide. The job is to fix guns, not be a financial advisor to customers, but it doesn't hurt to point out what it cost to buy a new one.
Guns are much like pocket watches for sentiment and watch repairmen have the same problem. It takes the same amount of time, skill and tools to rebuild a two dollar silver place RR watch as it does a 21 jewel E. Howard. Do you want granddad's watch fixed or not? The 'value' of the works is fixed for the worker. The customer decides.

Not many decide to spend thousands on a M '03 but one did.

 

[rvance]

After graduating gunsmithing school my BIL brought me an older Marlin 336 30-30 that was in a scabbard on his 3 wheeled ATV which he had rolled. The stock was broken and the gun was pretty scuffed up. I told him that I would fix it for him. I spent every afternoon and evening working on it. Took it apart, stripped the old blue and polished it inside and out and hot blued it. Got a rough stock and shaped and finished it with 7 coats of oil. He was so happy to get it back and thrilled with the free gunsmithing job. I was pretty impressed myself. He took it hunting the next weekend and rolled his ATV again with the rifle in the scabbard. That was the first and last time I ever worked on anyone else's gun except for a few trigger jobs.

 

[JDinFbg]

Don't waste you shoulders, elbows and thumbs on unworthy projects.

It's sometimes hard to know upfront what is or is not an 'unworthy' project. Part of that decision depends on whether you have to pay somebody else to do the work or whether it is a project one can do themselves. In the latter case where it is mainly a matter of time and not money, it's kind of a challenge and fun to see if one can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Here's an 'unworthy' project I tackled myself (go to the top of the thread):

My Gunsmithing Project Impossible???

Back in the mid to late 60's when I was getting started in competition benchrest rifle shooting, handloading, and wanting to develop some gunsmithing...

www.thehighroad.org

I would never have paid anyone to do this for me, but it was a fun project. In the end, I ended up with a rifle that will consistently shoot 5-shot groups at 100 yards under 1 inch.

 

[JimmieP]

Here was another extensive refinish job. Customer only wanted metal work done, he said he will be replacing the wood himself. Next time somebody asks you why gunsmithing is expensive just show them these pictures. 21 hours worth of work and remember this is just on the metal components for a refinish job, if we would include the stock, hours of work would double.
HERES THE BEFORE AND AFTER*** P.S remember all refinishing done is per the customers budget. On the specific refinishing job we focused on just external rust removal, barrel honing, and refinishing all external material. As well as light touch up work on the internals. Wood not included

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I’m a gunsmith also. 2000 for a bluing set up. 300 for the chemicals. Gotta replace the pruners once in a while and the salts. 300. Polisher and pads. 900. Compound (4 grits) 125. My being able to totally tear your gun down and put it back together with all the pieces. Priceless. They can wine but they still get you to do it. Owned my own service businesses for 40 years now. My answer to the why question. Go buy all the gear and do it yourself. Oh yah. You need to keep plenty of oils and cleaning gear on hand. Another 100. Not so expensive now.