Gunsmith Horror Story

[T.Lex]

Kant can't even believe the cant.

Please do post pics of your fix(es), though. I'm already impressed that you are undertaking the rehab.

And I'd be so pissed off that I'd yell from the rooftops the ... uh... guy... (trying to keep it G-rated) who f'd it up.

 

[padawan]

Wow!

That's beyond amateur bad.

That's a tragedy. I hope you can rescue it!

Hope you can undue that 'cant'. Obligatory toes in pic not withstanding.

Good luck and looking forward to the after action/repair pics.

 

[femurphy77]

O.k. so this narrows down the list of possible hack "gunsmiths" by one. If we can now get the OP to take the rifle to the rest of the gunsmiths in the state we can determine who the guilty person is thru elimination. MUCH better than outing this hack up front so the rest of us avoid the same situation.


Sorry, no sympathy to the OP on this one. I bet he got a helluva good price on the work and then discovered the quality of said work attached to the discount price. Got what he paid for and then had buyers remorse?

Oh yeah and:


This HED is insufferable:

 

[Squirt239]

Quite the opposite. The price paid was fair.

I am completely at a loss at how someone could look at this and say, "Yep. I'm a gunsmith. "

 

[T.Lex]

Even if it had been at a discount, I would still expect actual functioning... and certain basic things like proper alignment, not overheating the bolt. I mean, if I wanted it done in a crappy way or didn't care how it turned out, I would've done it myself! (Not that this is mine, but that would've been my attitude.)

 

[padawan]

Even if it had been at a discount, I would still expect actual functioning... and certain basic things like proper alignment, not overheating the bolt. I mean, if I wanted it done in a crappy way or didn't care how it turned out, I would've done it myself! (Not that this is mine, but that would've been my attitude.)

You would have to intentionally do a crappy job.

 

[T.Lex]

You would have to intentionally do a crappy job.

Thank you, but I can assure you that I'm more than qualified to negligently do a crappy job on something mechanical.

 

[Doublehelix]

Thank you, but I can assure you that I'm more than qualified to negligently do a crappy job on something mechanical.

Hey! I can do a (really) crappy job if anybody wants to pay me! My rates are reasonable I assure you!

 

[cerebus85]

The amount of ineptitude makes you wonder if an actual "gunsmith" put their hands on the rifle. I mean what gunsmith and level and measure things off, or doesn't know how to heat a bolt? You could google that much.

 

[Dirtebiker]

I've seen way too many threads where someone just vents, and then is encouraged to name names, and then the next thing you know the op is being told that if you are going to make accusations you have to provide photos, emails, etc. It all ends with the op being the bad guy for trying to ruin someone's business reputation. I don't think venting is worth the resultant hassle regardless, but naming names is just opening another can of worms that still doesn't get his gun fixed.

True, but he could help us NOT have our guns ruined.

 

[Dirtebiker]

We can assume it wasn't Squirt239 at least.

 

[LEaSH]

Dayum those pictures! Sad...

At least this tread is finally getting some traction...

 

[King31]

From what I can tell, the gunsmith is definitely a liberal democrat in disguise trying to one by one destroy the things I enjoy most!

 

[bulletsmith]

That's insane. I'm having serious doubts this gun has ever been the hands of an actual gunsmith (until now). If this thread wasn't so entertaining it would be just aggravating. Sorry OP, you protect this "gunsmith" by keeping quiet and you are just as responsible for the next person's loss as he is. Good job

 

[bobjones223]

Here is the pics from what I found:

Outside of the bolt and hammer marks


Discoloration of bolt due to over heating:


Front screw was milled down to where a screw extractor had to be used as there was no head left on the screw:


Scope mounted off center:


Screw was sheered off and just left:


Bolt handle bent too far in:


Mounting holes drilled off center and tapped at an angle:

WOW. Ok many years ago I had the same thing done to a 96 Mauser and thouught my guy did a crappy job!....YOU WIN!...or loose however that works. I ended up having to carve some wood out of the stock to get the bolt to close completely and the bolt handle ended up being a fair bit shorter than when we got started. I will say I didn't end up with the heat transference you got into the bolt he at least protected it with some heat block.

I don't know why it is so hard. Cut bolt at angle, spin bolt on angle, reweld, clean up, polish.

 

[Cpt Caveman]

That drill and tap job certainly shows the three beers the dude had before he tried to do it. Never seen one that far outta wack before. Almost like he doesn't own a TDC level.
And I agree with most of the previous folks, if the OP doesn't out this hack he might as well be advertising for him.

 

[LEaSH]

This is a tread that will live in infamy.

 

[shootersix]

I know its the op's right not to out the "butcher" (I mean "gunsmith") who did this, but I'd be telling everyone I knew about this! cause if he messed up your gun this bad, you know he's done worse to others!, and if I was showing this off, and my "friend" said oh yea, that jackweed did the same to my gun, id be madder than Hillary Clintons blind date!

 

[Alpo]

From what I can tell, the gunsmith is definitely a liberal democrat in disguise trying to one by one destroy the things I enjoy most!

102 posts and you can discern the political affiliation of the "smith in question". Quite a feat. But, in truth, it looks more like something Trump would have kludged together.

 

[T.Lex]

102 posts and you can discern the political affiliation of the "smith in question". Quite a feat. But, in truth, it looks more like something Trump would have kludged together.

Hold on now.

It sounded like the OP had the work done here in Indiana.

No way Trump would've had it done here in the US.