Starting to Freak Out a little...

[braz007]

Took my Colt 1911 (which already had a trigger job done in the late 1990's by him) to David Schwarze to get accurized (matched barel and bushing, throated, and tuned extractor) and haven't heard back from him...

He told me that it would take around 3 weeks, it has been 4 and I try to call him and I don't get an answer just a full voicemail box.

Not real sure what to do, I guess that I will just wait until next week and see if he is back in his shop. The only thing that keeps running through my head is what if something has happended to him (he is getting kind of old), would I ever get my gun back (and how would I even know that something had happened)?

 

[Tripp11]

I believe the ATF is very stern with their required recordkeeping, and my guess is that David had to log in the firearm and listed serial number, name of owner, contact info, etc...

Gunsmiths that I know tend to get absorbed by their work and focus all of their attention on the product. Perhaps he's just super busy and trying to play catch up?

One week overage isn't abnormal nor cause for alarm, IMO.

Remain calm!

 

[x10]

I would calm down, Gunsmiths work on Taxidermist hours, and like dog years in reverse.

What is a week to you is only a couple days to him, And from what I know about smiths answering phone calls only slow them down more.

 

[PatriotPride]

Give it another week. It's stressful when projects extend past the estimated date of completion with no communication, but it doesn't look like it's cause for concern yet. Best of luck.

 

[infidel]

Calm down, Sir.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v1ICQK7WpY]YouTube - calm down![/ame]

 

[remymartin]

I have had him do some work for me before. He is super busy, and hard to get ahold of. But he does excellent work. Calm down, everything will be fine.

 

[greyhound47]

He does real nice work at a great price but he is SLOW. You take the good with the bad with him. You'll be fine.

 

[prowland]

IMO you can pick only 2 from the list: Good, Fast, Cheap

 

[IndyMonkey]

A full voice mail is a red flag.

 

[451_Detonics]

A full voice mail is a red flag.

I would agree with this. I would give it another week then if there was still no contact I think I would make a visit in person. I have owned my own business and I did do gunsmithing...if I was delayed past the due date for any reason I would make sure I contacted the customers who were waiting. It is merely being professional to do so rather than expecting the customer to contact you.

 

[IndyMonkey]

IMO you can pick only 2 from the list: Good, Fast, Cheap

It has nothing to do with this. The smith set the dead line and went past it with no phone call from him or answered when the OP called him.

 

[D-Ric902]

I just talked to him a few days ago. He installed a couple of sights for me. Don't call between 2:30 and 3:30, he was quite busy.

 

[remymartin]

Cut Mr. Schwarze some slack. He is truly a craftsman, the like of which most of us will never know. I have been in his shop, and holy crap...... there was a lot of work to be done. I agree, a call would have been nice, but it is what it is.

 

[Hoosier45]

Don't believe a timeline given to you buy a gunsmith with any reputation. They are always swamped, due to whole reputation thing. The last gun I sent off, the guy told me he was swamped and it would probably take 6-8 weeks to get back to me. It took almost 5 months. But it was worth the wait in the end.

 

[JohnP82]

I wouldnt worry too much. I know it is past due and that sucks, but he is always super busy and usually runs past his quote time. He does truely great work though so I dont mind the wait.

 

[451_Detonics]

I'm sorry...a professional should know how much work he has lined up and how much time it should take and be able top give a quote based on that. Of course delays can and do crop up...a real professional will contact customers to let them know if such a delay takes place. Giving unrealistic quotes (6-8 weeks that turns into 5 months) I see as lying in order to get your business. If you were told 5 months you might have looked elsewhere for the work.

I don't know why people are willing to put up with this from gunsmiths, I am willing to bet you wouldn't from a mechanic, doctor, roofer, etc. I don't mind waiting but I also expect to be told truthfully up front what kind of wait I can expect. A week's delay is acceptable...a month is not, not without a call and an explanation.

 

[greyhound47]

I'm sorry...a professional should know how much work he has lined up and how much time it should take and be able top give a quote based on that. Of course delays can and do crop up...a real professional will contact customers to let them know if such a delay takes place. Giving unrealistic quotes (6-8 weeks that turns into 5 months) I see as lying in order to get your business. If you were told 5 months you might have looked elsewhere for the work.

I don't know why people are willing to put up with this from gunsmiths, I am willing to bet you wouldn't from a mechanic, doctor, roofer, etc. I don't mind waiting but I also expect to be told truthfully up front what kind of wait I can expect. A week's delay is acceptable...a month is not, not without a call and an explanation.

I agree, in a perfect world, but this is fighting the tide with a broom with some people.

 

[Hoosier45]

The guy called and emailed me and offered to ship it back to me on his dime. I told him to keep it until it was done. Hard to compare waiting 5 months for gunsmith work to waiting 5 months for a mechanic or roofer. Not an emergency if one of my handguns is out for a while.

 

[arma73]

Patients Grasshopper
I'm sure it's fine, Probably just really busy..

 

[Amishman44]

Dave...works at his own pace. He does GREAT work...but it's on his time, not yours.

Dave does log every gun in and out...at least he has mine.

My suggestion...just be patient!