Have any of you guys had any experience with, or bought one of the Brockman's Master Guide custom Marlin lever guns? I think they are awesome guns and am just curious to see if any of you have actually shot them / owned them.

For those of you that might not have seen one, here's a link: Master Guide Package

Have you seen Marlin's newest?

Marlin 1895SBL. Not shown on their website yet but it is mentioned in their press release at:
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/News/press.asp#2009_4

OH MY!! You might not should have shown me that, bcp.....

Do you know when they'll be available and how much they'll cost?

Brockman could charitably be described as "NOT a people person". He is less than two hours east of me, and has all the social skills of the average neanderthal. A friend wanted to have him rework a Ruger trigger. Brockman says about an hour and a half, and he can do it in two weeks. Friend wants to bring the rifle and wait on it. Brockman says he doesn't allow customers in his shop. Friend says he will go elsewhere. Rude is probably a good word.

Rich
Buff Killer

One rumor says it will be out near the end of March.

MSRP $978 according to:
http://www.shootingtimes.com/l...BL_200903/index.html

There is a 7 page thread here:
http://www.marlinowners.com/fo...p/topic,34434.0.html

Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Brockman could charitably be described as "NOT a people person". He is less than two hours east of me, and has all the social skills of the average neanderthal. A friend wanted to have him rework a Ruger trigger. Brockman says about an hour and a half, and he can do it in two weeks. Friend wants to bring the rifle and wait on it. Brockman says he doesn't allow customers in his shop. Friend says he will go elsewhere. Rude is probably a good word.

Rich
Buff Killer

I've had Brockman work on a couple of rifles, and they are ever so much better after his tuning and after market parts.

I have an 1894 Cowboy there right now - I don't care if he keeps it a year.

Before sending three guns to him, I called him from time to time and he almost always answered the phone, and helped me a lot.

Brockman builds no BS rifles, supplies after market parts second to none and does not cater to whiny, demanding customers that want him to perform as if his shop were a McDonalds.

Brockman will build or tune a rifle, but he ain't kissing where you can't.

quote:

Originally posted by bcp:
Have you seen Marlin's newest?

Very interesting. Everything a fella needs and nothing he don't. Must have figured out they might as well be the ones making the money on the aftermarket add-ons. I note that they're not chambering it for the 450 Marlin...

I never said he doesn't do great work. Maybe the best. I live close enough to drive over to have work done, but he isn't in to having customers around. Where he lives, that is unusual. I have had the privilege of visiting shops like George Hoenig's, and his standard line is: "...I'm working, pull up a chair out of the way and watch...".

Rich
Buff Killer

Brockman did work on my .450 nad I couldn't be more pleased. My communication with him was just fine.

Marlin finally did this gun after looking at pictures of mine and a ALaskan guides gun. We both know they had the pictures especialy of the guides gun for a long time before bringing this new rifle out. Not fighting them at all but they simply copied Brockman and Clements. Here are the two rifles:

I just modified this post. I put Clay up there but it was actualy CLements that built Birdmans gun.

and

reflex,

how much time did you spend at his shop?

If he lives less than 100 miles away and says an hour to do a job, but he won't let you come over and have it done then, then he doesn't need my business. I don't go thru the hassle of shipping a rifle 90 miles, or make two trips to drop off and pick up. I don't do that at my Jag dealer, so be diddly-damned if I will do it with a gunsmith.

Rich
Buff Killer

Reflex is in Tennessee . . . and your logic is just perfect.

I've had Brockman send parts to me and he's been a real nice guy to talk to .

I talked to Brockman a few days ago, my 1894 Cowboy is under construction - told him about this discussion, of course he was a gentleman in response - one point was that if he put a guy's "walk in" work as a priority over the stuff already mailed in, the other guys would then be slighted.

He has never done a rifle for me but we have 2 sets of his sights and they are just what he said they would be.

I am very happy with my dealings with him... never a problem

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
reflex,

how much time did you spend at his shop?

If he lives less than 100 miles away and says an hour to do a job, but he won't let you come over and have it done then, then he doesn't need my business. I don't go thru the hassle of shipping a rifle 90 miles, or make two trips to drop off and pick up. I don't do that at my Jag dealer, so be diddly-damned if I will do it with a gunsmith.

Rich
Buff Killer

Most Gunsmiths do the work in the order it comes into the shop.So even if the job takes only an hour,there might be a two week backlog on jobs to be done.I bet you make an appointment at your Jag dealer too have it fixed.I doubt you will find any kind of repair shop that will drop another customers work just because you appear at the door.

I had jim work on my Marlin 45-70 about11 years ago. I found him to be very accomodating and friendly. I told him I thought the off set hammer spur he made would be bigger,and with out any hesitation he insisted I send the gun back.He said if your not happy I'm not happy.
A+ rating for Jim in my book

I have NO Complaints with Brockman's work. I needed custom bases on a Winchester Model 61(22WRF). The folks at Talley bases & rings recommended him. On a phone call he answered, was very helpful, said he could do the work, and indicated it would be done in one month. The rifle arrived one month later. The work was excellent. I would contact him again for custon work.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim M.:
I have NO Complaints with Brockman's work. I needed custom bases on a Winchester Model 61(22WRF). The folks at Talley bases & rings recommended him. On a phone call he answered, was very helpful, said he could do the work, and indicated it would be done in one month. The rifle arrived one month later. The work was excellent. I would contact him again for custon work.

What more could one ask?

A little-known fact about Jim: he is an outstanding Garand crank. He apprenticed under one of the better Hi-Power gunsmiths of that day.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
reflex,

how much time did you spend at his shop?

If he lives less than 100 miles away and says an hour to do a job, but he won't let you come over and have it done then, then he doesn't need my business. I don't go thru the hassle of shipping a rifle 90 miles, or make two trips to drop off and pick up. I don't do that at my Jag dealer, so be diddly-damned if I will do it with a gunsmith.

Rich
Buff Killer

I made Brockman aware of your complaint when I got my 1894 Cowboy in the mail a few weeks ago. Simply put, and as mentioned below, if you just drop by for an hour's work he has to push bank other projects and that's not fair for the jobs he has in cue. And you comparing him as being lower in class tha a jag dealer deserves no response.

I can't see why anyone would expect a gunsmith to a job while you wait.
That would be putting you ahead of customers who got there 1st.
Now if you are a regular customer,or it's fixing somthing on a gun he set up and he can do the job in a flash, like a minite or 2 then you might get lucky.
But you can't ask to go to the head of the line.
...tj3006

Boys, boys...

You are either dense or choosing to misconstrue what I said RE Brockman VS every other gunsmith I have ever known, and my Jag dealer. Let me try this again using smaller words.

1. If a gunsmith says "in two weeks I will do the work", then what is the issue with me taking it over in two weeks and watching him fix it?

2. If my Jag dealer says "in two weeks we will do the work", they don't ask me to drop it off now and let it sit in their shop for the two weeks until they get around to me.

3. For those of you who know the name George Hoenig, by comparison Brockman is a blacksmith.
George welcomes me at his shop, and so do the other gunsmiths I use. That includes, George, Wayne Jacobsen at AHR, Steve Fotou, and a dozen or so others you may not know.

Never said Brockman's work was not good, just that he lacks people skills, and apparently does not work to a close schedule. If a gunsmith is less than two hours from my front door, there is no reason on earth for me to have to pay to ship a firearm to him, and pay for its return. Even my barber runs a tighter ship, if I make an appointment to get a trim in a week, I don't have to park my truck in front of the shop and wait that week out.

I will repeat myself: if I hire someone to do something for me, why should it bother them if I want to watch at the appointed time they made to do the work?

No whining, just answer why I have to mail it.

Thank you all for your understanding.

Rich
DRSS

I'm not dense, and you are not ignorant - we've tried to educate you on how Brockman works, therefore, you are just plain stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:

3. For those of you who know the name George Hoenig, by comparison Brockman is a blacksmith.

Never said Brockman's work was not good,

Isn't saying he is a blacksmith the equivalent of saying a gunsmith's work is not good? Your two statements above seem incongruous.

I don't want to get into a pissing match
but If I didn't know you prety well, I would not let you in my shop.
Brockman's might have a prototype of a new design sitting there and needs to prtect his patent.
Not to mention there are people who do not know when to keep there hands to themselvs,
And I would not say come back on such and such a day and i will fix your gun.
It would be quite likly that somthing would happen and through off his schedual.
But it seems like you have a smith you work with already,
Take your stuff to him.
Thats the american way. I bought a set of brockmans pop up peep sight bases for my 45/70
Got treated real well.
there was some sort of delay in shipping them and sombody called and gave me a heads up.
all a guy can ask for,,,tj3006

Back to the original question; Brockman's sights have ears which protect the blade and aperature. That's a big deal in rough country or rocky hills. The ghost ring on most of these sights are a machined casting and if they get bent, are likely to snap off if you try to bend them back.

Also, if you buy a Brockman you get a tuned rifle ready to rock and roll. The factory Marlins are fine but mine all took a few hundred rounds to get slicked up.

Wow! That Brockman rifle is really nice.

I have a "do it yourself" custom Marlin 336SS that I am quite proud of and is very accurate too.