My Custom Rossi 92 lever action sporting rifle is back in my possession. And, yes, it is in "needs a whole bunch of work" condition. My heart is no longer invested in my perfectly conceived rifle. Now, I'll settle for getting it in decent working order. The first two things that need be done are finishing the rifle stock, and installing a tang sight.

Having been emotionally mauled by a recommended lever action gunsmith, I want to try a different method - if it's possible. I live in Missoula County, Montana. What I seek is a gifted hobbyist who can finish my rifle's stock. If that hobbyist can drill & tap my tang a second time, since the first time was a bizarre choice, even better. However, having the sight work down separately is not a big deal. If I had to identify a gifted hobbyist class, I think of people who complete muzzleloading gun kits - kits they assembly from Track of the Wolf, et al., or kits whose contents are parts complete and partially completed. The hobbyist(s) I seek would be in western Montana, preferably west of the Divide.

What I'm trying to do includes:
- Having acceptable work done at a reasonable cost.

- Having control over my possession of my rifle. The triggering action by my recommended lever action gunsmith was his refusal to return the rifle, then ceasing all communication with me. Being within reasonable driving distance allows us to get acquainted and keep in reasonable contact.

- Having lower expectations of finished rifle stock, I'll be content with what I would not have been content with when I first conceived my project.
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Anyone who can, please furnish my contact information to the hobbyist, or PM me with the hobbyist's contact information.

Just a comment; "Kits" from Track of the Wolf require major gunsmithing skills; they are definitely not for the amateur. You might be thinking of some older Italian kits in which everything is already fitted and mostly finished. Track's kits are just an assemblage of parts, all of which need major fitting and finishing.
So, anyone who builds muzzle loaders from Track, is a damn good mechanic.

I believe I have solved the wood problem. One down, sight to go. Verifying that rebarreling, chambering, and action work is safe is a gunsmith thing. What was done on metal requires these. I'm unwilling to shoot it or even cycle the action again. I cycled it once and there may be a problem; I can't be sure.

I wonder about your outlook on these things, Naphtali.

Just because you had a bad experience with one gunsmith does not mean they are mostly untrustworthy.

At least a practising gunsmith will do your work with reasonable dispatch at an estimated (if not estimable ) price.

I see in your second post that you may already be seeing this reality but indulge me while I tell a story prompted by the first one.

Forty years ago I sporterised a military FN Mauser, rasping out a slim sporting rifle shape from the club-like original, London-oil finishing it and adding passable cross-over chequering, not to mention metal work.

An acquaintance admired it and asked if I could do the same thing with a rifle he had. I explained that I had probably spent 100 hours on my project but that if he could find and furnish me with a s/h 94 Big Bore I would have a go at his rifle.

Strangely, he thought my request was a bit rich. I may have picked up a bit of speed on the second rifle but my price would still have represented a fraction of the time involved.

My 2 cents: if you find a gunsmith who does good work for you, stick with him or her and pay what they are asking. I am not wealthy, but I have had a couple of custom target rifles built. They both cost several times what a Savage/Remington/Winchester costs, but they were both done right the first time. There's value in not paying to have it done twice.

I took a barreled Enfield action to a local 'smith to have the barrel removed, and he broke my ×*%# action. It would have been worth the shippingvand FFL fee for me to send it to my trusted gunsmith.