The 257 Hawk barrel he did for me is now part of my sidewalk. So far, it seems to be holding up.

quote:

The 257 Hawk barrel he did for me is now part of my sidewalk. So far, it seems to be holding up.

Is he in there with the barrel why no-one can find him?

Just to be clear what kind of a person we're dealing with, I received this message about one year and a half after sending him the rifle:

Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2007 1:47 PM
Subject: RE: Custom Rifle Bid Request.


Howdy,

Sorry this project has been slow in coming, however I seem to be getting
caught up a little. I expect your gun to go to bluing in 2 to 3 weeks, so
delivery is about 6 weeks out right now. I would like to request a progress
payment, you have a deposit on hand of $400, a progress payment of about
$300 would suffice.

At this point I also need to clear up some final details with you. You
had asked about the rear express sight and whether it would interfere with
a peep. It would as they are approximately the same height. Let me know
if you want to change sight, now is the time.

Also if you have some brass you might send me a few and possible make up a
few dummies with the bullet you intend to load, so I can check feeding.

Thanks for your business.

Fred Zeglin
http://www.Z-Hat.com
Specialists in Custom Barrels and Quality Hunting Rifles

The problem is 99 times out of 100, anybody that has the mechanical and business skills to be a successful gunsmith will figure out he can make more $ with less headaches in a host of different fields.

That leaves us with folks who may have the best of intentions and delusions of what they can do coming up against the cold hard facts of business that it just doesn't pencil out.

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:

Mike, I hope you're the one out of a thousand but the odds are stacked against you.

(PS: I'm neither a lawyer nor a financial planner)

So, let me guess, you're the guy that supplies the various talking heads with the 90% of the guns used by Mexican cartels come from the US statistic?

I don't know whether it's the spring weather, or what, but the ice has suddenly started to melt. Lon Paul, who has been following my tribulations with Fred, recently contacted me and offered to finish up the .500 Jeffery project if I could pry it away from Fred. I communicated this offer to Fred, and amazingly he answered.

I have had more communications from Fred in the last two days than in the previous three years.

The upshot is that Monte Manderino, who lives in the immediate area, will be coming over to Fred's place to examine the work he has done on my rifle, and if he OK's it, I will pay Fred for the work done to date and he will ship the rifle to Lon to complete.

I will post the results as they occur, crossing my fingers that I may see my rifle once again before I'm too old and feeble to do anything with it.

quote:

Lon Paul, who has been following my tribulations with Fred, recently contacted me and offered to finish up the .500 Jeffery project if I could pry it away from Fred. I communicated this offer to Fred, and amazingly he answered.

So that would make it a safe bet that all your previous contact attempts had simply been ignored. That is nothing but on his part.

Given how long he's had the rifle, it's a shame that you have to pay him any more money, even if he has done some work to it. It's like he has your gun for ransom.

Glad to hear that things are thawing, xausa.

But damn, Forrest, you tar with a wide brush. Reminds me of the old lawyer joke: It's 99% of them that give the other 1% a bad name.

Forums like this one are the best consumer protection there is - not perfect, but way better than it used to be.

If lucky,anyone considering forking over $4995 for the Custom 458 Lott featured for sale on Mr.Z.'s website will come across this discussion,before sending $..... Suspect a cash buyer could effect a serious discount nowadays,but would do well to have the rifle in on hand before passing the cash wiht the other..Idabull

FYI - Fred contacted me and my project is now complete. Will let you know once I receive it.

I am please to report that my Browning 71 rebarreled and chambered in .450 Alaskan has been delivered. Fred's work is high quality and was on budget. The delay was unfortunate, but Fred did the work that he agreed to. I would have no problem in having Fred do more work for me.
Thanks,

quote:

I am please to report that my Browning 71 rebarreled and chambered in .450 Alaskan has been delivered. Fred's work is high quality and was on budget. The delay was unfortunate, but Fred did the work that he agreed to. I would have no problem in having Fred do more work for me.

That rebarrel work took how long and how many attempts to contact on your part?

Fred has had xausa's project for how many months now?

Dave you are much more forgiving and trusting than I am.

Any updates on this saga? Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

I am please to report that my Browning 71 rebarreled and chambered in .450 Alaskan has been delivered. Fred's work is high quality and was on budget. The delay was unfortunate, but Fred did the work that he agreed to. I would have no problem in having Fred do more work for me.

That rebarrel work took how long and how many attempts to contact on your part?

Fred has had xausa's project for how many months now?

Dave you are much more forgiving and trusting than I am.

I had a custoemr in the shop on Tuesday who told me a story about his dealing with ZHAT. Apparently, Fred had this guys rifle for just over SIX YEARS! Only after my customer sent an acquaintence of his to see Fred, an acquaintence who happened to be a Federal law enforcement officer, did Fred find the rifle and finish it...in two days! I guess all's well that end's sell, but SIX YEARS! And some people think I'm slow.

After reading numerous accounts of gunsmiths doing this to customers, one has to wonder why customers give gunsmiths a lot more latitude than they give to their car mechanics, electricians, plumbers etc. ?

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
After reading numerous accounts of gunsmiths doing this to customers, one has to wonder why customers give gunsmiths a lot more latitude than they give to their car mechanics, electricians, plumbers etc. ?

Check the comparative numbers of provider listings for each service in The Real Yellow Pages (grin). Not very many gunsmiths, are there? Also, how often and how urgently do you need each of these services?

I already have some spare rifles and even 2 vehicles, but I have only one water supply and only one electrical supply so......
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by J.D.Steele:

Check the comparative numbers of provider listings for each service in The Real Yellow Pages (grin). Not very many gunsmiths, are there? Also, how often and how urgently do you need each of these services?

I already have some spare rifles and even 2 vehicles, but I have only one water supply and only one electrical supply so......
Regards, Joe

I understand that very well. My point is more focused towards the relationship between vendor and customer.

If my electrician tells me that a job will take 2 weeks, you bet I will make his life a living hell if the job takes 6 weeks instead. If my mechanic tells me it will take 2 days to fix my car and I find out that the car is not fixed for a week, he will hear a thing or two from me.

It seems that it is quite common for gunsmiths to quote the time frame in weeks while soliciting business but when it comes time to deliver, the customer stops hearing from them for months.

This is the best one yet : ouoted

"D99
one of us

Posted 13 January 2011 08:52 Hide Post
America is going to shit, it isn't just gunsmiths, but we have tons of people who feel their shit doesn't stink and they don't have to do the work we pay for.I have had several gunsmiths, an outfitter, and a taxidermist on my shit list for a long time.

At least my sister married a taxidermist, even though he is slower than molasses I don't care because now the bastard is family. Speaking of which I need to call and ask about Dad's antelope again. "

This day and age it is a risk to send something of value outside of the state you live in and its gonna get much worse