quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
There is a simple problem with all of this, and which has been totally ignored. Most gunowners are unwilling to pay for quality work, and hence get exactly what they are willing to pay for, though far short of what they expect.

It's like complaining about the quality of chi-com goods at walmart when the truth is you could have had a quality product if you'd been willing to pay for it.

I've dealt with a multitude of quality and trade organizations, ISO, NICET, etc and none of them gurantee quality. All they do is raise the price without raising quality and add paperwork. The only way to get top people is to be willing to pay for the good ones, and fire the bad ones.

I used a highly recommended local smith with 20+ years experience to smooth a model 70 trigger and set it between 3 1/2 and 4#, with my preference closer to 4#.

$85.00 later I picked up a rifle with a trigger pull of under 3# that fires if you drop it butt first on a carpeted floor from 10".

How much $$$ do I have to pay to get quality work?

$$$$ does NOT translate into quality.


I know of another smith that is highly praised on another board, yet butchered a pistol of a close friend and did nothing to resolve the situation.

Furthermore, dare I mention Jack Belk?

Rick 0311, the AMA (primarily a lobbying org)is a poor example, the state board of medical examiners is a much better one. They yank licenses from docs for both ethical and technical problems. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction.

Any reference or comparison to lawyers and ethics is a fool's errand

The idea of some sort of ethical standard and technical standard for gunsmiths is a wonderful idea, but the devil is in the details.