There are many pet peves encountered over and over again in the custom gun building business.
First, is the customer who really has no idea what he wants. He can't make up his mind. He really does not know what he needs. He just has a egotistical desire to have the bigest, badest, and newest technology.
Second, he takes advice from those he does not know and does not know their skills and knowledge set. A large amount of published materials in gun publications is written by a writer with a financial interest vs a getting the facts to the reader. First hand experience is the absolute teacher. Again the best advice is from someone else who has already been there and gotten the preverbial T shirt.
Third, quality comes with a price. There is a great deal of labor and material cost in building a custom rifle. Many folks wanting a custom rifle balk when confronted with the cost. Nothing is more insulting to a custom gun maker to have a customer try to haggle and knit pic over cost. When you get your gunsmith insulted or pissed off the whole process goes down hill.
Fourth, Customers who change their minds or back out after the project is underway.
There are many quality custom gun builders, most have the deepest respect for each others work. There are always going to be a couple of cut-throats out there. The usually don't last more the a year or two and their skills and business practices are exploited. The gun forums are an informative medium.
I will venture to say 90% of the experienced gunsmiths who build custom rifles can talk with a customer for 15 minutes and determine if they want to take on the customer's project. Building a custom rifle is building a life long relationship. Good gunsmiths don't have to advertise as their work speaks for itself. There is nothing worse than a "know it all" customer. If the customer knows it all then why doesn't he build his own rifle.
Custom Rifles are exactly that, a rifle built to specifically meet the needs of that customer and not anyone else, not even the gunsmith.
My advise to anyone wanting to have a custom rifle built is to think, do your homework, get references from both the product vendors and prior customers, don't take advise but from those you know and respect, listen to your gunsmith, expect to pay a fair price for your custom rifle if you want your rifle of a lifetime, be considerate to your gunsmith, make sure you have a good line of communications before you commit to your project.
Do your part so your gunsmith can do his part.
Nat Lambeth
First, is the customer who really has no idea what he wants. He can't make up his mind. He really does not know what he needs. He just has a egotistical desire to have the bigest, badest, and newest technology.
Second, he takes advice from those he does not know and does not know their skills and knowledge set. A large amount of published materials in gun publications is written by a writer with a financial interest vs a getting the facts to the reader. First hand experience is the absolute teacher. Again the best advice is from someone else who has already been there and gotten the preverbial T shirt.
Third, quality comes with a price. There is a great deal of labor and material cost in building a custom rifle. Many folks wanting a custom rifle balk when confronted with the cost. Nothing is more insulting to a custom gun maker to have a customer try to haggle and knit pic over cost. When you get your gunsmith insulted or pissed off the whole process goes down hill.
Fourth, Customers who change their minds or back out after the project is underway.
There are many quality custom gun builders, most have the deepest respect for each others work. There are always going to be a couple of cut-throats out there. The usually don't last more the a year or two and their skills and business practices are exploited. The gun forums are an informative medium.
I will venture to say 90% of the experienced gunsmiths who build custom rifles can talk with a customer for 15 minutes and determine if they want to take on the customer's project. Building a custom rifle is building a life long relationship. Good gunsmiths don't have to advertise as their work speaks for itself. There is nothing worse than a "know it all" customer. If the customer knows it all then why doesn't he build his own rifle.
Custom Rifles are exactly that, a rifle built to specifically meet the needs of that customer and not anyone else, not even the gunsmith.
My advise to anyone wanting to have a custom rifle built is to think, do your homework, get references from both the product vendors and prior customers, don't take advise but from those you know and respect, listen to your gunsmith, expect to pay a fair price for your custom rifle if you want your rifle of a lifetime, be considerate to your gunsmith, make sure you have a good line of communications before you commit to your project.
Do your part so your gunsmith can do his part.
Nat Lambeth
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