AVOID Gunsmith quicksand!...Classic Barrel & Gunworks: Prescott Arizona: Dan Pedersen

[PARA45]

What a cluster, I hope you get your rifle back soon.

 

[rookhawk]

Update- the detective went by Dan’s shop unannounced and my notarized demand letter was sitting on Dan’s shop table along with a box that was labeled with my address.

The detective was told the rifle would be shipped out the next day….. that was weeks ago and I haven’t heard a word from Dan or seen my rifle.

Called the detective yesterday to inform him that I am moving forward with civil action against Dan and the detective informs me there is another case open with another detective where Dan has had a $15K rifle longer than mine the owner is likewise pushing the envelope on Dan.

Good news though! I apparently raised enough hell with Dan that he has changed his shop voicemail message.

“The is Dan, I am retiring and no longer accepting work; if I have your rifle it will be returned as soon as it’s completed”

At least he’s not taking anyones property anymore.

This is the condition my rifle was left in June when C the younger smith left…

View attachment 487744

Gotta love the shifting jaws in a heavy vise being used for the barrel inletting job. What the jaws don't do by force, gravity will provide destroying the checkering.

Very sorry you had to endure this gunsmithing nightmare.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Wow hope you get this resolved soon. This seems to be an all to common occurrence, everywhere. I dropped off a rifle to Elwood Epps gunsmith, here in Ontario, on November 15th 2019. The job was to ream to 450 Marlin the supplied 458 barrel and install in the supplied action. Bead blast and blue. Install in supplied Boyd’s plywood stock. In talking with them last week, he said by mid September it should be done. I told him I needed it for October 1 as I had a moose hunt and I would have to mount and zero a scope before the 15th. I am not holding my breath as I am sure I would be blue and quite dead before I see this rifle.
This is not the first bad gunsmith experience for me, it’s the third. I believe it’s because young people don’t want to work with there hands or get dirty.
It’s definitely a dying art.

 

[deewayne2003]

@Boyd Brooks

I don't think it's a lack of interested or motivated younger people.... Try placing yourself in their shoes, you would have to find a GOOD smith to apprentice under that will not screw you over and make enough money doing so to support yourself and then if you want to go out on your own where are you going to get the capital to do so?

After all families with the capital to finance/support their child going into gunsmithing would most likely laugh at the idea and instead push their children to more lucrative and socially glorious career paths; and families that lack capital for gunsmithing, trade school or college will most likely push the same narrative that I was force fed......."Go to college or you are an idiot!" I know I was pushed that way and FYI College tuition & fees have outpaced inflation by 5X!

There are plenty of bright hard working people in this world that want nothing more than to succeed by merit ..... but today it's a much steeper climb in this country, and if you don't believe that, then check out these stats from 1971.

WTF Happened In 1971?

"I don't believe we shall ever have a good money again before we take the thing out of the hands of government, that is, we can't take it violently out of the hands of government, all we can do is by some sly roundabout way introduce something that they can't stop." - F.A. Hayek 1984

wtfhappenedin1971.com

 

[CJW]

I believe it’s because young people don’t want to work with there hands or get dirty.
It’s definitely a dying art.

I would be interested in hearing you expand on that.

 

[Josh P]

While I wouldn't call myself "young people", my presence tends to skew the demographics when around people with similar interests. There's a difference between my grandfather and I, but we both work hard. We just have different motivations. People of all ages, throughout all the ages, have been leaving one another hanging. It's a symptom of humanity, not a particular age.

...in my opinion.

 

[ducmarc]

Man,my smith is 81 yrs old and brilliant. He loves to show me his projects and tricks on how he does things.yeah he's slow but has gotten much faster in the past year or so.over the past 30 yrs has become a pretty good friend we're down to two projects rechambering my complain to 45-70 and building a p17 in 416 rigby after that I'm not going to build anything more major.figure little restoration projects he's really sharp a rebluing and reparking to proper finishes maybe another m70.after he's gone I'll be done with project guns

 

[Thorman]

Back in early 2015 I had sent Dan a rifle to be rebarreled in 350 Well Express. At first he'd answer calls or return my voicemails with promises of competing my project in a timely manner. Then he ignored phone calls and letters for the next 4 years, then July of 2019 he actually answered one day and promised my rifle would be finished within a month!

After 2 more years of no contact, I had some family stop by who happened to be traveling through the area October 2021 and talk to Dan in person. Within a day, Colt called and talked to me, the rifle hadn't even been touched since it was delivered in March of 2015! I explained to Colt what i wanted and had the rifle rebarreled and back to me within a month.

Thank God Dan is retiring because he has no professionalism with his business, hopefully Colt doesn't list working for Dan on his resume!

My advice is to just go get it, finished or not, especially since his hired help left.

Patrick

 

[fourfive8]

Also sounds like many taxidermists. And a reminder for choosing both taxidermists and gunsmiths carefully. Unfortunately seems more typical and common than ever.... get greedy, take in more work than can be managed, get behind, then start using excuses, then start blaming others, then try to disappear. And the more recently popularized "covid excuse" has not helped either.

 

[deewayne2003]

@Thorman - Your story is just one of many that I have heard after starting this thread.

Colt is indeed good and is no longer on speaking terms with Dan and has moved on to much greener pastures. I really do hope to get my parts back especially because Colt made the barrel custom.

 

[baxterb]

That's very strange. Dan used to have a great reputation building cut-rifle barrels.

 

[deewayne2003]

That's very strange. Dan used to have a great reputation building cut-rifle barrels.

How many years ago was that?…. Because I’m yet to find anyone who speaks highly of him; I based my decision to send my rifle to him based on past magazine articles and a book on custom rifles I was reading at the time along with his friendly and knowledgeable demeanor when we spoke on the phone.

Last smith I spoke with about taking over the project said…..

“GOOD LUCK getting your rifle back; it took him 6 years to complete the one and ONLY barrel he’s done for me!”

 

[baxterb]

How many years ago was that?…. Because I’m yet to find anyone who speaks highly of him; I based my decision to send my rifle to him based on past magazine articles and a book on custom rifles I was reading at the time along with his friendly and knowledgeable demeanor when we spoke on the phone.

Last smith I spoke with about taking over the project said…..

“GOOD LUCK getting your rifle back; it took him 6 years to complete the one and ONLY barrel he’s done for me!”

Many years ago. As your reference to magazine articles and books, at one time he was highly regarded, and he was one of a few small makers that did cut rifle vs. button rifles.

understand, I’m not vouching for him. I almost sent him work myself, glad I didn’t.

 

[deewayne2003]

I hear yah baxterb…. He had to build a reputation somehow, but how long has he been screwing people over?

Update- On October 7th Dan was served with notice I’m suing him, so we’ll see how the cards fall.

 

[358 Norma]

Sorry to read about the mess you are in with that clown. Makes my problems with Randy Selby and his sloppy workmanship minimal in comparison.

Ah the man who calls himself the real gunsmith! The man's head so big I'm surprised he can walk through a garage door!

 

[deewayne2003]

For the forums entertainment & another warning to the wise, I submit the following update….

The court date has been set for next month Jan 2023; 2 years to the day after sending him my rifle with a 6 month turnaround time.

 

[deewayne2003]

Well 2 years after sending him a BRNO ZKK 602 in .375 H&H for conversion to .404J; this is what I received today….

 

[PARA45]

Did you get all the parts you sent him? WOW, what a shame!!

 

[deewayne2003]

Did you get all the parts you sent him? WOW, what a shame!!

I don’t know how to really answer that; I sent him a complete rifle expecting to receive the same in return.

I got a barreled action with a not soldered rear sight ramp sliding up and down the barrel and “Cut to 22” on the barrel even though the barrel was left at 25” and not profiled to fit the stock.

 

[Inline6]

Sorry for your troubles!

Thank you for sharing your experience. It will save others and hopefully make someone ask the right questions before they send a rifle off.

You have your parts, now you just need to find the smith to make it happen.

I had a bad experience twice with the same guy (Mark at Short action customs) 1st time was supposed to take 6 months was shooting a team match and we were both going to shoot the same round. It was an edge for getting wind calls right. Smith promised me 6 months was not a problem. 1.5 years later I received the rifle (I had bought a barreled action just to shoot the match). He gave me the excuses and I believed him. So I sent him my 7WSM to have it rebarreled and restocked. I made it a point to remind him how long it took last time and a repeat was not acceptable. 2 years later I received the rifle back. I did not even shoot it, I listed if for sale (I am not sure if he is better now or not, I will not find out). I ended up selling the other one he made for me and purchased an Accuracy International, I could get per fit barrels for them at the time (2009). Today a lot of people offer it for a lot of different actions. Back then it really was jot a thing except for AIs and Savages. Back then I was burning through 2-3 barrels a season. Did not have time to wait on a smith to rebarrel. Now most new actions you can get a permit and rock on. These rifles do not have iron sights, makes things a lot easier. My shooting partner ended up buying a lathe, so we cut out own barrels now.