Rifle wait time woes

[Rimshot]

I usually buy something old and interesting, or buy a new gun that is either in stock or mass produced.

Well in 2022 I thought the pandemic was far enough behind us, so I ordered a Blaser D99 barrel in 9.3x74R to take to Africa (already had a D99 Duo in 6.5x55/22 hornet). Then I ordered a Cooper in 33 Nosler for western/Alaska hunts. Dealer has no idea what is happening with Blaser, only that they are working on it, and Cooper got bought out by Nighthawk Custom in Arkansas I guess. Any insiders out there? Am I looking at a few more months or 5 years you think? If we were talking about some bespoke hand-crafted masterpiece I would be more understanding of course, but both of these seem relatively simple.

I'm really stuck on the Blaser design because it works so well, so I guess all I can do is wait. As for the 33 Nosler, I just wanted a rifle chambered in that cartridge and landed on the Cooper. Seemed like the most powerful medium-bore cartridge I could comfortably shoot from a lightweight rifle without a brake or silencer. If I found a similar one for sale I'd probably just buy it and sell the Cooper whenever it came in the mean time.

So tell me your post-pandemic buying woes!

 

[Red Leg]

Have you tried contacting Blaser directly? Haven't dealt with them in a couple of years, but they were very responsive when I did.

 

[Rimshot]

Have you tried contacting Blaser directly? Haven't dealt with them in a couple of years, but they were very responsive when I did.

Not yet, but that is encouraging! Should I use the "contact us" link on the blaser.de website or somewhere else?

 

[mdwest]

I honestly havent had any woes shy of one, and I knew it was likely going to be a problem before I started down the path..

Ive got a Webley & Scott 912 O/U shotgun that started getting wonky on me that needed work.. Its a fairly new shotgun (still in production by W&S) manufacture date is around 2016 I believe.. but its been put through the ringer (daughter uses it to compete in trap, skeet, sporting clays, etc).. and had probably 15K shells run through it.. It needed a new set of springs and one of the firing pins had gotten damaged...

The problem is W&S hasnt imported that particular shotgun into the US since 2019 from what I can tell.. Cabelas brought a bunch of them in and a few other gun shops around the country did as well for a time.. but no one is selling them new now.. and there is almost nothing out there in terms of parts availability..

Anyway... long story short.. the gunsmith knew exactly what needed to be done.. but getting the parts to fix the shotgun took several months.. What I thought was going to be a 2-3 week affair ended up being close to 4 months to get parts and then another week to get the work done..

Thankfully it was all over a summer when there was an intermission in competitions so there was limited impact on the daughter (she just used her W&S 920 O/U to practice and train while the W&S 912 was getting worked on)..

 

[Justbryan]

In 2019, I ordered a custom-built Winchester Model 70 with high grade walnut stock for a 2020 Elk hunt. I finally got the gun this past summer, 2023. I took 4 years for me to get my rifle completed. I feel your pain.

I currently have a 22-250 & 375 H&H being built by the same gunsmith with the same specs. I am hoping the 375 H&H gets done by my hunt in 2025. It was order shortly after my first rifle in 2019.

I don't believe this is just a post-pandemic woe but that gunsmiths are retiring, getting older, and slowing down. Gunsmithing is becoming a lost art!

I hope you see your rifles in a few months and not 5 years!

 

[mdwest]

I don't believe this is just a post-pandemic woe but that gunsmiths are retiring, getting older, and slowing down. Gunsmithing is becoming a lost art!

I believe this to be true as well..

Thankfully the gunsmith I use most often is still a fairly young guy (maybe in his early 40's?) and likely will still be wrenching on guns long after I take a dirt nap.. and I've got some basic gunsmithing (more like mechanic) skills as well and am able to do a good bit of my own work..

But I have certainly noticed a decline in the number of people in the field, as well as the quality of the work that the "average" gunsmith is capable of..

you'd think with the advances in technology (better tools, better sharing of information/tips/tricks, etc) that the quality of work would have advanced (became easier to learn, access information, better access to better equipment, etc).. but it seems the desire to be true "craftsmen" has waned.. there just arent that many people out there anymore that I would trust a really nice firearm to..

One particular shop I used to go to, the gunsmith was making the overwhelming amount of his money simply cleaning and servicing pistols..

I was amazed at how many people owned fairly common, easy to maintain pistols, that would bring them to him to have him disassemble them, drop the parts into a sonic cleaner, scrub them a little bit, and then reassemble and return it to them in a couple of days.. He also made a good bit of money doing parts swaps on AR's..

These are super simple tasks that any 8th grader with access to a youtube video can figure out and do with ease.. but people were paying him hand over fist to "install an ambi safety" on their AR.. or to "clean" their glock..

He knew how to rebarrel, inlet a nice stock, thread a barrel, drill and tap for scope mounts, replace a sear, etc..etc.. but really didnt see any reason to advertise or push for that type of work.. when he was busy pretty much full time with super simple jobs that he could knock out quickly and easily that paid better margins..

 

[C.W. Richter]

I usually buy something old and interesting, or buy a new gun that is either in stock or mass produced.

Well in 2022 I thought the pandemic was far enough behind us, so I ordered a Blaser D99 barrel in 9.3x74R to take to Africa (already had a D99 Duo in 6.5x55/22 hornet). Then I ordered a Cooper in 33 Nosler for western/Alaska hunts. Dealer has no idea what is happening with Blaser, only that they are working on it, and Cooper got bought out by Nighthawk Custom in Arkansas I guess. Any insiders out there? Am I looking at a few more months or 5 years you think? If we were talking about some bespoke hand-crafted masterpiece I would be more understanding of course, but both of these seem relatively simple.

I'm really stuck on the Blaser design because it works so well, so I guess all I can do is wait. As for the 33 Nosler, I just wanted a rifle chambered in that cartridge and landed on the Cooper. Seemed like the most powerful medium-bore cartridge I could comfortably shoot from a lightweight rifle without a brake or silencer. If I found a similar one for sale I'd probably just buy it and sell the Cooper whenever it came in the mean time.

So tell me your post-pandemic buying woes!

That IS a long time, but 'could be worse! More than a few custom Dakota and Montana rifle orders were never filled, and under the bankruptcy laws deposit monies never returned. I had just placed an order for a custom 470 Capstick, but prior to cutting the requested $12.5K deposit, conducted some updated due diligence and learned that the company was on the road to tanking, so the order was cancelled, and the company surely tanked shortly afterward. What upsets me is that they were very eager to collect my $, knowing fully well that the order would never be delivered. (Worrying more about paying the bills, paychecks, etc.) On a positive note, in my prior corporate life 'did a LOT of bankruptcy cases (env. cleanups to maximize the bankrupt industrial property value for sale to re-pay creditors and pay professional fees) and they (Fed. Judges-not their $$) were great payers, just once annually. That's the only side you want to be on! **LOL 'Once went to Fed Court (required if there are any invoice/services performed inquiries) in the afternoon just after hunting in the a.m. and the Judge scolded me for not wearing a tie (just prior to paying me!) It's been awhile...I may have been wearing a "Bad" Christmas sweater?? Good times!

 

[Justbryan]

My gunsmith does not require a deposit, so I don't have money tied up in a project. He does not even require a deposit for custom builds. He just has a long wait list because of gun servicing and cleaning. It takes 3 months just to get a gun serviced and longer for repairs. CAN PEOPLE NOT CLEAN THEIR OWN GUNS!

 

[Hogpatrol]

I don't believe this is just a post-pandemic woe but that gunsmiths are retiring, getting older, and slowing down. Gunsmithing is becoming a lost art!

I hope you see your rifles in a few months and not 5 years!

Gunsmiths I'm in contact with are swamped.

 

[mdsalern]

I have a Sako at Beretta now. Has been there since Oct. 4, 2023.

 

[Puddle]

I don't believe this is just a post-pandemic woe but that gunsmiths are retiring, getting older, and slowing down. Gunsmithing is becoming a lost art!

So, so true. Two very good gunsmiths, both within a 30-minute drive of me have both retired. The only local gunsmith I'd trust is now a 4-hour round trip from me. Dang.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I believe this to be true as well..

Thankfully the gunsmith I use most often is still a fairly young guy (maybe in his early 40's?) and likely will still be wrenching on guns long after I take a dirt nap.. and I've got some basic gunsmithing (more like mechanic) skills as well and am able to do a good bit of my own work..

But I have certainly noticed a decline in the number of people in the field, as well as the quality of the work that the "average" gunsmith is capable of..

you'd think with the advances in technology (better tools, better sharing of information/tips/tricks, etc) that the quality of work would have advanced (became easier to learn, access information, better access to better equipment, etc).. but it seems the desire to be true "craftsmen" has waned.. there just arent that many people out there anymore that I would trust a really nice firearm to..

One particular shop I used to go to, the gunsmith was making the overwhelming amount of his money simply cleaning and servicing pistols..

I was amazed at how many people owned fairly common, easy to maintain pistols, that would bring them to him to have him disassemble them, drop the parts into a sonic cleaner, scrub them a little bit, and then reassemble and return it to them in a couple of days.. He also made a good bit of money doing parts swaps on AR's..

These are super simple tasks that any 8th grader with access to a youtube video can figure out and do with ease.. but people were paying him hand over fist to "install an ambi safety" on their AR.. or to "clean" their glock..

He knew how to rebarrel, inlet a nice stock, thread a barrel, drill and tap for scope mounts, replace a sear, etc..etc.. but really didnt see any reason to advertise or push for that type of work.. when he was busy pretty much full time with super simple jobs that he could knock out quickly and easily that paid better margins..

Ain't it the truth. I hate to sound like an old fogey but the millennials, indeed it seems almost everyone born after 1985, can't change their own oil, let alone take a gun apart to clean it. I built my 404J on a Mauser 98 last summer. The other day I was showing it to my son-in-law and his best friend. They both shoot and hunt. I was explaining the process of making this gun and all I get is blank looks. "Oh, I could never do that!" Yes, because you would never TRY.

If I wasn't already heading for the last roundup, I'd buy a lathe and milling machine and become a gunsmith. Ask Dennis Olsen what school he attended. He will give you the same answer he gave me: points to his head. Turns out Dennis started out as a logger in my home town. Now he's a world famous gunmaker. I think those of us from that generation were raised by parents who grew up in the Depression. Our parents had been raised by people who had to do stuff for themselves to survive. Boys who watched their dads fix the family car or girls who wore flour sack panties to school that their moms had sewn for them (incidentally, flour sacks are the finest cotton you'll ever run your hands over - smooth as silk, literally). This is the age of big box stores and "disposable assets." Go buy another cheap factory made gun. No one wants an old one that's been "fixed up." Doesn't matter that it might have a story to tell. Young people don't have time to be sentimental. That's not cool.

Gunsmithing is a dying art ... because the self-sufficient aspect of North American culture is almost dead.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

So, so true. Two very good gunsmiths, both within a 30-minute drive of me have both retired. The only local gunsmith I'd trust is now a 4-hour round trip from me. Dang.

Eight hours ONE WAY for me ... or anyone else in this city of 110K.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Just previous to the Covid problem, I ordered a custom LH 404 Jeffery from Reto Buehler, He immediately ordered an action from Granite Mountain Arms and barrel from PacNor. The barrel was delivered within about 6 months, but the action took over a year. Total time to delivery, IIRC, was about 2-1/2 years. Not Reto's fault, really, but a bit of a wait.

Gunsmiths - I can't see how a true gunsmith (as opposed to a parts installer) can learn the trade well enough to practice without years of experience. All the really good smiths I know are 40+ years old - many much older. It's getting increasingly difficult to find a good, trustworthy 'smith. Fortunately there are a couple guys that do great work, but NONE within a full day's drive for me. I have to ship my guns for any work.

 

[7x57Joe]

Boys who watched their dads fix the family car or girls who wore flour sack panties to school that their moms had sewn for them (incidentally, flour sacks are the finest cotton you'll ever run your hands over - smooth as silk, literally).

Hey, it wasn't just girls panties. My grandma made flour sack boxers for my brother and me! We didn't have much when I was growing up but, we had a lot of love for each other!

 

[C.W. Richter]

My gunsmith does not require a deposit, so I don't have money tied up in a project. He does not even require a deposit for custom builds. He just has a long wait list because of gun servicing and cleaning. It takes 3 months just to get a gun serviced and longer for repairs. CAN PEOPLE NOT CLEAN THEIR OWN GUNS!

It depends upon the cost of the gun. Only Democrats pay people to clean their guns in America. The free help was converted into tremendous expense long ago for those that were too lazy to do the work themselves. Also Democrats.

 

[Inline6]

Ordered a 7PRC barrel for my R8 from Palehorse Zero. Was asked if I wanted a Krieger (my go to for my comp rifles) 12-20 month wait or Pac-Nor 6-8 month wait. I have never ran a Pac-Nor so let's try it.

"This estimate is good for 30 days. Once we receive notification that you would like to proceed with the purchase of this barrel, we will send you an invoice. We require $500 non-refundable down payment to be made before we order your blank from Pac-Nor Barreling. Barrels are currently taking between 6-8 months to complete. Once the order is placed absolutely no changes can be made to your order. Please verify ALL specs on your barrel
are exactly what you want.

Thank you for choosing Palehorse Zero to build you the best in custom Blaser barrels."

"Good Afternoon,

I am writing up an estimate for you to review via Quickbooks. Please look it over carefully and let me know if all looks good and I will convert that into an Invoice for you to make the down payment and get the blank ordered. FYI we just started ordering our blanks through Pac-Nor Barreling and can get your barrel out to you much sooner if you are ok with Pac-Nor blank vs. Kreiger. Just a heads up Kreiger is out on their orders 12-20 months from when I order the blank. Let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you.

Have a great day!
Thank you,"

9 months in I sent a follow-up...

"Good Afternoon,

Sorry for the delayed response this is a hectic time for us getting in last minute camping trips and moving our son into college we actually did get a big batch of barrel blanks in last week. Dave will be getting started on them in the next few weeks here. I will be sure to keep you posted as we get closer to finishing it up.

Kind Regards, Robin"

Then another 2 months go by and I inquire again, for the record it takes two emails every time to get their attention.

"Good Morning,

Sorry for the delayed response, sometimes my emails get buried... I am working on the computer right now and saw this pop up. Dave has your barrel ready to go to the heat treaters once we get it back from them he just has to do the reamer work and cerakote it. We are looking at a few more weeks out on this barrel. I do sincerely apologize for the delay. He had received a big batch of really old orders from almost 2 years ago from Kreiger he bumped ahead of the PacNor batch of barrels he had in the shop here. I will be sure to communicate with you when I have a solid date for getting this completely finished up and ready to ship out.
I hope you have a fantastic day!

Thank you, Robin"

I was hoping that Palehorse Zero was different, it seems they follow the same business model as most other gunsmiths. Take their time line and double it. You will probably be withing 2 months one way or the other.

 

[Roosterlund]

Just sent rifle to Hart Barrels for build. Looking at 9-11 months. From what I’m reading guess that’s not to bad. Seems like forever!!!!!!!!

 

[Hogpatrol]

Just an FYI for those looking to shorten wait times. I have a few vendors I buy barrel blanks from like Southern Precision Rifles and Third Generation Shooting Supply to sidestep the long direct wait times. Some manufacturers like Kreiger have standard contours in stock and can be had in a week. The last Benchmark I purchased direct took three weeks. From my contacts, the military is consuming a LOT of barrels from various manufacturers. I ordered a .30 from one of them and was told I'd get it after they finished up their government contract and the large order going to South Africa. Ten months to get it.

For the record, this Ukranian sniper used an American made Bartlein rifle barrel. Last I checked, their wait time direct is over a year.

Meet The Ukrainian Sniper Who Broke World Record After Killing Russian Soldier From 3.8 Km Away

The shot by Mr Kovalskiy, spanning 12,468 feet, covered a distance greater than that of two Brooklyn Bridges in approximately 9 seconds.

www.ndtv.com

 

[Rare Breed]

I believe this to be true as well..

Thankfully the gunsmith I use most often is still a fairly young guy (maybe in his early 40's?) and likely will still be wrenching on guns long after I take a dirt nap.. and I've got some basic gunsmithing (more like mechanic) skills as well and am able to do a good bit of my own work..

But I have certainly noticed a decline in the number of people in the field, as well as the quality of the work that the "average" gunsmith is capable of..

you'd think with the advances in technology (better tools, better sharing of information/tips/tricks, etc) that the quality of work would have advanced (became easier to learn, access information, better access to better equipment, etc).. but it seems the desire to be true "craftsmen" has waned.. there just arent that many people out there anymore that I would trust a really nice firearm to..

One particular shop I used to go to, the gunsmith was making the overwhelming amount of his money simply cleaning and servicing pistols..

I was amazed at how many people owned fairly common, easy to maintain pistols, that would bring them to him to have him disassemble them, drop the parts into a sonic cleaner, scrub them a little bit, and then reassemble and return it to them in a couple of days.. He also made a good bit of money doing parts swaps on AR's..

These are super simple tasks that any 8th grader with access to a youtube video can figure out and do with ease.. but people were paying him hand over fist to "install an ambi safety" on their AR.. or to "clean" their glock..

He knew how to rebarrel, inlet a nice stock, thread a barrel, drill and tap for scope mounts, replace a sear, etc..etc.. but really didnt see any reason to advertise or push for that type of work.. when he was busy pretty much full time with super simple jobs that he could knock out quickly and easily that paid better margins..

My favorite JJ Perodeau hurt his back and so could not be at DSC. I always enjoy talking to him in person