Gun builder not responding to me, what should I do?

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Try going through the gun shop that recommended him. See they can help.
Stop by in person again.
 
Let the shop know about the difficulties you've had. They need to know what kind of service, or lack thereof, they just recommended to you.
 
My guess is that he is suffering from an acute case of chronic avoidance and procrastination behavior.

Holding in stress can lead to psychosomatic illness, pain and other physical symptoms as well as depression.
 
correct me if i'm wrong, but did you say you droped off a serial numbered part (reciever) off at someboby's house? this person has an ffl correct? he gave you a reciept? if so, you are covered legaly. if not, you both have commited a crime, and have no recourse but to wave it goodbye. not judging or flaming, i just wanted to make sure you and all whom read this understand.

that being said, he may be very ill, in wich case very backordered. i would continue to leave messages once a week for a while more. at some point during one of these messages, it may be necisary to mention the legal ramifications of continued incommunication.
 
I would send him a PM on the AK forum and tell him that if he doesn't contact you within a reasonable time you are going to start posting your exact experience with his service on that and any other gun board you can find.

I'd also let him know that your going to let the gunstore know what level of service he gave you.

Tell him that if the above elicits no response your next communication with him will be via process server.
 
From www.atf.gov:

I. GUNSMITHS

(I1) Is a license needed to engage in the business of engraving, customizing, refinishing or repairing firearms?

Yes. A person conducting such activities as a business is considered to be a gunsmith within the definition of a dealer. See Item 16, “Federal Excise Tax” in the General Information section of this publication.

[27 CFR 478.11]



(I2) Does a gunsmith need to enter in a permanent "bound book" record every firearm received for adjustment or repair?

If a firearm is brought in for repairs and the owner waits while it is being repaired or if the gunsmith is able to return the firearm to the owner during the same business day, it is not necessary to list the firearm in the “bound book” as an "acquisition." If the gunsmith has possession of the firearm from one business day to another or longer, the firearm must be recorded as an “acquisition” and a “disposition” in the permanent "bound book" record.

(I3) Is an ATF Form 4473 required when a gunsmith returns a repaired firearm?

No, provided the firearm is returned to the person from whom it was received.

[27 CFR 478.124(a)]
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This doesn't sound good ... building an AK for someone from a complete (serial numbered) receiver can hardly be anything but gunsmithing, which requires an FFL and since it wasn't something he did while you waited, he HAD to enter it into his bound book.

If he happened to be building on a flat or 80% receiver then you have yet another problem.

Just because a gun shop recommended him doesn't mean they know the law, or that he does, either.

I would check this out IMMEDIATELY. You REALLY don't need the kind of problems that can arise...

This is NOT a face-to-face transfer of ownership and FL state law isn't the issue.

Of course, if he's a well-known individual, maybe the chances are better that he does know and follow the law, but you've got your homework cut out for you. Sorry you're in this mess!

Good luck!

-Sam
 
Well, I did not realize that he's not asking for money or goods in exchange for his services. If there is no contract then getting him to act may be tricky.

That seems odd, but if he's doing it just for the love of it, maybe that's different. I have no idea if it is different or not, but it might be.

Actually, I'd say it is more likely that he did enter it into his book (later), but not in your presence and he didn't give you a receipt for it. That's unfortunate and a little odd, but could be.

I believe I'd be doing all I could to get all your stuff back from him ASAP. There are good builders around who will treat you honestly. And those are pretty easy to assemble yourself, especially if you can find some local AK nuts with a few of the right tools.

Again, good luck!

-Sam
 
Hmmm...I've been doing some on-line research. I have at least a few leads that suggest that if the guy is NOT taking money for his work then, maybe...perhaps...the ATF would not require him to have an FFL.

I did not know this before. Never even occurred to me. I'd assumed that if you worked on other people's guns you needed to be licensed.

This is NOT VERIFIED. I'd greatly appreciate if anyone could provide a legal citation that clearly answers this.

-Sam
 
Y'know, since it's just "a guy so-and-so recommended," as opposed to a company, you're kind of at the mercies of the guy's life--he may not be "open" from 9-5, and if he walks outside and gets hit by a bus, you're screwed.

Sounds like you've got little recourse but to wait.
 
PILMAN

...if you're giving him money, that's a business transaction. The BATFE has no sense of humor. If he's building a gun for you, even on a pre-made receiver, and you're paying him, he's in business.

There's no such thing as a "hobby", legally. If he's doing it for money, he's a business, and if he's doing so without a license, get your possessions back and politely inform him to get a dang FFL.

Worse yet, he's probably not paying taxes to the IRS.

If caught, he's in trouble at LEAST with the State and two Federal agencies.


Doing it without being paid.... gray area at best. Taking in receivers and building them into functional arms for no fee seems rather sketchy, but hey, maybe he likes to.


This:

He is a gunsmith.
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..makes me EXTREMELY wary of the entire situation. Being a gunsmith, it's common knowledge that you need an FFL to take in guns and work on them. It's hard to imagine he's anything but a hack if he's saying he's a gunsmith and doesn't know any of this.
 
Still a gray area, but it doesn't sound like he's breaking the law in that regard.
 
It's a gray area because the BATFE hasn't specifically said it's legal or illegal. Laws (that they do arbitrarily ignore from time to time) aside, they pretty much have the final say in things like that.
 
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