Need advice on dealing with unresponsive respected gun smith

[reloader_rob]

I ordered a barrel over a year ago (Feb 2012) and was told it would take 8 months.
I checked in on it just after April 2013 when I hadn’t received any word or barrel and was told a virus got his computer with orders and made a mess of things. I provided a copy of my check he cashed and gave him the info on what the barrel was to be.
I tried to get an update on status last month and was told check back next week as he was on vacation, so I did and no response. I also checked back yesterday and no response.
So my question to you guys is how would you handle it?

Rob

 

[mrvco]

Is it a local outfit?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Sometimes artisans and craftsmen aren't very good businessmen. However good or busy he might be, I can't see any reason for this. If some unexpected problem did crop up - and they do happen - that should have been communicated to you. As you relate it, he sounds like he's making up excuses and blowing smoke. Did you pay up front? If yes, consider giving him X amount of time to make good or give you a refund or start chargeback proceedings on your credit card (if you paid that way). I tire of the excuses that "he's the best there is" or "it's worth the wait." It is only worth the wait if you're told this up front and honestly.

 

[X-JaVeN-X]

Not much you can do really....I had a similar thing happen to me. I ordered a shotun magazine extension from some guy named craig prince (under the username max100). He was on several forums and had a good reputation for these parts. After taking quite a while with no word, I began trying to contact him with no response. I then went to the forums and found many other people in the same boat. The guy was still taking orders through email, but sending out generic "it'll go out next week" responses or no response at all. People on the forums were actually mad as us for calling this guy out.

It has now been a couple years since that happend, and no one has heard from the guy. A few of us contacted the local sheriff's office, but nothing ever came of it to my knowledge.

All I can tell you is to keep trying to contact the guy, or maybe see if someone knows him personally near him that can contact him on your behalf. In my case, it seemed nobody actually knew this guy personally, so we never had this option.

 

[reloader_rob]

No Unfortunately he is not local.

I do travel a bit, and perhaps I can drop in before elevating the issue. Until then I will keep trying to contact him.

Thanks guys

 

[243winxb]

Call the police in his area. Have them do a "well check" on his "health"

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Small claims court

 

[MartinS]

You could email him and tell him that as he is not responding to you with the information you require you are going to write up a summary of the situation, every word fact, post it on every firearms forum you can find and ask all if they they have a similar experience with him and how did they resolve it. You could mention to him that, in this way, you will be speaking to thousands of gun owners and potential customers. There are a lot of guntalk boards.

 

[feedthehogs]

I never understood why gun owners and knife owners are so timid about recouping money or product owed them.

As an owner of a service business for 35 years, we've had computer viruses, fires, thefts and most anything else one could think of and it never ever interfered with my ability to do a job on time.

Contact the da's office in the local in which this guy lives and file a fraud complaint.

 

[rondog]

Contact the da's office in the local in which this guy lives and file a fraud complaint.

My vote as well.

 

[12131]

Sounds like one excuse after another. Then, when he runs out of excuses, he just disappears.
What kind of "respected" gunsmith would run a business like that? How have you tried to contact him? Phone? email? Snail mail? FTF?

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Hmmm...

Lots of comments about contacting the DA or some such, but I wouldn't elevate this to that level just yet.

You say you ordered this over a year ago and that it's a long-lead item (8 months). If it was that long of a lead before the current market issues, then it's very probable that it could have been affected by the change in the market, which would be understandable.

Most businessmen don't get to be in the business they're in for long, much less become "respected", for consistent bad service.

Here's what I'd do:

Contact him in person, if at all possible, or directly by phone otherwise. Have copies of your check and any paperwork associated with what you ordered, and when you ordered it. Do a little research beforehand on alternate sources for the barrel you want, just in case you end up having to go elsewhere. This might come in handy for either bargaining or discussions on an alternate source he might pursue if he's having problems.

Discuss your order with him and your concerns, and think about how to word this beforehand. It should be kept both professional and open...and by "open" I mean the discussion is carefully worded to express your concerns and obtain information without being offensive or backing him into a corner where he has no other out except to address you as an aggressive customer. "Cordial" or "polite" would be other good descriptions.

Find out why it's taking so long, what can be done to address that problem, how things might be expedited. If it's going to take an excessive amount of time to get your merchandise, then turn the discussion towards a full refund so that you may pursue other routes.

Remember...the bottom line is that you want the barrel you ordered and he wants your business.

Sometimes excrement happens, even with good guys...and the really good guys will work to treat their customers honorably when things go south.

If it turns out that he's simply giving you the runaround and gives you a hard time, THEN you can pursue other avenues.

 

[Onmilo]

Demand your money back as soon as possible or contact your local state's Attorney Generals office about possible mail fraud.
Harry Pope died years ago

 

[J-Bar]

Send a registered (or is it certified?) letter...the kind that gives you proof of delivery and receipt, (your postal clerk will know) and request a refund. Wait a week or so, and if no refund appears, then contact postal authorities if you paid by mail, or the DA if you paid by other means.

 

[gym]

You got some good advice, don't just do nothing, he will continue to take other peoples money. If you have a friend who is a lawyer write him a letter. "it's just a form letter for a lawyer". Or write it yourself, he won't know the difference. Get a judgment against him, and you will see how fast he gets back to you then.