Still no gun back from smith

[Oil Ridge]

I sent a pm to the mod the next day, been waiting for the first thread to unlock, but it hasn't, so I started this one. The very next day after posting that thread, I called and got through on the first try. The smith answered and said he would mail them the next day and give me a call with the tracking number. So now it is Thursday and no call, so I'm pretty much to the point of trying some of the other suggestions.

I should have mentioned I planned to dispute the cc charges but I was so surprised he finally picked up the phone it caught me off guard. Then he said he would have them in the mail next day and I said, "Great! Thank you very much!" and hung up. Now I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football over and over.

 

[gamestalker]

Time for a certified letter that is clear and to the point. Don't come across as rude, or approach it with anything other than the resolution you are seeking. Give him 72 hrs. to respond by either providing a tracking number, or refusal to cooperate / answer your certified request. Then if you don't get a satisfactory response, proceed with civil action or any other legal approach that will force his hand to resolve the matter.

He has had plenty of time to make good on his broken promises. And nothing much on this firum will further offer resolution or a viable explanation.

Use your phone records, CC records to confirm dates of contact and resolution attemps on your behalf, bring that stuff to court as evidense attesting to your claim.

 

[bluethunder1962]

i hav had a lot of sucess with BBB. Even if they are not members they can help. Have you given anymore thought in finding somebody in the area he is at to pay him a visit?

 

[Chawbaccer]

Sounds like your smith's name is Jule.

 

[Nullcone]

They told you what was needed to get you off the phone and delay you.

You have enough history with this gunsmith to not trust them any further.

Maybe they think they'll get your gun done, eventually, or not. Maybe it's sitting there finished, or not.

Doesn't matter at this point. Start doing what you need to do to get your gun back and your money refunded. Send the letter, adjust the times if need be, then notify the CC company if/when they don't respond or meet demands.

Given their behavior so far, I wouldn't trust their work anyhow.

Luck!

 

[Mac's]

I'm not questioning anybodies statements here, ok? But there are two sides to every story. (And NO! This one does NOT apply to "Oil Ridge". I'm just using it as an example!) For example: We are a family owned and operated business. Family members work in the shop and in the office. Everybody that works in our business is related in some way.....from wife to father-in-law. Even my little grand daughter works in the shop on weekends. (She organized a labor strike for higher wages!!)
One of our family developed a serious illness and is in the hospital. He won't be around much longer. Somebody is with him pretty much 24 hours a day. That depletes our labor force by a fair chunk and that's caused some delays in getting work completed. We've explained this to our Customers and all but one understands. I understand about wanting his/her firerarm back from the 'smith. I understand about shooting/hunting seasons.
This particular Customer didn't understand about family. (NO. It was NOT Oil Ridge!) I sent him an email explaining that the job was going to take a week or so longer to get completed than what I originally told him. His response was cursing, name calling and threats! Right from the start! I explained again and apologized. I usually offer a hefty discount in cases where I didn't get the job out on time but not this time! This guy stated that he was going to report the firearm as stolen and take legal action against me!! Right from the start.
I went back and forth with him a few times, trying to get him to calm down. No luck. The next thing I know, I'm getting contacted by his local Police Department! At this point, I explain to him that I can no longer return his firearm directly back to him due to liabilty. I can verify that he received a package from us but I can't verify what he unpacked. He could claim that it contained a brick and I couldn't prove otherwise.
Now I have to say at this point, that this guy is being VERY irrational. He just won't listen to reason and continues with the name calling, cursing and threats. Hey, we were only talking about an extra week when this issue started although it's gone on way past that at this point. I'm getting a really strange and suspicious feeling about this guy by now.
I explain to him that it's all packed and ready to go but because of his threats about reporting it stolen, I will return it to an FFL Dealer in his area. I explain that I will pay the transfer fee on his end for the Dealer to transfer it into his name. This way, I CAN prove that he received a firearm from us and not a brick!! I even offered to find an FFL Dealer on his end. He "screams" at me. (Via email)
The current situation is that we seem to have gotten it straightened out by using his local Police Department as a mediator. He's going to have an FFL Dealer in his area contact us so we can arrange the transfer. I really don't understand what this guys problem was. It was only going to be a week overdue or would have been only a week if he hadn't started name calling and threatening. I wasn't wanting any more payment from him. It was already paid in full. I stated to him that I would pay the transfer fees. Shipping is covered from this end. This has gone on now for almost two months! It would have been shipped out several weeks ago except for this nuts threats. The name calling doens't bother me but the threats I take seriously!
No, this is not about this particular case. Keep yer powder dry, Mac.
Tuff-Gun Finishes. The Name Says It All.
Mac's Shootin' Irons.
http://www.shootiniron.com

 

[Chris-bob]

Call again asking for the tracking number for the firearm. It'll send the message that you are anxious to get it but still trust him to do the right thing(even if you don't). I don't know how many times I've said I'd ship something that very day and for whatever reasons, couldn't ship it for a few more days(even though you've been waiting for a while).

 

[JohnBT]

I remember a situation on another forum a decade or more ago. One member was a gunsmith - a well loved gunsmith - and all of a sudden the complaints started that he didn't do what he said, didn't remember stuff, forgot to call, the whole nine yards. After much gnashing of teeth and verbal turmoil it turned out that he had had, and was still having, small strokes that caused it all and put him out of business.

I believe everyone eventually got their stuff back, but it took a while to sort it all out. Right this minute his name eludes me. He was just the most helpful, friendly sort and it was a complete surprise.

Now, just to balance things out...

On another forum, I lost a big deposit on a custom build when the gunsmith died due to chronic health problems.

John

 

[Jim Watson]

Hang in there.

Anecdote: I once had a gun with a nationally advertised, internationally gunzine writer plugged shop. Repeatedly, it took five trips to get it even reasonably well done. Fortunately that was before the days of airmail extortion by Fedup. Quality was mediocre, attention to instructions was nil, and delays were long. Until I got the proprietor's WIFE on the line. Things improved right away.

Maybe if you looked up this guy's home phone and address...

 

[Oil Ridge]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=651423

That was the original thread, from 26Mar12. It was 90 days into what was quoted as a 30 day wait, and a week after I had finally gotten through on the phone, paid the second half of my bill with CC, and he had said he was sending them next day. So now I think it is close to 120 days, I've been told twice he was sending them the next day, but still no guns and no call with a tracking number, and no answering the phone when I call.

I agree with Mac's post; there are always two sides to a story, and I'm a pretty patient, reasonable fellow. The facts I've stated so far are completely true and easily proven, so there's not really much room for another side to the facts. He's a fairly young guy, 30 or so, has two or three other guys working in his shop, so it's not a fly-by-night operation or a hobby shop, and a stroke is unlikely. He did mention that he has a lot of work to do, which I certainly understand, and I didn't make a big fuss when the work was a week past the original estimate, or 30 days past, or 60 days past. I really only began to get very concerned when he told me he would mail it the next day and I took off work early to make sure I was home to sign for it three days in a row.

I truly don't know why he won't send them back; he's already told me they are complete and packed and ready to be mailed, and that was back on 19Mar. Seemed like a pleasant enough fellow on the phone. I guess I will try reversing the CC for the last payment or sending the certified letter; those seemed like good suggestions.

 

[Brockak47]

couldn't you just wait and get it back? if its a crap job when you get it back charge it back.

 

[Nullcone]

Brockak47 said:

couldn't you just wait and get it back? if its a crap job when you get it back charge it back.

He's already well past the dispute window for the first half he pre-paid; If he paid the balance he'll most likely be beyond it on the second half as well, if/when he gets his gun back.

Oil, if your gun doesn't arrive in the next day or so I would be looking at small claims as well (don't know what state you are in or if its the same as gunsmith).

Luck!

 

[788Ham]

Oil,

Son, it sounds like you'd best get the law involved in this, too many days past due. Firearms through the mail are taken care of every day, sounds like this guy isn't to be trusted anymore! Get the BBB involved also, see what the CC Co. will do in your behalf, sounds like possibly they need to stand on his throat a little too. Keep us posted.

 

[desidog]

I've never been involved in this type of situation, but if i were, I might call up the guy's local PD, and ask them to knock on the guy's door and do a health and welfare check...before you report the gun as stolen. Have them visually ID the gun, if there, or get a tracking # if not. If it's not there, and doesn't show up in short order, they'll already know where to find the guy.

That should motivate him...