As a starting out gunsmith myself. I would love for you to do more on the gunsmith business... It's easy to find how to work on the gun, but it's harder to find information of how to run the business... Great video BTW...
25 years ago I had a deep love affair with Remington model 58 shotguns, really only because it was the first shotgun I had ever shot back in 1963. I ran across one at a pawn shop, and the condition was only about minus fair. Internally it was very good. And when I found what the price for a used or even new action bar I was shocked. In the following months I acquired 12 more 58’s with the help of my local gunsmith. It didn’t matter to me what the overall condition was as long as it was complete. I eventually ended up with quite a collection of 58’s and had 7 beautiful guns in all gauges and even a 58 D grade skeet gun with the most beautiful grained wood, looked like F grade to me! Eventually I had to move to Arizona and to shoot skeet it was 120 mile round trip to shoot at a club. Ended up selling all my 58 parts to Jack First after sending a list of all the parts to 4 parts companies across the states. Biggest disappointment was the Parts Depot! They offered $75 for iverything, and I had to pay the shipping. Jack offered me 4 times more than PD. Still not what they were worth on the open market, but only worth something to needed a part for their broken 58. At the time I was making short run production parts for two large manufacturers and had a shop behind my house in Colorado. I made 7 model 58 receivers out of Remington 870 receivers. Only I couldn’t duplicate the cutoff mechanism on top of the mag tube, so my modified 870 receivers ended up being just a two shot setup. Only weak areas on a 58 was the action bars and their tendency to gat hairline cracks on the receiver when the bolt would slam into the beac of the receiver. Easily fixed be drilling a .040” hole at the end of the crack. Also milled a slot at the end on the bolt travel on the receiver just like the 1100’s had. By the way the 58 was made in 12, 16, and 20ga, and all the action bars are interchangeable!! Thanks for your great video!!!
I went to Colorado School of Trades for a degree in gunsmithing. One of the guns I worked on was that little .22. Just need to be refinished. I forget what required me to chuck it up in the vice afterwards, but I wrapped the stock in a rag and squeezed it as lightly as possible. Still caused minor damage that if you weren’t looking for, you wouldn’t see it. So it got sent out the door as is. About a month later I found the gun in an antique gun show for sale. Made me quite proud.
I don't know what the Winchester can sell for but 2 years ago I got a near mint low use 1300 Defender for $325 otd at a local gun store that charges top dollar for all their stuff.
I see it like being the local blacksmith (and no, I'm not one). a man HAS to make a living. Yeah, $25.00 each is pretty cheap. But if the customer left happy, I'm assuming that he didn't pay much more than that for them. Bringing a gun back to life is never a bad thing. so pat yourself on the back for that. and the same with parting out what is left of a gun. you are going to make someone very happy, to get late uncle Lou's shotgun, or Dads old pistol that he lost a part for 30 years ago back into service.
not sure why you seek the opinion of the audience unless it is to determine if you are being ethically fair to people when you buy firearms on the cheap? You say the customer referenced in this video was happy with the $50, but are YOU happy with that deal? I am 75, started collecting guns back in the early 1970's, have relied on learning as I go, do all my own work including stock making and bluing. I appreciate the difficulty of acquiring parts and the amount of time that goes into gun work. For most people the cost of gunsmith services is prohibitive, so unless you are a DIY you are out of luck to restore old firearms. I limit what I will take on because of machinery costs, I am fully equipped for anything wood work oriented but less so for metal work, no lathe, no milling machine but you would be surprised how you can improvise and get around limitations in that sense. Still, I am aware that for most people, my level of equipment and supplies is just not going to be what they can or would do for themselves to do a few guns now and then. All this said so you know I have some understanding of your situation. You buy cheap and hope to sell high, making profit is your aim or at least better be, otherwise you go out of business doing low cost work and paying high prices for old broken guns, It is the market place. If you are bothered by the comments that you buy low and sell high then you need to understand why that affects you and whether you are really doing something amoral or unethical. Just be honest with every customer, explain the problems with fixing an old gun to the customer, tell them you may be able to profit from the transaction so they cannot claim to be deceived. If any man objects to this approach then tell them to go and do the repairs themselves, they will get a lesson for sure.
simply some guns are not worth repairing. I think the determination of when one is repairable is 1. the value of the gun and 2 the sentimental value, Me not being sentimental says turn it into a donor gun for that guy who is.
Your explanation sounds very reasonable.
As a starting out gunsmith myself. I would love for you to do more on the gunsmith business... It's easy to find how to work on the gun, but it's harder to find information of how to run the business... Great video BTW...
I had a Winchester 1200 that I bought nearly 60 years ago. It was stolen a few years later. It was a great gun.
25 years ago I had a deep love affair with Remington model 58 shotguns, really only because it was the first shotgun I had ever shot back in 1963. I ran across one at a pawn shop, and the condition was only about minus fair. Internally it was very good. And when I found what the price for a used or even new action bar I was shocked. In the following months I acquired 12 more 58’s with the help of my local gunsmith.
It didn’t matter to me what the overall condition was as long as it was complete. I eventually ended up with quite a collection of 58’s and had 7 beautiful guns in all gauges and even a 58 D grade skeet gun with the most beautiful grained wood, looked like F grade to me! Eventually I had to move to Arizona and to shoot skeet it was 120 mile round trip to shoot at a club. Ended up selling all my 58 parts to Jack First after sending a list of all the parts to 4 parts companies across the states. Biggest disappointment was the Parts Depot! They offered $75 for iverything, and I had to pay the shipping. Jack offered me 4 times more than PD. Still not what they were worth on the open market, but only worth something to needed a part for their broken 58. At the time I was making short run production parts for two large manufacturers and had a shop behind my house in Colorado. I made 7 model 58 receivers out of Remington 870 receivers. Only I couldn’t duplicate the cutoff mechanism on top of the mag tube, so my modified 870 receivers ended up being just a two shot setup. Only weak areas on a 58 was the action bars and their tendency to gat hairline cracks on the receiver when the bolt would slam into the beac of the receiver. Easily fixed be drilling a .040” hole at the end of the crack. Also milled a slot at the end on the bolt travel on the receiver just like the 1100’s had. By the way the 58 was made in 12, 16, and 20ga, and all the action bars are interchangeable!! Thanks for your great video!!!
That Winchester 1200 is worth way more than 50 dollars lol, just sold a barrel for one on eBay for 150 dollars, looks like that’s an easy fix
I went to Colorado School of Trades for a degree in gunsmithing. One of the guns I worked on was that little .22. Just need to be refinished. I forget what required me to chuck it up in the vice afterwards, but I wrapped the stock in a rag and squeezed it as lightly as possible. Still caused minor damage that if you weren’t looking for, you wouldn’t see it. So it got sent out the door as is. About a month later I found the gun in an antique gun show for sale. Made me quite proud.
Cool
When a gunsmith says "I don't really know how you do this"...LOL @8:54
Sometimes you do see things and wonder how the owner managed to eff that up.
What is your typical hourly rate ?
That Winchester is a prime example of how I believe additive manufacturing will be used by gunsmiths in the future
I don't know what the Winchester can sell for but 2 years ago I got a near mint low use 1300 Defender for $325 otd at a local gun store that charges top dollar for all their stuff.
Winchester is an easy fix, he will sell it for 400.00
I see it like being the local blacksmith (and no, I'm not one). a man HAS to make a living. Yeah, $25.00 each is pretty cheap. But if the customer left happy, I'm assuming that he didn't pay much more than that for them. Bringing a gun back to life is never a bad thing. so pat yourself on the back for that. and the same with parting out what is left of a gun. you are going to make someone very happy, to get late uncle Lou's shotgun, or Dads old pistol that he lost a part for 30 years ago back into service.
Looking for a trigger group for a Win mod 1200 16ga. I think 12 and 16 are the same? If you know of one I'd be interested. Thank you!!
not sure why you seek the opinion of the audience unless it is to determine if you are being ethically fair to people when you buy firearms on the cheap? You say the customer referenced in this video was happy with the $50, but are YOU happy with that deal? I am 75, started collecting guns back in the early 1970's, have relied on learning as I go, do all my own work including stock making and bluing. I appreciate the difficulty of acquiring parts and the amount of time that goes into gun work. For most people the cost of gunsmith services is prohibitive, so unless you are a DIY you are out of luck to restore old firearms. I limit what I will take on because of machinery costs, I am fully equipped for anything wood work oriented but less so for metal work, no lathe, no milling machine but you would be surprised how you can improvise and get around limitations in that sense. Still, I am aware that for most people, my level of equipment and supplies is just not going to be what they can or would do for themselves to do a few guns now and then. All this said so you know I have some understanding of your situation. You buy cheap and hope to sell high, making profit is your aim or at least better be, otherwise you go out of business doing low cost work and paying high prices for old broken guns, It is the market place. If you are bothered by the comments that you buy low and sell high then you need to understand why that affects you and whether you are really doing something amoral or unethical. Just be honest with every customer, explain the problems with fixing an old gun to the customer, tell them you may be able to profit from the transaction so they cannot claim to be deceived. If any man objects to this approach then tell them to go and do the repairs themselves, they will get a lesson for sure.
simply some guns are not worth repairing. I think the determination of when one is repairable is 1. the value of the gun and 2 the sentimental value, Me not being sentimental says turn it into a donor gun for that guy who is.
I need a Bolt for a Hatfield SAS 410.
I am interested in the Steven's stock with butt pad !