Need Advice re: problem with custom gripmaker

[Cimarron Lawman]

Gentlemen, I am soliciting your advice regarding a matter with a gripmaker.

Via e-mail and telephone, I discussed my desires with this individual for a week before deciding on a wood and a contour. I e-mailed him this info and requested that he stain the wood with the stain of his choice, as I didn't like the look of the unstained grips on his website--they had white pores and I wanted dark pores. Well, he told me to ship the gun and the money whenever I wanted but didn't comment on the stain--whether he would do it or not. I sensed resistance. So I called him to discuss the stain issue and found that he was indeed uncomfortable with it. He said it wasn't necessary. In short, I let him talk me out of it. That night however, the issue kept scratching at me and so I e-mailed him and told him that I needed to have the grips stained. I asked him to reply to make sure we were on the same page. He didn't reply for a long time (six days). Finally he replied and said that the grips don't need to be stained and that they will look fake if he stains them. I sensed agitation and even anger.

And this is where things sit. In my mind, since I will be paying for the grips, I feel that he should do what I request whether he shares my tastes or not. And I am giving him free reign to choose an appropriate stain for the wood. On his side, he probably feels that the grips will look fake(??) and could possibly hurt his future business.

He also worries me because he doesn't require that I ship the gun to an FFL holder (he does not have an FFL). He says most of his customers just ship directly to his door and lie to U.P.S. about what's inside. He said I could ship to an FFL holder if I was uncomfortable with this, but just the fact that he does this worries me.

Am I being unreasonable about the stain issue? It seems trivial to me, and I am surprised that he's willing to lose my business over it.

[Catdad]

I'd say you are in the right to get the grips however you want them.  After all, "The customer is always right!".

I'd be worried about any onewho says you should lie about shipping guns.  Doesn't sound trustworthy to me.  This and coupled with his arguments about the grips, I'd go looking for someone else to get them.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Any time I'm dealing with someone and things sound off-key, I go away and deal with someone else. Past experience tells me that if there are problems with someone before the deal is made, those problems won't go away and usually get compounded. Continuing to pursue something that isn't going to work won't make it any better. You may be money ahead to quit now and listen to your inner voice that doesn't like what's going on. As to lying, that merely supports your going somewhere else. Ask yourself this: are those grips worth all the potential hassle and headaches you may get out of this? How do you really feel about this guy? You can get grips anywhere.

[sundance44`s]

Had a custom rifle made for my wife by a local gunmaker ...ended up costing 1,600 bucks ... fit and finish ...does it fit her ..yes it does ..is it what she wanted ...no its not , it`s what he wanted to make .
will there be another ....heck no . Do we recomend him to anyone ...never .

[Deadeye Don]

I agree.  There are way too people doing really nice work on grips who are above board and honest.  Agitation and anger from a vendor on the telephone would make me run the other way.   Find someone else.  Safe shooting.  Deadeye.

[rickk]

To stain grips would only take a few seconds. It would be no big deal.

However, I have to agree with the grip maker. That's most likely not the way it "would have been done".

If he really felt that the way he makes them is the way he should be making them, to me it sounds reasonable to either buy them from his "his way" or get them a different way from someone else.  He may really be hung up on making "traditional" grips and not want to do it differently. You can't fault him for not wanting to make something that he believes should not be done.

Assuming you have an FFL gun, the no FFL on an FFL gun would bother me a bit however. It would sorta be a violation of federal law for both of you to do such a transaction.


Your gun, your money, your call.

[Cimarron Lawman]

However, I have to agree with the grip maker. That's most likely not the way it "would have been done".

The thing is, this guy isn't a traditionalist. His grip contour is unique, and so is his finish. What bothers me most about this whole thing isn't his anti-stain stance; it's the fact that he was going to take my money even though he had no intention of following my instructions. Only when I pressed him on the issue did he reveal his true intentions.

Based on the feedback I've received here I've decided to cut ties with him. "How do you really feel about this guy?" the Marshal asked. The answer: "I don't trust him."

[The Avocado Kid]

BAD DEAL...WALK AWAY BEFORE YOU STEP IN A BIG PILE OF S...WHAT HAPPENS IF UPS SCANS THE PAKAGE? BTW...ITS LEGAL TO SHIP PARTS TO A NON-FFL VENDOR,CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG... ANY REASON YOU WOULD SHIP A COMPLETE GUN? DUSTY

[sharps50/70]

Remember that the grip maker's reputation is on the line with every grip he makes.  If he is truely a professional, he will know what looks "right".  The issue is, if he does not want to do things your way, HE should back away from the deal.

As to the gun laws, NEVER violate the Federal gun laws!!!

Rich

[Cimarron Lawman]

I've moved on. Too many red flags for me.

A little rosewood stain on rosewood. That's all I wanted. The way he tensed, you would have thought I had requested that he dip the finished grips in an acid bath.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I don't blame ya for movin' on.  Shame.