Kudos Steve's Gunz

[Victor Vaquero]

I recently spoke with Steve at great length I might add about doing my own action job on my Interarms Rossi 92. So I purchased his DVD and a new ejector spring(Steve special). It took me all of about 2-3 hours thats including getting interupted to take the garbage out drop the kid off to practice......  Oh wait rant over  So I put er back together and all I can say is Halleluya its as smoothe as silk. Thanks Steve for the guidance over the phone and the DVD. I'm aircraft mechanic by trade so I love to tinker. For all of you that are scared of doing this just buy the DVD and follow it step by step and you should have no troubles.


Vaya con dios amigos

VV

[Mustang Gregg]

Steve (Nate Kiowa Jones) does excellent M-1892 work, for sure. 
We are pondering getting the DVD now.

He smoothes up RUGERS too!

Mustang Gregg
('nother aircraft mechanic)

[Victor Vaquero]

MG

What aircraft do you work on and where?

VV

[fourfingersofdeath]

I have had a nightmare of a time getting gunsmithing work done over the past few years.

I got so sick of troublesome guns, I thought I will start again and get the guns competition prepared. 1x44/40 1873 Uberti 24"Sporting rifle (no shorter ones available at the time), 1x IAC 12Ga Hammer gun, 2x 44/40 Piettas:

Gunsmith No1:
1873 Uberti Rifle: mega soft trigger, slow hammer fall. Would not set primers off. Handloads with carefully bedded Federal primers were best, but still only achieved a 60% fire rate. Returned, fiddled with, no change. Another well respected cowboy gunsmith had a play with it, a little better, but not accepatable. My friend who is not a gunsmith, but has a wife and three kids that shoot squillions of rounds of ammo had a go at it. Shoots reliably now, after his 'Unsmithing' but the lever is as heavy as my stock 1866.

Pietta 1873 Colt clones: Smooth as silk, but hair triggers. I haven't done anything to these apart form adjusting my style. Usually drop one shot each match as a result of the ridiculously light triggers.

IAC hammer gun: Triggers so light the hammers seem to fall in slow motion. Right barrel would only fire Federals and then only 50% of the time. Out of the corner of your eye, the hammers seem to fall so slowly it is distracting. Sent back, I was told that there was a burr on the RHS hammer. No discernable difference as far as I could tell. Given to a specialist shotgun smith for 'Unsmithing'. Sears re-cut, new springs. Much more positive hammer fall and trigger pressure, not able to try out at this stage.

Gunsmith No2:
92 Rossi. Final bit of engagement was alway very stiff, but 100% reliable apart form that. Asked to slick up action. Action slicked up, but now fails to feed 100% reliably, missing one or two every stage, usually needing the lever to be cranked twice, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! More 'Unsmithing needed!'

Ignatio Urtechnea 12Ga SxS, pressed into service when IAC failed to deliver. Worked like a charm apart from being a little stiff to open, even after thousands of rounds (long barrels were a PITA, but I'll live with them). Asked 'gunsmith' (who like the first one is highy respected in cowboy circles and comes well recommended) to make opening of action a little easier, but speciafically told not to do anything else. Gun came back, extraordinarily easy to open, firing pins dragging across primers (leaving a mark, very scary) and utterly refused to fire anything except Federals and even then missed a few. It also snapped shut whenever it was put down, whether being staged or carefully placed on the gun cart. It also snaps shut when you are rolling along in the gun cart.. Took this one in for 'unsmithing' with the shotgun guy, it now fires reliably (with Federals, I haven't had a chance to try anything else). He recut the sears, etc, re- honed the cylinders to remove the 'new' hone marks and adjusted the firing pin protrusion. However it is stiffer to open than it ever was, groannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, but still snaps shut when you look at it sideways.

I have spent about $5000 for these guns and nearly a $1000 on gunsmithing and none of them are acceptable.

The guy who finally fixed the 1873 rifle said it had been short stroked by modifying the action rather than inserting replacement parts and as such would wear eventually.

I think it is time to sell off all of them and start again with stock guns.

One day I will go to a shoot and not have a single malfunction or hiccup. Maybe I should learn to do my own work.

[Shadow Catcher]

I have had a nightmare of a time getting gunsmithing work done over the past few years.

<SNIP>

One day I will go to a shoot and not have a single malfunction or hiccup. Maybe I should learn to do my own work.

Forgive me if I'm being obtuse - but does this have anything to do with Nate's work? or is it just you relating an experience . . . .

I'm curious because it sounds like a real downer - and I'd like to know if you think it's relevant to Nate's work.

I have a 92 that Nate fixed after another G'smith 'improved' it, and Nate made it sing - as fast and reliable as
any rifle I've ever shot. Steve is a gentleman, and a man of honor who does good work and makes good on
things that are not to the satisfaction of those rare few who complain.

I'm planning to buy a new rifle from him one day - already prepared to race - I think very highly of his work.

Are you just talking about a bad experience or two - or does it have any bearing on the OP's comments?

Shadow Catcher