Are All Gunsmith The Same With Vague Timeline/ETA?

[S33401]

Dropped off a M1A to just get the stripper clip guide taken off by a professional because it was stuck in the receiver and i didn't want to bang it harder than i'm comfortable with to get it out.
Even when i dropped it off to ask questions, the dude was very vague and said "we are backed up...i don't know when i can give you a timeline..."
So i'm stuck between doing it myself and possibly breaking it or suck up the delay and just wait a few days for them to do it.
i dropped it off Friday morning and today i called to see what's going on and the guy is like, "Oh we haven't even touched it and i don't know when we will..."

This is my first time using a gunsmith and is it me or is this place just shady/ unorganize/ unprofessional? I understand if you're backup and i have to wait but your job is to estimate the labor you have ahead of me and just give me a rough guess but he doesn't even want to go that far...

Am i wrong to expect this basic level of professional service from them?

[RobW]

Dropped off a M1A to just get the stripper clip guide taken off by a professional because it was stuck in the receiver and i didn't want to bang it harder than i'm comfortable with to get it out.
Even when i dropped it off to ask questions, the dude was very vague and said "we are backed up...i don't know when i can give you a timeline..."
So i'm stuck between doing it myself and possibly breaking it or suck up the delay and just wait a few days for them to do it.
i dropped it off Friday morning and today i called to see what's going on and the guy is like, "Oh we haven't even touched it and i don't know when we will..."

This is my first time using a gunsmith and is it me or is this place just shady/ unorganize/ unprofessional? I understand if you're backup and i have to wait but your job is to estimate the labor you have ahead of me and just give me a rough guess but he doesn't even want to go that far...

Am i wrong to expect this basic level of professional service from them?

Gunsmiths are flakey as a rule. It's the "artist" thing.

[SuperVel]

Not to be negative, but that's how most interactions with gunsmiths go (and how every single gunsmithing business is run) in my experience, unless you're family, friends, or someone who hangs out there a few hours everyday.

Personally, I'll send stuff back to the factory if it's something they can do, or send it off to a bigger nationally known shop for intricate/odd stuff.

You could also learn what tools/instructional info you need and maybe do simple things yourself if comfortable.

[NathanB]

I guess I'm lucky to have a gunsmith who takes great care of his customers.

[God's Country]

In my experience, yes.

There are certainly smiths that are very customer oriented, but I unfortunately haven't found one.

[comsubin61]

The last time I heard that from a gunsmith it took over 2 months to get my gun back for a tune up and trigger work. You are better off using the manufacture gunsmith if you can, they less of a prima donna.