the good, the bad and the ugly

The idea behind this web site and forum is to provide "my" customers the best info possible about guns, leather, training and smiths.

Any one that has an interest in the above I look at as a potenial friend first, customer second if I am asked to work for them.

More importantly to ALL involved we are gun owners. I am leery of our ability to continue owning guns in my life time. More concerned yet about our children's ownership in the future.

The more all know from any sourse the easier my job is. It helps to have the other professionals here to educate us all and give them the opportunity to trade customers.

It helps continue our gun rights into the future. Every new gun owner helps, every new gun sold helps.

I have refered work to darn near every smith I know. I will continue to do so. There is more than enough work for all of us. I worry about having enough work for the manufacturers though. You are short sighted if you don't.

The guys I work with look at our customers in a similar fashion. "Treat me the way I would like to be treated. Built everything or teach it as if it were for me"

Pretty simple idea really.

I call BS when I see it, realise there are no "free rides" and understand some of us have to sqeeze a dollar till the thing bleeds for us.

While Dick Heinie has said he could not wait for a Swenson....at the time I couldn't PAY for a Swenson. Hardly had the money for a new Colt 1911 at $299. Wait was never an option. I haven't forgotten where I came from.

When we as smiths condemn any manufacture it is irresponsible IMO. Most of the problems we have with any production gun can be solved with simple solutions and if nothing else the addition of hand labor and dollars :grin:

There isn't a 1911 out there that we, as smiths, can't make better. Some are easier to work on than others. Then again some are cheaper than others up front. You generally pay on one end or the other no matter what purchase you make.

I am out of here for a week! I am lucky I get to play with guns for a living. I am damn grateful I still can. Thanks to ALL of YOU.

Dane Burns

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http://www.burnscustom.com


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-04-23 16:22 ]</font>