# Firearms and Shooting > Firearms, Optics and Accessories >  South Island Gunsmith

## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

Anyone know of a good South Island Gunsmith? 
Someone capable of truing the action, obtaining, machining and fitting a barrel blank, possibly even custom reaming a chamber etc?
Thanks

----------


## kotuku

robbie tiffens work generally has a fairly good following on here."gunworks"

----------


## Micky Duck

+1 for gunworks...great chaps to deal with and the "Sheila's" aren't too hard on the eye either and a hoot to deal with, nothing is a problem.

----------


## 6mm ackley

Tony Titheridge

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

> +1 for gunworks...great chaps to deal with and the "Sheila's" aren't too hard on the eye either and a hoot to deal with, nothing is a problem.


Funny how you say that. I was surprised when I rang them once to discuss something with them, I think it was nothing more than like a simple 'bedding of an action' job, and they virtually told me that, that was beyond them and they led me to believe they were more of a glorified overbarrel 'silencer' specialist, rather than a competent gunsmith proper!  :Sad:

----------


## Friwi

High country sport in Fairlie, does proper blueprinting and barrel fitting.

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

> Tony Titheridge


Thanks for that, this guy might be worth a look.

----------


## The Claw

Not might, definitely. Has done 4 complete builds and a barrel for my Sako Quad for me. All supremely accurate and extremely well finished. 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

> Not might, definitely. Has done 4 complete builds and a barrel for my Sako Quad for me. All supremely accurate and extremely well finished. 
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk


What sort of barrels does he use?

----------


## Proudkiwi

Gunworks would be well down on my list of options for a South Island gunsmith.

Tony T would be at the top. As long as you aren't in any hurry.......... Sam has more patience than I do.  :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## TianBotha

Stuart from greystone guns! Highly recommended him and his work is great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

Thanks for the opinions. Tony T will definitely be getting a visit, and no, I'm in no hurry!

----------


## rossi.45

> Funny how you say that. I was surprised when I rang them once to discuss something with them, I think it was nothing more than like a simple 'bedding of an action' job, and they virtually told me that, that was beyond them and they led me to believe they were more of a glorified overbarrel 'silencer' specialist, rather than a competent gunsmith proper!


i've had 2 situations where i have asked for nothing fancy but been turned down  . . to busy etc . .. but they can build and fit a suppressor . . very strange from a Master Gunsmith . . but nice guys and gals to deal with and the work they do is good.

Status Guns in Invers get all my work now, nothing is a problem, prices are a bargain compared to others and workmanship is superb . . but ya have to wait a while cos he is busy . .. which is better than a smith with time on his hands, that tells you plenty.

----------


## 7mmsaum

> Funny how you say that. I was surprised when I rang them once to discuss something with them, I think it was nothing more than like a simple 'bedding of an action' job, and they virtually told me that, that was beyond them and they led me to believe they were more of a glorified overbarrel 'silencer' specialist, rather than a competent gunsmith proper!


What happened there was you got diverted/set aside.

There was not enough coin to be made from the work you offered them.

Fact

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

> What happened there was you got diverted/set aside.
> 
> There was not enough coin to be made from the work you offered them.
> 
> Fact


So, you're suggesting that THEY'RE 'subtly' suggesting, that I go ahead and get extra work done on a rifle that I don't need to get done, or, pay excessively for a bedding job so that they can eek enough cash out of me for to make it worth 'their' while, yeah?
If that's the way they want to treat their clientele then they automatically miss out on the bigger jobs I may have for them later... it's that simple!  :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## Sidney

No he's suggesting that they are busy enough doing the other work that is more profitable, than farting around doing a small one off job that will not be...

----------


## 7mmsaum

> or, pay the (appropriate amount) for a bedding job so that they can eek enough cash out of me for to make it worth 'their' while, yeah?


They are not subtlety suggesting anything, you surmised due to offence

 The adjusted quote above is now is closer to correct

We cant expect them to do work for us, when its not economically worth their while, if they did that for you, and everyone else, then they wont be there to do the work you want done next year

It is simply a matter of time spent versus income, day after day after day

Nobody wants to do a 4 hr job and be paid for a 2 hr one, then do that a couple of times a day, every day, Every week, Every year, When they have a full time income stream elsewhere

The type of people that do little jobs for little return are retired folk, who have time to spare and the coin is handy.

A more constructive approach from them would have been to advise you of the actual cost of the job, and if that was not satisfactory for you then show a cost reduction if you can advance your rifle modification timeframe and get more work done at the same time.

Im sure we can apply the same logic to most areas of labour added products and trade and the way we, as consumers of their labour added products and trade, employ the services of said providers.

We cant expect a top notch (time consuming) service/product whilst only paying what we "think" is correct.

----------


## timattalon

> So, you're suggesting that THEY'RE 'subtly' suggesting, that I go ahead and get extra work done on a rifle that I don't need to get done, or, pay excessively for a bedding job so that they can eek enough cash out of me for to make it worth 'their' while, yeah?
> If that's the way they want to treat their clientele then they automatically miss out on the bigger jobs I may have for them later... it's that simple!


Looks like a couple people type what I said faster than I did.....Edited. As an adendum, I have had work done by the crew at Gunworks when we could not due to our circumstances here post quake, and we are very happy with the standard and quality of workmanship they provide. I will happily take rifles to them again and an hapy recommending them to our own customers. 

We often have people want jobs done on rifles that when you look into it are not really in the best interests of the customer. I dont know all the details in your case, but bedding a rifle can be a time consuming job to do properly and a quick cheap job will ruin a business reputation quickly and effectively. We often had people wanting to get work done that would have exceeded the value of the rifle with minimal benefit for the customer. A lot are happy to spend this money and if they really want to then we will usually find a way to help them without simply taking the job. Often they will get better results by starting again with a new rifle and for much less. We approach it in a different way as generally we have more time and admittedly this means it takes us quite a bit longer to get some jobs done. I will normally go through what is being asked and what is needed to accomplish this and find out why this is being done. Then I try to go through the pro's and cons of said choices and offer options for they buyer to decide. Is it worth spending big bucks on bedding a 22LR (this is something we have been asked to do) Not normally, but in some situations it can be. Mostly with 22lr there is little benefit to glass or pillar bedding actions depending on what it is used for etc but in other cases it can have a pay off. But it often costs more than the new rifle if done properly for a fair price.

Sometimes we will walk the customer through how to do the task themselves. I started here as a customer when the Gunsmith did exactly that. The job I wanted done would have cost me more than a new rifle, but he showed me how to do this myself for much less. This does not work in every case. I admit, often it would be much easier to politely decline and say we are too busy. (Often we are anyway but will try to help anyway, hence the delays)

----------


## rossi.45

> What happened there was you got diverted/set aside.
> 
> There was not enough coin to be made from the work you offered them.
> 
> Fact


i think you hit the nail smack dab on the head 7 . . . there isn't money in the little or fiddly jobs and i don't blame GWorks for turning it down or putting it aside for the better paying jobs, its a high volume business making good coin from limited services with no doubt high over heads.
And thats the learning curve . .. do you want that . . or a small operator who takes on all the jobs big & small, who makes a living but just, doing something he enjoys . . both have there place in the market.

----------


## Micky Duck

to me it appears like you already know where you don't want to go...so you will be able to answer your own question easy enough . I got a barrel threaded here in Timaru recently and it cost me $150 as BLR barrel doesn't come apart apparently.......almost certain Robbies team would have stuck to their quoted $65 as they would have had skills and gear to do it same way as anything else.

----------


## timattalon

> to me it appears like you already know where you don't want to go...so you will be able to answer your own question easy enough . I got a barrel threaded here in Timaru recently and it cost me $150 as BLR barrel doesn't come apart apparently.......almost certain Robbies team would have stuck to their quoted $65 as they would have had skills and gear to do it same way as anything else.



Correct. Quoted me for a chamber ream. BLR was no problem.

----------


## Remington 5R .300 Win Mag

Ok, I've had enough and I'm no longer subscribed to this thread! 
To all those who have been genuine and maturely offered up helpful opinions, I thank you very much, to all those others who have viewed me as nothing more than a 'feeding frenzy' and have chosen to 'take the piss', have a good think about what you've done, but, you've done nothing for me!
Sayonara!

----------


## MSL

Sensitive much?

----------


## Double Shot

I'd give Hugh Bradley at Stager Sport a call, recently did a fantastic job re-barrel, reaming for new calibre and so on... worth a call

----------


## 257weatherby

> Ok, I've had enough and I'm no longer subscribed to this thread! 
> To all those who have been genuine and maturely offered up helpful opinions, I thank you very much, to all those others who have viewed me as nothing more than a 'feeding frenzy' and have chosen to 'take the piss', have a good think about what you've done, but, you've done nothing for me!
> Sayonara!


That banging sound is your mum knocking on the bedroom door telling you it is time for tea.

----------


## outdoorlad

I think Gunworks like to concentrate on doing suppressors as that's what they are set up for, they are good at it and I imagine there's good dough in it, I'm not 100% sure but I think Robbie is the only gunsmith there? The rest being machinists? So he has limited time to do all the gun smithing jobs plus ever second person who walks in wants to talk to him! The girls try to manage that.. lol

If I was wanting a new barrel on a shot out hunting rifle I'd get them to do it no qualms but if I was after a custom build, action truing,  etc I'd look elsewhere

----------


## tommygun

I've always found Gunworks good to deal with, though in fairness most of what we get them to do through work is threading rifles for suppressors. I once had a second hand rifle there having a suppressor fitted, and asked them to re-ream the chamber as there was a slight burr in it which seemed to be marking cases slightly. I didn't know where the previous owner had the chamber reamed in the first place, and there was no record of it in Gunworks' books, but they re-reamed it for free just in case it was somehow their fault.

----------


## Micky Duck

> I've always found Gunworks good to deal with, though in fairness most of what we get them to do through work is threading rifles for suppressors. I once had a second hand rifle there having a suppressor fitted, and asked them to re-ream the chamber as there was a slight burr in it which seemed to be marking cases slightly. I didn't know where the previous owner had the chamber reamed in the first place, and there was no record of it in Gunworks' books, but they re-reamed it for free just in case it was somehow their fault.


and that right there is faarkin great "customer service"

----------


## DBKT

Dave Ward up in Nelson gets a vote from me, built a long range rig and im highly impressed.

----------


## timattalon

> Ok, I've had enough and I'm no longer subscribed to this thread! 
> To all those who have been genuine and maturely offered up helpful opinions, I thank you very much, to all those others who have viewed me as nothing more than a 'feeding frenzy' and have chosen to 'take the piss', have a good think about what you've done, but, you've done nothing for me!
> Sayonara!


Oh grow a set. No one was taking the piss. Go back and read it carefully. 

All were trying politely to tell you that it was not that he wanted to charge you more, but rather declining to take your money for something that he was not comfortable doing for whatever reason. 

As a genuine and helpful opinion, if Gunworks refused to do a job, I would ask why, and I would listen to that reason. If you really want it done anyway, ask "if you cannot do it, do you know someone who can?". Any halfway reasonable tradesman will know who he would use if he didn't want to himself.

----------


## Friwi

Nothing sorry

----------

