Need a "gunsmith"? be very careful (rant) (long detailed read so you may want to skip it)

[wwbirds]

I often see posts asking for a gunsmith near ? or here? Most often myself or others can direct them to one of many great ones in alberta bc or even quebec if incredible engraving is required. I learned the hard way you really want to be careful who you trust.

Several friends on FB are friends with an individual who claimed to have a copying lathe and provided pretty good pictures of stocks he had made.
I had acquired a first year production FN trombone in 2019 and the stock was badly damaged and rough although the barrel was quite good for a 1922 rifle.
The older trombones were square tangs while newer ones are round and Irv at Western Gun only had round tangs in stock last year so I messaged this individual to see if he could make a trombone stock and he said bring it over.
I dropped it off in High river on March 17th.
Couple days later he has a picture of it all apart saying on FB that it was very dirty and rusty. almost 100 years old no surprises yet.
Few days later he called and says I hope I didnt over step my authority on this but Irv in Edmonton now has square tang in stock along with forestocks for just over $200 which is less than I could make one for so I ordered them along with a couple new screws and a return spring. No problem screws and return spring were required anyway so why not get it all in one order with flat rate postage.
Next contact from him says polishing bolt and still some little marks "do I want it jeweled to make it look nice" Very firm no from me as I am pretty sure no factory trombones in 1922 had jewelled bolts. His response was "these things are worth over $1500 in USA so we should make it nice"
I explained to him that USA prices mean nothing in Canada as John M Browning sold the trombone patent to Remington which became their model 12 .22 pump. He could not produce or distribute trombones in the USA so contacted FN in 1922 to produce them for Browning sales in Canada and australia only with FN licensed to distribute them in Europe.
I further explained because it is a first year production with low 4 digit serial # I probably paid to much as I already have $350 into a rifle that may be worth $700 so I may not be able to even have it reblued if I go over my $300 -$400 budget for restocking.
Next contact he is complaining on FB about trying to get the rifle trigger assembly back in after polishing it.
Last week he tells me on Wednesday that if it dries overnight I should be able to pick it up the next day. What drying is required on fitting a stock?
He said had to used some release agent and bedding material to get a good smooth wood to metal fit. told him in 1922 I am sure the craftsmen in Leige handcrafted stocks to fit metal perfectly without using epoxy. Told him I would try to get there the next day and send me the bill and I will EMT.
He wrote back he is not charging me for the 6 hours he tried to get the trigger assembly back in working after polishing. I asked him why he would take it apart for a restocking. His stupid comment about factory restoration left me fuming and I responded factory restorations dont use epoxy on a 100 year old rifle and internals were best left to trained gunsmiths to deal with problems when it is sent away for bluing and internals had to be removed.
Couple hours later I get a bill and email address to emt payment for $625.
I went ballistic. Dennis Davidson in BC did a fit and finish plus incredible 24 line skip line checkering for me in 2017 for $500!
Christian Lemieux in Quebec charged me $300 in 2018.
I phoned him and said he is way off mark and pricing himself right out of the market. he claimed the bill is justified as he has a solid 5.5 hours into fitting and polishing all internals at $65. per hour.
told him he could stick the rifle where the sun does not shine before I pay $625 for him to try to learn how to restock and reassemble a rifle I never asked him to take apart.
this week he said pay him for the parts he ordered with shipping of $275 plus whatever I wanted to leave him for his time. told him I would send $400 as my upper budget amount originally discussed.
Picked it up today and lines of epoxy visible where wood meets metal and the wood looks exactly like it left edmonton with no shaping to meet metal at all.
Even at $125 I paid way too much!
End rant!!