Gander Mountian gunsmithing?

[22lr]

I was thinking of having Gander Mountain do a re-barrel on one of my rifles. Any good or bad experiences out there?

Im really interested in what there customer service is if they mess up, will they fix it, replace it, or just tell you to go jump in a lake. Has anyone used there services and if so what were the results?

Basically im wondering if I could use them or if I need to go to a real gunsmith and drop the bigger bucks.

 

[IndyGunworks]

call me

 

[Bigum1969]

I brought my SIG 556 to Gander for a free cleaning that I had a certificate for. Got the rifle back and it was clean alright, but it wasn't assembled correctly. The gas piston was installed wrong and I had to take it apart and fix it. Not really a big deal, but I figured a gunsmith would do it right.

 

[duboismd]

Took a Bersa 380 (bought it there & they are an authorized repair shop) in for a new slide stop since it was not locking back. The smith ordered the wrong part 3 times. Took 3 months.

 

[IndyGunworks]

call me 22lr, you got my number... i think you are talking about your 1903 correct?

 

[andyrping]

I would say go elsewhere. Gander Mountain gunsmiths have a pretty bad reputation all over. I would also imagine that if the gunsmith rates are priced like anything else in the store, you could get it done at a lot lower cost elsewhere.

 

[22lr]

Thanks yall, that is all I need to hear about it.

Indy, your phone is ringing right........ now
Ans ya it was the 1903.

 

[243rem700]

I wish I would have known all of this before I took my 11-87 to be checked on for warranty work. They have a bad reputation for a reason.

 

[doglb]

I would stay far away, dont let them do anything. I have heard nothing but horror stories here at the Ft. Wayne Gander Mtn. Hell, the gunsmith here blew off his own finger because he had thought he put a snap cap in the pistol, ended up being a live round! WTF?

 

[243rem700]

I would stay far away, dont let them do anything. I have heard nothing but horror stories here at the Ft. Wayne Gander Mtn. Hell, the gunsmith here blew off his own finger because he had thought he put a snap cap in the pistol, ended up being a live round! WTF?

Probably the same guy that scratched up the receiver on my 11-87 just trying to take it apart.

 

[JetGirl]

I've never heard anything good about Gander's "smiths". But I've sure heard bad.
When I was waiting at the counter for paperwork buying my 870, I heard one of the counter people relaying info to an irate customer about a rifle they'd been working on for a number of months that they had apparently promised back in a couple weeks. The customer just kept saying, "I don't even want it fixed any more...I just want it BACK. Just give it back and I'll take it somewhere or figure it out myself" and the counter person kept saying "we really can't help you. It's up to him [the smith] and we haven't been able to reach him."
That's about the time they handed me my "free cleaning certificate" for buying the 870... I was just sort of looking at the other customer.... and I handed it back.

P.S. This was in the Ft. Wayne location.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I've never heard anything good about Gander's "smiths". But I've sure heard bad.
When I was waiting at the counter for paperwork buying my 870, I heard one of the counter people relaying info to an irate customer about a rifle they'd been working on for a number of months that they had apparently promised back in a couple weeks. The customer just kept saying, "I don't even want it fixed any more...I just want it BACK. Just give it back and I'll take it somewhere or figure it out myself" and the counter person kept saying "we really can't help you. It's up to him [the smith] and we haven't been able to reach him."
That's about the time they handed me my "free cleaning certificate" for buying the 870... I was just sort of looking at the other customer.... and I handed it back.

P.S. This was in the Ft. Wayne location.

handed it back?!!!

 

[JetGirl]

handed it back?!!!

Yes, indeedy.

 

[fireball168]

It all depends on the store.

The Kenosha Wisconsin store, at least two years ago, was their "center" for all the "specialized" work. That store's gunsmithing department was about four times as large as the ones you see in most of the stores in Indiana. Supposedly they were doing all the bluing, most of the other refinishing and all the rebarreling out of that store for all the others.

Walked through the shop a couple of times, had some recoil pads ground, electroplating (although I'm pretty sure they subcontracted) little stuff I don't or won't do for myself. Overall was impressed with that shop, up to six guys (none of them under 40 by appearance) working independently at the same time while I was there.

Saw a 1873 Winchester in three different visits being restored - my thought the first visit you can imagine, by the third I'd have sworn Turnbull did the work.

 

[7mmRM]

I would stay far away, dont let them do anything. I have heard nothing but horror stories here at the Ft. Wayne Gander Mtn. Hell, the gunsmith here blew off his own finger because he had thought he put a snap cap in the pistol, ended up being a live round! WTF?

For some reason that doesnt surprise me.

I wouldnt let them touch anything of mine, ever.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

The two pistols that I took back to GM for repair... One of 'em, my 9mm Walther P99, was shipped back to S&W for repair.

Second one, my .40 P99, just had a cracked slide back plate (you know..."hides" the striker assy.) I'm pretty sure that they just ordered the replacement part and swapped them.

I haven't had anything else done.

-J-

 

[DBH]

Joe who used to work on the northside Gander did some great work to one of my 1911s. Unfortunately he left to go work for Chepaer than Dirt, and I have not been back since.

 

[Airwolf]

I took a shotgun and my Kimber 84M to the GM here in Terre Haute two years ago for a front sight bead to be put on and the scope mount checked on the 84M. The guy drilled the hole too big for the shotgun bead. He then stripped my scope mount screw heads on the Kimber. They did however correctly install a Tru Glo front bead on my 870. I only took the 870 because I didn't know anyone else locally to install it.

 

[Slab]

I wish I would have known all of this before I took my 11-87 to be checked on for warranty work. They have a bad reputation for a reason.

should have called me man. i live downtown now.

 

[243rem700]

should have called me man. i live downtown now.

The only reason I took it to them is they are a Remington authorized warranty work gunsmith and Remington told me to take it to them when I called. I will not make that mistake again and will insist that Remington let me take it to another shop or send it directly to them.