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[nhyrum]

I would be surprised if the person making dies is the same person running phones and emails. If it is, then that problem can be remedied quickly.

Would you rather them hire another machinist to catch up, or someone to send emails? It doesn't have to be the same person, it's still labor and time used pfaffing around when they could be making your shit.

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[MidGAHunter]

I dont have a dog in this fight (I don't own Whidden dies but I hear they are really nice). However, from their website: "Lead time for Custom dies is currently averaging 14-16 weeks from the the 1st of the following month in which your order was placed and your brass or reamer print was received by us."

So...if they received your brass before February 1, the lead time they quoted you starts February 1. If they received your brass after February 1, your lead time began March 1.

 

[Wrench]

They're probably waiting on PTG to get them a reamer.....which is impossible to quote a time on.

 

[mvrk28]

Would you rather them hire another machinist to catch up, or someone to send emails? It doesn't have to be the same person, it's still labor and time used pfaffing around when they could be making your shit.

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What I’m saying is if they have a machinist answering phones and emails they are poorly managing resources. I know this is not the case there. I’m just saying the notion that office staff responding to emails is slowing production is off base.

 

[Newtosavage]

Everyone sticking up for the business here is applying a serious double standard. They would never accept this kind of customer service from their attorney or realtor or truck dealer and yet somehow, businesses in the firearms industry get a pass. Every. Single. Time. It's unreal.

I've now had four custom barrels made and paid three separate gunsmiths to work on my rifles. Small sample size compared to some, but the one thing they all have in common is terrible communication and an attitude that says we should all be grateful they even speak with us. LOL

Again, we wouldn't accept this kind of CS in any other line of work but when it comes to guns all the sudden it's okay and we make excuses for them.

And then we turn around and criticize Millennials for their terrible customer service.

 

[Pro953]

I can sympathize with your frustration, but I can also sympathize with the manufacturer.

I work with a small/mid scale B2B custom manufacturer and all I can say is small scale custom manufacturing is EXTREMELY challenging.

Each project is custom and therefore has unexpected challenges and a whole learning curve. While not apples to apples with making custom dies I can only assume it has similar challenges.

When every project has a certain amount of R&D lead times are extremely difficult to calculate. Add in the additional challenges of the last couple years and it’s a recipe for situations like this.

I agree this does not excuse the lack of communication, but when you a genuinely in some cases working seven days a week to keep up and you are not even sure when you can finish the job, it makes those conversations very challenging.

Some days I fail at great communication in my job. It just sucks calling people all day long giving them bad news then having them upset with you and you cannot even really give them clear answers. I wish it was not true, but sometimes those last couple calls get procrastinated to the next day etc…

What a weird year is has been and sadly supply chains in my world are getting worse not better.


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[orelkaddict]

I agree that good communication can go a long ways and should be on the forefront of any business, that being said I've never had a set of 1OFF custom dies show up in 6 months. Hell I'm happy if they show up in less than year sometimes. And if they have to get anything from PT&G than good god damn luck. Dave does great work but who knows when you'll see it. Best of luck on your new dies getting to you soon

 

[Pro953]

Just a thought. Consider this kind of work, more like construction and not standard retail transactions.

You have a deadline to finish a construction job, but due to many variables that date may be sooner or later.


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[gbflyer]

Very few folks in the custom gun trade get things done on time. Be it custom rifles, components, or accessories. Many wear it as a badge of honor. The COVID is a convenient excuse most of the time. When you find one that does you right, take good care of them, spread the word, and repeat your business as often as possible.

 

[204guy]

My advice is don't ever order a stock from Manners.



Or have a custom rifle built.


....Or have taxidermy done.

 

[mvrk28]

My advice is don't ever order a stock from Manners.



Or have a custom rifle built.


....Or have taxidermy done.

haha

i was spoiled when I had a gun built by APR, their service and communication was top notch.

I’m fine with waiting for something, I just think it’s ridiCloud to advertise 16 week lead time when in reality it’s closer to double that.

 

[Newtosavage]

My advice is don't ever order a stock from Manners.



Or have a custom rifle built.


....Or have taxidermy done.

Same ilk. Not sure what it is, but my guess is they are in those businesses, and not others, for a reason.

 

[Reburn]

When you find one that does you right, take good care of them, spread the word, and repeat your business as often as possible.

Yea F that. I have a gun smith that does things on time. I take good care of him and he takes good care of me. Some jobs I drop off and say whenever. Some I say when I need them. I never never share his info. Especially not here in the wild. He already has more work then he knows what to do with. I'm not going to help to bury him more where he does get like the others. The really great ones are sometimes best kept a secret.

 

[TxxAgg]

I work for a large manufacturer ($1B, thousands of employees)

Lead times, labor shortages, bottlenecks, shipping times and shipping expenses are all at levels not seen before.

We don't project it to level off until early 2022. The Christmas rush will make it worse in 2021.

 

[cal30_sniper]

If the DoD can't get raw materials, neither can Whidden.

I live in my basement and even I know that.

 

[mvrk28]

If the DoD can't get raw materials, neither can Whidden.

I live in my basement and even I know that.

That's great, that's not my issue. My issue is if you can't get materials or you can't meet deadlines for whatever reason, don't advertise a lead time that you can't possibly hit. It's misleading. Don't tell your customer a couple weeks then keep extending, just be honest and say you don't have an exact date on when it will be ready because of reasons a, b and c.

 

[cal30_sniper]

Would you rather them hire another machinist to catch up, or someone to send emails?

 

[TxxAgg]

That's great, that's not my issue. My issue is if you can't get materials or you can't meet deadlines for whatever reason, don't advertise a lead time that you can't possibly hit. It's misleading. Don't tell your customer a couple weeks then keep extending, just be honest and say you don't have an exact date on when it will be ready because of reasons a, b and c.

I understand your frustration and agree, however many times the guys answering the phone aren't privy to the info the managers/owners have. So, often times, there is misinformation on accident. It happens a lot lately.

 

[fwafwow]

No dog in the hunt here either, but I like how the online ammo retailers have dire warnings about delivery times, etc., some of which are more conservative than perhaps necessary. I don't know that it would take a great deal of time to update the website - once - to say all hell has broken loose and that promised deadlines won't be met and they will get things done and shipped as soon as possible.

 

[rayporter]

i bet if you just asked for you money back you would be free to wait on someone else's dies for a few months.

and i am waiting on a set from them, also.