AND THEN, you have to assume that the gunsmith has integrity. Unfortunately, where I live, there are a few very high-dollar smiths that I've had experience with and who did NOT perform the paid-for tasks. One case was a very clean, no-name, side by side 16ga. that was made in Belgium around 1925. I gave it as a gift to a friend of mine. He decided he wanted to take it apart and clean it. I have the correct screw-drivers for the task, but no matter how we tried (all the tricks for weeks on end) we could not get the screw that held the lever on top (that opens the gun) to release. SO, we brought it to a super high-priced shotgun place upstate and left it to be cleaned and 'lighten the triggers'. When we went back after many months, they charged a very (and suspiciously) reasonable price of $85. They said that they gave the internals a detailed cleaning and lube, but couldn't adjust the triggers because (now get this... a professional gunsmith shop said) "the springs were too old". They REALLY said that to us....I have to assume that we both look VERY STUPID, or that their rich clients ARE that stupid. Anyway, on the way home, I told my friend that they never got that top screw loose either, but, rather than admit that to us, they just lied and grabbed a quick $85. I told him that I would prove my assumption by attempting, once again, to loosen that frozen screw. IF they had, indeed, taken the gun apart and done that 'detailed clean and lube', the screw would be easily removed by us when we got home. Needless to say, the screw was still frozen in place.....
IMHO,
J.
