# Bad Gun Show Day



## wb0s (Jan 6, 2013)

I just have to tell someone about my worst gun show day yesterday. There is a Glock Amorer that regularly attends our local gun show. He has been helping me build my Glock 22 into a pistol especially suited for target shooting at my local indoor range. Two weeks ago I had emailed him to verify he would be at the show yesterday, and he replied that he would indeed be there. Yesterday I arrived at the gun show early as usual. I paid my $8.00 for parking. I approached the building and found the line to get into the building was approximately 1/8th of a mile long! The weather was cold with a little rain drizzle. Well I had already paid my $8, so I was committed. I stood in line for an hour before I finally got to the ticket booth to pay my $9.00 to get into the show. At this point I am already into this deal $17.00. 

After I entered the show I immediately spotted the armorer's Glock banner and headed that way, making my route through the hoards of people. When I got to his booth the first thing I noticed was his work bench area was covered with parts. Not parts being worked on, but new parts in their packages. A stranger in the booth asked if I needed help. I asked him where the armorer was and if he was setting up. He told me the armorer had retired and he was the new owner. He said the armorer's retirement was sudden, that he had just decided last week. 

After that bad news I just figured I might as well stroll around a bit. After all I have an investment in this gun show now. After walking around a bit I ran across another gun armorer. I had heard of him and after talking with him for awhile I decided he seemed very knowledgeable, and seemed like a really nice guy. I asked him if he could install my brand new adjustable rear sight onto my Glock 22. He said he could, and would do it for $20 provided it wasn't one of the "difficult" ones. I agreed to the deal. What followed was horrifying. He used his Glock sight pushing tool to remove the existing site. After which he placed my brand new, super trick, adjustable sight in position to install. He proceeded to press the sight into place. He was having a hard time turning the handle to complete the press. He pulled out an old 8mm rifle barrel he apparently uses as a "cheater" bar over the press's handle to add more leverage. At first this really concerned me, but then I thought, hey he's an older guy, maybe this just makes it easier for him. After about two or three turns he started having difficulty with the cheater bar in place. Now I am concerned! Suddenly there was a loud pop. I thought, OH CRAP! He said it's ok, that was just a stress noise. Well, I'm stressed, and I'm thinking that's a "broken" noise. He continued to try to complete the press. After a few minutes he took the slide out of the press. My brand new sight was ruined, and his press was broken. He told me I should contact the company that made the sight about this problem. He said he did not apply "excessive pressure" in attempting to install the sight, and nowhere on their instructions did it indicate or state the sight may need any filing to fit. I felt bad for him ( a retired guy doing this work as a side business) so I gave him th $20 for his trouble and broken tool, had him re-install my old sight (with his other press) and off I went. 

After this terrific experience I found and purchased a Glock Armorer's handbook for $25. Tally for the day so far, $82. When I got home I started reading my new Glock handbook. What I read in regards to installing rear sights was, fitting is sometimes required for the installation of rear sites. Fitting should be done using a hand file. The more I read the more I felt I maybe able to complete some of the simpler work on my Glock, probably even installing a rear site. Then I pulled out my Glock 22 to study it closer. What I found was more bad news. The slide was also ruined. Where his press tool had locked the rear of the slide into place, it had bent the bottom rail channels outward on both sides! There were obvious marks on the outside of the side indicating the damaged areas, to the point where they must be close to cracking or just breaking off. 

After some internet searching and reading reviews, I decided to order a new replacement slide from Lone Wolf. The cost of their slide is $209.00, less expensive than the factory Glock slide. I also ordered another new adjustable rear sight for $86. My total for the day was $377, and I'm further behind on my project than I was at the beginning of the day. Well by now, if you're still reading this, you've probably figured out that I am fairly new to hand-gunning. My experience today has left me with one burning question; is this the difference between an "Armorer" and a "Gunsmith"?

Thanks for listening.........I feel much better now..............I think................


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## chessail77 (Mar 15, 2011)

An Armorer usually does repairs on guns he is trained for and a gunsmith works on many different ones doing repairs, upgrades and improvements.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

So sorry to hear about this. I have never had any thing like this happen to me but I know I would not be happy one bit about someone messing up my property. Consider it a lesson learned and try your best to keep your sanity.


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## wb0s (Jan 6, 2013)

chessail77 said:


> An Armorer usually does repairs on guns he is trained for and a gunsmith works on many different ones doing repairs, upgrades and improvements.


Thank you for the clarification. It would appear I should have taken it to a gunsmith!


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## wb0s (Jan 6, 2013)

SouthernBoy said:


> So sorry to hear about this. I have never had any thing like this happen to me but I know I would not be happy one bit about someone messing up my property. Consider it a lesson learned and try your best to keep you sanity.


Thanks for your support. I did learn a good lesson, and hey, on the bright side my Glock with have a nice shiny new slide (although I do prefer the black).............


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## jakeleinen1 (Jul 20, 2011)

Jesus!

Man, that was more then just a Bad Gun Show Day... Awful stuff

Good luck, hopefully luck will bring your $300+ dollars back


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## nomadrider (May 2, 2011)

Man, when you hand someone your weapon at a show, they should know what the hell they are doing.


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## JMessmer (Dec 30, 2012)

Wow... That sucks.


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## wb0s (Jan 6, 2013)

To all those that posted replies, thanks for the sympathy. I thought I would post an update on my Glock. I purchased a replacement slide from Lone Wolf for $209. A new LPA adjustable sight cost me another $80. After viewing many You Tube videos of installing rear sights on Glock pistols, and reading my new Glock Armorer's Handbook, I felt comfortable enough to try installing the rear sight and assembling the new slide myself. First off in my opinion, I will say You Tube is one of the best things that has come about with computers! There are some great "how to" videos out there!

Here's a couple photos of my first LPA rear sight after the Glock Armorer tried to install it with his Glock press:
IMG_3191_zps15599ca7.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket
IMG_3195_zps5cd9935b.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket

Here's photos of the slide:
IMG_3199_zps77911aad.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket
IMG_3200_zpsed86ed58.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket
IMG_3201_zps9e3802b4.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket

Per the Glock Armorer's Handbook, I test fit the new LPA rear sight in the slide's dovetail. I used a flashlight shining from the back side to determine where the tight clearances were. I then very slowly and carefully hand filed the sight's dovetail until I could press it halfway into the slide's dovetail. I then placed the slide in a vise and drifted it into place using a small hammer and a poly punch. After successfully installing the rear sight I transferred all the remaining parts from my damaged slide into my new Lone Wolf slide, using my Glock Handbook as my guide. After re-assembly I function tested the pistol using snap caps to cycle fully. Although I prefer the black Glock slide to the stainless finish of the Lone Wolf, I am happy with my finished product. All in all it was a great learning experience for me. I guess in the big picture $300 isn't bad for good experience. Anybody interested in buying a ruined Glock 22 slide?................I thought not...............

My finished pistol:
IMG_3206_zpsd6d0e160.jpg photo by wb0s | Photobucket


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## zonie77 (Apr 28, 2010)

Wb0s, you should look into Glock Shooting Sports Foundation, with membership you can take an armorers course.

Your Glock looks great.:smt002


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## wb0s (Jan 6, 2013)

Thanks zonie, I'm Google-ing it now!


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