Cost of having damascus barrels refinished?

[Setter Man]

I undersand Keith was gravely ill last year. Does anyone know how he is doing health wise?

[Steve McCarty]

Originally Posted by Jay Gardner

I undersand Keith was gravely ill last year. Does anyone know how he is doing health wise?

I don't know anything about Keith's health and had not heard that he was ill. He looks hail and hearty to me. His hair is still inky black. He stands tall. He has taken on an apprentice who I believe he said is a cousin. The kid is a nice fellow. Looks like an NFL quarterback and seems eager to learn.

Keith told me that he is planning to retire and slowly turn the biz over to his apprentice, which causes me to concur about his possible poor health, but he doesn't seem to be in a great hurry to hang it up. Cody is working hard and he usually answers their phone, but so does Keith. Cody is going to school on my gun, but Keith has always been a stickler for quality and I'll bet he is watching over my gun well. The several guns that he has worked on for me came back very nice.

[C.O.B.]

I have had several sets of barrels done by Dale Edmonds and the cost was $300 and it took a couple of months. If you PM me I'll see if I can find his contact info. I asked Brad about doing some barrels and he quoted me from 400-600 depending on the condition. There is no fast way to do these it's an art form. Send your barrels during the off season and you should be fine.

[Steve McCarty]

I have just stepped in the door coming from Keith Kearcher's shop. His nephew, Cody Kearcher is working with him and he did my gun. He worked on my very plain O grade L.C. Smith.

I thought the overall cost was high. I have yet to take pictures, but I was ASAP.

Gun was re-browned, bore polished, it's still a bit rough, but I think it'll shoot okay, chokes opened to IC and Mod, checkering recut (cost $300!) action was taken apart and cleaned and the safety was repaired. I'm going to try the gun at skeet and clays. Keith declared that it'd be safe to shoot standard low PSI shells. The chambers measured okay for 3 & 3/4 inch shells. I have a case of RST 8's that I'll try first, just for grins.

The fee was $1,070. Am now "into" the gun $1400 which is more by about $500, at least, than the gun is worth. I am, however; generally pleased with the quality of the work..again, I'll take pics. It took about a month to complete.

Oh, I saw a high grade Parker in the shop. Looked finished and ready to send out. Is it one of you guy's guns? Gun looks wonderful...bout as close to new as I've seen. Has a raised rib, full case colors, fine stock, liquid steel barrels...blued...maybe blacked.

Having too much invested in a gun doesn't really bother me...I don't collect for resale. I am a shooter. But my wife, when I told her the price, was fit to be tied. I didn't think it would cost that much...oh well. I think the swelling will go down in a few days.

[Steve McCarty]

Oh, Keith said he is healthy as a horse. He had heard that he was at death's door too. Said people must have thought he was sick because he is heading to retirement. Anyway, Keith is fine and he is dedicated to training his nephew, Cody in the business. I think the kid will do fine. He is serious about the work.

When I peeked into his shop the two guys were working away like Santa's helpers.

Steve

[Dean Romig]

I believe it was Kirk Merrington who was gravely ill last year.

[Setter Man]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I believe it was Kirk Merrington who was gravely ill last year.

You are right, Dean. I stand corrected.

[Steve McCarty]

Not my best picture of Cody Kearcher's work on my L.C. Smith. The damascus pattern is clear in life. From about five feet the color looks an even soft brown, but upon close inspection the brown/silver come up nice.

Cost to re-color the barrels was $420...they look much better in life.



There, that's better.

Here is a "before" picture

[Steve McCarty]

They say one can't make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear" and my Elsie is still an O grade, but she is a very presentable shotgun now. Cody polished the bores and honed them just a bit, he didn't want to take off too much, they measure .030 at their thinnest.

Looking at them now, they look extremely solid. Keith Kearcher said he'd be comfortable shooting them with standard 2&3/4" target loads, the chambers are long enough. I think so too. RST shells are even lighter loads than the old BP. I usually shoot #8 Rio or Estate target loads. I think I'll be find shooting them in the Elsie which is now an IC/Mod gun vise F/F. I'll try it at skeet.

[Paul Harm]

I've had Brad do the barrels and color case hardening on quite a few guns and have always been happy. Your wait, as I understand it, may vary because he likes to do different manufactures in lots. Good luck - Paul