This isn't unique to Bachelders!
Almost every gunsmith I've ever used hasn't met their anticipated delivery date. Unfortunately it's just part of the game.
Please don't get me wrong. I get very frustrated by the missed dates myself, it's just something that I have come to grips with that this is just the way it is. We can debate all the possible reasons for this and fill several pages here doing so, but in the end it won't change a thing.
What it's done for me is to make me have 2nd, 3rd & 4th thoughts anytime I think about sending work off. When I do have work done now I realize that the moment I slip the package across the shipping table I may not see that gun or parts again for several years. I jokingly refer to it as the gunsmithing blackhole. It's made me re-think having any work done other than necessary mechanical repairs to make the gun go bang again.
The bottom line here is that this isn't flat rate work. The guy's that do this work are artisans that are working on very old items that have un-foreseen problems crop-up which need to be worked around to be made right. There is fewer and fewer smith's doing this type of work all the time and the ones left are getting all of the work. When you add it up it leads to the frustrations that we all feel when discussing this issue. Almost everyone who's messed around with these old guns has dealt with these frustrations at least once & in some cases many times.
I guess what I'm trying to say is; I feel your pain, I've been there-done that!! My suggestion is to take a deep breath it will all work-out in the end.
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