Special-request builds....

[mongrel]

Since this forum has proven to be a source of a certain amount of business for me, I hope I'm not presuming too much to post this here:

I've made a decision to stick to my basic rugrat/trade rifle (and smoothbore) concept, and not accept any more work for full-blown custom guns that go beyond my standard stuff in terms of decoration, PC considerations, or catering to someone else's personal notions of how these guns should be built. Almost without exception my efforts to please customers by providing something "a cut above" or out-of-the-ordinary, quite frankly are more time-consuming and the source of more headaches than any amount of extra money charged for them is really worth.

I'll make good on existing commitments and will certainly consider any requests made in future, but my chosen field is entry-level, very basic muzzleloaders, and the special orders I accept will only be for variations on that theme. There are plenty of very good to excellent builders crafting high-end pieces, and those who want that sort of gun will simply have to make contact with one of them, pay the money asked, and wait however long it takes. It really is not as easy as some would think to produce a completely different product than that which I've chosen and become accustomed to building, and our modern American notion that any and all problems can be solved by the application of a greater or lesser amount of money hasn't worked out even remotely to my satisfaction or liking. On the contrary, finding myself paid more to work out problems than to just build guns is going to fairly quickly sour me on this whole endeavor, and when all signs point to me having a modest success on my hands building the guns I prefer, I see no reason to let more involved or elaborate projects take time away from what I really love doing.

[hungryjohn]

No problems here. I've always thought the  basic, no frills gun would have been the more common from a historical stand point. Unlike what the 'experts' would have us believe.

[William]

So I'm not getting a laser sight with my trade rifle then? 

[Hammerhead]

what about my 1812 rocket launcher bud lol. i agree that the specials could be alittle time consuming

[mongrel]

Wise-asses....

You guys are getting your guns. What the two of you have asked me to do is precisely what I want and actually NEED to be doing. What I'm going to be turning down are requests made in the attitude of, "I like what you do, Mike, and I want you to build me something completely different from that. Just let me know how much extra money it will take."

As of now there is no longer enough money circulating in this entire world, because I'm not going to have this wonderful job of mine wrecked for me by someone else's ideas of what I ought to be doing.

[flintboomer]

Mongrel
You like what you do and you like staying in that niche and I think that is a good thing!

[bmcret]

Hey I beleive the best guns are the most simple and plain to me they are more elegant than any of those fancy carved and polished things. I also believe that this is the gun that would have seen the most use. I hope that we can get together in the future on one ( when I get the cash together ) because I have seen you work and think it is really beutiful.

[mongrel]

And that response (from an awful lot of people, here and at Friendship and other places) is why I'm going to stick to my comfort zone. What I best like doing seems to really appeal to exactly the kind of people I enjoy doing business with.

The clincher for me happened today, when I went down to Friendship to turn over a small rifle to a guy who'd missed me during the Shoots and had a wife needing the kind of gun I build. She's small and has a bad back. When she shouldered the gun I'd brought along, the look on her face was something you couldn't have given me any amount of money for. Why interrupt that sort of experience to deal with someone whose basic starting point in doing a deal with me is wanting something different from what I'm actually best at and happiest building?

[William]

Wise-asses.... LOL!!!

And that response (from an awful lot of people, here and at Friendship and other places) is why I'm going to stick to my comfort zone. What I best like doing seems to really appeal to exactly the kind of people I enjoy doing business with. The clincher for me happened today, when I went down to Friendship to turn over a small rifle to a guy who'd missed me during the Shoots and had a wife needing the kind of gun I build. She's small and has a bad back. When she shouldered the gun I'd brought along, the look on her face was something you couldn't have given me any amount of money for. Why interrupt that sort of experience to deal with someone whose basic starting point in doing a deal with me is wanting something different from what I'm actually best at and happiest building?

But seriously, if you aren't happy with what you are doing what is the point?  This I understand more than anything. 

[Hawken50]

Mike,yor work stands on its own,no need for nuthin else.In a world of custom rifles that cost more than a good truck its refeshing to see quality builds at an affordable price.Keep it up ol devil dog.

[crazell]

I hope to be a future prospect for one of your fine rifle's!!! You do outstanding work!!!!!

[old salt]

Mike
I know how you feel about the look in the eyes or smile meaning more than money.
Also my dad used to say when your pleasure becomes misery it is time to some thing else.
Fallow your heart

[Dogshirt]

You do what you do, and don't let anyone budge from that!

[DandJofAZ]

I love my  little 'Mike Lange' 32..basic iron furniture, full stock, oil finish...Just what I wanted...now my son wants to shoot it more than the other little 32 we have..guess he likes Mike's stuff too.. 

Doug