MARS Armament THUG package build on a Colt WW1 reproduction:
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MARS Armament THUG
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Amp Mangum
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Definitely a difficult situation, Ive been in the customer shoes a time or two unfortunately with knifemakers and smiths, communication is key unfortunately not everyone understands that.......
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I have been in the 1911 community for over 25 years. In that time I have amassed quite a collection and have dealt with many of the custom smiths in the industry. I have been very patient in my dealings with one man shops and never rushed them due to the many hats they have to wear in running a small business. With that said, I have never been treated so poorly by a small business (in any industry) as I have been with Steve Morrison at Mars Arnament. From my personal experience, this is a shop with zero integrity and nobody should ever be subjected to the frustration and stress that I have incurred over the past 8 years. Never, ever consider them for any 1911 work of any kind !
My story is very similar to KTMmx226. Same pattern of behavior by Steve Morrison at Mars Arnament. My 1911 has been in his shop for over 8 years. I sent him a brand new colt series 70 repro as a base gun for the THUG package plus a few other custom extras. He agreed to the work and told me it would be about 9-12 months to finish the project. Well, eight years later and still dont have my gun. Communication has been terrible on their end to say the least. I have been handed off to 3-4 different assistants over this 8 year span that all promised me that most of the work has been done on my pistol and I’m “about 3 weeks out from completion”. And all those assistants have quit by the way over the years. Everybody leaves them, that speaks volumes right there. At this point I’m not sure they are still in business.
My story is very similar to KTMmx226. Same pattern of behavior by Steve Morrison at Mars Arnament. My 1911 has been in his shop for over 8 years. I sent him a brand new colt series 70 repro as a base gun for the THUG package plus a few other custom extras. He agreed to the work and told me it would be about 9-12 months to finish the project. Well, eight years later and still dont have my gun. Communication has been terrible on their end to say the least. I have been handed off to 3-4 different assistants over this 8 year span that all promised me that most of the work has been done on my pistol and I’m “about 3 weeks out from completion”. And all those assistants have quit by the way over the years. Everybody leaves them, that speaks volumes right there. At this point I’m not sure they are still in business.
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Ouch and the blows keep coming. I wonder how quickly you would get your guns back if you offered to pay shipping and eat the deposit.
I am by no means saying that you should have to. I just believe that is part of the issue. Good intentions mean nothing. Life has a way of getting in the way. It will muck up the best laid plans. If life has gotten in the way, be open about the difficulties you face and the amount of extra time it will require. Then deliver.
I could see someone pushing the higher paying work further up the que to net more money in a year's time. Especially those offering packages. Take a ton of deposits on the lower cost package to pad the in betweens. Then they forget how many deposits they have taken, how many are really waiting. When they start to face the true number your deposit is already spent. Now they have to find a way to purchase those parts. They have another bill looming. Another higher paying job gets completed.
Essentially those lower cost builds cost them money by eating their time.
I am by no means saying that you should have to. I just believe that is part of the issue. Good intentions mean nothing. Life has a way of getting in the way. It will muck up the best laid plans. If life has gotten in the way, be open about the difficulties you face and the amount of extra time it will require. Then deliver.
I could see someone pushing the higher paying work further up the que to net more money in a year's time. Especially those offering packages. Take a ton of deposits on the lower cost package to pad the in betweens. Then they forget how many deposits they have taken, how many are really waiting. When they start to face the true number your deposit is already spent. Now they have to find a way to purchase those parts. They have another bill looming. Another higher paying job gets completed.
Essentially those lower cost builds cost them money by eating their time.
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The thing that I don't understand is they have these guys waiting years. However the website says 6 to 9 month turn around. If this isn't bullshit I don't know what is. SCAM.....
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No one should continue to do buisness in this manner.
No one should continue to do buisness in this manner.
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I was thinking the same.
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THUG is right!
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Post 29 and 30 in this thread Mars joined the forum and posted a response. And yet the customers still can’t get any answers. I wonder if the guns sent in were used in other builds? Just speculation. But why ruin your business, and get a bad name especially on this site, for a couple for returned deposits and guns that don’t even belong to them.
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There is no sense in trying to think about this as a rational, professional person. There are many reasons why semi-custom shops are flourishing and the list of real gunsmiths that deliver high-quality work seem to dwindle every year.
Primarily, It's a tough niche business that requires diverse skills and is not for the weak or weak-minded.
Pistolsmiths have to have a lot of internal drive and initiative and be able to juggle a lot of balls to make a living.
It's hard to focus. Old pistolsmith George Madore used to work from 10PM to 6AM in his shop to avoid the phone calls and door knockers.
Top pistolsmiths are inundated with "tire kickers", "time wasters" and forum "buddies" who just want to get close to the musk they emanate and the knowledge they dispense. They have to be able to delegate and separate the wheat from the chaff. I have been guilty of this. Many of us are. Time is money, and nowhere is time more valuable than when you work for yourself.
A very well-known 'smith showed me a letter a customer wrote him to have a gun built. It was a 15+ page essay on how every single part of the gun should be modified and addressed complete with diagrams. He had to politely decline, but those are the kind of people that people have to deal with on occasion.
A smart man told me the best pistolsmiths usually have a loving, supportive wife.
Who also has a good job with benefits.
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Thank you for the morning Laugh!!!!
I wouldn’t be pleased obviously but I’d take it.
I just want out at this point. The fun/excitement/pride in ownership (Potential at This Point) is long since gone.
The problem is this has essentially been offered and was rejected by Sarah…who I assume is Steve’s wife.
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Some years ago, mebbe 20 or so, I got to know Steve.
He was working with Kevin (MadDog) McClung just a few miles away.
I was impressed with Steve's skill and integrity.
Gosh knows what has happened in the years since then.
Steve has built guns for clients that we have shared.
Clients that are at Tier One level of service to our country.
I can only hope that there is a reasonable explanation and that everybody will be made whole.
Problems such as these degrade the image of those that strive HARD in this trade.
He was working with Kevin (MadDog) McClung just a few miles away.
I was impressed with Steve's skill and integrity.
Gosh knows what has happened in the years since then.
Steve has built guns for clients that we have shared.
Clients that are at Tier One level of service to our country.
I can only hope that there is a reasonable explanation and that everybody will be made whole.
Problems such as these degrade the image of those that strive HARD in this trade.
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OMG McClung.
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Have to say a name I am not familiar with
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You must have missed out on some of the early gun/knife/tactical internet drama
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No, its been eight years this November. They have totally ghosted me. I have tried dozens of times calling and emailing with no response. I dont know if they sold my gun or lost it but bottom line is I’m w/o a Colt Series 70 and a $1000 deposit. Not sure who to turn to legally to try and get my property back : ATF, Utah prosecutors office, Salt Lake City Sherrifs Dept or all of the above. Mars Arnament is a joke of a business and I hope nobody ever has to endure the experience I have had with Steve Morrison. He has no integrity and no honor on top of being a liar and a thief. I dont know how he can live with himself taking peoples property and offering them empty promises of quality gunsmithing that never are delivered. Shame on him and I hope he realizes what he has done one day.
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