Got a question about minor "idiot marks" from Gunsmith

[allright]

Hi all, I recently sent my SP 01 Tactical out to a very reputable gunsmith for some trigger, hammer, sights, and tune up. I'm in CA and since this gun is not on the roster of guns available to us, I had to SSE the purchase. Adding a bit more to the original price from CZ Custom. Before sending the gun to the gunsmith (to be unnamed at this point), I took photos of the gun. The gun had two flaws in the finish. One was a shallow nick, the other more of a very light scratch. Upon receiving the gun back from the smith, I noticed some deep "idiot marks" right above the decocker on the left side. I took pictures and sent them to the smith who replied

"I cannot explain the idiot marks on your pistol.  This it not an area
that typically leads to any marks being created at any time during a build
while in our shop.  However, if you indicate they are fresh, I will not
refute that.  I find marks left by anyone working on a firearm is
unacceptable.  I have a -0- tolerance policy for damage to a firearm
finish.  So if you elect, I will have your pistol refinished at my
expense.  I don't mind since our reputation is the most important thing.  I
do remember looking your pistol over and I can't recall those marks.  So
let me know how you want to proceed.

I'm curious as to what I should do, and I'm reaching out to the CZ community for your thoughts. Some of mine
1. forget about it and enjoy the new great trigger and sights
2. send the gun back
3. ask for reparation of sending me the money to get some other kind of coating. i.e. duracoat, ceracoat, etc
4. Send another of my CZ's to the smith for the same work, and ask that I don't pay for labor or shipping

What say you?

I've attached some pics.
This is the light scratch already on the gun, a horizontal line right above the grip



A nick in the paint on right side as well and already on the gun .... this and the mark above were the only flaws



And now the damage from the gunsmith seen right above the decocker... or in this photo to the left of the decocker (all other spots were dust)

[ranfunck]

Why didn't you have cz custom do the work in the first place ? Looks like they pride on the decock lever to get it out.

[Fgcm]

I wonder if you can repair the scratches yourself spending a few $ and a couple of hours.
Take it easy.
Scratches (and idiots) are a fact of life.

The question is how idiot is one who uses a lever and hammer this way.

Franco

[Grendel]

Seems to me that he's stepping up and offering to make you whole. I'm not sure what you hope to achieve by trying to get something else out of him.  He could have just said to pound sand, but he didn't. Either send it back for a free refinish or pay for it yourself to be finished in some coating you prefer. I don't see what else you can reasonably expect him to do.

[Radom]

Let's use a little logic:

To my way of thinking, there are only five (5) possible explanations for the alleged additional marks:
1) They were actually there when you shipped your pistol;
2) The shipping process from you to the gunsmith caused the marks;
3) The gunsmith caused the marks;
4) The shipping process from the gunsmith to you caused the marks; and/or
5) You caused the marks after receiving the pistol from the shipper.

Based on your representations, the additional marks weren't there when you shipped the pistol.

Based on the gunsmith's representations, the additional marks weren't there when he shipped the pistol.

I am not questioning anyone's honesty or integrity.  Even if I had the wisdom of Solomon, I don't have enough facts. 

Assuming the gunsmith didn't damage the finish in this area, I would think he would have blamed the shipper, except for one significant reason.  He was still responsible for shipping your pistol in the proper packaging.  Also, you would be able to tell if the pistol was packaged improperly and could have been damaged in this way when it was returned to you. 

Obviously, you know whether or not possibilities #1 or #5 are true or false.   

Based on the response you received, I would take full advantage of this gunsmith's counter-offer.  However, his only responsibility would be re-finishing the pistol, which would actually be more than adequate reparation (i.e. "making you whole").  Re-finishing will also repair the two marks that you admit were there previously. 

Your counter-offer of leveraging this incident for additional services from someone who allegedly damaged your pistol raises some red flags, in my mind.  Again, you know whether or not possibilities #1 or #5 were in play. 

[1SOW]

Personally,  I think there are two logical choices.
1.  Send it back and have it refinished
2.  Shoot the heck out of it and enjoy the pistol
Only you can decide.

[gdawgs56]

Personally,  I think there are two logical choices.
1.  Send it back and have it refinished
2.  Shoot the heck out of it and enjoy the pistol
Only you can decide.

+1


-Jason

[Fgcm]

Personally,  I think there are two logical choices.
1.  Send it back and have it refinished
2.  Shoot the heck out of it and enjoy the pistol
Only you can decide.

I would take the second option.

[SMaster]

Since the marks that were already there and the new mark is only on the frame I'd just get the lower Cerekoted with titanium color and take pictures of it!
 

 
 
 

[BGlas]

If you intend to shoot it, either leave it or touch it up yourself and forget about it; this is just the beginning of "character building".
In my opinion, this is a very minor event in life, don't let it eat you up thinking about it.

[DenStinett]

Yeah, I'm with 1 here
Take it out and bang away

If you bought it for show, you didn't need to have the Trigger work done
Just my $0.02

[emjei]

Personally,  I think there are two logical choices.
1.  Send it back and have it refinished
2.  Shoot the heck out of it and enjoy the pistol
Only you can decide.

^^^ Agree.....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[czharry]

It's an annoying mark, but relatively minor for a 'shooter'.
When I got a small "divot" in my pretty new $6000 paint job on my Lotus, I got some 600 (or finer) grit wet-or-dry. Cut it in tiny circles, and glued it to the eraser on the ends of a couple of pencils.
    A little fine work took out the divot, then I filled the spot with paint till it was even. Spot of clear coat, and the angst subsided.  Like yours, my idiot mark was not on a place that would make it obvious unless I pointed it out.
 Your color looks like semi-gloss black (Testor's model paint).

[GRB5111]

1SOW's #2. Life is too short to not shoot what you own! By the way, take the GS off your list and use CZ Custom or CGW for future work.

[copemech]

Some may cringe, but to me these things are nothing but a powder coated gun in the first place. Cheap and durable. Built to a spec.

A shooter and beater, black paint covers it. And if you don't like black, well?

Now my stainless would be another issue.

Just a character mark, if you use it there will be more, so now that it has lost its virginity you can go ahead and give it a proper beating like it was made for!