Author Topic: Up date on my custom Blackhawk (Read 1350 times)

LONGTOM · « **on:** April 17, 2011, 01:56:58 PM »

As some of you might remember I had a custom Blackhawk done by John Gallagher of Gallagher Firearms about 1.5 to 2yrs ago.
It was a full custom on a as new 7.5" Bisley Blackhawk I had bought new many years ago.
The work consisted of a full action job from trigger to hammer, a free spin cylinder, stainless jeweled Bisley hammer, open the cylinder throats, a Bowen classic adj rear sight and a S&W style front sight with interchangeable inserts, and lastly a 5.5" custom full octagon barrel.
It was to be set up to shoot 250 to 260gr bullets at about 1000 to 1100fps with a max of 1200fps for deer and be set for 25yds dead on.
The price was agreed on and the work was done in a timely manner for a full custom job IMO.
Once it arrived back to me I was very pleased with the work as far as I could see.
Fit & finish was great and the action was very smooth, just what you would want in a custom handgun.
For some reason he didn't jewel the hammer, he said it just wouldn't turn out the way he liked.
No big deal.
Now for the real joy of shooting a custom built the way I wanted.
At 25yds the gun was at least 6" high with the sight screwed all the way down and the front sight buried.
It also was hitting about 6 to 8" to the left with the rear sight moved all the way to the right.
I called John and he said that he had set the gun up for his ammo which was doing about 1300 to 1350fps.
My ammo is running 1040fps for a 10 shot average.
I asked him why he set it up for ammo that fast when I had told him 1000 to 1100 with a max of 1200fps.
He said that is just how he did it.
Then he said let's address one problem at a time.
First the height of the front blade.
He said I needed a taller front sight or hotter ammo.
He agreed to send me a taller front sight.
I never got it.
I called and still never got it.
I tried calling him a few times after that and he was never there?
I even sent him a couple of emails with no answere.
I have had a couple of gunsmiths in the area look at the gun and they all agree that the only way to fix the left/right problem is to screw the barrel in a touch.
Problem, it is in as far as it will go so I took it to a smith I know I can trust and just by looking at it he said there is more than a turning in problem.
He used a machinist steel straight edge and laid it along the frames top strap, first on one side then the other.
The barrel is ~~canted~~ cocked to the left about 3 hundreds of an inch.
Hard to see with the naked eye but very obvious with a straight edge.
He took the barrel off yesterday and today he showed me with the straight edge again along the flats of the barrel that the threaded portion of the barrel is off.
Now I am not saying that John did this as I don't know if he threaded the barrel or ordered it that way or maybe it was a take off, but the fact is it is off.
I will not contact him about this as I am through with him.
He didn't do as he said he would on the set up and the new front sight and wouldn't even return a call or email.
I will have a new barrel made for it, if we can find someone to make it.
Any suggestions?
I used John on the recommendations of a few here on GBO that he did quality work and that they were satisfied with the guns they had him work on.
I am very glad theirs are right, mine isn't.
I just wanted to let you know the experience I have had with Gallagher Firearms.

Once the gun is fitted with a new barrel I will give another range report at that time.

LONGTOM

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2011, 02:24:29 PM »

Huh, I've had a few go off to John and come back perfect as have many others I know of. Never a negative experience from him at all. As with any complaint, there's always the other side of the story too. I now until I have a really bad experience from him, he'll get more work from me. Heck there's 2 ready to ship to him once I decide exactly what a couple minute details will be.

crabbies3 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2011, 05:30:43 PM »

thats nice but i cant seem to get him to answer a phone call with a msg left with his operator so my work will have to go elsewhere tks ken

LONGTOM · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2011, 08:28:21 PM »

Quote from: BlkHawk73 on April 19, 2011, 02:24:29 PM

Huh, I've had a few go off to John and come back perfect as have many others I know of. Never a negative experience from him at all. As with any complaint, there's always the other side of the story too. I now until I have a really bad experience from him, he'll get more work from me. Heck there's 2 ready to ship to him once I decide exactly what a couple minute details will be.

That's why I went with him in the first place, because of the recommendations from others who have had good reports on him.
Mine just didn't turn out so well for what ever reason.
Barrel may not have been his fault but I would have thought he would have caught it.
The wrong sighting set up was his fault.
He was clearly told what ammo speed to set it up for.
As to the other side of the story, I don't know.
He would never tell me why he set it up that way or what might be the reason it was so far off to the left!
Now I know why, just not who may have caused it.
I can only guess it was the company that made the barrel, as I am sure he buys them already made.

Quote from: crabbies3 on April 19, 2011, 05:30:43 PM

thats nice but i cant seem to get him to answer a phone call with a msg left with his operator so my work will have to go elsewhere tks ken

Same with me.
After a couple of calls about the sights , he would never answere or return my calls or emails.

Here are some pics of it when I got it back from John.
Beautiful gun, Beautiful work, but based on my experence with him I would not send him another.