doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Need advice on CSMC Fox.

I never change the initials engraved on a quality gun. As Dick says, it's part of the provenance.

If CSMC can't be bothered because they're more interested in new gun sales than "second-hand-gun-work" WHEN THE GUN IN QUESTION IS ONE THEIR OWN EXPENSIVE GUNS and not just another brand, then shame on them.
All guns of quality change hands and in this case the gun has Tony's name on it. If I were Tony, I'd let any employee who didn't do their best to keep an owner (regardless of whether or not original purchaser) of a Galazan product happy, know they will soon be looking for another line of work.
Acceptable responses from CSM could be - it's difficult - it's expensive - it will take time. But the one response CSM should never give is, we don't want to help because we're really just too busy to care.
Every company that cares to stay in business should be smart enough to know the value of finding the time to care and help an owner of their products...it's called customer service and it generates future sales.

I've looked at a couple of CSMC Foxes on the used market myself. Most of them have at least the initials on the trigger guard some have "made for ???? on the barrels in gold"

My take is that buying one on the used market is such a savings over having CSMC build one, it's worth putting up with the initials. The other thing I've decided is that if I would have one made. I wouldn't have my initials put on one, just in case I wanted or needed to part with the gun down the road.

I feel the most important question that needs to be asked is.

"Does the life-time warranty roll over to the new owner"

What a cruddy company. It's not like you were asking them to do it for free. They should be falling all over themselves to assist.

I have to say CSMC is one of those companies I've never dealt with but their general rating seems to run about 50%....for every good story I hear I hear one bad story. I don't deal with 50 percenters.

GregSY,
CSM really is better than 50%. I didn't mean to denigrate their efforts and believe (as will all companies) that the quality of the response you receive depends on who you talk to on any given day. Most small companies suffer from growing pains and CSM is no exception. I could certainly name other American shotgun manufacturers, dealers, custom stockmakers, etc. (but I won't) who do far, far less than CSM to make sure the customer gets what they need in a timely manner. I only meant to say that CSM needs to stay on their "toes" to keep the good will flowing.
As for initials on a gun, I don't like them (even my own), so I do like the idea of contacting a master like Ken Hurst if a change is required. JMO...but it's what I believe.

First, just go buy the gun if it is as good a deal as you imply.
Second,truth is, I am with Dick and Chuck on this one. The gun is what it is. Hell, the gun should outlive lots of generations. The original initials are part of it. You are just the current caretaker.

I also agree that if it really bugs ya, call Ken

Regards, Jake

If CSMC were out of business, I'd agree with the approach of leaving it alone. But, they are in biz and it makes every bit of sense to send it back to have it refitted with a new guard.

If it were 1920 and you had an 8 year old Fox (or whatever) you'd do the same. Of course, in 1920 they probably would have done it for free and made a customer for life.

Apparently CSM's customer service is non-transferable. I'd expect them to make a for fee repair on a second hand gun but a minor cosmetic alteration is a bit different. I think the suggestion of an outworker is sufficient customer service in this case.

Provenance:

"This gun was bespoke by Mr. LCL, thus his initials on the trigger guard. The gun was sold shortly after delivery to MR. LCL because...

Pick one.

a. Mr. LCL couldn't shoot it worth a crap, and decided a Remington 1100 would fit his style better"

b. Mr LCL lost all his money and his house in a variable rate mortgage deal and couldn't afford to keep a CSM FOX"

c. Mr. LCL needed bail money"

"The initials have been kept as delivered out of respect for the fickle MR. LCL who goes through shotguns like many men go through fancy ladies in Las Vegas. Hopefully future generations of 'caretakers' will have the same respect for the taste of this fine gentleman of the early part of the century who was generous enough to grace the trigger guard of this fine reproduction with his honorable initials."

If it were mine I'd just enjoy it "as is". I agree with the above posts that they have become part of the provenance. That is assuming that the trigger guard hasn't been damaged beyond repair or something like that....