Just so as you know you are not alone, this sent to me by a fellow shooter:
“Hello. I need for you to make a gun stock for me with 1/2 inch rise at comb, 3/8 inch positive offset, 6 degrees camber and 14 1/2″ length of pull so that I may crush clay pigeons, and I want you to guarantee me it will shoot 100 straight, over and over, so that I may become a trap shooting champion. I would like the wood to be something called grade 6, and I want it made so that it will fit a JC Higgins bird shotgun since that is what I already have. I don’t want to spend more than one hundred dollars, to save money”
“Where did you get those specifications?”
“I talked to some people on trap shooters dot com and they assured me this is what I need.”
Did any of these people meet you and measure you to create those specifications?”
“No, they said they didn’t need to take measurements. Some other people on there said I did need to get measured and even use something called a try gun, but the ones who talked first became very angry and the other people didn’t say any more so I knew the first guys were right.”
“How could you possibly believe you could create stock specifications without getting measured?”
“You are an expert, that is why I am telling you, so you can build my stock the right way.”
“I can’t build your stock the right way without meeting you and taking measurements and watching you shoot.”
“Yes you can. You are an expert. You can build a stock that will shoot 100 straights using the specifications I have given you. I got those measurements from people on trap shooters dot com who KNOW. You are just trying to make me spend a lot of extra money on something I don’t need.”
“If the people on trap shooters dot com are such experts, why don’t you have them build your gun stock?”
“None of them has actually built a gun stock before, but they all shoot guns so they KNOW.”
“If you believe they are experts, you need to have them build your gun stock.”
“No, you are an expert gun stock builder. I just need a stock made to those specifications that will break 100 straights with my JC Higgins bird shotgun with grade six wood and I need it guaranteed, for less than one hundred dollars to save money.”
“I couldn’t possibly guarantee you that a stock made to those specifications will work for you, and I can tell you right now there is no stock I or anyone else can build that is going to make a JC Higgins bird gun break 100 straights.”
“Why are you being so difficult? I have already given you specifications created for me by guys on trap shooters dot com who shoot clay pigeons. These guys know what they are talking about. I just need you to build the stock and guarantee it.”
“How do you know these guys on trap shooters dot com know what they are talking about?”
“Because they SHOOT clay PIGEONS. You are an expert gun stock builder but these guys SHOOT clay PIGEONS. They KNOW about this stuff.”
“Clearly I don’t know as much as these guys on trap shooters dot com. Have them build your stock.”
“But NO. They don’t have the equipment and tools. That’s why I am hiring you. You have all that stuff and know how to do it. I already have specifications from guys who SHOOT. They TOLD me this would work. You are just trying to trick me in to spending a lot of money on fancy sounding stuff that isn’t needed. I already have the right specifications.”
“I’m sorry but I don’t let other people tell me how to do my work. You need to find someone else.”
“But you are an EXPERT! I don’t want to find someone else. I just want you to do this work and guarantee I will become a trapshooting champion with my JC Higgins bird shotgun. If you were really an expert you could do this for me.”
“I AM an expert gun stock builder, but I build them my way, or not at all. Now please take your request elsewhere. I don’t want to work for you.”
“I came to you because you are an expert gun stock builder and now you are refusing to build my gun stock for no good reason. I have given you specifications from guys who KNOW. These guys SHOOT clay PIGEONS. I am going back to trap shooters dot com and tell everyone you are a phony and a liar and that you are no expert at all. When I am done no one in America will ever use you again.”
“Hey everyone, I tried to get this so called expert to build my gun stock, but he insulted me and told me lies and tried to get me to to pay for a bunch of stuff I don’t need. This man is dis-honest and a liar and a con man and a fraud and if I were you I would take my business elsewhere.”