Fox Collectors

is there any reason that a reputable smith to bugger up screws.

Sometimes folks just don't have the right tools and bad things happen. The floorplate is usually the one that I see messed up the most.

did you mean is there any GOOD reason?

fitting a bit to a slot takes time and using it still takes care,

There is a big difference between gunsmiths and craftsman gunsmiths. A really good 'smith will not return your gun with screws that HE buggered up. He will correct the problem he caused and advise you of same. Stuff happens ....... the difference is in what the gunsmith does about it after it occurs. My opinion only.

SRH

I cannot imagine that a "reputable gunsmith" would bugger-up any screw! If you take money to work on guns, you do not return them damaged.

R.

This was my first experience, trigger work. I will contact the gunsmith. Thanks all

Almost as infuriating as seeing buggered up heads, is seeing "restored correctly" guns with screws not timed correctly!! Maybe its just a personal thing as that was beat into me from when I was just a very very young man that when you take it apart you put it back correctly and that means screw slots lined up properly!! I get so disgusted seeing all these restored guns by reputable smiths come back with screws that are not timed properly. Almost every gun I buy, the first thing I do is strip it completely, take it for a ride in my ultra sonic tank and re grease and oil it correctly and put it back together with the screws correct. And no I am by no means a professional smith, just a guy who learned from a professional and no I don't have professional tools. But I happened across a 10 dollar bit set at the local auto parts store that fits every screw I've ever tried perfectly and never broken bit or damaged a slot.

Ok done ranting now....if a smith tore up screw heads that weren't torn up, I would expect him to put it right. Unless he wasn't capable of such a thing, then I would find someone who was have it done and talk to the smith about the bill. Good luck, I hope you get everything resolved. Jim

A very good guitar repairman I knew said that if folks saw their instruments while he was working on them they'd be aghast, BUT that when they picked them up they should never know he'd ever worked on them (except that what was wrong was fixed of course). A good gunsmith should operate the same way.