So what is the difference in quality between the USFAs that Turnbull sells and the guns that USFA sells that are case colored by Turnbull? If there is a quality difference then it might be worth the extra money. However, if there is not then all you are doing is contributing to Doug Turnbulls retirement fund. Shadow Catcher, I think my above comment fairly characterizes what the other posters have stated. I dont think anyone is disparaging Mr. Turnbulls work at all.
I have no idea what differences there might be - and would love to hear from anyone who has hands on data - or knowledge.
I started from the assumption that everyone who has heaped praise on his work might be justified, and have never heard
anyone say anything but such praise. I also don't find anything wrong with contributing to his retirement fund, or any
other gunsmith and supporter of this game and various other games that I play and support. That's not a bad thing at all.
Many folks who support a strong national defense support my retirement fund, and I try to earn that. There are some
who probably think I'm overpaid - but like I remind my employer - "You're buying my years of skill and knowledge - not
my soul, and that's why you pay so much!"
What I was reacting to was that there were "sour grape" type comments at least implied (ie. overpriced stuff such
as Galco holsters, playing to a public perception . . . ) and I wondered what might justify even raising the spectre of
such a doubt - is there any reason to suspect that his quality is less than what he charges for his work?
Perhaps I was reading more into the comments than were intended, I just reacted as if there were doubts being cast . . . .
I personally think that guns he is producing from someone else's base firearm, finishing and doing action work on, might
sell for more than a gun that he just did the case coloring on, and were otherwise factory finished and assembled, although
I don't know that either. I'd be curious to know how his guns stack up - and how they compare to the someday
available STI Texican too!
Heck - If he's making a prettified Uberti for that price I'd howl too - but I don't start from a position of doubt - maybe
because I'm an incurable optimist, I start from a position of - "What cool thing is this? - is it as cool as it looks? - and wait
to be proven that it's not cool . . . . .
Or maybe I just had too much coffee this morning . . .
Shadow Catcher