The Rifle Shoppe interview and tour

There's a lot of discussion on this forum about the lengthy order to ship time that some, perhaps many, of their customers experience. A couple days ago, on the 11 Bang Bang channel, I came across "the rifle shoppe tour and interview with Jesse Melot." After watching it I was amazed by several things. Jesse has such a depth of knowledge that the old saw "he's forgotten more than I will ever know" is true. The workshop is much larger than I imagined, and not exactly hospital OR organized, either. Regarding shipping, here's what I heard from Ethan Woods' discussion with Mr. Melot. This might not be verbatim. "... and then to get everything together at one time, I literally have a lot, a lot, of inventory, but you know I have a lot of customers. So somebody buys one part out of a kit and I have to wait till the other part gets in to do it. Yeah, I get a lot of flak, not flak, but people gripe how long it takes. Well do you want it right or not?" This could explain how it is that someone sees online that a kit is in stock and they order it. Yes, the kit is there, but someone checks and sees that one or two parts have previously been sold. Now it becomes a long wait until the parts arrive from the casting company. This doesn't explain about the delay in shipping something like a handgonne barrel, or not communicating reasons for delay to the customer, but it does shed light on their operation. My personal take away is that Jesse loves the history and the actual doing of his work so much that running a business with Amazon like efficiency is the furthest thing from his mind. Changes would improve it, but I believe he might view that as a waste of his valuable time. He's a guy marching to the beat of a drum that 99% of us don't hear. I learned a lot from the video about the casting process and the Ferguson rifle too.

Interesting. It's almost a miracle, that in today's world, this highly specialized business, dealing in otherwise obscure historical items, even exists. This man Jesse is a type of genius; He doesn't just offer one or two antique arms kits or parts, but a whole plethora of them. I have one of his M1776 rifles, that was built from parts back in the 1980's. (A smith in PA did the assembly for it's prior owner.) Thanks for posting about TRS, I'll try to see the video.

Unfortunately, attitudes like his are hurting his business more than he realizes. A customer doesn't need to hear things like "do you want it fast, or do you want it right?". Well yes, I want it fast, and I want it right. I'm sorry but that's pure arrogance on the part of this man to think that his product is that important that customers need to simply wait until he decides to send the item. That's bad business practice, and not conducive to repeat customer purchases.

I know myself, having purchased a kit from them and having to wait four months and several phone calls(some of which I couldn't even get through) before I received it, that didnt sit well with me at all. This soured any consideration that I may have had to continue to do business with this company. As a result, I won't order another product from them ever again. It's just as simple as that.

I'm surprised an outfit with this kind of business structure is even still around. Their only saving grace is they seem to be the only port in the storm for certain items so for some, that causes them to be willing to accept their status quo. I bet they've lost more customers than they've received.

I have no hate for Jess, and I wish him well- but I won’t order from him again.

The Rifle Shoppe Tour on YouTube:

I have waited two years for some parts so I understand the issues some have but he has made the stuff and made it available, albeit with delays. It is his business and he has the right to run it as he will and I, for one, am grateful for the opportunities it gives to get the makings of so many old arms. Yes, I would think his business model could be tweaked to his and potential customers advantage but it is his business model. Try taking your business elsewhere and see how far you get in finding the same firearms. The Rifle Shoppe gives us all the chance, eventually, to get the makings and parts of so many period firearms and all from Jesse’s hard work and financial risk. I thank him and those working with him for what he has provided. Were my recent circumstances as planned I would have been ordering a Light Infantry New Land Musket and a Brunswick Rifle but I have to have different priorities these days. Thank you The Rifle Shoppe!

RAEDWALD said:

I have waited two years for some parts so I understand the issues some have but he has made the stuff and made it available, albeit with delays. It is his business and he has the right to run it as he will and I, for one, am grateful for the opportunities it gives to get the makings of so many old arms. Yes, I would think his business model could be tweaked to his and potential customers advantage but it is his business model. Try taking your business elsewhere and see how far you get in finding the same firearms. The Rifle Shoppe gives us all the chance, eventually, to get the makings and parts of so many period firearms and all from Jesse’s hard work and financial risk. I thank him and those working with him for what he has provided. Were my recent circumstances as planned I would have been ordering a Light Infantry New Land Musket and a Brunswick Rifle but I have to have different priorities these days. Thank you The Rifle Shoppe!

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Dear Raedwald New land Light infantry & a Brunswick you have good taste . I fancy a Brunswick the' Much maligned Brunswick' as De Witts article described it in ''Guns Review,.All Hans Busk s notion He was pushing the Minie principal his comments quite unfair as it was better than the Baker it replaced .I know Sian Been wans't in that one but plenty others where . I Met Jesse Melote at F 'Ship when he was just starting out. his is the greatest ' wish book out 'Ive had parts but mostly rolled my own as for a brass work goes I bought a lot of Reaves Giering too . mostly I made patterns & got them sand cast I don't think but don't doubt some barrel on the Brunswick plan is made .Its a forgotten rifle .Jacobs wonder rifle might have been better but one pair of good bore Jacobs didn't' pull any trees up' viz excell & De Witt s tests concluded the same .The Brunswick didn't see the fighting the Baker had ,except in India. I shot two late made for Siek's Enfield ones but they where much worn & the nearest I got to a ball with bands was a smaller patched in some blanket hardly a fair trial. So If I had the' leaves of spare negotiable lettice Ide order a barrel & could wing the rest .Cant foresee either but can dream .
Regards Rudyard

i for one are glad theyre around.

I bought from a retiring old pal, his Rifle Shoppe M1776 rifle that was assembled around 1980 from Shoppe parts by a Pa. gunsmith. It's a beauty, and I'm glad to be it's next owner. He used it as a 17th Light Company (British of course) member in re-enactments. Rifled .62 cal.

Of the 1776' Tower Rifle' as we called it before anyone knew quite what it was . Bob Cheel showed me the lock at Quantico International MLAIC' Worlds ' I steered him to Kit Ravenshear & De Witt Bailey .Kit had info from a Canadian gentleman .Bob sent me traceings & I made a rifle duely proofed in England its main fault non had the rod link so I made the later sort . Kit saw it at his house ere I sold it a patron in New York State. Kit then made 4 or 5 perhaps with TRS castings ? One went to the RA one to the National Army Museum , H Benninghoff got another . Kit wrote his "Personal expeirences with the 1776 Tower Rifle '' I never got a mention but had made the very first one (He once told me" Don't fly your flag off my flag") a curious remark but I didn't need his flag If I did work for him sometimes . Ive lost contact with my patron in NY state around the Machias region a Mr Hise I don't think he did reenactment of any unit he did R vous though . & be about the time I then later Brer Kit made his .Does it bear modern Birmingham proof marks ? ' the correct swivel later turned up as a UK Collector sold his to the RA or some such so all the TRS kits would have the correct swivel Ide guess De Witt was involved re TRS he would have told me but I never asked him .Mid 80s would be about the time as it followed the Quantico Shoots .I didn't
live in the US just' Wintered' there Regards Rudyard

Sure would love to see one of these 1776 Tower Rifles!

And here they are! Very sweet rifle!
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/pattern-1776-rifle.158351/

Now they just need to hire an email person.

I have made a few parts orders. I try to get the order there in as many ways as possible. Their fax is currently offline (rings busy) so I have mailed the form (snail mail) then called them. I give a "wish list" and have them check the stock and send whatever is "in stock". This is the way I deal with Hunter's Lodge over on the C&R side of things. They make Rifle Shoppe look like Chick Fil A. I have received my 2 orders in less than a month each which to me is fine.

Rudyard said:

Of the 1776' Tower Rifle' as we called it before anyone knew quite what it was . Bob Cheel showed me the lock at Quantico International MLAIC' Worlds ' I steered him to Kit Ravenshear & De Witt Bailey .Kit had info from a Canadian gentleman .Bob sent me traceings & I made a rifle duely proofed in England its main fault non had the rod link so I made the later sort . Kit saw it at his house ere I sold it a patron in New York State. Kit then made 4 or 5 perhaps with TRS castings ? One went to the RA one to the National Army Museum , H Benninghoff got another . Kit wrote his "Personal expeirences with the 1776 Tower Rifle '' I never got a mention but had made the very first one (He once told me" Don't fly your flag off my flag") a curious remark but I didn't need his flag If I did work for him sometimes . Ive lost contact with my patron in NY state around the Machias region a Mr Hise I don't think he did reenactment of any unit he did R vous though . & be about the time I then later Brer Kit made his .Does it bear modern Birmingham proof marks ? ' the correct swivel later turned up as a UK Collector sold his to the RA or some such so all the TRS kits would have the correct swivel Ide guess De Witt was involved re TRS he would have told me but I never asked him .Mid 80s would be about the time as it followed the Quantico Shoots .I didn't
live in the US just' Wintered' there Regards Rudyard

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No Replys? Have I got you all 'gob smacked !?' There isn't a word of untrue content. Not peeved just curious Rudyard

The Miner '49er said:

There's a lot of discussion on this forum about the lengthy order to ship time that some, perhaps many, of their customers experience.

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I really have not experienced any lengthy order ship times with The Rifle Shoppe, but then I only order items that I have confirmed to be in stock. TRS, like any other vendor today, is at the mercy of their suppliers as far getting out of stock items in.

Called TRS late in the afternoon this past Thursday (August 8th), about few parts I needed for a Pistor/military style gun I am building and Jessie was very helpful confirmed items were in inventory. Maybe an hour later I got an email from Jane letting me know that they had the parts, but one was not in brass like I wanted. I confirmed by email I would still like the other parts, but didn’t want to wait for what would be a backorder item. Friday morning I emailed and ask if another item could be include with order if in stock and the original order had not yet shipped. About an hour later I received an email with USPS tracking with the expected delivery date of Monday, August 12th. I received and signed for the package (with all the items I expected, including the Friday added item) a little after noon yesterday, Saturday, August 10th.

Yes, the TRS can be difficult to deal with if you expect everything to be in stock, or want that click and buy it now experience or use online electronic payment, but if you take the time to talk to them, at least in my experiences with them, they are great at letting you know what is going on, and if the item is in stock, it typically shows up Monday or Tuesday of the week after you confirm an order with them, sometimes even on Saturday…. And the items they have are very unique, some impossible to find anywhere else.

Note the August 8th order date on the top of the invoice below that I received yesterday, August 10th.

It does seem TRS is short one person. Someone to handle emails, check inventory status, and back-up Jane on the phone. Just getting Jane on the phone to place an order can be time consuming. If the parts are "in stock", generally I would receive them in 2-4 weeks. That's OK with most folks. I have called and left a simple phone message that I wanted to place an order. Please call. I would get a call back anywhere from 1-3 days. And other times no call returned. Email is even less likely to get a response back. They need a second Jane. LOL
The only big issue I ever had was when I ordered a pre-carved stock - only. They told me over the phone that their stock cutting for orders was going to start in one week. So shipment should be effected to me in about three weeks. Turned out to take 7-months !!! The only way I was able to get the delay resolved was a polite letter sent by regular First Class Mail (apparently they do open their mail LOL). But that was the only big issue for me. Otherwise, as long as I can get someone on the phone to check to see if the items are in stock, and place the order, I've never had an issue. It's understandable that delays can happen, especially in a unique business such as this. What irks people is a long silence, with no response. Even the most patient and understanding customers have their limits. LOL Based on the difficulty of getting to talk with them, it would seem they have enough consistent business that an extra customer service person would be in order. When a business is so consistently busy that people are pulling their hair out a strand at a time, for six months or more, it's time to get some extra help.

Rick

rickystl said:

It does seem TRS is short one person. Someone to handle emails, check inventory status, and back-up Jane on the phone. Just getting Jane on the phone to place an order can be time consuming. If the parts are "in stock", generally I would receive them in 2-4 weeks. That's OK with most folks. I have called and left a simple phone message that I wanted to place an order. Please call. I would get a call back anywhere from 1-3 days. And other times no call returned. Email is even less likely to get a response back. They need a second Jane. LOL
The only big issue I ever had was when I ordered a pre-carved stock - only. They told me over the phone that their stock cutting for orders was going to start in one week. So shipment should be effected to me in about three weeks. Turned out to take 7-months !!! The only way I was able to get the delay resolved was a polite letter sent by regular First Class Mail (apparently they do open their mail LOL). But that was the only big issue for me. Otherwise, as long as I can get someone on the phone to check to see if the items are in stock, and place the order, I've never had an issue. It's understandable that delays can happen, especially in a unique business such as this. What irks people is a long silence, with no response. Even the most patient and understanding customers have their limits. LOL Based on the difficulty of getting to talk with them, it would seem they have enough consistent business that an extra customer service person would be in order. When a business is so consistently busy that people are pulling their hair out a strand at a time, for six months or more, it's time to get some extra help.

Rick

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Anchored at the far edge of the world I tend to' roll my own' So cant comment such items as I have had where no problem.
Rudyard

So! In follow up I had ordered a lock set to mess about with a couple weeks ago and then decided I wanted a match lock lock set too so I sent that order via snail mail with a request to call me for CC#. Got the nicest call from Jane Melot today with more info on what I needed and to get my card info. She’s absolutely lovely. So I have some parts on the way and can confirm that they get and read snail mail and get back to you.

Smokey Plainsman said:

Now they just need to hire an email person.

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They aren’t going to hire anyone. It’s a family business on family land. I’m glad they are close enough to go visit every few months. I’ll be sending in an order for a couple of French trade locks soon.