Before you sell your new rifles do you fire them?

[Dphariss]

After 300+ guns I find if you use quality parts you have no worries. If the lock sparks and the vent liner is installed properly I figure it ought to work.....and according to my customers they always do.

Years ago, about 1969, Roy Keeler quit proofing barrels since he had never had a Douglas fail and considered it a waste of time. Then one split up the top flat for about 8" the first shot from a new rifle. He went back to proofing barrels.
He made the mistake of sending a report to MB magazine and then Douglas would not longer sell him barrels. He had to buy them third party... I am told. I used to by parts from him and he ran barrel channels for me.
Douglas ML barrel was considered a quality part and still is to some.
I have  a trust by verify attitude.

Dan

[Dphariss]

After 300+ guns I find if you use quality parts you have no worries. If the lock sparks and the vent liner is installed properly I figure it ought to work.....and according to my customers they always do.

I'm a long, long way from 300+ guns but I do use quality parts. I really do think it would be fun to shoot every one. But I'm not building these for me. For example If I was making $2000 a pair cowboy boots, would I test wear them to see if the worked well before I sold them, scratching up the bottoms and such, I don't think too many would sell. Silly example but it's the point. I'm not trying to sell used guns, no matter how lightly used. I know if I was buying one from a builder and wanted new I would expect to have to sight the thing in myself, and if it came already sighted in I'd know someone was playing with it. The less i even handle a rifle when it's done the better, just too easy to mark it up a little. Just my opinion.

Firearms are  not clothing. A failed zipper is not likely to cause great bodily injury.
You buy a Colt or a Remington or a Sig and they are ALL test fired and the handguns are usually shooting to the sights as are iron sighted rifles. In firearms "new" does not mean "unused".
You must remember that you, as the builder are LEGALLY LIABLE for the firearm basically forever.

Dan

[Stophel]

I fire them just to make sure everything is copacetic.   

[G-Man]

Moderators - this is off topic so move or delete if you like, but I just wanted to say welcome to Mr. Roller! 

I consider myself very fortunate to have one of Mr. Roller's exceptional flint locks on a rifle that "Heinz" built for my dad many years ago.

Guys - we are lucky to have so many great builders and manufacturers offering their input here, all in one place. 

Guy

[Bob Roller]

Trust by verifying is an excellent idea. The barrel than put Douglas out of the muzzle loader business was a thin walled 13/16x45 caliber. It blew up with black powder,created terrible hand injuries and a metallurgist gave testimony as to WHY a gun barrel should NOT be made from 12L14. I make screws from 12L14 and it is S_O_F_T There were rumors floating around that said smokeless powder did the barrel in but an analysis said no smokeless residue was found. Douglas did have product liability insurance and I understand the settlement was very substantial.
According to a former employee,Douglas was about to quit the muzzle loader barrels anyway because of the junk yard attitude of some of the people that thought they should be cheap because it was a part of a muzzle loader. That very attitude was the main reason I started exporting most of the locks and triggers I was making at the time. That exporting allowed me to keep my shop open and at that time I was also part timing at a shop that serviced high end European cars as a mechanic. These high end European cars are the reason I drive Lincoln Town Cars {:>).

Bob Roller

[erdillonjr]

I never fire them unless thats what the customer wants me to do. Ed

[t.caster]

I fire them to make sure the trigger & lock work well together and ignition is fast. Sometimes this is when you find wood interference inside the lock or trigger mortice, that slow things down. I just use std. loads for a given caliber, and not concerned with the x-ring. I let the customer work out his or her own load.

[John Knaack]

Fired every single one just to be on the safe side.  Sighted a few in before I could stop myself.