[bigjim]

Valtro Phone Call You Wont Believe
Had a little problem with my Valtro. Totally my fault. Not going to tell you want it was because it was trivial and I don't want any bed wetting or hand wringing going on here.

But I called John Jardine at Valtro and did not remember to leave my area code with my phone number to call me back. So get this I swear to God..... John Called around to Area dealers trying to find where I bought my gun so he could get my phone number. No dice. So he started calling area codes in a ever wideing circle untill he tracked me down.

He was freaked out that it took him a day and a half to get back to me. When I told him what happened he stopped me in mid explanation and wanted to know how fast he could get the gun so he could get it fixed. Then talked to me for 45 mins about what else we should do as long as it was in his hands. He told me get this..... Once you spend your money with me.... You own me!

This guy beats Dillion service.

I will always buy a blue press. I will always buy a Valtro.

There can be only one.




Report this post to a moderator

[larryw]

And this surprises you? :)

Mr. Jardine is in a class by himself. Mr. Dillon's organization is a close second.

By the way, he was calling from No. CA; where are you?

[Jeff OTMG]

I can't say enough about how impressed I am with this guy. I have written him up the last couple of years on www.shotshowreports.com

[Dobe]

I would buy from him tomorrow, if I had the money. That is the kind of story that causes me to be a loyal customer. This is the reason that I bought a Dillion 550B, and the reason that I will own an RL 1050.

[Sven]

Wow - not surprised, but John just keeps amazing me. Used to think he was doing me a special favor - turns out he helps everyone with the same great service!

[Drifting Fate]

Wow, good post, and good info.

Undoubtedly, I will buy another 1911. Things are an addiction, and I have read a lot about the Valtro.

Reports like this are making me think it might be a Valtro instead of a Baer the next time I get the itch.

[harrydog]

Yes, I must agree. A Valtro will undoubtedly be my next purchase, even though I've spent more on my last 3 pistols than I care to think about and swore that I wouldn't buy any more.

[FlyinGN]

wow, great story. Id buy a Valtra just because you posted that.. In fact im on their website as I write this :)

Frank

[Stevie-Ray]

Good post. I've already had Dillon products for many years. Good to know about Valtro.

[Sisco]

Is a six month wait for a new Valtro about average?

[Bowlcut]

dont to saying stuff like this....makes me want to buy a 1998a1....dang you. its this sorta service that makes legends. id love to have one, but dang it there are so many wants anymore

[Sven]

http://www.imageseek.com/valtro/sven/1998A1_s.jpg

[FlyinGN]

Whats the list and actual cost of a standard Valtro 1911?

Frank

[Hal]

:barf:
Doo dads and froohickys
(must resist, must resist, must resist)
Doo dads and froohickys
(must resist, must resist, must resist)
:barf:





DARN YOU GUYS!!!!!!

I just about talked myself out of a mid/high end 1911 and now you come along and tell me about Valtro's old fashioned neighborhood-type customer service.

doo dads and froohickys, doo da--

hmm, ain't workin :banghead:

[Sven]

~ $1300

Asked Jardine when prices were rising... he seemed to indicate, not for a long while.

[Lt. G]

I've also had a very positive experience with Mr. Jardine. I called,left a message. He called back a couple of days later. We discussed his custom 1911 at great length,(on his dime by the way). He also waylaid my fear of daily carry of a pistol with adjustable sights. Mr. Jardine told me that plenty of his customers daily carry the Valtro with zero problems. He said that after they take the weapon to the range and dial it in, he will simply weld the rear sight in place. Cool!!!! I'll be ordering mine ASAP. Great guy

[Johnny Guest]

- - - the Rate Private and Retail Transactions forum

The thread is well advanced here so I didn’t want to move it there.

Since the Rate Transactions forum is set up to give both good and bad references, I felt people reading there would like to share this good news.

I love it when a company in properly administered, produces a superior product, AND gives outstanding customer service.

Johnny Guest

[CGofMP]

Just FYI - let John know about this thread...

Customers like you make the man smile :-)

Charles

[Bren]

If you do talk to him again, can you ask if one can be ordered without the huge billboard written on the side? I think people can figure what kind of gun it is! No front serrations and 10mm would be nice also. Thanks in advanced. Bren

[AZ Husker]

Boy I'm with you on that one Bren! I've got an itch for a new 1911, but every time I see that vanity plate on the side, my browser just jumps to STI!

[CGofMP]

Bren & Husker

The following is NOT official position from Valtro... just my babbling ok?

I have not heard John talk of making the Valtro in 10 mm. I do know he has other ideas, but before even those get in he probably would want to establish the base pistol first. Thats part conjecture part educated guess.

Having said that I do know Jardines Custom (http://www.jardinescustom.com/) made a NINE mm 1911 with lots of mods for a certain young lady... but that was a full on custom job.

As for the Rollmark.. you will want to specifically mention this when you speak to John about your order if it bothers you that much. I think Sven called the large Rollmark the "collectable version" which if Valtro makes it big may not be so far from reality! ;-)

I do know a few of the new smaller rollmark are out there. Dr. Ken Lunde has one and posted pictures of it in several places. You may want to do some searches:

HighRoad.org Valtro Search (http://www.thehighroad.org/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=315783&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending)
1911 Forum Valtro Search (http://www.1911forum.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=447906&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending)
Pistolsmith Forum (http://www.pistolsmith.com/search.php) (type in Valtro)
Heck even the Sig Forum (http://sigforum.com/6/ubb.x?a=srch&s=674608412&result_detail=3&x_as=&findw=valtro&f=&sis=&dt=&author_name=&sort_order=2&action=simplesearch&search.x=0&search.y=0) has had some Valtro action on it.

In any case, rememebr John Jardine not only makes Valtros but he also does full on custom work, so if you are willing to pay for it the sky is the limit - But DO expect him to tell you when he thinks you are asking for something not needed... Like Jerry Rice over at Nor-Cal Precision (http://www.norcalprecision.com/) I have heard John tell people not to waste their money on some modification that they did not need even though he could have charged them 'willing money' to do it.

In any case, again if the rollmark is not appealing to you, I am sure that somehting can be worked out.

Charles

[Kamicosmos]

Wow! The photos on his site are beautiful! Very American Handgunner-ish. Wonder if he took the photos?

[lunde]

Here's my Valtro, #732, with the smaller rollmark:

http://www.praxagora.com/lunde/photos/valtro-left-full.jpg

Its vintage is Summer 2003.

I sent a letter to John Jardine early last week, to inquire about having work done to my Valtro, such as a hard chrome finish. He called me yesterday morning, and we chatted about rifle shooting and hunting, then got onto the business of my Valtro. I will drop off my Valtro at his shop next Tuesday for this work to be done.

[lunde]

Here's a close up of the lettering on the left side of the slide:

http://www.praxagora.com/lunde/photos/valtro-logo-2.jpg

[Bren]

Thanks for all the info. Mr Jordine seems like a top notch guy and to track someone down is amazing in this day and age.

Very nice pic's also. Bren

[CGofMP]

Wow! The photos on his site are beautiful! Very American Handgunner-ish. Wonder if he took the photos?

Greetings!

I am not sure if you are talking about Dr. Lunde's site or about the Jardine's Custom or Valtro sites.

Most of the photos on the Valtro site I took. I am not happy with them. One of the photos, as well as almost all of the photos on the Jardine's Custom site were done by a professional out of San Francisco who does some amazing work.

Charles

[Sven]

Just got my Valtro back from John... see my thread here (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37736) for more info.

What a great guy.

[AZ Husker]

Thanks Charles!
Ken...You left just a LITTLE oil in that slide stop notch! ;) I have to say that is the most beautifully done rollmark (except for the "TM") I've ever seen. How do you achieve such clear closeups?

[lunde]

Actually, that is original factory grease that was left on. ;)

I have been using a Nikkor 60mm Micro (macro) lens on my Nikon D100 (digital SLR) to take my gun photos since February.

[Trumpet]

CGofMP,
Do you know if/when John's going to introduce a Valtro with fixed sights? I'd love to see one with Heinie's or Novak's.

Thanks
Rich

[Country Boy]

Sounds like somebody I'd be proud to spend my nickels and dimes on.

[caz223]

Lunde, you're my hero.
Sigs, P7s, and a valtro.
*sigh*
Maybe someday.
I could barely afford my razorback.

[Sven]

This past weekend Jardine showed me how he shoots every Valtro 200 times with all sorts of ammo and all types of mags before shipping. 200 Times!

How does he do it? He shoots FAST! I watched him empty mag after mag into a 4" group at 10 yards, rapid fire.... just kept handing him mag after mag. And to think, for him, this is work...

...the guns were HOT!

[CGofMP]

Do you know if/when John's going to introduce a Valtro with fixed sights? I'd love to see one with Heinie's or Novak's.

I do not know when John will be producing a STOCK Valtro with fixed sights. I am not sure he knows either based on the conversations I have had with him now and again. I think he is establishing the Valtro as it is now and then once the interest level and production is high enough he can then branch out WHILE KEEPING THE QUALITY UP.

For him the quality issue is so paramount that it appears to over-ride most other considerations.

Having said that, John of course also runs Jardine's Custom (http://www.jardinescustom.com/) which means that if you DO order a Valtro (http://www.valtrousa.com/) and want it to be equiped with just about anything from Fixed Rear Sights to a porch swing, he can probably do it.

I will say that from the reports that I have heard the adjustables that he puts on the stock Valtro are pretty darned tough... I know at least one poster on these boards decided not to go withh fixed after having used the stock Valtro sights in some pretty heavy classes. I DO understand those who prefer fixed however and there is no question there is less to go wrong with them.

Best thing to do is to call John and talk it over with him... see what he suggests and what he'd charge to put fixed in place.

Jardine's Custom maintains a voice line at: (510) 489-8477

Sorry this took so long to reply to but I just got back from a vacation in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana... boy do I wish I could have stayed in ANY of those states...

Take care,
Charles

http://jardinescustom.com/april2003photos/resizedthumbnails/TwoTone.jpg