So, the last two pistols I purchased new have had some show-stopping problem necessitating a trip back to the manufacturer to have said problems resolved. (I'm also considering if I should send a third semi-recent acquisition back, or take a stab at fixing the reasonably minor problem myself.)
The first (and this is probably a bad place to start, since lots of people are going to want to scream "I told you so") was a pocket-sized .380 that started having extraction problems about 150 rounds in (approx 2 months). The dealer handled the transaction on my behalf. Got it back a month later. I haven't shot it more than 50 rounds or so since it came back, but everything seems to be fine. Granted, it's now hitting 2-3" right at 7 yards, but it's a pocket .380. If it runs 100% I'm fine with that. $300 gun, right? Okay, I guess I can see that. If it continues to run 100% I'm okay with the downtime. (Oh, I also had to sand the magazine baseplates down in order to get the mags to lock into place. Both me and my old man had .32s from this gunmaker that ran for several hundred rounds each without a problem. But I digress...)
Please, no comments on the potential manufacturer; let's not turn this into a flamewar. Besides...
The second is a new design from Well Respected Western European manufacturer (who's building at least substantial subassemblies in the Northeast US these days) that set me back $600 out the door. Purchase the gun and, without cleaning, run a magazine through it (15 rounds) to check function. Works fine, but the last round doesn't clear the ejection port. Okay. Well, it probably needs to be cleaned. The preservative most manufacturers smear on the internals doesn't qualify as lube, anyway. So, a week later, I get a chance to actually shoot it after a thorough cleaning. Or, try to anyway. 50 rounds downrange with 15 failures to extract. Each malf, of course, requires me to forcefully remove the mag, run the slide a couple times, reinsert the mag, rack the slide and *then* I go back to work. Okay. No good. Two types of factory 115gr FMJ (both Blazer Brass and Remington UMC; both of which I've used plenty of in the past with no problems) and some factory-loaded CCI/Speer 124gr Gold Dots. $600 gun. This ain't working. So, I call up the manufacturer and they send me a shipping label. The twist of the knife? It only came with one magazine. So, I spent $66 at CDNN purchasing two additional mags so I can have 3 total. Right at $666 invested (not counting a holster or magazine carriers). I have ambitions of using this as a casual SSP division blaster, because gun #3...
...Is a full sized, $500, domestically manufactured 9mm that I bought specifically for SSP division. It runs fine, but the slide release (let's not argue semantics here, please?) practically takes a boat anchor and 500ft of water to disengage. (Not so practical for IDPA, then, eh?) Thing is, the slide catch assembly (again, with the semantics people, let's not argue) is going to be less than $20 shipped, so I'm considering just dealing with that myself. Doesn't look like rocket science. Besides, I've got 700 rounds through it with 0 malfunctions, so it seems to have it where it counts. It just has a single (massive) annoyance that keeps it from being a truly competitive SSP blaster. I've tired other competitors' gun of the same make, model and caliber. They don't have anywhere near this problem, so it's not par for the course.
So, anyway, what gives? Other than the last blaster (which is a S&W M&P 9mm) I seem to be batting 0.000 recently. Has anyone else had similar luck?
Oh, and I still don't have a suitable SSP blaster. (Doesn't really matter, since I compete in another division almost exclusively, but you know, once in awhile, I'd kinda like to change it up a bit. Oddly enough, I've had multiple pistols that worked great from both the problem guns' manufacturers. Maybe I'll try to get a working CDP blaster next.)
The first (and this is probably a bad place to start, since lots of people are going to want to scream "I told you so") was a pocket-sized .380 that started having extraction problems about 150 rounds in (approx 2 months). The dealer handled the transaction on my behalf. Got it back a month later. I haven't shot it more than 50 rounds or so since it came back, but everything seems to be fine. Granted, it's now hitting 2-3" right at 7 yards, but it's a pocket .380. If it runs 100% I'm fine with that. $300 gun, right? Okay, I guess I can see that. If it continues to run 100% I'm okay with the downtime. (Oh, I also had to sand the magazine baseplates down in order to get the mags to lock into place. Both me and my old man had .32s from this gunmaker that ran for several hundred rounds each without a problem. But I digress...)
Please, no comments on the potential manufacturer; let's not turn this into a flamewar. Besides...
The second is a new design from Well Respected Western European manufacturer (who's building at least substantial subassemblies in the Northeast US these days) that set me back $600 out the door. Purchase the gun and, without cleaning, run a magazine through it (15 rounds) to check function. Works fine, but the last round doesn't clear the ejection port. Okay. Well, it probably needs to be cleaned. The preservative most manufacturers smear on the internals doesn't qualify as lube, anyway. So, a week later, I get a chance to actually shoot it after a thorough cleaning. Or, try to anyway. 50 rounds downrange with 15 failures to extract. Each malf, of course, requires me to forcefully remove the mag, run the slide a couple times, reinsert the mag, rack the slide and *then* I go back to work. Okay. No good. Two types of factory 115gr FMJ (both Blazer Brass and Remington UMC; both of which I've used plenty of in the past with no problems) and some factory-loaded CCI/Speer 124gr Gold Dots. $600 gun. This ain't working. So, I call up the manufacturer and they send me a shipping label. The twist of the knife? It only came with one magazine. So, I spent $66 at CDNN purchasing two additional mags so I can have 3 total. Right at $666 invested (not counting a holster or magazine carriers). I have ambitions of using this as a casual SSP division blaster, because gun #3...
...Is a full sized, $500, domestically manufactured 9mm that I bought specifically for SSP division. It runs fine, but the slide release (let's not argue semantics here, please?) practically takes a boat anchor and 500ft of water to disengage. (Not so practical for IDPA, then, eh?) Thing is, the slide catch assembly (again, with the semantics people, let's not argue) is going to be less than $20 shipped, so I'm considering just dealing with that myself. Doesn't look like rocket science. Besides, I've got 700 rounds through it with 0 malfunctions, so it seems to have it where it counts. It just has a single (massive) annoyance that keeps it from being a truly competitive SSP blaster. I've tired other competitors' gun of the same make, model and caliber. They don't have anywhere near this problem, so it's not par for the course.
So, anyway, what gives? Other than the last blaster (which is a S&W M&P 9mm) I seem to be batting 0.000 recently. Has anyone else had similar luck?
Oh, and I still don't have a suitable SSP blaster. (Doesn't really matter, since I compete in another division almost exclusively, but you know, once in awhile, I'd kinda like to change it up a bit. Oddly enough, I've had multiple pistols that worked great from both the problem guns' manufacturers. Maybe I'll try to get a working CDP blaster next.)
If you want one you have to accept the potential for teething problems.