I recently purchased a Kanik55 TP9 from a local dealer. It was imported by CAI. I love the gun. CAI? Not so much. I wanted an additional spare magazine for the gun and tried to obtain one. I couldn't find one anywhere. The dealer I bought it from told me that CAI won't allow him to order magazines from them, nor can any of the 7 distributors he deals with get them. Not that they are in short supply. CAI just won't make them available to dealers. The only way you can get a magazine is directly from CAI. So I went to their web site and found the magazine I was looking for, available for $26. I started to place an order from one. Until I saw the order total was $54. It seems that CAI charges $28 for any order under $75. Over $75 it drops to $12.95. Well, I did want that magazine so I looked further and found they had some AR-15 mags at a decent price. I can always use AR-15 mags so I ordered the TP9 and a few of the AR-15 mags, taking the order above $75. I placed the order. The next week I had received no communication from CAI at all. No order confirmation. No shipping notice. Nothing. So I called them. I was told my order was on hold because I hadn't filed a "waiver". I was told this is required since I don't possess an FFL. For magazines? Well, the waiver they refer to is a form you have to fill out entitled "Eligibility to purchase non-firearm products". Huh? Oh, and they said I have to give them a photo copy of my driver's license. Again, for a magazine? I cancelled the order, only to find out they had already charged my credit card for the order they hadn't yet shipped. From now on I will make certain that any firearm I purchase does NOT come from CAI.
Avoid Century Arms International
- Thread starter CurlyQ
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Seems like a bad experience but if you avoid everything imported by them you're not gonna have fun. They are one of the largest importers. I've got quite a few things imported from them. All the Mosin Nagants, SKS, & AK47's (WASR) I see are imported by them.
Yo Mama
Member
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So you bought a unique gun from Turkey, magazines are impossible to find but you didn't look before you bought the gun, then you ask your dealer who tells you not only won't CAI ship a mag but 7 other distributors won't as well, then because of the patchwork of ridiculous laws they ask for you to prove you are allowed to receive shipment and you get angry?
CAI is a decent company, I have a product or two from them and have never had a problem. When you get a unique gun, check into the accessories first.
CAI is a decent company, I have a product or two from them and have never had a problem. When you get a unique gun, check into the accessories first.
Bubbles
Member
Initiate a chargeback and move on.
As a transfer dealer I've found that CAI is hit or miss on quality. Some of the stuff we've seen is ok, but obviously it's not inspected - we had an AK pistol come in last week from them whose internals were so corroded they looked like they'd been washed in battery acid.
As a transfer dealer I've found that CAI is hit or miss on quality. Some of the stuff we've seen is ok, but obviously it's not inspected - we had an AK pistol come in last week from them whose internals were so corroded they looked like they'd been washed in battery acid.
pockets
Member
Do you mean their; 'Release, assumption of risk, and waiver of liability agreement.' ?
It may be a little goofy, but it's no big deal. Just them covering their corporate butt.
You are simply stating that you know the laws where you live and are in compliance with them.
You signed (clicked a box) a more extensive agreement just to post on THR.
.
It may be a little goofy, but it's no big deal. Just them covering their corporate butt.
You are simply stating that you know the laws where you live and are in compliance with them.
You signed (clicked a box) a more extensive agreement just to post on THR.
.
i was a bit taken aback by that as well
but now that ive gone through the process
i can get things from them slick and easy
i got a few magazines for my TP-9 and a couple other items
one thing that i am finding perturbing about them is the fact that i cant buy replacement parts from them
they dont sell springs and such
as i wanted to have a set of springs and a extractor on hand as i shoot the TP-9 alot and its my EDC
they told me that the 3rd party market will be selling those items. when and where?
ive been going to contact Tristar and see if they will sell stuff as they are now importers of the Canik line as well
but now that ive gone through the process
i can get things from them slick and easy
i got a few magazines for my TP-9 and a couple other items
one thing that i am finding perturbing about them is the fact that i cant buy replacement parts from them
they dont sell springs and such
as i wanted to have a set of springs and a extractor on hand as i shoot the TP-9 alot and its my EDC
they told me that the 3rd party market will be selling those items. when and where?
ive been going to contact Tristar and see if they will sell stuff as they are now importers of the Canik line as well
InkEd
Member
It does sound like a bit of a hassle. However, I will say one should expect as much when dealing with non-mainstream firearms. Availability of spare parts, magazines and even ammo can be difficult to even find.
I am not very familiar with this particular model of pistol but at a quick glance it looks A LOT like an old Walther P99/S&W 99/MR 9 pistols except with a traditional magazine release button. Perhaps the magazines for those pistols are the same or be modified to work in the Canik. (Maybe it's something to research?)
I am not very familiar with this particular model of pistol but at a quick glance it looks A LOT like an old Walther P99/S&W 99/MR 9 pistols except with a traditional magazine release button. Perhaps the magazines for those pistols are the same or be modified to work in the Canik. (Maybe it's something to research?)
You were definitely right to feel frustrated over that bad experience, but a total boycott probably isn't your best bet.OK. OK. I give. My bad. Put away the batons. My apologies to CAI and all involved.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Wholesale/Import Companies that want to do business with consumers make their consumer sales policies realtively clear and easy to follow. Like Numrich Arms Gun Parts Corp, J&G Sales, Widener's Supply and others I have ordered consumer items from.
Visiting the Century Arms page this morning, I was discouraged. Perhaps they only want to do business as a wholesaler directly to retailers. It's the only explanation that makes sense.
But I won't necessrily boycot CAI products.
Visiting the Century Arms page this morning, I was discouraged. Perhaps they only want to do business as a wholesaler directly to retailers. It's the only explanation that makes sense.
But I won't necessrily boycot CAI products.
medalguy
Member
That's a very reasonable response you posted. Non-mainstream firearms can be a real b***h to locate spare parts. I have a Llama .22 pistol that I used to shoot quite a bit, a great pistol, but one day I decided I wanted a few spare parts to keep on hand. They are impossible to find, so I just quit shooting that particular pistol. I wouldn't recommend carrying any oddball pistol just because of the difficulty of finding spare parts. Relegate that one to the collection as a non-shooter.
bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
Ok curly vented, got beat up, relented and repented, so I think we are done here. If anyone wants to start another thread on C A I feel free.
We gone.
We gone.
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