My experince with gun company customer service.

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Very few problems with guns but most recent was a
Bell&Carlson stock Rating = D-

Ordered a 700BDL Camo drop-in varmit, 4months to receive. One side rubbing entire length of barrel called CS and was told to return and given the return number. About 3 months later they send the same stock back repainted (I put a little ID mark on it) the fit was still the same, I sent pics of the first time they sent it to me and the 2nd and you could clearly see it was the same fit up. They finally made me another stock that fits (so-so) total time 14 months and I had to pay shipping both times because I didn't purchase directly from them, NEVER AGAIN!

I purchased from Stockys and they said because it was not a standard color they would not help
Stocky's Rating = F
 
Around 1980, I bought a SS Colt Combat Commander, it was my first 1911 type gun. Instantly, I had problems with stovepiping and FTF's. I had the gunsmith at the place I bought it at look at it, and he said it needed to go back to Colt, as it was "Really badly made". He took out his straightedge, and he was right, there wasn't a straight part on it! The slide was rough inside, but was "tolerable", but the frame was a mess, the rails were rough, and not machined correctly at all. I called Colt, and the guy I talked to was pretty hostile. He seemed to want to say it needed to be "broken in". I told him what the gunsmith found and said, and he said basically, he was full of it. Off it went to Colt, and I waited and waited. Finally, after about 6 or 7 weeks, it showed up, supposedly fixed, with a "bonus" from Colt: a bunch of scratches! I called them, and got someone, who was fairly pleasant, and told me to send it back, and he would make sure it was "fixed right" this time.

Off it went again, and I waited and waited. The store calls me, and it's the gunsmith. I asked him if it was fixed this time. He chuckled and said, "Oh yeah, they fixed it all right!". I lived a couple blocks from the store, so a couple minutes later, I walk in and he's shaking his head. He gets his calipers and straightedge out and it's hard to tell what they did to it, except add some more scratches! He took the recoil spring out and you could feel the slide bind up as it moved back and forth. I told him to see if he could give it a shot at fixing it, and he thought he could get it to shoot ok, but it wouldn't be any kind of target gun. He worked at it, and charged me only for the ammo he tested it with. With a really stiff recoil spring in it, and if you held it with a death grip, it might run an entire mag! Might is the best way to put it, you had about a one in three chance of it happening. I ended up selling it to some Colt fanboi who gave me almost what I paid for it. I was more than happy to see it go. The only Colt product I ever had after that was a Python, and it was fine, but it was about 10 years old when I bought it. I haven't even looked at anything made by Colt since.
 
I haven't dealt with any companies personally, but my dad personally dealt with Leupold once. Long story short, his rifle had fallen overboard from the boat. It was dark, but he came back the next morning and recovered the rifle. The scope had completely filled up with water, and Leupold quickly replaced it with no questions asked
 
This thread raises a question. If the newer generation of firearms are so good, why are so many sent back for repairs? I'm still shooting firearms I bought in the 70s and have never sent one back.
Click to expand...

One thing about older guns in use is that if they weren't functional they'd have been repaired or junked by now. I had a couple guns I bought new in the 60s that had problems, one was a Sears Ted Williams .22 that went full auto the first time I shot it. and the other was a Colt 1911 that had a cracked frame.
 
Sent a S&W/Walther PPK/S back to the factory for their recall and the turn around was 10 days. S&W/Walther gets a A+.

Turns out my personal Berreta Tomcat 3032 has a broken firing pin, which was distressing since it is my daily carry gun. Found out the other day when I was test firing a WWII Mauser HSc I bought cheap($160)that had a broken trigger spring($8.00).

It had been 4 months since I last fired my Beretta and since I already had the 32acp ammo out I thought I practice a little.

Called Beretta and was told they only warrenty for 3 years after purchase of a new gun and you need the sales reciept to prove the date of purchace. They also would not sell me a new firing pin, only gave me the nearest authorized service center's number. Turns out the service center wouldn't sell me a firing pin, they wanted me to send the pistol to them for repair. I ended up finding a new firing pin on the Brownell's website for $11.00 shipped and NRA round up.

Beretta gets a D.
 
Remington

My personal experiences and info from others is that Remington makes generally excellent pumps, bolts, etc., but their centerfire autoloaders are junk, and so is their customer service. :barf:
 
Ruger "A" 1st time had a gun I bought new, that had been sitting on a gun shop shelf for 7 years and had been since discontinued. Had cylinder turning problems when I picked it up from my ffl. CS rep at first tried to charge shipping because he didn't think it could be a "new" gun. I told him I JUST purchased it, he said to include a copy of the receipt and he would arrange for ups to pick it up. Had it back in less than 2 weeks, functioning perfectly and didn't cost me a dime.
2nd time- a screw broke on a 44 vaquero I bought used from a private seller. Called them asking how much for a new screw. CS rep refused to let me pay for it, offered to have ups pick up the gun. I said I could replace the screw myself if they could just send it to me, so they did free of charge, arrived 2 days later.


S&W "D" - first time inquiring about an old model 29 with several problems, guy was pretty rude and didn't sound like he wanted bothered with such things. told me if I wanted it fixed send $x amount for each thing I wanted work on along with the gun. I didn't send it in.
2nd time , inquired about getting new rear sight assemblies; one for a 629 I bought used w/ a scope mount(rear sight was long gone) and an old model 29 I also bought with the rear sight assembly missing (the same 29 I had inquired about before). told me they didn't make the one for the model 29 any more, but gave me the #'s for a couple places that i might find one. Sent a new one for the 629 for something like 40 bucks. at least the second guy was cordial. Didn't expect anything for free, but I at least expected to be able to get the part I needed for both guns from the MANUFACTURER. Apparently that was to much to ask.
 
The NAA revolvers came back Monday. Both looked like new condition with the new safety cylinders, they even polished the frames and put on new grips. All for the price of return shipping.

NAA get an Exellent A+ rating.
 
Savage - Years ago special ordered a Model 99 in .308 that shot very poorly and the finish was not completely dry when the rifle arrived. Called them and they had me send the rifle back. Three weeks later the rifle was returned with a new barrel and a new stock with great wood grain. It is one of my most accurate rifles.

Weaver - had a scope fog up that was very old with most of the finish wore off. Sent it back and they rebuilt the scope along with a new finish and it worked great. They also sent me another scope, same model but new at no charge.
 
Called Kahr/Autoordance today and was told they were going to replace the reciever and ship it back, but since it has a new serial number it must go through an FFL. That's okay for now since I work at the gunstore and won't be charged a transfer fee.

So far I'll give Kahr/Auto Ordance at tenative B, at least if there are not problems with the carbine when it arrives.
 
I bought a Promag 10-round Saiga 12 magazine and the spring broke into 4 pieces. Called Promag and they sent a new spring, follower, and one of their polymer Archangel Defence pen at no charge and within a week. Promag gets a A+ for excellent service.
 
+1 on Kel Tec.

I own a P32, PF9 and a Sub 2000 in 40 cal.

Only had to take the Sub back because the barrel backed out a hair.
Showed up on their doorstep about 5 minutes before lunch, but the gun guy took it and brought it back good as new about 20 minutes later.

I live close enough to their plant in Titusville that I just drive over
 
CZUSA=A
New PCR extractor broke at the range. CZ rep picked up the gun, fixed it and returned it to the shop. Great guns, great service.
 
Keltec- great folks. they know have a few issues but work hard to fix them.
FN - A total disaster. While you are military or LEO they treat you like gods. After you retire it is a total disaster. Bad experiences, bad.
Lanber USA - Amazing customer service. One issue they jumped all over to help right away.
Savage - Great customer service.
H&K - very good too.
 
I figured out the secret of Taurus warrenty repairs, just send in the gun and forget about calling customer service. After calling for over a month, I just sent them in and in about 2 weeks later they come back fixed. They even sent a spare mag back with the TCP.

I'll give Taurus a Good rating since if now know how to deal with them.

I also give Ruger a Very Good rating since I called CS about a broken recoil assembly on a old Mark II and they sent a new one quickly.

Surefire and Streamlight also get a Excellent rating. I sent in a Surefire LED lamp that didn't work and got a new one within a week, and I sent in a Streamlight Stylus that wouldn't turn off compleatly which they replaced in about two weeks.
 
Go back and read post #77.
That is pretty close to my experience with Colt (although my experience spans three different Colt 1911s).

I grew up in CT and visited the Colt factory as a youngster. The first centerfire pistol I ever shot was my dad's WWII Colt 1911. The first pistol I ever bought was a Colt 1911.

In case you missed the message, I was born and raised to be a Colt 1911 fan.

In the real world, I have owned about 25 1911s in the last 25 years.

I carry a 1911 every day.

I am sorry to say this, but the chances of my owning another Colt 1911 are approximately 0%.

That is the difference between fantasy and reality.

These days, I own and carry what I have proven to work.

YMMV.
 
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Henry Repeating Arms has got to be at the top of the list for good customer service.
Bought a new rifle and had a question.
Emailed the company and the president, Anthony Imperato personally answered my email.
He also sent me a replacement feed tube just in case it was causing a problem.
I have never heard anything bad about them.
Made in America or they won't be made.

http://www.henryrepeating.com/index.cfm
 
Mossberg gets a solid C. Called them up on my first shotgun purchase, a Mossber 500 used. Had a broken pivot pin on the bolt lock. First round with customer service, the representative told me to send in just the bolt. I did because I was just getting into guns and didn't know better. Called 2 weeks later and the CSR I got that time explained that they had the bolt, but would need the whole gun. I sent the shotgun. Back in my hands in 2 weeks. I"m laying the SNAFU at the feet of the first CSR, not Mossberg. No "out of warranty" BS. They fixed the issue and the gun ran fine afterwards.
 
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