Ruger, you sold me a lemon

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Flyerman - not really.
IMO, you exchange money for a gun because you want to shoot the gun.
If you had wanted the manufacturer or anyone else to have the gun, you could have simply kept your money.
Customer service is great but it should never be needed.

I just went through the same thing with SIG (only worse) and it is total BS no matter where it is coming from. If they had built a gun that worked right the first time there wouldn't be any need for them to make anything right or defend themselves.

I completely agree with the OP.
In my case, SIG's CS rep told me flat out that they weren't willing to accept a P-226 back a third time because it cost them money to pay for the shipping.
Well cry me a Freakin' river (and one for the OP of this thread too)!
I basically told him that I wasn't a SIG employee and and that I was no longer interested in doing their QC for them.
Anyhow, as I said, it's BS.
If the gun doesn't work right, don't box it up and ship it. If that costs $5 more per gun I'll gladly pay that to not have to deal with the BS of getting one "repaired".
 
when I send a gun back to the factory, I don't want an excuse. I expect a solution.
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owlhoot - Your statement says it all!

I've had great experiances with Ruger as have many other THR'rs and that's a tribute to the Ruger corporation but akodo's experiance is a black eye for the company.

I think that a "letter to Ruger" on a public forum is correct and justified because he has gone through all of the correct steps to get this problem rectified to no avail. I'm sorry, akodo, that you've been treated so shabbily by a company that I've always thought highly of. You are correct in thinking that Ruger owes you a weapon that is free of defects and an apology for their actions in the past.

My experiances have been quite different from yours. I had a minor problem with a GP 100 (.357Mag.) and asked my local gunshop how to handle it. Mark told me that he'd mail it back to Ruger and that they'd fix it free even though I'd had the gun for years already. Sure 'nuf, two or three weeks later I got it back and it has worked perfectly ever since. No charge.

My son's 9mm autoloader (P95) has been absolutely flawless since he bought it 5-6 years ago.

I sincerely hope that Ruger fixes/replaces your gun, apologizes and gives you some small token of their appriciation for your patience (like a free mag or two or several boxes of cartridges).
 
flyerman :
gee whiz, guys! all i meant was it seems kinda unfair to badmouth a gun manufacturer on a public forum like this, the forum of the HIGH road, without giving them a chance to defend themselves in the same venue. this forum has gotten away from the original intent as of late. maybe we need to bellyache less and enjoy the shooting sports a whole lot more.
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That's EXACTLY what this forum is about - to relate experiances with and about gun ownership - both good and bad!

I joined this forum to hear exactly what has been put forth in this thread : both the bad treatment by a company to a few customers and the tempering of those instances by the very good treatment by the same company to many other customers.
That's called honest communication and that is what this forum is all about.
 
Bad customer service stories are the WORST word-of-mouth advertising--SOMEONE tied to Ruger should have a glance at this thread (if they haven't already).
----
It shouldn't have got so far--the problem, too, is a lack of epowerment at GM to just replace the gun. The problem, of course being, that we don't treat guns like other retail items. If it had been a defective TV set the manager would have handed you a new one in the box right off in most respected retail outlets.
 
there seems to be a disconnect in firearms customer service. You buy a brand new item day one, it fails due to factory problems, well that is treated just like you had the gun for 10 years and after being ridden hard and put away wet a few times something is not working quite right any more. What is great customer service on a 10 year old gun is abysmal on a factory new gun.

The electronics example is a good one. You buy a TV at Best Buy, it doesn't work you bring it right back they say "I am sorry sir!" and hand you a new TV. If that particular model is out of stock you probably get a $50 giftcard for your 5 day wait, if it is more than 5 days, you are going to be upgraded to a slightly better model free of charge. The store sends the TV back to the manufacturer who credits them.

Of course, you show up with a TV that is 5 years old and say it used to work fine but is broken now, the most they'll do is try and sell you a new one!

Firearms are different in that they are expected to last a lifetime, and for a compay stand behind them that long. But it seems that firearms production techniques are getting so sloppy that most problems now are from brand new guns put together wrong at the factory, and the firearms industry hasn't figured out that is an entirely different customer service ballgame
 
I tend not to purchase weapons from companies whose founders believed that civilians should be limited to five rounds for defensive carry.
 
Well, I bet Best Buy sells a hell of a lot more TV's than Ruger sells guns.

However, I agree that they should make it right in a reasonable amount of time or replace it.
 
I agree that Ruger's designs can use some work, but they're great for what they are. Having said that, I've never tried to design, produce, and sell a product or service in their market, so only know of my own experiences. Most people, however, seem to like theirs and enjoy dressing them up in new costumes each paycheck. Collect all 5, kids!

We bought a Mk III 22/45 a couple of years ago based on board discussions, reviews, and some personal range time. Only problem was, none of that included my trying to field strip, clean, and re-assemble the thing for myself. (yeah, I know, used the paper clip, the mallet, and even the instructions. No-Go) The inevitable factory service was good, but it was never a favorite.

I've recently been able to trade that 22/45 in on a S&W 317, and am much happier. Personal preference, based on experience.
 
I hate it when people complain here about a problem that they haven't contacted the mfg about first.

I do want to hear about it when the mfg has had the opportunity and failed. Lemons might happen now and again, but how the CS deals with a rare instance says a lot.
 
Flyerman:

Ruger has as much opportunity to come here, create an account, and refute what has been said as anybody else has. Charles Daly did, and it changed the way alot of members see their firearms now.

I have loved my Rugers (I am on my second P89 now), and have never had so much as a hiccup out of either of them. I think akodo has all the right in the world to expect an apology from Ruger, and hope he gets satisfaction.

Jamie
 
what a bunch of whiners...I thought they called this forum The High Road...they certainly take in all kinds of ilk from the above posts. It hurts my eyes just reading this rubbish...off to better forums for me....
 
well, thanks for that enlightened post DawgFvr. Glad to know you are better than anyone else posting in this thread. What makes you think anybody in this thread was wrong? Doesnt Ruger have a responsibility to make this right? Do you have a problem with someone giving an honest evaluation of their customer service experience and being frustrated?
 
Lets see Ruger has a problem its a Lemon. If its a Kel Tec or Taurus its a POS . Sounds about right..
I do hope you get it taken care of to your satiisfaction
 
My Mk III is darned near perfect. Only stuff it won't feed is Eley Tenex, because of the "flathead" shape. Other than that, it runs pretty much like a sewing machine needle.

My 10/22 is another boringly consistent gun.

Consistently, I find that .22s that get hit and don't fire in other guns can be chambered and fired in my Mk III.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. My Ruger is my favorite.
 
edited to remain true to higher standards


suffice it to say that we should all complain less and go to the range more. agreed?
 
I'd suggest asking them what ammo they recommend or use for test firing, and trying that load.

I bought a 12+ year old MkII and sent it in to the factory when the barrel worked itself loose during firing (it would wiggle just enough to be noticable). They didnt fix it. They shipped me a completely new pistol with a letter saying "Sorry about the last one being worn out, here's a brand new one from our warehouse, enjoy your new gun free of charge." :D

I dont quite understand why people pay a gunsmith to check out a weapon when the factory makes it quite clear that while they dont publish a warranty, they'll examine any firearm you send them for free. You're only out the cost of shipping, and you know they'll do it right.

Kharn
 
To me, it sounds like Ruger has sold a handgun that is deffective: it will not protect the owner's life. Sometimes defects happen, and sometimes guns aren't fixed the first time - that's understandable.

However, it didn't sound to me as if Ruger made a good faith effort to resolve the problem. This is unacceptable - especially if the owner's safety relies on thier handgun operating properly.

I am not impressed.

Ruger Representatives, what do you say?

NASCAR
 
You do have a right to be upset

Everyone wants to buy a gun, go to the range and run a thousand rounds through it without a hiccup. You should have bought a Glock.:neener: I just couldn't resist. Warranties are like life insurance, it's nice to know you have but you never really want to have to use it. Using the warranty, I know Ruger doesn't provide a written warranty, means that something has gone wrong in the first place. No one wants to buy a new product and send it to the factory to get it right. Being without your gun for months at a time just isn't acceptable. Now, I currently own 6 Ruger Vaqueros, a Mark II, a 10/22 and, a Ruger 77/22. I have owned at least a half dozen other revolvers and and, at one point, 6 Ruger 77 rifles in assorted calibers. I love all of my Vaqueros. Ruger actually listened to the public and redesigned their Vaquero and Black Hawk because that is what people wanted. You gotta love em for that. Their Mark II and probably the Mark III 22 pistol is as good as it gets when it comes to an affordable ACCCURATE pistol. They are as reliable as the day is long in most cases. This is pretty much where my affection for Ruger ends.

Their standard 10-22 shoots reliably out of the box. Good luck hitting that box over about 50 yards. The same can be said of their mini-14 and mini-30
rifles. I have never understood why they never adressed this problem, until recently that is. The Mini14 and the Mini 30 would both proably be in my closet or guncase right now if they shot decent. Their hunting rifles are fine, especially the older ones with the tang safeties. They are built on a basic Mauser action after all, good gun. The problem is that their newer guns, their heavy barreled target models in particular, are overpriced and under-accurate kind of like Remingtons.:neener: This way everybody feels a poke in the ribs. My 77-22 has been accurized and shoots well but I have owned one that that wasn't and didn't. I would not reccomend them.

As for their semi-auto handguns, they are U-G-L-Y, yougly. Sanford and Son fans will get that.:neener: This is coming from a guy who owns Glocks. The Rugers are bulky and clunky, did I mention I own Glocks. But, they are built like a tank and virtually indestructable, at least that is what I have been lead to believe until now. I almost bought one twenty years ago as my first semi auto. Fortunately their was a guy tading in 2 Glock 19's and I bought one of them instead. I would never consider owning one of their semi autos til now that is. Their SR-9 looks good and feels good in the hand. That new 380 of theirs will probably find its way home with me as soon as I can get my hands on one.

So, Ruger does have their faults. They did try to fix your gun once and now they are replacing it for you. It sucks to be without your gun for so long but in the end they are standing behind their product. As to how Gander mountain treated you I guess you are satisfied. I will tell you this story. WhenI was first getting into Cowboy action shooting I bought a Colt clone from the biggest gun store in Maine. Someone showed me that it could pushed off from the half cock position. This really did't worry me. When I went back to the store to buy another I showed the guy behind the counter. He told me the gun was unsafe and offered to replace it immediately. We went through every single clone from that manufacturer in the case and they all were the same. He removed them all from the case and sent them back.:what: He also gave me a full refund and I bought a pair of Vaqueros. Now that is customer service.:D

Everybody makes a lemon occasionally. No matter which gun you buy someone will have something negative to say about it. Like someone once said, you pay your money and you takes your chances.

To the guy who like his Hi-point, Hi-points are like fat chicks and mopeds. They might be fun but you don't want to be seen with one in public and you definitely don't want to to be braggin about it to your friends. Most of us just aren't gonna get it.:evil:
 
Flyerman: It sounds like that is exactly what Akodo would like to do. If only his gun would work. I have several Rugers and no problems. If you pay money for something to work and it does not then by all means you have the right to get it fixed. Sometimes forums like this is a way to release a little steam. This place is a great way to do it. Most of the times people suggest something that you might not have thought of in the first place that fixes it or points you to a person that can help. Let the man speak and say what he needs to say. You never know one day it might just be you...
 
Hi Point better than Ruger!?! ROFL Sure, I want some of

whatever you are smokin :neener: Good joke though. I'll have to remember that. Yeah and everyone knows Jennings .22s are very valuable, high quality collector items.


Anyway, I am suprised to say the least. I have have excellent luck with Ruger Revolvers. Autos, less so. Still, they are a good, American gunmaker and should stand behind their products.

Shooter429
 
I hope you all don't think that when CS is lacking it should be kept secret.
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By no means. I'm glad they're replacing it for you but the delay (and the problem to begin with) are disturbing. Personally the idea of buying a semiauto from Ruger is comparable to buying a revolver from Glock, but they certainly should not be selling firearms with defective extractors.
 
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