Southern Ohio Gun Bummed Me OUT!!

[rockstar.esq]

So I'll start by writing that I have never before purchased a firearm via an FFL transfer. The story begins with me finding SOG's website. The Romanian FPK or PSL or Dragunov copy or whatever you call it is shown prominately both with and without a scope. I dutifully checked the site this morning to ensure that they were still in stock before calling my local gunshops to request a transfer on their FFL. I found a shop willing to transfer for the princely sum of $20.00, thank them and promptly call SOG to place my order. After a ten minute hold I'm on with an operator who cooly informs me that she will not proceed AT ALL until the FFL holding shop gives them a call informing SOG that they know about my plan to transfer and that they are OK with it. When I politely inform the lady that the gun shop is netting $20.00 whereas SOG is netting their profit on the $600.00 sale illustrating that she could easily make the call rather than causing me and the gunshop a big runaround. Her reply was an exact repeat that she will not proceed at all until she gets the call from the gunshop. So I thank her and call the gunshop to ask them to call SOG. Given that this shop is "on record" with SOG and that they have done many transfers from them in the past they express their irritation at the added work which nets them the aforementioned $20.00. Well the gunshop does call SOG and I follow up with them an hour or so later. This time I speak with a different operator who won't answer any questions until she's received all my information up to (but not including) the credit card number. At this point I tell her I'd like to purchase the FPK/PSL/Drag copy. She takes a few minutes to determine which rifle I'm talking about then she tells me they are out of stock! I tell her that I checked their website that morning and that they were listed as in stock. No reply... Her next question is whether I'd like to backorder. I say "Sure, how long would you estimate it will be on backorder?" She replies that they currently have backorders from MAY that haven't been filled yet and she has no idea when they will be back in stock. At this point I tell her that I've been trying to purchase a rifle for the better part of two hours only to find out that not only is the website incorrect, the probability of getting the rifle at all is slim to say the least. She tells me that "I could have just asked if the rifle was in stock at the beginning of the call..." When I point out that she refused to answer any questions until she had all my information she just went silent. No apology, nothing. In final analysis, I'm offended by the way I was treated. One of the shops I called this morning expressed their frustration with SOG due to their policy of posting dealer prices online (thereby illustrating the local shops markup). I figured that SOG made most of their money selling to folks like me who'd do a transfer. At this point I'm not sure who they think their customers are but I can assure the members of THR that I'm not. So now I feel like a tool for having my local gunshop go through the motions only to have the deal fall through. I figure I'll go down explain and buy some ammo in an attempt to show good will.

 

[chestnut ridge]

Your experience is similar to mine. I still receive SOG fliers; but it
is not worth the pain and hassle to actually attempt to place an
order.

 

[gezzer]

They are wholesalers, let your ffl handle it. Batf has given wholesalers a hard time about taking orders from non ffls shipping to an ffl. The wholesalers have been told if they use your CC ir is an illegal sale.

Don't blame SOG for trying to do what they have been told. You will just not buy from them the BATF will put them in Jail.

 

[Flyboy73]

I have both bough C&R firarms, which were sent right to my house and non C&R firearms through ffl tranfer from SOG. SOG has a habet of not having items in stock. I called about the Romak and on backorder and would not backorder unless my FFL did it. WHen i wanted to get a 97 tench shot gun from SOG, i called them up verified they had it in stock and went down to my FFL and they ordered it.

Now AIM I call up tell them the FFL i want it shiped it, give them a Credit card and its on it way. They only ask to make sure the FFL know its comming.

I ran into a problem with Classic arms. They had one Romak it in stock, but would not order it or hold it because my FFL was not on file with them. Byt the time my FFL got a hold of them. It was gone.

Brion

 

[TimboKhan]

well, if SOG wants the dealer to call them because they have to, I would agree that blame should not be placed on them. However, the thrust of this thread really wasn't so much that as it was that they would not answer any questions prior to the dealer making contact, to include not mentioning that they were backed up through May. Look, in hindsight, Rockstar.esq learned a lesson to ask up front if they have them in stock and thats all fine and good. Would it have hurt the lady to answer his questions though? I submit that the BATF has not decreed that questions cannot be answered without an FFL. I would also suggest that if your going to advertise your business online that you should make a concerted effort to keep your site updated. Here is the link as of today to the gun that Rockstar.esq is talking about:

http://www.southernohiogun.com/newproducts.html

Would it be so hard to go in and say "item not in stock" or "Backorder now" or something along those lines? If you read the ad, it even goes so far as to say "order now while available", which is precisely the opposite of being backed up 5 months. Frankly, I thought about ordering one of these guns myself, and by reading that ad, I wouldn't have thought to ask if they were in stock or not. The fact of the matter is that e-tail business is based around convienience to the consumer. One of the cardinal rules of e-tail is to keep the information current, and if they have been backordered since May, they are not even close to being current, and I think that, more than anything, is the basis of Rockstar.esq's complaint.

 

[_N4Z_]

SOG is very bad about keeping their website up to date. Had a similar prob with them last year trying to order a Yugo M70.

They recently advertised Finn M39's in the Shotgun News that to my knowledge never even made it onto the website.

 

[eastwood44mag]

I think I dealt with the same operator. She was just obnoxious, rude, and seemed to have a bone to pick with the world.

I'll probably buy again, since the prices are hard to beat, but if money wasn't an object, I'd be gone for good.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Yes, make a goodwill buy at the gunshop.

 

[zoom6zoom]

transfer for the princely sum of $20.00

Princely sum? That's pretty damn cheap most places anymore. Poor PRK laddies are paying close to $100 in some cases.

 

[Stiletto Null]

$30 for me.

 

[Pilot]

I avoid SOG due ot this and deal with AIM, CDNN, and others. No problem taking my credit card then shipping to my designated FFL holder.

 

[rockstar.esq]

"Princely sum? That's pretty damn cheap most places anymore. Poor PRK laddies are paying close to $100 in some cases."

I realize how I could be misunderstood. I meant that $20.00 for what would undoubtedly consume at least one hours work constituted them acting in a noble fashion to the benefit of their customers.

Above someone commented that SOG's following BATF guidelines equates to the way things were handled. First and foremost, I sincerely doubt any federal legislation would specify WHO has to initiate a phone call for whatever purpose. I simply see it as bureaucratic nonsense for a retailer who stands to profit to refuse to make the aforementioned call. Everything revolving around my dealing with SOG dissolved as a function of them being lazy and rude. Also and this is significant, the local dealers don't want to order from them FOR THE SAME REASONS! This experience has left me with a greater appreciation for the challenges that a dealer / gunshop faces when they try to stock military type guns. One aspect that came to light in specific is how my local shop makes greater overall efforts to render customer service. Whether that service is worth the markup is an individual decision to say the least. I consider SOG's performance to be lazy at best and purposely misleading at worst.

 

[Gun Wielding Maniac]

I have a list of companies that have treated me like that. I do not use any company on that list again and I warn my friends away from them.

Hey, at least you didnt get told that the gun was coming in "next week" only to wait 3 months before figuring out it was never coming in, as I have.

 

[MikeH]

I had no problem buying C&R from SOG, but couldn't get a WASR from them because they want the transfer FFL to call in and order it using his account. Something tells me their order handling system is geared entirely towards dealer sales, not retail buyers or FFL03 holders who need someone else to tranfer FFL01 guns.

They also said they can't remove the 30-rd mags from the shipment, thus they won't sell to Maryland. Too bad, because AIM said they can and even gave me a discount without asking.

 

[candr44]

AIM is a much better place to order from. They keep their web site very up to date and send order confirmation and UPS tracking numbers to your E-mail.

A lot of gun web sites list things that they don't have in stock. Thats why I always call to see if it is in stock first. If they don't have it then don't waste your time ordering non existant merchandise. It's likely that someone else will have it in stock.

I haven't had a problem with SOG so far but I have heard plenty of complaints about SOG from the gun shops here. I even got one of their last Romak 3 rifles. I got a dealers consent to do a transfer but I had to have the gun shop call and order it because they wouldn't let me place the order myself. Although, I did call first to see if they were in stock. I also called them to get the order confirmation and UPS tracking number and got it without a problem. However, I do most of my business with AIM now and try to avoid companies with sleazy web sites full of false advertising.

If you think SOG is bad, then you definatly don't want to do business with Century.

 

[TKBBurg]

SOG Weary

You seem to be right about updating their sight. I cant say much for for other sights besides AIM, and they were prompt, informative, responsive and the K-31 I purchased from them was as described, very good to excellent, minor stock dings and shoots like a beauty. Just wished they had a bit more selection. Granted that depends on the imports though. THANKS AIM. Just my 2cents.

 

[jpwilly]

Call J&G Sales they have them for $799 and will work with you! Their internet department is very good!

 

[Il Duca]

We bought a Garand for a customer from them a while back. We spent the extra money and got one that was said to be in "Excellent" condition... When we got it, it was the sorriest hunk of crap I've ever seen. The finish was horible, the metal pitted and rusty. We showed the customer and he said "I don't want that Sh**." Sog wouldn't take it back either. Siad we waited too long to say we wanted to return it (the day after we recieved it.) So no we're stuck with a turd we can't get rid of without giving it away several hundred less than we paid for it. We'll never deal with SOG again.

 

[jrfoxx]

Wow, i have to say I'm VERY surprised with your bad experiance.I have bought 10+ guns, and 10+ orders for ammo/accessories from them, and everything was always easy, polite, friendly, helpful, etc. Everything was in stock and priced like the website said, and all shipped fast, and evrey time, in better conditin than I was really expecting.I'll admit, I've never done a tranfer to an FFL thru them, as everything I've bought, was C&R,or required nothing, and I have my FFL03, but still, I'm really very surprised.Was there a change fo management or a change in their phone people maybe? Sorry to hear about your experiance, as I have a always had GREAT service from them, and always confiently reccomend them to others.Makes me a little worried about future business with them a little now, since it was 2 phone people you dealt with,and had issues, not just 1 "having a bad day" or was "new" or something...

 

[flynlr]

SOG is one of the few places that does not have a copy of my 03FFL. I think I will keep it that way thanks for the heads up

 

[aka108]

My FFL guy gives me a signed copy of his license. I'd sent SOG (or any dealer) the signed copy and a check. They would ship direct to him. He charges 10 bucks for the transfer plus 5 bucks for the background check. Never a problem.

 

[Seafarer12]

I don't like how sog doesn't post their prices on the net. Oh well my money just goes to someone else.

 

[DMK]

I've given up on getting a PSL. I have yet to find a place that has any in stock or even any place that I'd like to do business with if they did have them.

 

[kwelz]

They are wholesalers, let your ffl handle it. Batf has given wholesalers a hard time about taking orders from non ffls shipping to an ffl. The wholesalers have been told if they use your CC ir is an illegal sale.

I am a wholesaler and this is not the case.

 

[porsche]

i bought in the last 3 weeks a winchester carbine, c&r. i had never dealt with them. guess it's the operator you deal with that makes a difference as the young lady i dealt with was really nice and very efficient. couldnt have been easier. i was mildly disappointed by the conditon of the gun (i don't believe they misrepresented conditon, however...was a little rougher than i expected), but they have a satisfaction guaranty and i could have easily retured the rifle. i chose not to.