Walther P1 return process

[mgmorden]

Quick question guys - I ordered a Walther P1 from AIM last week. The pic on the site shows the hex pin mod, the website doesn't mention it, and everyone I've heard speak about getting one from them got one (leading me to believe that their shipment was simply one with the hex pins added). Well, I was wrong. My gun shows up without the hex pin .

Anyways, I called up there and the guy on the phone said that you had to pay the handpick fee to get the hex pin - otherwise it was 50/50. Not only was that not mentioned on the web-site, but there isn't even a handpick option listed there. Can't complain too much though - they were very nice about it. From what he said I need to call back Monday and speak with their CS manager and he'll most likely just have me ship it back to swap for one with the pin ($60 out of my pocket to UPS - grrr ).

Ah well, all that aside, my main question was this: I received this gun and will be shipping it back for replacement - do I still log it into my bound book and then right back out again to AIM, or is shipping it back like this considered as me not accepting it in the first place?

Thanks.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'm going to move this over to Legal, where you might get a better response

 

[General Geoff]

If you're an FFL holder, are you still required to do overnight shipping for a handgun? I thought you could just send it via ground to save on costs...

 

[toivo]

If you're an FFL holder, are you still required to do overnight shipping for a handgun? I thought you could just send it via ground to save on costs...

I'm guessing he's a C&R--I'm not sure, but I don't think they can do it.

I'm also guessing you have to log it in and out. It's not like you refused shipment: it's in your possession now, even if only for a very short time.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, etc.

 

[PRM]

Fat Slide/Hex Pin

Few thoughts on the Hex Pin/Fat Slide upgrades.

These were two of the last upgrades Walther put on their P38/P1 pistols.

The hex pins give the locking block a hard surface to ride on instead of the alloy frame. Contrary, to internet myth, it had nothing to do with cracked frames. Although, nice to have, it would not be a show stopper for me. There were thousands of the P38/P1 pistols turned out before the hex pins were added that have never gave any problems.

Even with it, you will still need to stay away from the heavy after market spring kits. They really hammer your frame. And, will want to stay withing the design limits of the gun as far as ammo. No +P ammo or heavy bullets. It was designed around the 124 grain FMJ. The 115 grain FMJ WWB also give good results.

In line with my comments on the hex pin, I would not consider the old style slide a show stopper ~ but, if I was sending one back to be replaced with one having upgrades, I would make sure I got the newer beefed up slide (Fat Slide). You can tell these by the length of the serrations on the slide. The Fat Slide has the serrations that extend forward of the safety/decock.

Either make great collector pieces and shooters.

 

[mgmorden]

If you're an FFL holder, are you still required to do overnight shipping for a handgun? I thought you could just send it via ground to save on costs...

Like tovio suspected, I'm a C&R holder. From what I've researched only 01 FFL's who have worked out a large volume shipping arrangement with UPS can go 2nd Day Air. I'd still have to use UPS Next Day Saver (which is better than Fedex though, as they won't let you use their cheaper next day service).

There was some talk a few years back about trying to petition the postmaster general to allow 03 C&R FFL's to ship via USPS, but that never came to pass and this doesn't seem like the political climate to make it happen.

 

[hirundo82]

IMO as a C&R I'd log it into my book, as I did recieve it, and then log it back out when I sent it back to AIM. I doubt that anyone (especially the ATF) would fault you for erring on the safe side and doing it that way.

 

[Steve C]

I have to agree with PRM. I have 2 German police surplus P1's that I'd bought maybe 20 years ago when they first started appearing. Neither have the hex pin or the flat slide and both still shoot and function fine with no damage from shooting both factory and hand loads.

Just buy another one and pay the hand select fee to make sure you get the pinned model if you really want one that bad. You can always sell the one you have later and it would be less expensive than paying for shipping. You may even want to hold on to it for a while and see where prices go after the current crop dries up. I bought my first 2 for under $180.

 

[mgmorden]

I have to agree with PRM. I have 2 German police surplus P1's that I'd bought maybe 20 years ago when they first started appearing. Neither have the hex pin or the flat slide and both still shoot and function fine with no damage from shooting both factory and hand loads.

Just buy another one and pay the hand select fee to make sure you get the pinned model if you really want one that bad. You can always sell the one you have later and it would be less expensive than paying for shipping. You may even want to hold on to it for a while and see where prices go after the current crop dries up. I bought my first 2 for under $180.

While I respect your opinion, keeping this one holds absolutely no interest to me, nor do I have the excess funds to simply buy another one. I would have paid the hand select fee had they made mention of this situation (or I would have simply bought from another source that did list the versions separately).

I don't think it'll blow up in my hand or anything, but realistically, I feel like I got the 2nd rate version of the gun. It's not the one I wanted, or the one I thought I was purchasing. I'm a bit perturbed about AIM not being more clear, but so far they've been very courteous (and this is the first issue I've had out of numerous dealings with them) so I'm not too mad about it. I'm willing to foot the return shipping to get what I want. The sad thing is that with them paying the return shipping, it's costing both parties. All of this could have been avoided if the listing had been more clear.

I went ahead and decided to log it in. When I ship it off I'll log it back out.

 

[Black Butte]

I'd say do what it takes to get what you want, but you can't fault AIM for this because they never stated you were getting a hex-bolt P1 and you didn't ask prior to your purchase.

 

[mgmorden]

I'd say do what it takes to get what you want, but you can't fault AIM for this because they never stated you were getting a hex-bolt P1 and you didn't ask prior to your purchase.

No, but all the photos on their website showed a pistol with the hex bolt. I assumed that was a representation of what I'd receive. If there is the possibility that the picture might not be representative then I'd expect a disclaimer stating such at a minimum. Just a "NOTE: Pistols may or may not have hex bolt and/or thicker slide modifications." would be sufficient.

To me it'd be the same as if I ordered another model of gun (say, a Hi Power or something) that showed wooden grips in an example picture and then got one with plastic grips. Fine if they let me know ahead of time that which one you get is random - not fine if no mention is made of the possibility.

 

[Husker_Fan]

I'm not your lawyer, but this is what I'd do. I'd log it in and back out. I'd also make a note describing the circumstances and keep it with the shipping receipts. This way you err on the side of having a complete book, but don't risk the appearance that you are reselling P1s.

If an auditor went though the book, the first thing they would see is at least three transactions related to the same model gun in a short time frame. They will likely ask you about it and it would be best to have documentation to show what happened.

 

[mgmorden]

Thanks Husker. That's actually a very good point. I tend to keep all my invoices and such related to a purchase in a back pocket of my log book, so I'll go ahead and annotate the invoice for that gun with that information.

As an update to the situation in general: yesterday I did call them (AIM) and explain the situation to customer service as the sales rep has suggested. They were very helpful and said to ship it back and they'd replace it (I offered to foot return shipping for them and they said it wasn't an issue).

What I ended up doing is just logging it into my book. Since I was making a trip to my local transfer FFL anyways, I went ahead and transferred it to him to ship out to AIM for me. His fee on that is $35, which is less than UPS, so it's all good.

Overall, though I wish I didn't have to go through the hassle (and I still don't have the replacement in hand quite yet), so far I have been very impressed with how AIM has handled the situation. I'll still be ordering from them in the future.

Thanks guys!

 

[stevemis]

The FFL you purchased from logged it out when it shipped. They will log it back in when they receive it. Your records should compliment each other, shouldn't they?

 

[garymc]

I bought 2 (one purchase of 2 guns) of the Sig P6 pistols, I think from AIM, but it doesn't matter. When they came, they had different sights and there was some different mechanism involved in the takedown or removal of the slide or something. I didn't think anything of it and assume they probably didn't know the difference at AIM either. In fact, I didn't notice the difference until after I had them a year or 2. But this distinction you're talking about sounds like a little bit of a bigger deal. It's nice that things worked out as well as they did.

 

[mgmorden]

GAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Well, I thought all was going well. Just got the replacement in, and despite SPECIFIC instructions that I wanted the hex pin thicker slide variant - and me offering to pay a handpick fee AND return shipping - I get a replacement that has the thinner slide.

At this point I'm done with this black sheep. I'm selling it off and buying one from Wideners where they specifically list the variants and let you pick the exact one you want.