What do you do when the pistol you just bought is a complete rip-off?

[RatFink]

What do you do when the pistol you just bought is a complete rip-off?(Edit-I suck)

I just kinda want to see what most of you would do in this situation.

Yesterday I picked up an FEG PJK-9HP that I had on lay-away with a reputable dealer. Today I took it out to try out.

I put up a few of the printable targets that I use when I'm just plinking, printed in standard 8 1/2 X 11 paper and set the targets up at 10 yards. Now I'm not the best shot, in fact I have a horrible habit of shooting a few inches low and left, but when I started shooting with this pistol I couldn't even hit the paper, I finally found that at 10 yards I had to aim 10 inches high just to get on the paper at all!

So I switched the targets out for some of the big 100 yard rifle targets just so I could see when my shots were hitting, I had to aim a couple inches above the target to hit it at all and then I found that my shots were hitting all over the place in about a 15 inch pattern, it was unbelievable horrible and not even in the same general area. One shot would go high, the next was low, then maybe close to center, then to the right, This is what it looked like.

I understood when I bought it that it wasn't going to be super accurate, but this is ridiculous.

So what would you guys do? this thing is so bad that I couldn't in good conscience even think about trying to sell it for the $300 I paid. I bought it as a used pistol, so I'm wondering if I have the option to return it, I guess I'll find out tomorrow, but is it acceptable to ask for a refund or store credit on a used gun? I've never been in this position before.

BTW, this one one of the most well known, well thought of stores in PHX, I'm betting they didn't know it was like this.

(EDITED) read my last post for details.

 

[pauli]

oh come on, you don't see a good defensive use for a gun that lets you yell "BACK OFF! if you come any closer, i might shoot a random person in this room!?"

 

[DigMe]

Were you shooting from a benchrest? If not do that and if the result is the same I'd take it back to the dealer and see if he's willing to do anything. Be sure and bring the targets and tell him that was from a rest.

brad cook

 

[No4Mk1*]

The first thing I would do is make sure it is really a 9mm and does not have a .40 barrel in it. Then I would make sure I was shooting 9mm ammo if it was really a 9mm. Then take it apart and look for something obviously broken. Then I would take it back with the target along with a target shot by me with another pistol to show that I could shoot accurately.

 

[longtom4570]

What store, just curious? they should have a return policy of some sort or offer to look it over to see what could be wrong.

 

[wingman]

Come on now, sure that wasnt made with a 12gauge /00.

 

[rblack]

I bought a used Beretta from my local dealer that I've bought quite a few guns from over the years. It would not group at all, not as bad as your gun, but not good none the less. I found it had a very very small raised portion on the barrel that was really not noticable to the eye, but you could feel it. I took it back and showed him and he offered to get a new Beretta barrel for me or give me a store credit for the amount I paid for the gun.

I would definitely take the gun back and at least ask for a store credit or a refund if they would. If they are a reputable store, they will most likely take care of you............Good luck....

 

[RatFink]

I did try some while setting my hands on a rest, but not all.

I also wondered if it had a 40 cal barrel. It was sold as a 9mm. and the mag seems to fit the 9mm's fine. (EDIT) I just checked the barrel and found the markings saying 9mm.

The store was Legendary Guns, well known, well thought of.

I do have the target, but it's kind of messed up with a few rounds my brother shot from his Astra. It does have one group I shot also from his Astra, a pistol I'd never shot before, but the group is about 5 inches.

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

Boy that is crazy.....I sure hope that the dealer makes it right.

Is there any other obvious problems with the barrel? Does the rifling look ok?

 

[RatFink]

Yes, the rifling looks OK to me, but appernetly I'm not a good judge of used pistols :banghead:

There's really nothing I can see wrong with it.

Hopefully they will atleast have their smith look at it and see if he can tell what's up.

 

[Josey]

A simple question. Were you using reloads or American Ammunition? I honestly can't see the pistol functioning if it was really defective. My first "usual suspect" is the ammunition. Give their gunsmith a chance to repair it. Those are good pistols.

 

[armoredman]

Come down to Tucson, buy new/used at West O the Pecos - they have a return policy on used guns, and good prices, worth the trip....

 

[RatFink]

A simple question. Were you using reloads or American Ammunition?

Winchester White Box.

Give their gunsmith a chance to repair it. Those are good pistols.

Any way they choose to make me happy is fine by me. This is not a fly-by-night shop, it's probably one of the top 3 shops in the PHX area. I'm sure they will try to make this good for me. I've just never had to go through something like this, and I wasn't sure of what to expect.

 

[CZ100B]

Wow, that is wild! Definently get that checked, because something ain't right!

My FEG P9M-9HP can do a solid 6" hole at 7 yards (and I'm a crappy shooter), so the PJK should even be able to beat that (as the PJK is the true Browning clone)

Jeremy

 

[Old Fuff]

There is a possibility that the gun doesn't like this particular brand of ammunition and/or load. First off, try something different.

If that isn't the reason the gun shoots low a slightly higher rear sight will cure the problem.

The FEG's weren't made to be "tack drivers," they were made to be functional service pistols in all kinds of circumstances. Some I've seen have rather heavy trigger pulls - which would contribute toward a lack of hand-held accuracy.

If tack driving is what you want, go buy a good-quality revolver with adjustable sights.

 

[RatFink]

Old Fuff, I don't think you are getting how bad it really was so heres the target

1. is the group I shot with my brother's Astra A100, a pistol I had never shot, that was the only mag I shot just for a comparison group.

2. When I tried shooting center of the main target, that's where I was hitting

3. That's the group I got when shooting at the green dot area, I think it reasonable to expect a 5" or 6" groups at 10 yards from a service pistol, 13" to 15" is not reasonable.



BTW, those in the top right corner are a fast mag empty my brother took with his Astra.

 

[Josey]

I was thinking. Does this FEG have service sights? I couldn't hit a bullet with a barn with stock FEG sights. I had mine replaced with a set of high mount night sights. I can ring a 8" steel target at 50 yards with that set up. NOT everytime but, I can hit it more often than not. I have hit varmints with mine on the move. They are capable pistols.

 

[sgt127]

Silly queston. Are the sights loose?

 

[Majic]

Check that the barrel is locking up tightly. Also check the crown.

 

[RatFink]

Yes, stock sights, while they aren't perfect, they can't be as bad as the groove sights on my S&W 342 or my Cimmaron Arms SAA, both of which I can shoot much better than this.


No the sights aren't loose


The Barrel seems to lock up OK, and the crown doesn't look beat up.

While a replacement would be easier for me, at this point I would be happy having their Smith look at it, I would really like to know what's causing the problem. The last time I had a pistol that got this bad of groups it had the name "Jennings" stamped on it.

 

[stans]

It could be the gun, maybe a heavy, gritty trigger pull? Also, 9mm's are notorious for being finicky about ammo. I have shot groups like that from my 9's, but changing brands and/or bullet weights or styles can have a tremedous impact on accuracy.

 

[Sean Smith]

Hard to get your money back for a lack of accuracy. They don't guarantee any level of accuracy at all, plus they will assume that, like most gun owners, you have no skill and can't hit anything.

Your best bet is to shoot another target. The whole target needs to be slow-fired from a rest, then annoted with the date/time/gun/load/distance combination. Preferably have somebody witness you shooting and sign it. If you just show somebody a target with random holes on it they'll just assume that you can't shoot.

 

[Old Fuff]

Rat:

I understand what you're saying, and yes - if I got a new pistol that shot that way I'd be ... well ... disappointed too. But before jumping to conclusions I'd suggest some more testing would be in order. It could be that the gun simply doesn't like the brand of ammunition you tried, or a less then good trigger pull may be causing you to jerk the gun out of line. Last but not least, it may meet the maker's standards because it's intended to function under the worst of conditions. I would do what your about to do - take it back to the seller, explain the problem, and see what they say. After that if I still had the gun I'd get some different ammunition and return to the range to see if it made any difference.

As a rule of thumb, and of course there are exceptions, service grade pistols in 9mm often have accuracy problems for many reasons. These have to do with many things including the barrel's bore size and chamber dimensions. Some late European pistols have what are called "NATO chambers" or "NATO barrels." These are free bored in front of the chamber to drop pressure if sub-machine gun ammunition is used in them. This may or may not be combined with the barrel floating in the slide, or an oversized fit between the hole in front of the slide and the barrel itself. There are a lot of issues that I can't comment on without actually examining the gun. Sorry I can't help you further.

 

[Hutch]

While I can't figure out what IS wrong, something is most definately hosed, here. I don't think you could ammunition-related accuracy that bad and still have the gun cycle reliably. I agree with the others who suggest you shoot another "group" for documentation purposes, with time/date/distance and ammo specified. Might not hurt to gather up a few of the spent cases to bring along. They oughta make this right....

G'luck.

 

[RatFink]

I agree that I need to go shoot it again. That target was not intended as some kind of proof and I should shoot several targets with just 10 shots in each, and also some targets showing my normal level of accuracy.