Any horror stories of experiences with a gun manufacturer?

[Mr E]

I do. Helped my spouse pick out their first gun, and the frickin' thing broke on their second time shooting it. One of the slide guides broke off and was found sliding out of the barrel after the slide was jammed in an odd, angled position with only the back guides keeping it stuck in place. I sent it to the manufacturer, and recently found an email they were sending it back. My spouse (rightfully) started to get excited for its return. Well, it arrived today, in the EXACT same condition as I sent it. The idiots checked it off as "no defects found". I called and complained to a second customer service rep who asked for pictures (I provided them the first time) and he became just as livid as I was, even asked "How could they miss that?!" He said they're overworked and shorthanded, so it was probably just missed. I get that, but I was under the impression a defective firearm is DANGEROUS. So WHY did someone check this one off as fine?! So, now I get to send it back, and it's going with a very long letter I hope finds their supervisors because this could've led to a very serious issues it we were ignorant to checking it first.

And for those wondering...this was Smith and Wesson.

 

[Cowbaby]

Not a horror story just P. Oed at Thompson Center after talking to them. Made millions upon millions of traditional muzzle loaders that were sold to everyone with a Lifetime Warranty and you paid a heck of a premium price for it. Then 15yrs later they discontinued all there traditional models, any support and parts leaving everyone scrambling for parts off junkers and just a simple screw will cost an arm and a leg. I don't mind so much when a company like Winchester or Remington go completely bankrupt but these guys are still in a continuous business.

And now they think I am going to upgrade to a brand new "Bone Collector"? Screw them, Not happening. I will build one from scratch first. I will never buy anything TC again. And that is just sad as they were top notch stuff.

 

[Snattlerake]

Only problem I have had was a split forcing cone on a 357 Rossi. I was only shooting 38's and not +P's
Imagine what a full house 357 would have done. Anyway, it was relegated to the status of trotline weight.

 

[rc508pir]

Not a horror story just P. Oed at Thompson Center after talking to them. Made millions upon millions of traditional muzzle loaders that were sold to everyone with a Lifetime Warranty and you paid a heck of a premium price for it. Then 15yrs later they discontinued all there traditional models, any support and parts leaving everyone scrambling for parts off junkers and just a simple screw will cost an arm and a leg. I don't mind so much when a company like Winchester or Remington go completely bankrupt but these guys are still in a continuous business.

And now they think I am going to upgrade to a brand new "Bone Collector"? Screw them, Not happening. I will build one from scratch first. I will never buy anything TC again. And that is just sad as they were top notch stuff.

This is why I wont ever buy a SIG again. The did the same thing to the SIG 556 (SG 550 clone) You cant even get replacement springs for it anymore

 

[xseler]

I had a feed problem with one of the SAS slides I got for the P365's. Called SIG. They sent a Fed-Ex overnight box for the slide and the frame it was on. The time elapsed until I got the gun back was 5 days -- including the call day. Worked great! They also replaced the barrel, recoil spring, & rod for kicks and giggles!

That's the only issue I've ever had with a firearm, well at least the only one I couldn't take care of. Call me pleased as punch with the service!


.

 

[chadh2o]

Beretta.
Bought a Tikka from my vet. Mounted a new rail and scope, then noticed it wouldn't go into full battery. Called, emailed, even gave them hell on the @Tikka twitter. No response cept the canned email.
Midwest gun works for the same issue. Nada. Granted it was last summer, but someone should be working.
Ended up my dumb ass installed the LONG screw in the wrong hole. I finally got pissed one day and took it down completely, parts all over the bench. It only took me 2 months of off and on playing with it.

 

[O4L]

I do. Helped my spouse pick out their first gun, and the frickin' thing broke on their second time shooting it. One of the slide guides broke off and was found sliding out of the barrel after the slide was jammed in an odd, angled position with only the back guides keeping it stuck in place. I sent it to the manufacturer, and recently found an email they were sending it back. My spouse (rightfully) started to get excited for its return. Well, it arrived today, in the EXACT same condition as I sent it. The idiots checked it off as "no defects found". I called and complained to a second customer service rep who asked for pictures (I provided them the first time) and he became just as livid as I was, even asked "How could they miss that?!" He said they're overworked and shorthanded, so it was probably just missed. I get that, but I was under the impression a defective firearm is DANGEROUS. So WHY did someone check this one off as fine?! So, now I get to send it back, and it's going with a very long letter I hope finds their supervisors because this could've led to a very serious issues it we were ignorant to checking it first.

And for those wondering...this was Smith and Wesson.

Hate to hear this. I've been hearing of some QC issues here and there.

What model is it? Got any pictures?

 

[Rez Exelon]

Long story short, although I've posted the full version here before:
* Bought a Browning 1911-380
* Browning fails to to into battery.
* Call Browning, they say send it in, no worries.
* 6 weeks later, I get a quote for 200 bucks because it was 6 months outside of an unpublished warranty period.
* Go full Karen and get it sent back. For 200 I'll fix it or screw it myself.
* Figure out how to work on 1911 style guns. 1.5 hours later having bent the extractor rod like .5 degrees back it was fixed.

I would have felt better had they checked it out, but whatever. It shot fine, I confirmed full function then ditched it. I don't want Browning in my house again. No one troubleshot on the phone, asked any real questions. No one looked up the serial number to tell me in advance it was out of warranty. No published warranty at all. And 200 dollar quote for literally unspecified repairs and parts. Even if they had itemized the repairs and parts needed I'd have given half credit. Total crap experience.

 

[AKguy1985]

The only issue I have ever had was a taurus TCP I had back in 2012. Those were DAO and after maybe 15 rounds the trigger got extremely gritty and heavy. Like the trigger was almost fully depressed but it would fire anyway. Sent it back to taurus, they fixed it then I sold it.

 

[Aries]

Obviously there are some bad exceptions, but it seems to me that usually when you hear stories like "I broke it and called them and they sent me a free replacement part" or "I sent it to them and they fixed it free and it wasn't even under warranty".... it's usually someone in the firearms industry.