Hello, yes I just registered, but I've used this site for reference several times. Had a situation come up that I figured this bunch may have some opinions on.
I'm not a frequent gun buyer, and when I do it is usually been from people I know, gun shows, or a local dealer near me in Prague. (Davenport's, good people)
A couple weeks ago I went into Sports World in Tulsa for the first time. Good place, good prices. I saw a new Marlin model 1894 .357 lever action rifle. After thinking it over a few days, I went back and bought it. I then set up a time for an old buddy to come out and test it out with me. This guy is very knowledgeable, been to armorers school, so I decided to just wait till he came out to fire it.
So, we took it out, and it would not fire. No possibility we made any mistakes with the safety, half cock safety, or didn't have the lever closed properly. He examined the bolt, and said the firing pin was either broken, or something in there was not milled properly.
I called Marlin, they said to return it to Sports World, as they are an authorized service center. I took it back this morning. The store was incredibly busy and crowded. After waiting in a line about 30 minutes, I was able to talk to an employee. When I explained the problem, he said "Oh, one of those."
He told me they often buy their rifles at trade shows, and Marlin has been known to cut firing pins before these shows, so the rifles will not be able to fire. He said he'd have to seed it back to Marlin, waiting 2-6 weeks. I suggested an exchange. He said they could not because of all the fed's paperwork, but added "it will be like new when you get it back." I replied that it was already new, never been fired.
Didn't matter to him.
Of course I was not happy, explaining that in selling a rifle there is a basic understanding that it is operable. Because of the paperwork issue, and because there were so many people waiting for help I ended up doing what I should not have done, and let it go.
Afterward I realized I should probably just stood there until they "bought" the rifle back, and "sold" me another. I realize that this situation happens every once in a while, and things work out in the end, but I still think it could have been handled differently. I acknowledge they have signs that say "all sales final". In this situation, I think those are about like a "not responsible for broken windshields" sign on a speeding gravel truck. Before I continue to stew over the issue I thought I'd ask the opinion of cooler heads.
I won't even get into how stupid the idea of cutting a firing pin sounds, let alone not obviously marking such a rifle.
I'm I just being a nit picker? Thanks for guidance.
I'm not a frequent gun buyer, and when I do it is usually been from people I know, gun shows, or a local dealer near me in Prague. (Davenport's, good people)
A couple weeks ago I went into Sports World in Tulsa for the first time. Good place, good prices. I saw a new Marlin model 1894 .357 lever action rifle. After thinking it over a few days, I went back and bought it. I then set up a time for an old buddy to come out and test it out with me. This guy is very knowledgeable, been to armorers school, so I decided to just wait till he came out to fire it.
So, we took it out, and it would not fire. No possibility we made any mistakes with the safety, half cock safety, or didn't have the lever closed properly. He examined the bolt, and said the firing pin was either broken, or something in there was not milled properly.
I called Marlin, they said to return it to Sports World, as they are an authorized service center. I took it back this morning. The store was incredibly busy and crowded. After waiting in a line about 30 minutes, I was able to talk to an employee. When I explained the problem, he said "Oh, one of those."
He told me they often buy their rifles at trade shows, and Marlin has been known to cut firing pins before these shows, so the rifles will not be able to fire. He said he'd have to seed it back to Marlin, waiting 2-6 weeks. I suggested an exchange. He said they could not because of all the fed's paperwork, but added "it will be like new when you get it back." I replied that it was already new, never been fired.
Didn't matter to him.
Of course I was not happy, explaining that in selling a rifle there is a basic understanding that it is operable. Because of the paperwork issue, and because there were so many people waiting for help I ended up doing what I should not have done, and let it go.
Afterward I realized I should probably just stood there until they "bought" the rifle back, and "sold" me another. I realize that this situation happens every once in a while, and things work out in the end, but I still think it could have been handled differently. I acknowledge they have signs that say "all sales final". In this situation, I think those are about like a "not responsible for broken windshields" sign on a speeding gravel truck. Before I continue to stew over the issue I thought I'd ask the opinion of cooler heads.
I won't even get into how stupid the idea of cutting a firing pin sounds, let alone not obviously marking such a rifle.
I'm I just being a nit picker? Thanks for guidance.
