Customer Service vs Gun Store Edetiquette

[EJFudd]

We're not talking about popping the sideplate of a S&W revolver here.

And why not? One S&W revolver I bought (Model 442-1) was seriously defective internally. When it went back to S&W CS, several of the internal parts were found to be defective and had to be replaced.

I am yanking your chain here, but only a little to make a point. At what point does disassembly of a brand spanking new gun for you to gaze at internally become an unreasonable request of the dealer? Maybe when it involves screwdrivers or popping pins? Remember that a field strip alone can only tell you so much.

All power to you if you can convince a dealer to comply with your new gun disassembly request. I'd rather buy a brand new gun that wasn't screwed with by anyone since leaving the factory... and I'll take my chances with that!

 

[67ray]

Why? The dealer is supposedly a professional who should be expected to be able to do this without risk of damage. We're not talking about popping the sideplate of a S&W revolver here.

I have only once encountered a refusal, and I never ask unless I am in "but unless a defect is discovered" mode. Ultimately, it is a decision for the free market to determine.

You must be the guy that asks to put a new car on the lift, pull the wheels, and ask for an oil analysis on the vehicle before you buy it.

LGS is a seller or distributor of firearms not the Quality Assurance department. It's 2022 and quality is the responsibility of the manufacturer. If you have a problem with the quality of your product from the manufacturer, then you should go back to them for resolution. If it is so questionable then you should buy a different manufacturer's product.

 

[Amerry223]

If you purchased the firearm new, you shouldn't have an issue sending it off for a warranty covered repair (especially since it seems you haven't even fired it due to the magazine not seating).

My first gun had a defective part (which wore out a couple of months into me owning it), and I sent it off to the manufacturer. They called me, and said I got "unlucky", and must have gotten an "old factory backstock" of my model because they replaced this part in the newer version. They even replaced a few other internal parts that weren't needed with an upgraded version for the inconvenience.

A gun manufacturer will want you as a customer for life. When you call them, make sure to drop the phrase "I'm a first time buyer of your company, but this isn't my 1st firearm". Never get rude or cuss at them. I've never seen any situation where cussing makes a customer service situation move any faster.

Does the shop need to replace the defective product? That depends. If it was a used product that the worker said was "looked over" by the staff, and said it works great, that's a different story. However, this product is new. Just send it off to the manufacturer, and call it a day. The FFL should have been a little more kind to you rather than laughing over the phone. That's a way to guarantee he won't get you as a repeat customer.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

You must be the guy that asks to put a new car on the lift, pull the wheels, and ask for an oil analysis on the vehicle before you buy it.

LGS is a seller or distributor of firearms not the Quality Assurance department. It's 2022 and quality is the responsibility of the manufacturer. If you have a problem with the quality of your product from the manufacturer, then you should go back to them for resolution. If it is so questionable then you should buy a different manufacturer's product.

Or another specimen of the same product if a visible defect is found. I once bought a new gun (Walther PPK/s, Interarms era - long since sold) that was so defective that the manufacturer replaced it with a different one when I returned it for warranty service before firing a shot. This was when I was new to handguns, and did not even think to do a full inspection. Funny thing is the dealer demonstrated field stripping before he sold it for me and I didn't even think to look at the gun in detail.