Rock Island 1911 9mm

[rondog]

buy a gun where the gun, not good customer service is the point to tout.

This is not a RIA bashing thread! Don't try to make it into one.

 

[JERRY]

This is not a RIA bashing thread! Don't try to make it into one.

I own a RIA 5" G.I., and its a good gun.

to the OP, if youre buying any gun based on how good the customer service reviews are, look at another gun. the same goes for a car, if youre buying one because it has a bumper to bumper warranty, instead of one that is known for durability/reliability......what are you really buying? the best customer service is the one you don't need to use.

 

[wally]

buy a gun where the gun, not good customer service is the point to tout.

Everybody lets a bad one get out from time to time, high dollar custom makers included!

Modern mass production manufacturing methods seem to tolerate an ~2-5% return rate as compromise between "costs too much to get it lower" and "we lose too much on returns".

Good customer service reputation is essential these days! Since it costs you, a non-FFL holder ~$60+ to return a pistol, them sending you a pre-paid return shipping label (costs them like $7) is a necessary but not sufficient condition (half way there) for good customer service. The other half is actually fixing the problem in a timely manner.

So far my only bad CS has been from Chiappa and EAA. Neither would pay the shipping back, but at least EAA actually fixed the gun in a timely manner.

what are you really buying? the best customer service is the one you don't need to use.

Sure, but its too big a gamble to assume you'll never need it. No bumper to bumper warranty, forget about it! If their cars never have defects, then a bumper to bumper warranty costs them zero. To me its put your money where your mouth is when it comes to "quality".

When it comes to guns, I always say: "If you've never broken a gun, you just ain't been shooting enough!"

 

[JERRY]

wally, my examples were meant to focus the buyer on gun quality, not customer service quality. quality guns are put out by quality companies whom also have quality c.s.

the S&W m&p or shields or whatever.... people ask about buying them not based on customer service, but on the gun.

that said, if I thought I had a better than average chance of getting a lemon, but was dead set on the product anyway, id ask a lot about customer service.

I hear Charter Arms has good customer service (now anyway), but of the four revolvers I bought from them two were junk. I just don't want the head ache of dealing with good customer service regularly.

 

[wally]

I hear Charter Arms has good customer service (now anyway), but of the four revolvers I bought from them two were junk.

Good customer service and poor quality will drive them out of business quickly. Charter Arms is a re-born company, as is S&W actually. I'll find out about Charter soon enough, see the revolver forum after tomorrow when I see if my 9mm Pitbull is actually fixed. They did pay shipping, I should have it in my hands today.

I've got a 7.5" fluted bull barrel S&W M22A that is by far my favorite .22lr pistol. I've had it since the end of 2005 and run about 10,000 rounds a year through it. Its broken three times and S&W has fixed it every time paying shipping both ways. I still love the pistol and consider it good quality and great customer service. Stuff breaks. In 2005 S&W was still working to rebuild their reputation from the previous owners during the Clinton years.

I hope the new Charter Arms can pull it off, otherwise revolvers will be too expensive for most folks to give a chance.