Bad experience with new auction house

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red9

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Over the years, I have bought in person and on-line from Greg Martin with no problems. They have now combined with Heritage in Texas and Heritage is now offering firearms. At Heritage's July firearms auction, I was the successful bidder on a Chief Special Airweight, s/n 28xxx. After multiple calls over three weeks, they finally admitted that they lost the gun! I told them to refund my money and take me off their mailing list. I am still waiting.

Bob
 
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I'm sorry to hear that. I was also a frequent customer of Greg Martin during the company's time here in Orange County when it was under different management. When Martin bought the operation back, I didn't think it would make much difference, but I became concerned when the affiliation with the larger service was announced. It just seemed like the ease of use and item detail wasn't there in the new arrangement. I sat out their first auction because I wanted to get the lay of the land before trying the new setup. I guess I am now glad I did.
 
My life time experience with Greg Martin, from the days before Butterfield & Butterfield, taught me to stay away as far as possible, from anything his name is associated with. The few reports of successful transactions are far outweighed by numerous failures, some of which border on outright frauds. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Ed.
 
agree with above totally. anything greg martin is involved with, i wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.
 
How did you pay??

If you used a credit card, all you have to do is contest the charge to have credited to your account.

May be the easiest way to get your refund.
 
Retired LTC said:
How did you pay??

If you used a credit card, all you have to do is contest the charge to have credited to your account.

May be the easiest way to get your refund.
Click to expand...

I've had two experiences trying to get charges taken off my card, with what I thought were appropriate reasons.

On both, the credit card company looked into it for me. I was on the loosing end for ( I'm over simplifying it ) what was in the sellers " fine print ".

In my experience, it's a hard thing to do. Good Luck w/it.
 
Wish I had this advice a while back. I bought a pre-18 at auction from Greg Martin and it arrived with a drilled and tapped hole in the top strap where a scope had been mounted. Nothing in the description...
Haven't-won't ever again.
 
Oh great, I won a nice "re-blued" M&P in there recent Texas auction. I hope I don't have any problems with them. I actually wonder if there description was correct as the gun did not look reblued from the pics. Got it cheap so took the chance and I like refinished guns anyway. I'll follow up once I have the gun in hand, I hope.
 
Watch out with that new crew regarding shipping. For reasons I will never understand they shipped an Enfield rifle priority overnight for over $80 shipping/handling when I paid $150 for the gun.:mad: Now, had I won a rare sniper of some kind for $2500, I would not have blinked, but on a regular milsurp that can be shipped USPS, give me break.

As for Greg Martin as was, my FFL advised against doing business with them, too. I was burned once, but several other buys were no problem at all and the items were always well packed. The bad one was a rifle with obvious stock damage that rendered it useless. I got about half my money back as I wanted the action and I put the money into restocking it. I got the rifle dirt cheap anyway as it was an auction near Xmas and nobody was buying, so I did not make out too badly in the end.
 
I've bought 4 guns over the past year from Greg Martin, when they were in So.Cal, and a couple more when they were here in San Francisco a few years back. I never had a problem with them, and everything came through promptly and as listed. I too was hesitant when the Heritage Auctions link was established this summer, so I'll be very wary of bidding there. There were a couple of Registered Magnums this past auction, and a goofy non gun or two (no mechanism, filled with epoxy) (for $1000 opening bid?).
 
Greg Martin

I've had a FFL for over 20 years and never heard of Greg Martin, I guess I'm just LUCKY.
 
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The new 'Heritage-Greg Martin' combine apparently bought out other's Mailing Lists.

I got a big promotional brochure in the Mail from them, and, no idea why or how they got my Mailing Address.

I looked through it, went to their web site, looked there, and, though I have no prior experience with them, I felt it smelled bad through and through.

It seems to typify everything which is wrong with the entire prevailing predatory 'corporate mentality' these days.

Bragging and revelling about the 100s of millions of dollars they take in as they they grind merchandise through like fodder into fertalizer, bunch of lizard lipped zoftig post menupausal corporate looking schmucks standing there in their taseless complaiscent bad tie and all polyester suits, has every ear mark of a condition and of people I myself want nothing to do with on any basis.

Item descriptions seemed at best, very cautiously erring on the side of omitting germain detail or informed ( or honest ) analysis...so, bad smell, bad JuJu, bad vibes, buch of leering corporate schmucks using antiques as a pretext for mechanized indifferent 'do it badly and do it in volume', so, bad everything.

Far as that goes...just off the cuff, according to my own sensibilites anyway.


"Puhhh-Toooey"

No thanks.
 
My first experience with Greg Martin was about six or seven years ago. They listed a 22 Outdoorsman, excellent and matching in the box, with an estimate of about $600. I bought it absentee for $1200, and found that the grips didn't match. I decided I could live with it, however, since the Outdoorsman was actually a 1st model Masterpiece. The following year they offerer another identical gun, still called an Outdoorsman and still estimated at $600. I decided to go cross country and attend in person. I watched as it sold for $3500.
I've been familiar with Heritage for years, as a high end house that sells antiques into the six figure range. I expected more from them.

Bob
 
I have won about 25 firearms at Greg Martin's auctions over the last 4 years. I have always been happy with what I got, felt that it was accurately described and believe that the packing was first rate.

I live near Sacramento, Ca and used to pick up my rifles at Greg Martins office in San Francisco when he was located there. On one of my visits I was afforded a tour of the facilities and watched the packing of guns that were being shipped. In my opinion, the packaging was much better than most auction houses that I have dealt with.

Red9, did you use Proxibid to bid on your item? I have had some problems with Proxibid over the years. If Greg Martin Auctions has already charged your credit card, I'm sure they will refund your money. If they do not, call them and ask for Clifford Chappelle. I've always had good dealings with Clifford and am sure he will assist you. And has already been suggested, you can always dispute the charge with the credit card company if it comes to that.
 
LVSteve said:
Watch out with that new crew regarding shipping. For reasons I will never understand they shipped an Enfield rifle priority overnight for over $80 shipping/handling when I paid $150 for the gun.:mad: Now, had I won a rare sniper of some kind for $2500, I would not have blinked, but on a regular milsurp that can be shipped USPS, give me break.
Click to expand...

Hi, Steve

After they moved to SoCal, I continued to purchase items from them and had them shipped. After the first "priority Overnight" $80 shipment, I called them and asked them to ship via ground (it actually made almost no difference in the length of shipping time, since it was SoCal to NoCal). Shipping usually ran less than $20 after that ;)
 
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