needs to work on the service part. Over three weeks ago I bought a 1911- 108299 which had a way too tight cap. I had to drive it back.
I can't get it back on so I can't use it.
I called for a replacement but never got it. Today I called and the guy said it would be sent "soon".
I asked for a more firm date and he said "I told you" and hung up.

No excuse for that kind of response no matter how swamped they may be.

These kinds of posts never cease to amaze me....

We never get to hear both sides of the conversation so who can really know what kind of attitudes were expressed from either direction.

I've had several relationships with S&W customer service over a 40 year period and I have always found them to be courteous, knowledgeable and helpful, especially under the current management.

I don't draw any conclusions from this kind of complaint other than to think about my own experiences with S&W customer service. So many times I read these posts and I find the poster has only been a member for a month or so (not the case with this post), or really appears to be advocating some other brand by making derogatory claims about S&W. Sometimes they are obvious posts made by "trolls" just looking to "rattle other peoples cages..."

The knowledge base of the vast majority of handgun owners is minimal at best. Handgun accuracy and malfunction are often blamed on the firearm rather than the owner and that blame is often expressed on sites like this.

My advice to people experiencing any kind of problem..

First: Recognize your own limitations and seek advice from someone local you know who can accurately identify a perceived problem.

Second: Realize the majority of the complaints being made to S&W are because of owner ignorance and certainly don't require the extremely expensive shipping cost back to S&W for unnecessary service.

Thirdly: Once an actual problem is clearly identified and can be articulated to S&W customer service I'm sure everyone involved will find a happier path to a resolution.

JMHO...

__________________
Terry

Three weeks ago I sent my "non-warrenty" 4566 in for repair. I was upfront that it was an LEO trade-in. Monday Fedex dropped it off, repaired--no charges, even after being told it wuold not be covered.

All communications with S&W were very professional in both directions. Something tells me there's more to this story, possibly a "demand" that should have been a "request."

First I am not ignorant. I have owned and shot S&Ws since 1973 and have had many communications with them. So watch who you accuse of having minimal knowledge. I just may know more than you.

Secondly this was the first time I have had such a rude call.
Thirdly I was polite and pleasant. He said soon. I asked if he could give me a firmer date. He said I told you and hung up.
So do you think I'm a troll?

Maybe the guy for S&W was having a bad day or even be new. But one thing is for certain, he won't work there long. I have been dealing with smith and wesson for almost twenty-six years now and all I can say is they have the best customer service of anybody.

Now, I am not trying to be rude, and I have been "doing guns" for over 40 years, but I have no idea what a "way too tight cap" is on a 1911. For the life of me, I don't know what you mean when you say you had to "drive it back." Do you mean you drove it to the store where you bought it? Do you mean you drove the "cap," whatever that is, back with a hammer? I am sorry. Could you please explain what you believe was wrong with your pistol?

The only guess I had was the recoil spring cap. If that was driven on with a hammer, there are now bigger problems.

I called Ruger today to find out the status of my repair. They where pretty much the same way lady did not hang up on me thought.

She just made it clear that with the amount of sales,repairs, and orders going out right now they couldn't really give me a answer on a time.

She did ask me to call back Friday if I hadn't heard from them for a status update.

She was friendly enough but she was very to the point. I can understand that from working at a call center in the past.

I am sure the way things are currently most gun manufactures have out sourced some of there call centers to help pick up some of the load. I would not be surprised if the person you talked to was not even with Smith Wesson. Instead where some kinda third party company that does phone support.

S&W calls it a cap. The recoil spring sits inside it and it goes under the bushing- recoil spring plug. I used a punch to drive it back to clean it.
I could not re seat it. It has a bulge in it.

I called S&W yesterday about the pistol I sent in for warranty repairs. Other than the 10 minute wait to talk to a rep, I have no complaints.

A happy customer tells his friends, and unhappy one tells everyone.

So there you have it, everyone has different experiences with their favorite gun company and their customer service reps., typical

I learned a long time ago that you don't come to a forum dedicated to a specific company and voice your complaints, founded or not, because the specific company "cool-aid drinkers" don't want to hear it.

Go to the Kahr Arms forum and tell them that there is something wrong with a Kahr pistol.

I'm not criticizing the OP or the responses, just an opinion based on many years of gun related forum and gun experience.

Back in the early '70's, we would take a ride up to S&W for repairs on our LE gun related problems. They welcomed us with open arms and rarely charged us for the services rendered which many times included parts to make the repairs. And this was done while we waited! Great CS IMO but those days are long gone.

__________________
JimC

I just got an email from them. It said they were backed up two weeks and my cap/plug would be sent next week. Hooray.

Still no excuse for the rudeness.

Called customer service to talk to Performance Center. Went through the automated run around and finally got a real person. Asked for the Performance Center and was re entered in the automatic run around without comment. Does anyone know the direct line?

__________________
spgfld

If you have a reg govt type bushing and recoil guide, try a empty,not dented up .45 acp casing for a temp replacement.
Years ago, I once finished out a class ,about 200 rds using one, when mine went flying and lost in the woods.Some of the newer bushings that have a bigger cutout for the springcap it actually fits perfectly, OL JMB.... Looks kinda neat also.

Sometimes just pressing zero will get you to a human.

Try 800-331-0852. Its on a "PC" intro letter that came with my gun several years ago.

__________________
"We deal in lead, friend."

I sent a gun in for warranty & custom work. The warranty work was supposedly done in five days, in late Dec. before they went on break for ten days. Since that time it's been "in the process" for the custom work, installing a new front sight. Nothing seems to happen or progress unless I call & ask. No one's been rude but each (different) person I talk to tells me something a little different, sometimes misleading, sometimes vague...and I'm still waiting. Also, I ordered a rear sight in Oct-2012, that supposedly is now in stock, as of two weeks ago, they re-verified my cc info, & I can't get a commitment either on when it'll ship. They say they're behind....and I wait. I'm a life long S&W owner/lover, but I'm not impressed with this process or their system.

I must really be some sort of oddball, please no wise cracks.

In the past 20 years I have never had a problem with S&W, Ruger or Colt, always have been treated in a respectful manner.

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

+1

Without piling on, I'm in the camp of they have some work to do.

Op, can't you just buy an aftermarket part and use the Smith plug as a backup?

Thanks, that is the general service number for everything - gets you into the automated system. I sent a snail mail to PC asking about an interchangable 9mm barrel for my 356TSW tactical. We'll see if I get a response.

__________________
spgfld

They have a lot to work on. The guy I spoke with ( Mel ) was not helpful at all. I was asking for a part and he kept telling me " it's on the way " after repeated calls.

They don't give a rats about cust service. Call Dillon, RCBS and Lee and you'll be extremely pleased on how quickly your problem is resolved.

I'm sure S&W have a few good customer service reps but I am yet to talk to one

I stooped connecting the quality of the product with the quality of the service after dealing with Browning/FN . Great products, putrid customer service, was my experience.

UPDATE: Received a notice that my sight (shipping weight is only 1LB so it's not my gun) is finally on the way & should be here today. Oddly, it's a FEDEX notice. Everytime I had asked, when I called for a status update, if they'd send a notice &/or tracking# when they send it out, I was told "No", their system wasn't set up for that. How can the CS reps be so ill informed on the process?? They did, however, send it 2Day. Now if I can just get my gun freed too...

I received a nice e-mail reply from Jim Rae at S&W with all the required information. I'll ship it off on Monday.

__________________
spgfld

My experiences with S+W products and customer service are infamous.I will not continue to beat a dead horse so as not to anger people in this forum.I will say that it is the luck of the draw,If you get a good rep your exchange will be good,if not then it will be a bad experience.Try to be as nice as possible and hopefully it will work well

Without question, the firearms business has the BEST customer service. Universally the U.S. manufacturers are top of the crop - reloading and other parts (Brownells) are also just simply excellent when compared to other business. (Yes, here it comes) Springfield's had my 1911 for three months now and no word..... Hey, everyone is busy especially now it seems. I'm gaining "virtue" points with my patience I hope.

Originally Posted by BLUEDOT37: - Excerpt post #18 -
I sent a gun in for warranty & custom work in Dec... Also, I ordered a rear sight in Oct-2012...They say they're behind....and I wait.

UPDATE: Finally got my pistol back after 10 weeks. It took just (1) week (they say) for them to complete the warranty work. Then (2) weeks for Xmas/New Year break. It took (3) weeks to get an estimate from them, after my calls, which I approved/paid immediately. Then it took another (4) weeks for them to complete the gunsmithing work (replace a front sight).

The Good: The warranty work was done satisfactorly, in fact, they performed a requested item there (no charge) that I anticipated paying for. I haven't shot it yet, but the major problems (sticky extraction & bad timing) I sent it in for were corrected. One week in shop there, was very good. They did return the original sight, as I requested. They did send an email with the tracking#, even though I was told repeatedly they don't do that. It was returned FEDEX 2Day srvc. I appreciate the fact that they honored the warranty work needed without undue grief.

The Bad: I don't think (7) weeks is reasonable to replace a front sight (no parts ordered). The quality of this job's work was sub-professional too. The sight is not flat/flush to the barrel (visible gap) & the retaining pin stuck out noticeably on one side. I filed/fixed the pin, can't fix the gap. The new extractor (they replaced the cylinder/extractor) is uncolored/satin stainless steel, not black like the cylinder or the original extractor, so now I see a two-tone cylinder, when it's opened. The paperwork that came in the box had no details whatsoever as to what was done while there: why wouldn't they supply that & why wouldn't I want it to maintain authenticity since I had them do all the work? The CS reps had repeatedly told me shipping/tracking# emails are not sent out: why the lack of knowledge on their processes? Over the course of this repair, I called CS (5) times to get status or approve payment & generally came away disappointed with the lack of information they gave, or knew about my request for service. Some were pleasant, but some were curt.

I've always been a S&W guy. My first pistol purchase when I turned 21 was a S&W Highway Patrolman. Half my guns are S&W. Sadly I think there's improvement needed in their process, but I remain a loyalist.

phils, good that they are sending it, but I think I would have rather paid for a new one from someone like Fusion or some of the other companies. That way you could have at least gotten it in less than a week and used the gun. I would have been upset to with the guy and probably would have wrote an email to S&W and then would have called back and gotten another person that probably would have answered the question properly. Good Luck on the new gun when you get the cap and enjoy it.

Jst fan and all. I still do not have it. I have emailed again.
Thanks for the Fusion lead.

I ordered the cap late Jan. I got a package 3/9/13. I opened it up.
It was the wrong part - a recoil spring plug instead of the cap!
Every call and e mail said "cap". Now more calls and emails.