Disappointed in S&W

[Habbyguy]

Personally, I think they should have taken the gun back and given the OP a brand new 1981 model 36 to replace it. And...they should have had it personally delivered by the Swedish bikini team, sans bikini's, in an effort to make sure their internet presence was properly represented. With a nice keg of cold brewsky to boot. THAT would have been "taking care of it" no?

Throw in a case of ammo, and you've got a deal!

 

[tnpatriot]

Seems clear cut to me. There's no warranty on the weapon yet you still want them to repair it for free. When in hell did everyone decide that they were entitled to everything for nothing?

When I bought a used former Kentucky State Police Model 1076 that needed a new extractor and extractor spring, I was told I would have to pay for the repair because the pistol's prior government service invalidated the lifetime warranty. Instead of whining on an Internet forum about it, I paid the repair bill and received the repaired pistol back in short order.

As I see it, you have two choices. Either pay to have the revolver repaired or sell it and let someone do what's necessary.

BTW, refusing to do out-of-warranty repair work for free has NOTHING to do with "customer service."

You seem so angry! chill out man, feel the luv

 

[maglvr]

Have them send it back, open it up yourself, locate the problem, and remedy the situation I stopped wasting my time/money 30 years ago, sending in problem guns only to get them back, with the same problem I had shipped them with. It is not real hard to see what's happening inside a Smith revolver.

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

I find the answer from S&W interesting and not what I have come to expect from US gun manufactures; here it is:

I purchased a new in the box, unfired, 1981 S&W Model 36 from a local gun store; the gun came in the mint original box will all documentation , even the 1981 warranty card. Anyway, I found that with a little pressure the cylinder would rotate clockwise when closed with the hammer down. I contact S&W customer service and explained the situation and they said they would "take care of it" and provide a shipping label to return the gun. Here is what the customer service representative sent me, fully aware of the date of manufacture:

Hello Mark,

I just put an order in for a pre-paid, pre-insured FedEx return label. Please allow around 5 business days for delivery. Please follow the instructions that will be included in the package. Include a letter with your contact information and a description of the issue. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

Regards, Steve
Customer Service
1-800-331-0852 Ext. 2905
Smith & Wesson


A few weeks later I get an invoice from S&W asking that I pay $83 to authorize the repair. I contacted them and the same guy that said he would take care of it now says that S&W did not offer a life time warranty until 1989 and since my gun was manufactured prior to that it wasn't covered. The interesting part is they admit that the gun is unfired and that the problem is cause by a manufactures defect.

I probably shouldn't have expected anything different, but having been a loyal S&W customer for 35 years and the owner of 13 of their handguns I was a little disappointed. I have come to expect American gun manufactures to stand behind their product and have had great luck with Colt, Ruger, Rock River and Weatherby.

Am I wrong to expect this level of customer service?

I did not read through all the pages here, but if it were me, I'd go higher up the food chain until I got a management person who took care of the problem to my satisfaction. I feel it was a factory defective product and should be repaired no matter how long ago it was shipped.

 

[Crazy88Fingers]

So you bought a "new" revolver and the warranty card was still in the box? It may be a silly idea, but have you tried filling out the warranty card?

 

[Robinett_11B]

I.B.T.L

 

[KurtC]

Not sure of the exact legalese, but I believe the company only has to honor the warranty on products they actually produced. (they are easy to identify, as they have a hole in the left side).

1981 would be at least 2 owners ago. I don't think there is any legal obligation here, although it might make for good business.

I would pay the fee and hope someone in the PC was around way back then. Just be glad it wasn't returned with a lock drilled into it.

 

[jppezz23]

I have never been disappointed with S&W, I like thier weapons never had a problem with them.Pay the money get it fixed and stop whinning.If you want i will give you what you paid and i will pay to get it fixed.

 

[johnchamp]

im with you all the way nothings perfect in this world just pay the fees...

 

[Thiokol]

This has gone far enough. Thread closed,