Have M&P15 5.56 MOE ... and questions

[MnP4me]

I've owned my gun since May, but haven't shot it since it jammed once in July.

I field stripped it and found the extractor was binding somehow. Dissasembling it the spring would depress fine. Reassembled it just won't move.

I shipped it to S&W. They sent it back stating the bolt had been replaced. Unfortunately that was not true. The original malfunctioning bolt was still in it.

I emailed S&W a photo of the still offending part and was told they would send another RMA/shipping label(and hopefully swap the part on the 2nd try).

It's been 2 weeks. No label.

So, I have some questions:

1. Has anyone else encountered service this crappy from S&W, or am I just special?

2. Other than the bolt/extractor the gun appears to be a flawless beauty. Does anyone see a problem in my just buying a high quality aftermarket bolt and or carrier assembly, such as Rock River, or ???, and just saying bye, bye S&W?

3. This is just an AR15, so aftermarket should be fine, right?

4. Lastly, how important is headspacing after the swap? If my dealer can't do it, should I buy a go-no go kit to check it myself?

Thanks for any help.

 

[lonejacklarry]

I emailed S&W a photo of the still offending part and was told they would send another RMA/shipping label(and hopefully swap the part on the 2nd try).

It's been 2 weeks. No label.

So, I have some questions:

1. Has anyone else encountered service this crappy from S&W, or am I just special?

I can't offer any "technical" advice but, I'm sure, someone that knows will jump in.

As for the customer service, I found them to be awful when I had problems w/ my 15-22--label is in the mail, sorry the label is in the mail, shipping problems, return shipping- more problems, phone calls NEVER returned, and so on.

The people that have had no problems think they are great. In fairness, they were probably swamped w/ the 15-22s at the time but return phone calls or emails is a customer service staple.

You will have to keep after them and then you will find someone that actually will take care of your problem. There appears to be few of them, however.

My question is why that they thought the bolt had been replaced.

 

[MnP4me]

My question is why that they thought the bolt had been replaced.

I called when I got the gun back and found the bolt had NOT been replaced. Incredibly, I was told that since the enclosed statement said the bolt had been replaced then it must be so.

When I emailed a High-Rez picture then they said a new shipping label would be sent. Of course I didn't get it ... yet.

 

[Butler]

Sorry you’re having problems. I bought an MOE in May also. It shipped from S&W 10 May, got to the gun store 12 May, I bought it 14 May. For sure the newest S& W I've owned. I only have about 300 or so rounds thru it but so far zero problems. I have only dealt with S&W customer service a couple of times but it all have been great. I had a problem with a 642PP trigger, from the time I got the shipping label to the time FedEx brought it back as about 9 days, it has worked fine since. What made you suspect the extractor was binding? Failure to eject? Double feed? Stove pipe? Can you post a picture of the bolt face with extractor in place? Regardless of the problem there is no excuse for poor customer service in such a large well established company with excellent products. As far as up grading should be no problem, several after market companies make excellent bolt carrier groups that should just drop in. I know it is a pain but I would make S&W aware of your situation and make them fix it. Register lettered to manager/supervisor CS if you have. If just not for you but for the next guy down the road. Hope this helps.

 

[MnP4me]

Regarding the extractor issue, with the bolt removed from the carrier, using both hands to leverage the extractor it will not move on it's pivot pin. dissassembling the extractor the internal spring can be depressed quite easily. Put it together and the assembly won't budge. So it's binding somehow. Maybe I could file on ... something to improve it but this is a new gun and "supposed" to be warrantied.

Also it's 2 weeks today since the latest shipping label should have been sent + my latest email inquiring about it was not answered.

 

[MnP4me]

UPDATE: As of 08/16/10 I've ordered a Bravocompany bolt assembly, and headspace gauges from Brownells.

Also 08/16/10 S&W Customer non-service finally emailed me back and offered to send another shipping label. No apology, and no explanation on where the last label went. Never got an apology or explanation on why they didn't replace the bolt on my gun's first vist for repair, like they claimed they had.

Their "support" has ranged from miserable to outright lies.

I've attached a pic of my M&P15 with the Eotech 512.

 

[jsimmons]

I heard a few days ago in a local Ttactical shop that S&W shuts down for the first two weeks of August every year. Maybe that's why it's been two weeks since you heard from them.

My MOE has been flawless, BTW.

 

[MnP4me]

Customer service and I were getting along fine until I got my gun back after they claimed the bolt was replaced. When I called to say that it was not, I was basically called a liar. "Since the enclosed form said the bolt was changed, then it was."

That insult(#1) did not sit well with me at all. The Rep. on the phone didn't wan't my High Rez picture of the bolt as evidence of their failure. That was insult #2. I sent pics to their email address anyway. Their response was to ask for an address to send a shipping label for another trip. I was assured it would go out THAT SAME DAY. They did note as you said they would be down for 2 weeks. That would have been fine but they didn't send the label. That would be insult #3.

To have waited the two weeks, not received said label, emailed back to inquire about it and simply be told they could send another ... that would be insult #4.

As the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." This has gone on long enough. I've only got 4 cheeks to turn ignoring the slaps, and they're used up.

I'm keeping the gun. It's mine and I like it too. I'm not sending it back to visit it's place of birth again. They haven't treated me or my gun well.

 

[CBR240]

MnP4me - I'm quite surprised and annoyed to hear of your troubles with S&W customer service. My 15-22 was replaced within a week. Twice I have broken parts (15-22 mag load assist, and 22a grips; both my fault), and they insisted on shipping me parts for free, and would not let me pay for what I obviously had broken. Both cases I had parts and was back in action within days. So I am one of those people that go around saying Smith has great support (because my experience with them has been great, all 3 times). I had a preference to buy a S&W when I started looking at ARs, just because of this support. But they were too expensive. So when CDNN had their sale on S&W M&P15s, I rejoiced and ordered.

I guess S&W is like other huge companies, in that there are all kinds of people working there. When you call in it's random who you get, and how you are treated.
BTW - the last one I talked to there was "Ray", he was great! If I have any more issues, think I'll ask for Ray