Horror Story: M&P 10 and S&W Customer Service

[copemech]

Something is troublesome about these posts where people make accusations against a a company that's basically telling you not to cram a 50cal into a 308 that may spund stupid but so does trying to overbuild a weapon on youtube I swear it can be done affidavits! This is nuts! I own many S&W products not one has given me a problem! Remember the SHIELD 40 barrel hype? I have one of the first maufactured! Not thee first but you know? What a bunch of hyped crudd! want to know how many rounds I put thru that? I consider that my best carry! Maybe its not eveyones.liked carry but its mine! I'll stick by S&W and my 10 till proven other wise! Someone always comes up with a reasonable rifle barrel fix! I think I smell alot of failed selfsmithing going on here and b/s embarrassment!

No brag from me, just fact. I tell it like it is. Gun is rated for .308/ 7.62 . Many do not work with run of mill ammo because they are undergassed. They will not fix it.

Many will not hit because barrels are screwed.

Those that do do not seem to like run of mill 150 gr ammo.

If something breaks, or you break something, they will not sell you parts.

If you modify something they will not work on it. AND will not sell you parts.

If you blow it up they will not repair it!

Get the picture!

Even though I like the design, I wish I had bought elsewhere because working things out on this one has cost me twice what I saved over an Armalite or DPMS or others with better support.

 

[AvgJoe]

Smith&Wesson, you lost me before you even had me

I was excited about buying a M&P 10.

After reading this thread I've decided to go with a different brand. Spending this kind of money and possibly ending up with a rifle that isn't accurate that requires gunsmithing because the manufacturer can't or won't fix it is completely unacceptable to me.
What good is a lifetime warranty if it is backed up by poor customer service?
I'm stunned at what I've read here. I'm a small business owner and have a good understanding of large business too. I've run multi-million dollar service departments for large corporations in the past.

When you have a good thing going and profits are rolling in, you never ever let stories get around from unsatisfied customers. Replacing a $1500 rifle that probably only costs $500-600 to make in order to satisfy a customer is a no-brainer. Sometimes companies get "too big" and don't think that a handful of customers matters anymore. This is shameful. I am an avid firearm hobbyist and was looking to add at least 4 S&W guns to my collection....no more. I'd rather have a gunsmith build me something that is guaranteed to shoot straight than buy something that may not and have poor customer service to back it up.

Very disappointed. I thought S&W had a better reputation than this.

 

[henschman]

UPDATE: finally some good news.

To re-cap a little, in February, I was notified that S&W changed it's policy. While they still will not be selling spare parts for rifles, they will now be servicing damaged rifles that are not covered by warranty for a fee. They e-mailed me another return shipping label, and I sent my M&P 10 back to them one month ago to get a quote.

I got a letter in the mail from them today. They are quoting me $218 for a new barrel, $45 for labor, and $13 freight for a total of $276 to fix my rifle. It is a very reasonable price -- a hell of a lot better than buying a new $1100 rifle, like they originally wanted me to do. I called, gave them my credit card info, and told them to proceed. I requested that they return my damaged barrel, so I can get my low pro gas block and Troy FF barrel nut off of it, which are stuck on due to the barrel being bulged and split after the gas block.

I'm looking forward to getting this back. It sucks having good money tied up in a broken rifle for so long. At least some good came out of this whole rigmarole. If nothing else, it got S&W to change a very bad policy, and gave an option to people who were in my boat -- a broken rifle that is out of warranty with no ability to acquire spare parts or even to pay to have it fixed.

Now -- who wants an M&P 10 with a BRAND NEW BARREL?!?!?!?!?

 

[Drag]

If you read the other thread in here, it appears the DPMS barrel extension as well as the matching DPMS bolt also works in the M&P10. So this would be another route if one wanted to go with a different barrel.

 

[copemech]

UPDATE: finally some good news.

To re-cap a little, in February, I was notified that S&W changed it's policy. While they still will not be selling spare parts for rifles, they will now be servicing damaged rifles that are not covered by warranty for a fee. They e-mailed me another return shipping label, and I sent my M&P 10 back to them one month ago to get a quote.

I got a letter in the mail from them today. They are quoting me $218 for a new barrel, $45 for labor, and $13 freight for a total of $276 to fix my rifle. It is a very reasonable price -- a hell of a lot better than buying a new $1100 rifle, like they originally wanted me to do. I called, gave them my credit card info, and told them to proceed. I requested that they return my damaged barrel, so I can get my low pro gas block and Troy FF barrel nut off of it, which are stuck on due to the barrel being bulged and split after the gas block.

I'm looking forward to getting this back. It sucks having good money tied up in a broken rifle for so long. At least some good came out of this whole rigmarole. If nothing else, it got S&W to change a very bad policy, and gave an option to people who were in my boat -- a broken rifle that is out of warranty with no ability to acquire spare parts or even to pay to have it fixed.

Now -- who wants an M&P 10 with a BRAND NEW BARREL?!?!?!?!?

That IS great news and good price. Did you have to send in the parts so they could re-assemble in stock configuration? So you are down another month or more for $45 in labor! Seems gunsmiths do not get in a hurry! Wish I could do that on peoples cars!

 

[henschman]

Yes, I sent them the original parts. I assume that they will assemble it in factory config. Yes, they are definitely taking a lot longer than other CS dep'ts I've dealt with.

 

[yqtszhj]

That's good news. So copemech, you yhink they'll maybe give you a new barrel to help you out? Or have they replaced yours, i just cant remember.

 

[copemech]

That's good news. So copemech, you yhink they'll maybe give you a new barrel to help you out? Or have they replaced yours, i just cant remember.

Long story short, the thing is what it is. It will shoot, I think, but not with 150 gr in my gun, no better than 3-4 MOA.

Ammo is key here, gotta find what it likes, and quality 168gr seems to work. Stuff like Fed GMM works, but besy groups yet were with Aussie Outback 165 at around 1.5 moa. Other loads uasin Amax at 2 or so, so I have gone to reloading for tuning things now in an effort to get down from there. Still looking for 1 moa, not there yet!