Irate with Smith & Wesson. Done with them.

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fallhunter

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So to start off with, I got my Shield .40 on August 1st. Then after a couple of weeks, not even able to have a change to go and shoot it, I get a call from the dealer that there was a "recall" or as you folks say it, a "safety notice". None the less, mine was badly affected by it. SO after thinking it over, I decided to send it in. (VERY reluctantly I might add). I sent the firearm in on 9/12/13, a Thursday. They promised up and down a five day turn around. (I use this firearm for work and no, I do not own a back-up for it, as this is it) it was delivered on 9/16/13, and come to find out, it sat on a receiving dock for three days! STRIKE ONE! Then I called and they could not locate the firearm at first. STRIKE TWO. Then I keep getting the run around from them on whats going on. TWO people said they would see what they could do and call me back later the same day. No phone calls. STRIKE THREE. Now I am told that it will be another two weeks.. STRIKE FOUR. Your are out Smith & Wesson. I know this is a rant, but I have learned two lessons. One, NEVER send a gun in. Just have a local gunsmith work on it. TWO, its time to change to Glock. I will certainly be selling my Shield and full size M&P .40 right away.:mad:
 
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No back up.What about your full size M&P .40?And you use it for work and had it for a couple of weeks and didn't shoot it.I hope you were not depending on it to defend yourself or others without testing it at the range.
 
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Got it bad

Why would you send the gun in when the alert was quite clear as to how to check for the problem? Takes all of about 10 seconds to do the check.

The op did say his was badly affected.

Not sure what their backlog is like and how many folks there are working overtime etc but these are trying times for many when it comes to firearms. I would think you'd be happy that they are fixing an issue before it has a chance to have a negative effect on you. I do understand your frustration but S&W is not responsible for your decision to have only this weapon available to you for work and I don't think any safety recalls ever include any compensation for loss of use of the item while being repaired etc.
not trying to dismiss you concerns or even defend S&W (I do not work for any firearm related company and have not had any personal dealings with customer service at S&W).

I would document your experience to the extent possible and try to talk to a supervisor or send an email at the very least to get resolution and perhaps some explanation and maybe even some token of apology such as a free magazine etc.
 
Not really sure if this right answer but I had a problem with a revolver. Called their service department and explained the situation. They sent me a shipping box, it was picked up and back in my hands within 10days. Granted this was the only experience I have had with their service and it was about 3 years ago but, I was satisfied. I do agree contacting someone with authority might not help you but help someone in the future from having the same problem.
Be Well,
Ted
 
So to start off with, I got my Shield .40 on August 1st. Then after a couple of weeks, not even able to have a change to go and shoot it, I get a call from the dealer that there was a "recall" or as you folks say it, a "safety notice". None the less, mine was badly affected by it. SO after thinking it over, I decided to send it in. (VERY reluctantly I might add). I sent the firearm in on 9/12/13, a Thursday. They promised up and down a five day turn around. (I use this firearm for work and no, I do not own a back-up for it, as this is it) it was delivered on 9/16/13, and come to find out, it sat on a receiving dock for three days! STRIKE ONE! Then I called and they could not locate the firearm at first. STRIKE TWO. Then I keep getting the run around from them on whats going on. TWO people said they would see what they could do and call me back later the same day. No phone calls. STRIKE THREE. Now I am told that it will be another two weeks.. STRIKE FOUR. Your are out Smith & Wesson. I know this is a rant, but I have learned two lessons. One, NEVER send a gun in. Just have a local gunsmith work on it. TWO, its time to change to Glock. I will certainly be selling my Shield and full size M&P .40 right away.:mad:

Thoughts about your situation, in no particular order:

I understand your frustration, however, it is not clear to me how you could not have figured out that the trigger was not acting right even before the safety alert, especially since you say you have a full size M&P, and your Shield was "badly affected." Didn't you notice this at the gun store? How about when you were messing with it right after you took it home? I mean, it didn't work right and then suddenly become "badly affected" after the gun store called you, did it?

Then, you had to think it over to decide to send it in? And you did so very reluctantly? Really? That is sort of like not taking your Toyota in after you are told it is affected by the sudden acceleration problem. It is a safety issue, after all.

I use this firearm for work? Really? Just not for the first two weeks after you got it? Or, did you start carrying it without shooting it?

You don't own a back-up for it? What about your full size M&P? You must have gotten along quite nicely without your Shield right up until you bought it, and you needed it so badly, you didn't examine it, either in the store, or at home, and you have to have it for work, but not so badly as you make out apparently, as it seemingly sat for two weeks without so much as a familiarization session at the range, which would have disclosed the problem even if you did not mess with it after you took it home from the store, in which case you should have seen the problem. You already have an M&P full size, so you should know how the trigger works. Shouldn't you?

It sat on the receiving dock for three days, STRIKE ONE. It sat unused in your possession for TWO WEEKS. What is your hurry now?

They could not locate your firearm AT FIRST. S&W is not like your closet, where there are two guns in the place. It is a HUGE place, far bigger than any of the other firearms manufacturing facilities in the US. They did not ever LOSE your pistol, they just had to look for it, and they did, and they found it.

They didn't call you back? Oh my - ever try to get a doctor to call you back - and that could be a life or death situation. This is just fixing your pistol. Calm down.

Just have a local gunsmith work on it. Really? I do not believe S&W is making the parts for this warranty work available even to its armorers, much less Bubba, the kitchen table gunsmith.

Glocks are fine weapons. As others have pointed out, they have had massive recalls as well. In one case, a HUGE number of out of spec frame rails, resulting in shearing during use, and while you got a new frame, the serial number was not exactly the same as the numbers on the slide and barrel, which creates a big problem on resale, as any knowledgeable buyer will want to know why - they may or may not believe you, and you may lose a sale.

All companies have occasional recalls, and while it is frustrating, it does not seem like it should be as frustrating as you make it out to be. I wish you luck, but the rant was - well - silly. Sorry.
 
Good luck with your Glock:

LIMITED ONE-YEAR OPERATIONAL WARRANTY

Subject to terms, conditions and limitations outlined below, GLOCK, Inc. guarantees its pistols against defects in materials and workmanship that adversely affect their operation for a period of one (1) year from the date of their original purchase by the initial consumer. This warranty is valid only for pistols purchased and used in the United States of America, its territories and possessions and Puerto Rico.

This warranty only becomes effective if activated by the original consumer purchaser within 30 days of the purchase date, by completing and returning the warranty card included with your GLOCK pistol. GLOCK, Inc. reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to accept proof of purchase in lieu of a completed warranty card. To make a claim under this warranty, contact GLOCK, Inc. at: 6000 Highlands Parkway, Smyrna, GA 30082, Customer Support | GLOCK USA, or (770) 432-1202 for instructions on how to return your pistol. Do not return your GLOCK pistol for service without prior authorization.

LIMITATIONS OF WARRANTY

The warranty will be void if any of the following occur:

The instructions in the Instructions for Use manual are not followed;
Your GLOCK pistol or any of its parts are altered or modified from their original sate;
Damage is caused by misuse, abuse or improper maintenance;
Your GLOCK pistol is disassembled beyond the instruction in Chapter 9 of the Instructions for Use manual; or
Reloaded, remanufactured, or handloaded ammunition, or ammunition of a different caliber than your GLOCK pistol is used.

There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof.
The sole and exclusive remedy pursuant to this warranty is the repair or replacement of your GLOCK pistol, at the sole discretion of GLOCK, Inc.
The implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are expressly disclaimed.
All disclaimers and limitations of liability shall still apply even if the limited remedy of repair and replacement fails of its essential purpose.
In states where permitted, GLOCK, Inc. assumes no liability for incidental or consequential damage or for incidental expenses.
Any action against GLOCK, Inc. based on an alleged breach of this warranty must be brought within one (1) year of the claimed breach.
GLOCK, Inc.’s liability for breach of warranty shall be limited to repair or replacement of your GLOCK pistol, at the sole discretion of GLOCK, Inc.

I'll keep my S&W's:

The Smith & Wesson Advantage™

In addition to providing some of the highest quality products available today, Smith & Wesson is committed to providing our customers with support and services second to none. When you purchase a Smith & Wesson handgun, you receive the Smith & Wesson Advantage™, comprised of four service features:


1. Lifetime Service Policy
We will repair any defect in material or workmanship without charge to the original purchaser for as long as you own the handgun.

2. Expedited 911 Priority Service
This service is available in the event emergency repairs are needed by law enforcement, military, or government personnel. This service allows you to expedite the prompt repair and return of your handgun.

3. Easy Access Customer Support
Our customer support representatives are available to assist your every need. Contact Us

4. Pride
Our customer support staff is proud to represent Smith & Wesson. They are dedicated to helping customers and look forward to providing you with a level of support equal to the quality level of Smith & Wesson products. Call us any time, even before you make your purchase. Our customer support team is product knowledgeable and can help you decide which model best suits your needs.


When contacting customer service, please have the owner name, address, model and serial number available. The information will help the service representative to expedite your request.
 
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The problem with this forum is that anyone can look at a member's post listing and pull up anything they have said - ever.

On August 24, in the "Shield Recall" thread, post 224, you stated that your Shield does not have the trigger problem and you saw no reason to send it in.

When did it go from that status to "badly affected"?
 
The problem with this forum is that anyone can look at a member's post listing and pull up anything they have said - ever.

On August 24, in the "Shield Recall" thread, post 224, you stated that your Shield does not have the trigger problem and you saw no reason to send it in.

When did it go from that status to "badly affected"?

He also said that he'd never trust his life to a Glock... :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the head's up about S&W service. Only caution would be going to Glock. My first and only Glock was bad out of the box and their customer no-service had no interest. Did learn a bit of gunsmithing fixing it but it also cost me a couple hundred more in custom parts from niche companies that make parts to fix Glocks that Glock makes bad or doesn't wanna fix. My 3 Sigs, 3 Berettas, and Colt have all been good out of the box with no problems. Just my experience. Other's mileage may vary.... And...of course you're wrong and its all your fault for posting reality....jeez....you guys...
 
Hey folks:

Many of us have lots of firearms. Having one out of service may be annoying but no big deal. For us, it's just a matter of picking another from the safe

Some folks may be at the other end of acquiring a bunch of hand guns. Some may live in places that make acquiring a handgun a real chore.

Not everyone has the inventory or the cash (or has had the time) to acquire a bunch, or even two or three additional handguns.

I won't hammer someone for not having a bunch of backups available to substitute for the S&W he bought with every reason to think it would work as described.

Anyone who thinks that OP shouldn't need his firearm for his work if he doesn't have several replacement firearms on hand isn't thinking very well.

Lots of folks start with one or two firearms - hard to imagine (or to remember for some I know) but it's not unreasonable or crazy!

What is unreasonable is for a manufacturer to sell a product designed to save lives, to recall it because of safety issues and then not be responsive to its customers !

Returning a phone call is just basic courtesy.

Under these circumstances, ignoring OP approaches outrageous conduct.
 
Lots of folks start with one or two firearms - hard to imagine (or to remember for some I know) but it's not unreasonable or crazy!

What is unreasonable is for a manufacturer to sell a product designed to save lives, to recall it because of safety issues and then not be responsive to its customers !

Returning a phone call is just basic courtesy.

Under these circumstances, ignoring OP approaches outrageous conduct.

The OP has a backup, his full-size 40. It wasn't recalled, he sent it in of his own volition (after he claimed it was not one with the trigger issue in a previous thread), yet seems to think that a 2 week wait is unacceptable. So, he hasn't gotten a phone call back yet? Hardly outrageous conduct on the manufacturer's part.

The thing to keep in mind is that S&W is a huge company, and one customer service rep on a phone cannot guarantee delivery of a specific timeline for the simple fact that unseen circumstances occur. Nobody is faulting the OP for sharing his experience, but to "wahh-wahh" over a two week wait and claim that he's going to switch to a brand that he previously stated he would not trust his life to? Somewhat childish.
 
I'm not happy with OP's treatment here.

I read OP's earlier posts to indicate that he had an xp, wanted to sell it (probably did to buy the highly touted shield ) and then got a shield he thought was great until he discovered his shield was part of a recall.

Sent the shield back to mamma Smith, was promised a quick turn around and a return phone call and got neither!

The Smith folks, probably overwhelmed with returns (not only defective shields but canted barrels and funky barrel shrouds, etc) wouldn't give him the courtesy of a straight answer about return time or return his call!

I understand Smith is busy sending out defective firearms, doesn't want to pay overtime to service their products and hopes the OP will get beat up on the forum for not having lots of firearms

And lots of loyal Smith folks will hammer him for being unsophisticated enough to like their product without a through test (haven't any of us old coots bought a firearm, been thrilled with it and then discovered some failings? I know I have. )

Don't you think Smith returning his call (which they promised to do) is minimum courtesy? Doesn't Smith owe him (and it's other customers - you and I) straight answers?

Time for Smith to pay some overtime (1 1/2 the hourly rate for those CS folks can't be more than $13.00 per hour - they aren't skilled artisans - those employees got laid off years ago) and show some professionalism dealing with their customers.

I love S&W products - the ones produced by S&W before the takeover and 2000 sellout. Wouldn't dream of buying a later production.

But not everyone knows the difference.
 
I sent mine in for the safety alert. From the time it left my hands at. FED EX it was returned to my doorstep in exactly 12 days. Sorry for your troubles OP, hang in there, it will get worked out.
 
You're probably the rare exception to have fallen through the cracks at the S&W repair facility. So far all I've heard is praise for Smith's turn-around times.

Meanwhile carry your full size until the Shield gets back to you. I successfully concealed my M&P 40 for a long time & I wouldn't hesitate doing it again if my Compact has to go in for warranty repair.
 
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