Lyman Customer Service, or lack of!

[ArchAngelCD]

I have owned a Lyman #55 powder measure for a long time. I had it put away for a while and when I brought it back out the fine adjustment of the 3 was not working. The pin inside seemed to be jumping over the base of the brass adjuster. I sent Lyamn an email and they said to send it to them because there have been several changes over the years to to be sure they wanted to see it and "the would take care of it"...

Well, a few weeks later I get a letter from Lyman telling me they repaired my measure and I should send them $50 so they can send it back to me!!!!!

I called them and asked why they are charging me for repairs when they powder measure has a life time warrant? The girl on the phone tells me it's a limited lifetime warrant and that parts not covered! I then asked her why they repaired the measure without my OK. She said it wasn't fixed, the letter was looking for the OK. I said no, the letter says it's fixed. She puts me on hold and comes back and tells me it was fixed just to save time when they took it apart they repaired it. When I asked he what if I didn't want to spend the money she tells me WELL, WE CAN TAKE THE NEW PARTS OUT, PUT THE OLD ONES BACK IN AND SEND IT BACK TO YOU! I need my powder measure but for $50 I might have decided to replace it with a new Lyman #55 I found on an online store for only $78. She tells me they cost $102 so $50 is a bargain but I tell he she's wrong, I can buy a new one for only $78.

I told her talking to me like that was just not right and then told her about RCBS replacing the parts for my scale I lost with no charge. She asks me if the scale was 20 years old like the measure and I told her I wasn't sure but they were both bought within 2 weeks of each other. Her answer was, we are not that company! I told here that was quite evident and that I would never buy another Lyman product as long as I live.

I also told here I was going to report this to the forums and she said they didn't deserve to be bashed. I told her I agree they shouldn't be bashed and I wasn't going to do that, I was only going to tell the truth on what happened...

So, like I told here, from now on I will never spend a penny on Lyman products and anything I need will be bought from RCBS.

 

[alwslate]

Never another penny on Lyman products...hummm, maybe a bit of an
extreme reaction there Arch. How old did you say the measure was?
Why didn't you just tell her her to put the old parts back and send it
back? Calling her bluff might have worked better than threatening her
with bad press. We don't all handle things the same way but if it were
me I would have probably just tried to exchange or order a new part
and replaced it myself rather than send the whole measure to Lyman.
You could see what was wrong with it and they are easy to disassemble. But then I like to tinker so, just my opinion.

 

[papajohn428]

I'd have done the same thing. They should have handled it a lot better than that..........$50? I wouldn't pay ten bucks for repairs I never even authorized. In fact, I'd have insisted they refund my original purchase price! But then, I can be a real horse's patoot on the phone. I HATE LOATHE and DESPISE being screwed over, especially by a company that once had really good customer service. Shame on them.

 

[blujax01]

Angel, that ain't right. If you have the original paper that says they have a "limited warranty" so be it. But to keep your gear until you pony up on a repair you didn't authorize? That's against the law.

If it were me I'd call and start at the top of this list until someone answered the phone:

1-860-632-2020 or toll free at 1-800-22-Lyman

The Lyman Team

J.MaceThompson ...............................President
RickRanzinger ........................V.P.Sales&Marketing
PatAndersen ...............................ExportManager
MilesHerrick ...............................SalesManager
TomHeffron ...........................V.P.RaytechDivision
Tom Andersen . . . . . . . . . . . .V.P. Fin. & Admin.
RaeH.Johnson .............................V.P.Operations
CarlCupp ........................Mgr.PachmayrOperations
KarenGriffin .........................Mgr.CustomerService
TomGriffin ........................Mgr.BallisticsLab&Tech
ElizabethFriedmann ...............Mgr.Marketing&Graphics
TimMcNabola .........................EngineeringManager

 

[125JHP]

I had one of their universal trimmers that the bronze bushing wore out and I sent it back for service. They told me the design was outdated and they couldn't fix it but would sell me another for some outrageous price. We finally settled on them sending me a lesser model of their newer design that sort of copies the Forrester which I promptly sold. Now my main trimmers are green.

 

[358156hp]

I had a similar issue with Hornady. My 007 press had an important part wear out. When I called for replacements, I was told that the "lifetime" warranty was for the life of the product(?), and that since the press had been superceded by the "Lock & Load Classic Loader", and that since the 007 has been discontinued, my original warranty was no longer valid. The lady then told me that the 007 wasn't covered by a lifetime warranty anyway (??), and I need to put my ($80.00 + shipping) parts order on a credit card. I declined, and went to the local Scheels and bought a new Redding Big Boss for $20.00 more than the repair parts for my original press. An old guy needed parts for his press, and bought my 007 for parts for $35.00. I didn't save any money over fixing my old press, but I have a new press for about the same money, with a written lifetime warranty. I live about an hour from Hornadys plant, and had a "buy local" attitude until this incident. My loading bench was covered by a sea of red in those days, now there's a lot of Dillon blue, and Redding and RCBS green.

 

[forestswin]

I am with you Arch. I am not pleased with how Lyman dealt with me with my 1500XP Electronic Random Number Generator (Scale). There is no way they could have found it to be within +/- 0.5G if they used test weights. And my scale is still less than a year old. I had my rant in a different post already. Gotta let it go, but I seriously doubt I'll buy another Lyman product.

 

[venomballistics]

I had a similar issue with Hornady. My 007 press had an important part wear out. When I called for replacements, I was told that the "lifetime" warranty was for the life of the product(?), and that since the press had been superceded by the "Lock & Load Classic Loader", and that since the 007 has been discontinued, my original warranty was no longer valid. The lady then told me that the 007 wasn't covered by a lifetime warranty anyway (??), and I need to put my ($80.00 + shipping) parts order on a credit card. I declined, and went to the local Scheels and bought a new Redding Big Boss for $20.00 more than the repair parts for my original press. An old guy needed parts for his press, and bought my 007 for parts for $35.00. I didn't save any money over fixing my old press, but I have a new press for about the same money, with a written lifetime warranty. I live about an hour from Hornadys plant, and had a "buy local" attitude until this incident. My loading bench was covered by a sea of red in those days, now there's a lot of Dillon blue, and Redding and RCBS green.

long ago I was coding some ballistics software in C++
this is a head heavy venture on any software project.
well as I tried to find some formulas to compute trajectory and velocity retardation I ended up emailing some of the major manufacturers to include Hornady.
they told me that it was over my head.... I mean, seriously ... Im already deriving objects from Microsoft foundation classes. Adding some math, no matter how complex, is a cake walk.
Sierra on the other hand, gave me solid leads as the tech support guy managed to connect the dots Hornady didn't.
I favor Sierra today.

 

[jag22]

I think we have all read posts about someone buying an old widget at a yard sale and needing it fixed and the company sends them new parts free of charge. Makes a great PR story but at some point it has to end. You can't expect a company to continually make parts for something they haven't made for the last two decades. Call GM and ask for a generator for a '72 Monte Carlo ( for free ) and see how far you get, or how loud they laugh. I know a lot of reloaders are mad at LEE because they quit making handles for their auto prime which tended to break a lot but how long do you expect them to keep making them? (not bashing LEE, just a good example, and they didn't even replace them for free) So what do you think a lifetime warranty is, the life of the company, the life of the product (when production stopped), or your life? If you inherited a press from your grandfather is the warranty expired?
Yes, Lyman screwed up, they should have notified you first that there would be charges before they even disassembled the thing. Do you expect them to take it apart and just leave it like that until they contact you. Maybe its just me but when I take something apart I'm going to fix it and reassemble right then. You sent something in because it wouldn't work so it seems reasonable to assume that is what you wanted them to do. Banning them for life seems a bit extreme to me.
My final thought is that people who make some of these claims have never run a business and have no idea what goes on. Good PR is great but is rather worthless at a bankruptcy hearing.

 

[Rule3]

Arch,

I suggest calling and talking to the CS manager as blujax listed above, They "girl" on the phone can not help you.

That being said the current Lyman Warranty per their web site is only 1 year.

If they will not repair it for free I would certainly have them take out the parts and send it back to you just on principle.
Unless you have original papers that say it's lifetime.

Lyman Products Your Primary Source for Reloading Equipment

 

[blujax01]

...Do you expect them to take it apart and just leave it like that until they contact you. Maybe its just me but when I take something apart I'm going to fix it and reassemble right then. You sent something in because it wouldn't work so it seems reasonable to assume that is what you wanted them to do. ...

I would expect them to provide an estimate before they took it upon themselves to fix it. What if, in your scenario above, you had taken the Monte in because it wouldn't charge, they replaced the alternator without contacting you, and then refused to return the car until you paid for the work? That's what's happening here.

 

[jag22]

I'm not saying Lymans is without fault but if I went to the trouble and cost to send it in, I want it fixed. If I was concerned I would have checked out replacements before I ever sent it in. There are too many "what ifs" to play here. He should have asked, they should have offered, good communication could have avoided all of this.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

We don't all handle things the same way but if it were me I would have probably just tried to exchange or order a new part
and replaced it myself rather than send the whole measure to Lyman.
You could see what was wrong with it and they are easy to disassemble. But then I like to tinker so, just my opinion.

If you look at my post you will see I asked to buy the replacement parts and was told there were several changes over the years and they would need to see the measure.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Guys, I don't need paperwork when one the phone I'm told they did have a lifetime warrant but it's a limited lifetime warrant and the measuring mechanism isn't included because it's a wear item. Really? If the measuring mechanism isn't warranted what is?

No, I don't expect a company to cover long discontinued items or tools but the Lyman #55 is not discontinued and is in their current catalog.

I'm not asking anyone to agree with me. I'm not asking anyone to boycott Lyman. I'm looking for nothing from anyone. I'm just telling the story as it happened to me so others might not be surprised when Lyman reneges on their promise. I guess I shouldn't have paid them a penny and had them send back the measure with the old parts installed but at the time I was very upset and just wanted my measure back so I can start my Winter reloading. I usually handle things much tougher but it seems this time it just got to me.

Look into every post I have ever made on this and other forums and you will not see a company rant. I'm not bashing anyone, just telling the truth on what happened to me personally. I'm more shocked that anything else Lyman did this.

 

[shortrange]

Without going in to all the details their molds are no longer the quality they once were ( 3 returned for undersize and never got satisfied) and the customer service is the same. I wont buy anymore for sure.

 

[tappedandtagged]

Well, I've been in the market for a new powder measure myself (Lee measure isn't cutting it). Had it narrowed to a Lyman or Hornady. Now it seems I'll be going Green.

Everyone seems to report great customer service from RCBS and Dillion.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Two summers ago I went to a LGS and bought a brand new Lyman 45ACP Carbide die set and paid list. The carbide ring pulled out on the second round. After sending it in twice talking to them on the phone 3 times, they refused to honor their warrenty. I have done much the same as you... told every one about their lack of customer service. However I still buy Lyman equipment, it is always used and mostly made before this set of jerks was born, it has no warrenty, but then it seems not to need one!!! I believe ATK is their current owner and they care not! I have many nice old Lyman pieces of equipment that ewill out last me as they outlasted their owners for the last 100 or so years. If it is new basicily it has no warrenty unlike most of their compition that cover defects (includeing some user error) in order to us coming back-And that attitude is working very well! Pretty much on Lyman if it the old black or grey colored products they are pretty good. If however the are orange, it is a risk!

 

[jag22]

Ivan, could you give us some more details of your experience. I've got no dog in this fight (have their brass maintenance thing, thats all) but the more I know the better. In an effort to expand their lines it seems the equipment people are just putting their name on other peoples products but I would think Lyman makes their own dies and I'm surprised they wouldn't stand behind it. Just my opinion but I think after a few more years of complaints they will start dropping some of those items that just aren't worth the hassle.

 

[Buford57]

All of my Lyman products are 20+ years old, including some Ideal stuff. All has given good service.

But while we are on the subject of CS, I lost (all alone without any help from anyone) the small primer seating pin from my RCBS hand primer a month or so ago. If you turn it upside down the pin just falls out, so it isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. That was Saturday. On Monday I called RCBS and asked them to sell me a replacement. The guy on the other end refused. Said if I needed one, they would send it. Told him it didn't break, I lost it. Said they are easy to lose. Gave him my address. Arrived USPS on Thursday. Back in the .38 Special business.

 

[whelenshooter]

From my experiences with Lyman, you got exactly how they always deal with customers. A number of years ago I bought a Lyman Turbo Case Tumbler. It lasted about a year. I was a little disappointed, but because it had a good review from the gun press, I bought another. Right out of the box it didn't work. I called Lyman "Customer Service" (that sure is a funny name, isn't it?) They said, "Too Bad". Luckily I bought it from a good sporting goods store and they gave me my money back. (It was a 70 mile drive one direction, which is why I tried Lyman first. I could have dealt with it by mail that way.) It was a month before I could get back to the store.

I then bought a Lyman power case trimmer. It didn't have the power to trim a case no matter how slow I fed the case into the trimmer. I called Lyman's "Customer Brushoff section" and they said, "Too Bad".

In my opinion, Lyman publishes the best reloading manual out there, but I have bought damn few other Lyman products since then. I'm an NRA certified reloading instructor. I used to teach the reloading section of a rifle, pistol, shotgun, reloading class taught at the University of Alaska, Southeast in Juneau, Alaska. I've told this story probably 100 times along with the customer service results I've had with Dillon, RCBS, Hornady, and Redding. My experiences with these other companies have been universally positive, by the way. Hopefully I've cost Lyman thousands of dollars. They deserve it. It is their own fault. I also talked to the Lyman people at the 2010 SHOT Show explaining what they did. I don't think they really cared. They still didn't offer to make anything good. If it wasn't for their manuals, I wish they would go out of business. I'm one who DOES wish them ill for the time and money they've cost me.

Whelenshooter