Best Customer Service in U.S. Handgun Industry
- Thread starter TennJed
- Start date
30-30remchester
New member
JOHNBT, good question but it is the very point I was trying to make. It is amazing the placid approach people have when reguarding service and warrenty. Seems nobody cares that the item they bought needs instant service. If I spend my hard earned money for ANY item and it need worked on just to make it work I will never purchase another. I am a range officer and have been for 30 plus years and see litterally many thousand rounds of ammo, and at least 100 different guns shot anually. It seems about any older QUALITY arm doesnt need repair. The internet is full of testimonials of good service plans and good service which is great, but my question is why is their product built in such a manner as to need service? Smith & Wesson for instance has many people touting their good service, yet all my older, pre 1980, Smiths have seen literally many thousands of rounds of ammo and never so much as stuttered. Yet the new ones seem to need far more service and care. I have had old Winchesters from the late 1800's that were used so hard and so much that they were completely devoid of stock finish or bluing, yet show no evidence of ever having a screwdriver touch them. Anymore, sadly to say, our busy schedules and domestic lives seldom lend itself to heavy firarm useage. Seldom few people, myself included, actually use their gun for intended purposes. Occasional trip to a tree stand in a padded case and a couple trips to the range is the life of most guns, yet they need service? I have 2 friends, both guides and trappers who used guns everyday, for years and in severe conditions. One is a lion guide using an older Smith model 19. He got it used, wore the finish completely off the gun, a friend had it refinished for him, has since wore the finish off again, the grips have no checking left and he doesnt ever recall cleaning it, yet it has never had any work done on it mechanically. Another old friend was an active woodsman and trapper and had a pre war Colt Woodsman that was used so long the grips had litterally been worn through exposing the metal underneath, yet never had any mechanical problem. Both guns are still in use today. Just my ranting.
"Seems nobody cares that the item they bought needs instant service."
It's funny, but as aggravating as it is to have to send a new gun back to the maker, I usually feel like I will have a better gun after they work on it. I think of it as quality control; maybe they'll catch other things that need fixing while they have it apart. I've had a few manufacturers do more work than what was required.
Ruger for instance did a 2.5# trigger job on an early 22/45 that was put together out of beat up parts. The bolt ears looked like they'd been used to drive nails. They replaced most of the gun and did a perfect trigger job all for free.
One more; my father bought a Python in 1990 and decided that the front sight was tilted a touch. Colt fixed that and tossed in a trigger/action job. I didn't even know at the time that they offered a trigger job on Pythons.
Compare those cases with my new $40k-sticker Toyota Highlander. Now that dealer ticked me off. I ordered it and when I went to pick it up they had neglected to install the satellite radio and two or three other little things like mudflaps. "Oh, we can get that done Monday." No, they'd cashed my check. I got a loaner and they had it ready by five. Idiots
It's funny, but as aggravating as it is to have to send a new gun back to the maker, I usually feel like I will have a better gun after they work on it. I think of it as quality control; maybe they'll catch other things that need fixing while they have it apart. I've had a few manufacturers do more work than what was required.
Ruger for instance did a 2.5# trigger job on an early 22/45 that was put together out of beat up parts. The bolt ears looked like they'd been used to drive nails. They replaced most of the gun and did a perfect trigger job all for free.
One more; my father bought a Python in 1990 and decided that the front sight was tilted a touch. Colt fixed that and tossed in a trigger/action job. I didn't even know at the time that they offered a trigger job on Pythons.
Compare those cases with my new $40k-sticker Toyota Highlander. Now that dealer ticked me off. I ordered it and when I went to pick it up they had neglected to install the satellite radio and two or three other little things like mudflaps. "Oh, we can get that done Monday." No, they'd cashed my check. I got a loaner and they had it ready by five. Idiots
insolentshrew
New member
Hard to say who gets the "best" title but, smith & wesson, ruger, sig sauer, FN herstal, and springfield all have great CS from my understanding. I have only had personal interaction with sig & FN, both of which did a great job.
triumph666
New member
+1 for Rock Island Armorys Service
Microgunner
New member
I've only had experience with Kahr and they were very good, but not on the poll.
SwampYankee
New member
I've had great service with CZ. Bought a 40B used and dot from the front sight was missing. I shipping them the slide and in a week they had replaced it for free.
oneounceload
Moderator
I would vote for "other" and it is my local gunsmith as he can repair all of the mentioned brands, does it quick; I don't have to ship, and he is cheaper than most
North American Arms: outstanding!
In Massachusetts, you cannot buy any new pistols from NAA. I got lucky a few years back and found a pre-98 (thus legal) NAA Guardian in .32 at a good price. But it turned out to have a serious problem, stove-piping a round with every mag. Finally sent it to NAA. They kept it three weeks or so, then returned it to me, postage paid, with a lo-ooong list of new parts they'd installed. The accompanying parts list indicated a total cost well over $400 - more than I paid for the original gun. This was the equivalent of fixing a car by lifting up the radiator cap and driving a brand new car under it. Labor cost was $0, ditto for the $400+ of parts - and they threw in two new magazines. In effect, I got a new Guardian for nothing. Ever since, I have been a big fan of NAA's service folks!
In Massachusetts, you cannot buy any new pistols from NAA. I got lucky a few years back and found a pre-98 (thus legal) NAA Guardian in .32 at a good price. But it turned out to have a serious problem, stove-piping a round with every mag. Finally sent it to NAA. They kept it three weeks or so, then returned it to me, postage paid, with a lo-ooong list of new parts they'd installed. The accompanying parts list indicated a total cost well over $400 - more than I paid for the original gun. This was the equivalent of fixing a car by lifting up the radiator cap and driving a brand new car under it. Labor cost was $0, ditto for the $400+ of parts - and they threw in two new magazines. In effect, I got a new Guardian for nothing. Ever since, I have been a big fan of NAA's service folks!
Why is Beretta an option? They aren't going to garner any votes with a max three year warranty.
It's a good thing for them I never purchased any of my Beretta handguns based upon their warranty and CS reputation.
If Smith & Wesson ever becomes SWR after a merger with Ruger, a thread asking about the best CS in the industry will not be needed, especially since Ruger is in the process of copying all of Kel-Tec's designs and so can knock them out of the running.
It's a good thing for them I never purchased any of my Beretta handguns based upon their warranty and CS reputation.
If Smith & Wesson ever becomes SWR after a merger with Ruger, a thread asking about the best CS in the industry will not be needed, especially since Ruger is in the process of copying all of Kel-Tec's designs and so can knock them out of the running.
From my experience last 5 years or so.
Springfield Armory Custom is the best. They treated my 1911's with great care and attention to detail. Nothing wrong with them just adjustments I wanted made.
S&W was quick and painless
Colt was good too
Ruger I felt like I had to use them more often than I should, two brand new Vaqueros in a row about two years apart. But they fixed the issues with the cylinders fast.
Glock I never had to use but I always hear great things.
I keep hearing H&K is bad but my one experience with them with my USP (this was 10 yrs ago actually) was relatively quick and painless.
Springfield Armory Custom is the best. They treated my 1911's with great care and attention to detail. Nothing wrong with them just adjustments I wanted made.
S&W was quick and painless
Colt was good too
Ruger I felt like I had to use them more often than I should, two brand new Vaqueros in a row about two years apart. But they fixed the issues with the cylinders fast.
Glock I never had to use but I always hear great things.
I keep hearing H&K is bad but my one experience with them with my USP (this was 10 yrs ago actually) was relatively quick and painless.
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S&W sends me parts for free. They don't even give you a problem. They sent me an extra back strap, Take down pin, and pinkie extension for my M&P 9c. Not only do they make great guns, they are a class act in customer service too, not to mention MADE IN AMERICA. I will forever be a customer of this company. They do it right!
bluetopper
New member
Nobody has any better customer sevice and warranty than Hi-Point......period.
Free replacement, no questions asked for as long as you have the gun, no matter how many owners it has had previously..
Case closed.
Free replacement, no questions asked for as long as you have the gun, no matter how many owners it has had previously..
Case closed.