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Colt service
- Thread starter steves2
- Start date
Bottom Gun
New member
I sent my New Service Ace to Colt a total of THREE times when the slide stop was deforming the hold open notch on the slide until the slide would not stay locked open. Colt kept my pistol for three months each time but was unable to fix the problem. I finally ran out of patience and sold the pistol for parts nearly a year later. No more Colts for me.
Customer service is everything. I was working on a revolver on my S&W and without realizing a doo hickey became dislodged from inside the trigger assembly and I could not assemble it because I did not have the proper tools for it and more important my sight was not that good as it was very small. I called Smith and Wesson and told them what I had done and was willing to pay for the repair. They told me not to worry they sent me a label so that I could mail the gun at no charge, repaired it and mailed it back to me at no charge. Total time about 3 wks even though they said they were busy and would be between 4 to six weeks.
Hello Steves2, My experiences with Colt CS go back quite a few years, so I won't bore you with them all. I'll share that my most recent Gold Cup had to go back twice, totaling about 5 1/2 months. I didn't mind the time involved as much as the fact that I told them what needed to be done the first time, a new barrel, but Colt just sent it back, saying it met production standards. It did not. The second time, they did get it fixed.
I'd suggest patience and polite perseverance in dealing with any manufacturer. A confrontational style has never worked well for me. As to the ejection issues, I'd agree with dahermit. Something like this is a minor issue, easily addressed, and something I would not send a pistol back for. I realize that comfort levels in dealing with repairs vary greatly. I had the good fortune to have been a LE Colt O-Frame armorer, so may be a little more comfortable correcting an issue like this than some other owners. I have sent guns back to Colt and other manufacturers for warranty repairs. If a Colt CS rep told me it'd be repaired and back in a couple weeks, I'd take it with a large grain of salt. I have sent back more than one Colt, and they have consistently been the slowest in repairing and returning the gun. As long as Colt acknowledged receipt, I would not be concerned how they documented the gun in house. Over the years, S&W CS was excellent and did sometimes get guns properly repaired and back to me in a couple weeks. A time or two so quickly that I'd receive the gun back before the mailed acknowledgement that they'd received it. Ruger and STI CS have been very good to deal with too. Colt though, is Colt.
I'd suggest patience and polite perseverance in dealing with any manufacturer. A confrontational style has never worked well for me. As to the ejection issues, I'd agree with dahermit. Something like this is a minor issue, easily addressed, and something I would not send a pistol back for. I realize that comfort levels in dealing with repairs vary greatly. I had the good fortune to have been a LE Colt O-Frame armorer, so may be a little more comfortable correcting an issue like this than some other owners. I have sent guns back to Colt and other manufacturers for warranty repairs. If a Colt CS rep told me it'd be repaired and back in a couple weeks, I'd take it with a large grain of salt. I have sent back more than one Colt, and they have consistently been the slowest in repairing and returning the gun. As long as Colt acknowledged receipt, I would not be concerned how they documented the gun in house. Over the years, S&W CS was excellent and did sometimes get guns properly repaired and back to me in a couple weeks. A time or two so quickly that I'd receive the gun back before the mailed acknowledgement that they'd received it. Ruger and STI CS have been very good to deal with too. Colt though, is Colt.
This is pretty distressing to hear. I've had to use Colt twice in my life. Once in the mid 90s and once again about 4 years ago. Each time they went above and beyond without costing me a dime, but I've heard a lot has changed in the last couple of years. Downsizing or laying off long time employees, change of managers, etc.. Almost like overnight the horror stories started coming in. I hope they straighten this out soon. Colt is much too beloved of a brand to let it sink so low.
Colt service
Several months ago I bought a new Colt Competition Stainless in 9mm. I went to the range several times with it, and the empties, especially in rapid fire, were ejected into the middle of my forehead… not pleasant!
At the end of September I called customer service at Colt to see what to do about this. The guy sent me a “Return Material Authorization” notice and a FedEx mailing label to return the pistol. He said that the process would take a week to 10 days, and it would be returned after it had been repaired.
When I went to send the gun, I tried to get extra insurance as the instructions on the mailing label said that the package would be insured for $100. I tried to pay for more insurance as obviously I paid a lot more for that pistol. I couldn’t buy extra insurance without voiding the mailing label.
The gun was picked up by FedEx on October 1 and signed for by Colt on October 4.
A couple of days ago I called Colt to see what was happening as it had been 12 days since they received it and I hadn’t heard anything. First problem… the guy I spoke to in their repair process said the gun wasn’t signed into their system until October 13! It had been loose and untraceable inside Colt for 9 days! This guy further told me that it wouldn’t be fixed for from 30 to 45 days. When I told him that the first guy had told me it would be from 7-10 days, and that I wasn’t happy that my gun had disappeared inside the Colt system for 9 days, the new guy offered to send it back, unrepaired.
I told the guy that I had read fairly often about Colt’s reputation for customer service, and that this experience seemed to reinforce what I’d read. I said that based on what I was going through I was going to be unlikely to buy from Colt again.
What are your experiences with Colt, and what suggestions other than patience would you advise?
Sorry for your inconvenience.
There may have been some misunderstanding. The week to 10 days figure given usually refers to the time it takes a shipped item to get to a manufacturer and the time before they have a look at it. This is fairly common for manufacturers across the board, not just firearms. In your case it took 9 days from the time Colt received it to when it was looked at by the repair techs and logged in as a repair item. This is also common for manufacturers. It does not mean that the gun was "lost" inside Colt, what it means is that the gun was not logged in as a repair item. I've had identical experience when sending in a Crane radio for repair and a Surefire Flashlight.
The person you spoke to on the phone gave you a repair estimate of 30-45 days. This person was not the repair tech who will work on the gun. It's someone who gave you a general reference repair time.
Your experience isn't all that unusual. If you go over to
https://forums.1911forum.com/
and go to some of the gun specific forums you'll see similar stories for virtually all makers, and not just regarding 1911s.
Others mentioned that your issue is easily repairable and that's true. But only if you have some knowledge of the gun and/or ask for help.
Good luck!
tipoc
What are your experiences with Colt, and what suggestions other than patience would you advise?
I guess you don't want to hear it. But be patient and let them do their thing. If they get it right, great.
If not, then complain. I don’t get why you would want to whine about a company before you even get
your gun back. And while we are at it, if you are going to use a gun designed over a hundred years ago,
you might want to learn some basic maintenance, like tuning an extractor.
Or you could just whine about it.
357 Python
New member
Back around 2003 I sent a Colt Python back for service. It had been refinished and a new barrel installed at one of their authorized service centers in the 1980s. It came back horrible. I informed Colt it had been my duty weapon (Armed Security Officer) for about 3 years (1979-1982). I also informed them that I was a police officer and am issued a Beretta 92FS now. They sent me a letter estimating the cost at $180 and it would take about 4 months. Needless to say I was surprised when it came back 4 weeks later and only cost $165. The check I had sent with the Python was cashed and a refund check was with the Python when it arrived at home. Unfortunately most of the folks there during that time frame have moved on and most there today seem to be learning their trade. Hope it gets to the one guy who is still there from when quality and personal pride meant something.
Longhorn1986
New member
I sent a SAA in to Colt back on 6/15/17 to have the cylinder replated, blue fired screws added and the base rod worked as it was sticking. I called to ask what the hell was going on last week and received this email:
"I spoke with the gunsmith supervisor this morning and he said the cylinder is still out at the vendor. He did state that the cylinder should be back in a few weeks."
Over four months and they haven't even got the cylinder plated?!?!
No wonder Colt stays on the brink of bankruptcy. I will never purchase anything from them again!
"I spoke with the gunsmith supervisor this morning and he said the cylinder is still out at the vendor. He did state that the cylinder should be back in a few weeks."
Over four months and they haven't even got the cylinder plated?!?!
No wonder Colt stays on the brink of bankruptcy. I will never purchase anything from them again!
I told the guy that I had read fairly often about Colt’s reputation for customer service, and that this experience seemed to reinforce what I’d read. I said that based on what I was going through I was going to be unlikely to buy from Colt again.
While likely true that will not get your gun back any sooner. I am sure the customer service representative has heard it all before. Thirty to forty-five days is about par for the course with any gun manufacturer I have dealt with and I consider it normal. Why the first contact gave such a low number escapes me. A word on that is whenever you contact a company customer service the first words out of your mouth should be "Hello, my name is.... and to whom am I speaking?
When resolving a problem always keep your voice monotone and professional. Since I did not hear your call I really can't say much.
Years ago I did work for a company which did factory rework on some very expensive stuff. When items for rework were received they were signed off with FedEx or UPS but would not reflect being in work. They went from Receiving to a Bond Crib secure area and would not reflect being in work until they were actually in work. So yeah, for a shipper it could look like a "limbo".
Ron