Poor finish on expensive guns

H

HCKJMN

New member
Has anyone else noticed the less than perfect finishes that sometimes show up on expensive guns? I was at a large sporting goods store this week just window shopping. I could not help but notice that some of the pistols I saw in the glass case had minor but obvious flaws. They had two or three Sigs that I would have refused to buy. They had what seemed to be superfisal scratches in the finish? Yes they were new. I saw others from different manufactures that had similiar finish woes. For $600-$800, I expect more in the area of apperance.

I mentioned this to another gun dealer and he said that they were most likely "seconds". I have always thought that "seconds" was a made up story by certian dealers to scare you away from other dealers.

Anyone have any factual information on wether or not factorys send out lower quality guns to some dealers at a cut rate?

Jay

------------------
 
Greetings- I can't comment on manufacturer's
sending out sub standard firearms to dealer's. But, quality control seems to be
somewhat of a problem with some model's;
from basically every dealer. :( Kind'a like
the tale of buying a car; " Never buy one
made on Monday's or Friday's". Too bad we
don't know what day of the week weapons are
assembled on? Our best bet is to carefully
inspect each and every purchase; prior to
"throwing the cash on the table". :)

Regards,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I may be mistaken, but is the dealer selling the models in the case or merely using them as "test" models ? Every shop I have been to some of the test models have noticeable nicks, but that has more to do with clumsy customers mishandling or dealers not maintaining the weapon. Next time ask how many of the particular model the dealer has in stock and if you're seriously considering buying one, don't hesitate to "pick and choose".
 
I've also seen guns from major manufacturers that were scratched and flawed right out of the box. My S&W 639 was like this. I bought it anyway, sent it back to S&W, and they refinished it at no charge.

But in my own experience the worst problems with the finish on new guns were perpetrated by the employees of a particular major sporting goods chain, which is, or at any rate was (I don't go there any more), notorious for knocking around its guns. What happened was that all the handguns in the display cases were removed every night, locked up, and then put back in the cases the next morning. In the process, the clerks, most of whom seemed to know almost nothing about guns, would hurry through their chore, and knock and scrape the guns together until eventually every last gun was marred, scarred, dented, dinged, scratched, gouged, nicked, or, for that matter, rusted. For instance, I recall a nickel Python whose muzzle showed two deep, ragged gouges that almost penetrated the nickel--Colt's would never have done this; the store clerks did it. The more time that passed till a gun was sold, the worse its condition became. Then every now and then the chain would round up all the trashed guns from its stores and hold a "distressed" gun sale. I saw a Colt's New Frontier .45 from this sale that looked like it had been dragged behind a car, and yet was unfired. It made me sick. The whole thing was stupid, wasteful, and disrespectful of the customers, the guns, and the craftsmanship that went into the guns.

Anyway, I used to buy guns from this chain, because one store had one clerk who was the exception to the rule of carelessness. This guy was an old-timer who appreciated and took care of the guns in his charge. Of course, they still got scratched and dinged on his day off. So he'd call me and tell me if he got in something interesting--that way, I had a chance to look at it while it was still undamaged in the box.

In contrast, the local mom-and-pop gunshop in my area has guns in its case that have been there for months or even years, and that look just fine. When it comes to the use and abuse of guns, people make the difference.

My $0.02.

[This message has been edited by jimmy (edited October 06, 2000).]
 
Until a month ago, I had an Ed Brown .38 Super built upon Les Baer's slide and frame. The overall function of the gun was superb. Accuracy was outstanding. The gun felt just right in my hand.

However, the polished blue slide looked like sh!t. Instead of a rich, dark blue, the color was more like purple. In no way was this Ed Brown's fault. I found out that there was too much silicone in the metal. After a period of time, the rich bluing turns purple. There was no way Ed Brown would've known.

The gun got sent off to Metaloy. With the work of some magical solutions and a rebluing job, the pistol turned out immaculate.
 
This is coming from a senior citizen so
take it as that.
Nothing(almost) is the quality it used to
be. I have a Smith 35 years old that has
a mirror finish,I have not seen new ones
to match. I think its due to greed,lack
of skills,poor quality control,drug usage,
and oh yeah, not my job.
 
A new outdoors/firearms store recently opened up in my town. They keep all their handguns stacked on top of each other on a peg-board wall. For example, all the Sigs, Glocks, etc. of the same model are taken out of the box and tossed on top of each other on one long peg - kinda' like hot-wheels cars at the toy store. There’s no way, no matter how many they have in stock, that you can find an un-marred example. It's beyond pathetic and I won't even buy a set of ear plugs there.

The other thing that bothers me is how the gun buying public has taken to these new "high-tech" military finishes. They may be more impervious to rust and corrosion than traditional blueing, but they are often nothing more than spray paint or glorified automotive under-coating. I can remove the finish from any of my Sig's with my thumb nail and those are "expensive" guns. :(
 
The black polimer finish on the CZ-75 appears to be fairly durable though.

If the manufacturere sold their guns even in a soft case (CZ uses a hard plastic/foam
lined case) all this would be avoided maybe.

The cost is low and so much better for everyone - except dealers with small safes that is !! ;)

------------------
If we shooting sportspersons don't hang together... we will all hang separately !
Never knock another's different shooting interest or discipline...REMEMBER we are all but leaves on the same tree of freedom.
 
I agree with Jimmy. Most major sporting good chains sell guns at lower prices but they(employees, which hardly know a thing about firearms) handle the guns poorly. They will look like crap if you let random customers rack the slide and dry fire the weapon on a regular basis!

I knew a gun dealer(rest his soul) in my area that treated every firearm superbly! He would not let you rack the firearm or dry fire it! That is the dealer I want to buy my firearm from. If I have to pay extra I will, but I didn't since he would match or beat the prices of the chain stores for me.

I wouldn't lay down my cash either until I saw the firearm they were going to sell me and thoroughly inspected it!
 
As to finish, I only buy stainless steel. I like NO finish. I prefer polished SS, but I can settle for matte. The Ruger .454 Casull, however, is without a doubt the UGLIEST finish I've EVER seen. (Sort of a dull grey-green yecch color.)

Had a blue gun once. Wore the blue off. Also had to worry about every fingerprint and scuff. I love my SS guns.
 
Dissenting opinion:


I DON'T CARE if my gun(s) have scratches.

I ONLY care if they go bang every time accurately.

------------------
"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
WESHOOT2: I agree with you but if I pay $600 for a SIG, I want to be the one that puts the scratches on it. I recently saw a NIB SIG at a local dealer that had rust on it from the idiots not wiping it off after it was handled and they wonder why they have a hard time selling it? Not to mention that their prices suck. Just a rant.
 
I do think that manufacturers should start to focus on more durable finishes for their guns.

You might not care about having scratches on your gun or what not but you pay $500-$700 for a gun it better look perfect when I take it home, its a matter of priciple. You are buying at a new gun price, why should it look used?

Sig Sauers are one of my favorite makes of pistols but I wont hesitate to say that they have the worst finish I have ever seen, I have yet to find a finish as tough as my Glocks, I know you have heard this before but its true. Glocks have one of the best finishes going hands down.

~Jason
 
I cant remember if this has already been discussed here or on Glocktalk, but your right. Sigs are known for reliability and poor finishes. My department issued Beretta came out of the box with several blemishes on the slide. After two years of daily wear the frame seems to have areas where the finish has chipped off. I have never had a finish problem with a Glock, but i am sure there are those who have. I think many of these manufacturers focus on Wetshoots point of view. It will go bang every time. That is the most important attribute, but when you pay that much for a weapon you should expect and get a durable finish as well.
 
I retail the 1911 and the custom 1911. I only say this as a reference.

I, as well as many of you have seen the difference in gun finishes over the years.

There are and can be a myraid of reasons.

I have spoken to a few of the platers, multiple gunsmiths, and one of the primary reasons is the "cost of doing business."

Increased costs and regulation of the chemicals. Our beloved Environmental Protection Agency. (how do you dispose of the chemical once used) Has a very big impact on this.

Yes, there is the "best price" game. He who does the job for the least. It doesn't have to be the "best" job any more.

There are all of the wonder teflon polymer (chemical contents may be wrong) finishes for the durability, wear, lubricity (saleman's term), and definately not for the look of the deep rich mirror blue of days gone by.

How about the ubiqious black paints on so many guns in the $400 and under range. The CZ Clones and the BHP Matte for example. Beretta also use it but cost more than $400.

I recently obtained one of Ed Brown's Class A Limited (after he changed his source for slides and frames). Serial number EB00002. Talk about the old Royal blue. Brings back very, very fond memories of my first Series 70 Gold Cup.

I guess in this day of mass production, cost reduction, government regulation and removal of the human element in most everything you buy now.

We as a nation are getting what we paid for.


Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters
http://www.pt-partners.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top