S&W customer service experience
- Thread starter psychohellbilly666
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RIDE-RED 350r
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Well, I haven't read this whole thread, but judging by the posts on this last page it seems there has been some spirited debate...
I just want to add my experience with S&W's customer service dept...
I bought my 460v used and am the second owner. By the letter of their warrantee policy, I am not entitled to any warrantee service.
I checked my BC gap and endshake on my 460 as it seemed a bit loose to the feel as I was cleaning it one day.
I emailed S&W asking what BC and endshake specs should be, and gave the rep the measurements I had for the same with my revolver. Turns out my BC gap was still within spec, but my endshake was .001" from out of spec.
They emailed me a shipping label to send my 460 back to Springfield. I asked how much they expected the repair would cost me and was told that it would be roughly $50, but that it would likely be covered under warrantee.. Wait a second, I am not the original owner, and thought I don't get warrantee service???
So, off she went. I was expecting to be contacted to pay for the services rendered... Instead, about 2 weeks total since the package was picked up at my home, my 460 arrived back at my doorstep at no charge to me in any way!
Endshake is now a tight .002" and I no longer have to worry about my 460 "jack-hammering" itself to death.
I commend S&W for extending a service to me at no cost when they were not required to do so. That is a stand-up company as far as I am concerned and they deserve some positive publicity from me for it.
S&W man for life here!
Update: Read the whole thread. As with me, S&W went above and beyond for you by sending you not 1, but 2 of the parts that failed on your pistol! And 2 weeks is NOT unreasonable!
It is one thing if a business offers something as a gesture of good will to offset an inconvenience of the customer... But for the customer to just step up and ask?? I feel that it is tacky and rude to say the least. It has a very "frivolous lawsuit" feel to it..... Some people look to take advantage of an "inconvenience" no matter how trivial. It's not about the inconvenience in the true sense of the word, but more about what can be gained by said inconvenience for some people.....It's cheaply opportunistic...In an ambulance chasing lawyer sort of way......
I just want to add my experience with S&W's customer service dept...
I bought my 460v used and am the second owner. By the letter of their warrantee policy, I am not entitled to any warrantee service.
I checked my BC gap and endshake on my 460 as it seemed a bit loose to the feel as I was cleaning it one day.
I emailed S&W asking what BC and endshake specs should be, and gave the rep the measurements I had for the same with my revolver. Turns out my BC gap was still within spec, but my endshake was .001" from out of spec.
They emailed me a shipping label to send my 460 back to Springfield. I asked how much they expected the repair would cost me and was told that it would be roughly $50, but that it would likely be covered under warrantee.. Wait a second, I am not the original owner, and thought I don't get warrantee service???
So, off she went. I was expecting to be contacted to pay for the services rendered... Instead, about 2 weeks total since the package was picked up at my home, my 460 arrived back at my doorstep at no charge to me in any way!
Endshake is now a tight .002" and I no longer have to worry about my 460 "jack-hammering" itself to death.
I commend S&W for extending a service to me at no cost when they were not required to do so. That is a stand-up company as far as I am concerned and they deserve some positive publicity from me for it.
S&W man for life here!
Update: Read the whole thread. As with me, S&W went above and beyond for you by sending you not 1, but 2 of the parts that failed on your pistol! And 2 weeks is NOT unreasonable!
It is one thing if a business offers something as a gesture of good will to offset an inconvenience of the customer... But for the customer to just step up and ask?? I feel that it is tacky and rude to say the least. It has a very "frivolous lawsuit" feel to it..... Some people look to take advantage of an "inconvenience" no matter how trivial. It's not about the inconvenience in the true sense of the word, but more about what can be gained by said inconvenience for some people.....It's cheaply opportunistic...In an ambulance chasing lawyer sort of way......
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psychohellbilly666
New member
Actually I'm pretty happy today. I found an excellent deal on a Sig p290rs. Bi tone with night sights. And I'm selling the shield tomorrow and only taking a $25 loss. That makes me happy.
psychohellbilly666
New member
I'd say 5-7 days. My issue was any other company keeps parts like that on hand for warranty service.
psychohellbilly666
New member
I'll end the debate and quarreling by saying simply they didn't live up the the quality of product or service I expect or am accustomed to.
psychohellbilly666
New member
I've always had great customer service from sig.
I've owned S&W's (literally dozens) for 50 years now...exactly two have gone back to the factory for service..one was new, a 637 with rotational problems, and a +20 year old, Model 36 with a bad bolt stop. S&W had them back in my hands in just over a week at no cost at no cost to me...nada.
They continue to be one of America's quality firearms makers....and their customer service is 2nd to none. More power to them in their quest to make a profit in the gun business. Best regards, BTW: I will not sit idly by as they are trashed by people who seem to expect perfection in every mechanical device and the people that build them; or they're talking law suits and internet trash. Rod
They continue to be one of America's quality firearms makers....and their customer service is 2nd to none. More power to them in their quest to make a profit in the gun business. Best regards, BTW: I will not sit idly by as they are trashed by people who seem to expect perfection in every mechanical device and the people that build them; or they're talking law suits and internet trash. Rod
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psychohellbilly666
New member
psychohellbilly666
New member
So because I'm accustomed to having dealt with companies the provide a quality product and good customer service I'm the bad guy. I choose to spend my money wisely and support companies who value their customers. If me expecting s&w to provide that makes me the bad guy then so be it. Like I said I could have bought a $150 hi point and had better customer service.
Golly sycho, there are a LOT of us with similar, and worse, experience with S&W customer no service. As you said, we DO deserve a quality product for the prices we pay them and then also good pleasant CS afterwards for the few cases when it should be required.
Unfortunately, I believe from all the poor CS reports I have heard for S&W they have not only poor quality today but VERY poor customer service to boot.
Just check other forums, such as bodyguard380.com and you will see many examples how awful they have treated us customers. My Bodyguard had to go back 3 times before they got it right! And they ARGUED with me each time! Then I had to constantly call and call and call and spend hours on hold then hours talking to many different people trying to get missed promises and then 3-4 week turn arounds reduced!
I too will NEVER purchase another S&W product and try to alert others to their lack of CS and poor quality. It is a shame that one of America's historic great firearm companies has gone so bad.
Unfortunately, I believe from all the poor CS reports I have heard for S&W they have not only poor quality today but VERY poor customer service to boot.
Just check other forums, such as bodyguard380.com and you will see many examples how awful they have treated us customers. My Bodyguard had to go back 3 times before they got it right! And they ARGUED with me each time! Then I had to constantly call and call and call and spend hours on hold then hours talking to many different people trying to get missed promises and then 3-4 week turn arounds reduced!
I too will NEVER purchase another S&W product and try to alert others to their lack of CS and poor quality. It is a shame that one of America's historic great firearm companies has gone so bad.
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RIDE-RED 350r
New member
Those who have had a bad experience are the exception, not the rule. Just looking in this one thread at how many came forward to express a good experience vs those with bad is a good example...
And what about all the people who don't take the time to post a story with a happy ending. It's a known fact in service that the vast majority of satisfied customers don't take the time to make a statement about it.
And I agree Salvadore, I don't think he does know what bad CS is like... especially if this is his only perceived experience with it..
Pschyo, you obviously have every right to your opinion... it's just my opinion that yours is unfounded. Based on your complaining that they did not throw in an extra magazine for your trouble as per your tacky request......and then complaining that it took 2 weeks for them to send you the part you needed PLUS and extra with no questions asked. I guess it all comes down to perspective.. And from my perspective, that is not what I would call bad CS..
But anyway........
And what about all the people who don't take the time to post a story with a happy ending. It's a known fact in service that the vast majority of satisfied customers don't take the time to make a statement about it.
And I agree Salvadore, I don't think he does know what bad CS is like... especially if this is his only perceived experience with it..
Pschyo, you obviously have every right to your opinion... it's just my opinion that yours is unfounded. Based on your complaining that they did not throw in an extra magazine for your trouble as per your tacky request......and then complaining that it took 2 weeks for them to send you the part you needed PLUS and extra with no questions asked. I guess it all comes down to perspective.. And from my perspective, that is not what I would call bad CS..
But anyway........
I had pretty bad experience from S&W myself.
In late October I purchased a PC1911 bobtail, I've owned many S&W's but this was my first PC model.
After getting it home, cleaning it and then taking it out to the range to shoot it for the first time I noticed there was a fit and finish problem.
Both the slide release lever and the thumb safety lever were severely gouging the black frame all the way to the bright metal frame underneath the finish. It appeared the underneath of these levers had burr's on them, so much for their top of the line models fit and finish.
Contacted S&W the first week of November this year explaining the issue, was then told that this was normal wear. After arguing about that and the lack of this "normal wear" on any of my other two toned 1911's via several emails I sent them pictures of what I was talking about.
I was then told I could send the pistol back to them and provided a shipping label and directions.
I shipped the pistol, they never advised me that they received the pistol when it arrived.
A week later they still hadn't advised me that they received it, I then contacted them and asked for a status update, got an email back that they received it.
Two weeks after that I still hadn't heard anything from S&W, nothing as to their findings, their plans to fix any findings, nor their estimate on the amount of time it would take to rectify the issues.
Contacted them again, only to be told that the pistol was sent to shipping that day and should be shipping back to me, they could not answer what was found to be the problem nor what was done to correct it.
5 days later I'd still received no notice that the pistol had shipped having been told that the pistol was in their shipping department five days earlier I was fed up.
I'd owned the pistol for about 5 weeks and it had been in S&W's possession for 4 of the 5 weeks, I finally emailed them back and asked if they could just refund the purchase price under their "satisfaction guaranteed" policy since their lack of communication was astoundingly terrible....and continued to be terrible and the fit and finish on their top end pistol was not acceptable and unclear if it was ever going to be fixed.
Amazingly the pistol shipped out that day.
When I finally got it back I looked over the pistol.
It came back with an extra Wilson 47d magazine.
The gouges underneath the thumb safety area were completely refinished, and looked good you could not tell that they had been there. (Had been visible when the safety was on)
The worst gouge, which was underneath the slide release, visible when the slide was locked back, still looked terrible. It looked like someone basically colored it in with a Sharpy, the gouge was still there, the coloring used to color it in didnt exactly match the test of the frame, it dos not look good, this is on their high end pistol series....?
So in summary,
1) I had to argue for days via email to get them to look at it
2) upon receiving it, their communication of all aspects was non existent/terrible
3) their actual fix was half assed
4) all of this on a Perfomance Center gun that's supposed to represent their top end
No, I'm not real impressed either....
In late October I purchased a PC1911 bobtail, I've owned many S&W's but this was my first PC model.
After getting it home, cleaning it and then taking it out to the range to shoot it for the first time I noticed there was a fit and finish problem.
Both the slide release lever and the thumb safety lever were severely gouging the black frame all the way to the bright metal frame underneath the finish. It appeared the underneath of these levers had burr's on them, so much for their top of the line models fit and finish.
Contacted S&W the first week of November this year explaining the issue, was then told that this was normal wear. After arguing about that and the lack of this "normal wear" on any of my other two toned 1911's via several emails I sent them pictures of what I was talking about.
I was then told I could send the pistol back to them and provided a shipping label and directions.
I shipped the pistol, they never advised me that they received the pistol when it arrived.
A week later they still hadn't advised me that they received it, I then contacted them and asked for a status update, got an email back that they received it.
Two weeks after that I still hadn't heard anything from S&W, nothing as to their findings, their plans to fix any findings, nor their estimate on the amount of time it would take to rectify the issues.
Contacted them again, only to be told that the pistol was sent to shipping that day and should be shipping back to me, they could not answer what was found to be the problem nor what was done to correct it.
5 days later I'd still received no notice that the pistol had shipped having been told that the pistol was in their shipping department five days earlier I was fed up.
I'd owned the pistol for about 5 weeks and it had been in S&W's possession for 4 of the 5 weeks, I finally emailed them back and asked if they could just refund the purchase price under their "satisfaction guaranteed" policy since their lack of communication was astoundingly terrible....and continued to be terrible and the fit and finish on their top end pistol was not acceptable and unclear if it was ever going to be fixed.
Amazingly the pistol shipped out that day.
When I finally got it back I looked over the pistol.
It came back with an extra Wilson 47d magazine.
The gouges underneath the thumb safety area were completely refinished, and looked good you could not tell that they had been there. (Had been visible when the safety was on)
The worst gouge, which was underneath the slide release, visible when the slide was locked back, still looked terrible. It looked like someone basically colored it in with a Sharpy, the gouge was still there, the coloring used to color it in didnt exactly match the test of the frame, it dos not look good, this is on their high end pistol series....?
So in summary,
1) I had to argue for days via email to get them to look at it
2) upon receiving it, their communication of all aspects was non existent/terrible
3) their actual fix was half assed
4) all of this on a Perfomance Center gun that's supposed to represent their top end
No, I'm not real impressed either....
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The issue is not that the OP received bad customer service. It happens with S&W and I other companies. If that is what the OP really was about I think this thread would be very different. The issue people are taking with the OP is that he really did not receive bad customer service and that his real issue is that he did not get offered free stuff because his pistol had a warranty issue which S&W could not correct in a blink of an eye.
Had he truly had a real CS issue I do not believe he would have gotten the response he did. YMMV
Had he truly had a real CS issue I do not believe he would have gotten the response he did. YMMV
psychohellbilly666
New member
And who are you to decide if my experience was bad customer service. I worked for the money. It was my money spent on the product. Therefore it's i who decided if I got my money's worth. Not you.
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