Warranty claim: am I asking too much/being too picky?

[DreadPirateMoyer]

Hey everyone,

I took receipt of a brand new AR-15 from a high-end ($2k+/rifle) company last week, and noticed that a few things on my gun were off. In particular, the following was wrong with the rifle:

1. Gas block and/or handguard canted by a few millimeters/degrees
2. Some removable parts weren't entirely removable
3. Due to the above, when I tried removing some of these parts, I scratched parts of the rifle on literally the first disassembly

With regards to points 2 and 3, you could tell the parts weren't completely jammed, so I thought if I could delicately unjam whatever resistance was holding them back, it would all loosen up from there. After all, it was a new rifle, and I thought it probably just needed some break in. Turns out it wasn't just a break in issue, and there was something wrong with the parts themselves. During my removal of these jammed up parts, some scratches occurred.

I sent the rifle back for warranty repair with a list of the problems, and the jammed up parts were fixed. They now remove and function exactly as expected. However, the gas block and/or handguard is still canted by a few millimeters (the barrel is still free-floated, but the cant is definitely there), and none of the scratched parts were fixed or replaced.

Would I be asking too much in asking for another shipping label and stressing that I want these parts fixed?

The canted gas block/handguard may not even affect the function of the rifle, to be honest, but for what I paid, whether the cant is only cosmetic or not, I feel that it shouldn't be there. The parts should line up perfectly.

The scratched up parts I feel should also be replaced, because if certain removable parts weren't jammed up or mismatched (or whatever they were), the scratches wouldn't have occurred in the first place. I'm less confident on asking for this, however, since technically it was me that caused the scratches.

My conclusion: this was a $2.5k rifle, and for that much money, everything should be damned perfect right out of the box. I'm justified in asking for replacements of whatever can't be fixed outright.

Anyway, thanks for the help, PAFOA. I intentionally left the brand and other details out as it will attract trolls, and the company hasn't gotten a chance to respond to my second warranty request (I'll be calling them tonight and leaving a message). Sorry for the generalities, and any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

[brownman]

My conclusion: this was a $2.5k rifle, and for that much money, everything should be damned perfect right out of the box. I'm justified in asking for replacements of whatever can't be fixed outright.

You bet your ass it better be perfect. From what I gather based on $$, you went with a Top Tier Co. and got a sub par product and sub par workmanship. I'd be going the EXACT same route as you.

I think leaving the company out was a good idea for now too. Its kind of beside the point at the moment. What does matter is that they stand behind their product and take care of their customers. Perhaps you could tell us who they are a little further down the road.

Good luck, keep us posted

[GeneralWashington]

You bet your ass it better be perfect. From what I gather based on $$, you went with a Top Tier Co. and got a sub par product and sub par workmanship. I'd be going the EXACT same route as you.

I think leaving the company out was a good idea for now too. Its kind of beside the point at the moment. What does matter is that they stand behind their product and take care of their customers. Perhaps you could tell us who they are a little further down the road.

Good luck, keep us posted

^This

Yeah definitely man, for that price there is absolutely no excuse. You are paying for quality, and you didn't get it. Simple as that. You are completely justified and I would also do the same in the situation.

[new_shooter]

If it were a bottom dollar gun I'd say you're expecting too much. But the sorts of things you are talking about being wrong are what people pay top dollar to get right. They should fix it or return your money.

[NathanB]

You didnt pay for shit and you got shit. Id be alittle beyond pissed.

[ACRblaze]

Yep pissed is an understatement...I am curious to know what company it is. What removable parts did you specifically have problems with? Hell for anything over a grand I would ant it perfect!

[39flathead]

Paying that kind of money, you have the right to be pissed IMO.

That said, if you noticed a problem with parts, why didn't you notify them before you turned kitchen table gunsmith?

If I were to buy a 2K+ rifle and I couldn't get something apart that should be able to come apart, I'd have been on the phone before trying to delicately unjam anything.


A co-worked recently bought a Sako TRG22.
When the rounds would feed from the magazine it seemed they would gouge into the feed lips pretty badly and he felt that the brass was not even suitable for reloading after that.
It was actually leaving a curl of brass in the mag housing.

He asked if I could take it to my buddies shop to look at, I suggested he contact Sako.
They sent him a new mag, still the same problem.

He called back and they sent him a pick up tag.


Sorry to say, but you scratched up the finish, not them, if they refuse to fix it, live and learn, the gas block however should be right and that I'd bitch about.

[offshorebear]

AR's are stupid easy to machine. IDK who your manufacturer is, but there is no excuse to have a part that out of spec. Then again, the best AR's don't cost that much.

[DonM55]

Sorry to say, but you scratched up the finish, not them, if they refuse to fix it, live and learn, the gas block however should be right and that I'd bitch about.

^^^^This^^^^^^

[DreadPirateMoyer]

Paying that kind of money, you have the right to be pissed IMO.

That said, if you noticed a problem with parts, why didn't you notify them before you turned kitchen table gunsmith?

If I were to buy a 2K+ rifle and I couldn't get something apart that should be able to come apart, I'd have been on the phone before trying to delicately unjam anything.


A co-worked recently bought a Sako TRG22.
When the rounds would feed from the magazine it seemed they would gouge into the feed lips pretty badly and he felt that the brass was not even suitable for reloading after that.
It was actually leaving a curl of brass in the mag housing.

He asked if I could take it to my buddies shop to look at, I suggested he contact Sako.
They sent him a new mag, still the same problem.

He called back and they sent him a pick up tag.


Sorry to say, but you scratched up the finish, not them, if they refuse to fix it, live and learn, the gas block however should be right and that I'd bitch about.

Not that I disagree (after all, I asked ), but to clarify, I didn't go kitchen table gunsmith. They were parts that should remove with a pull. I pulled on them. Nothing more.

I did have to pull harder than normal, though.