Taurus Service Ordeal

[OwnTheRide]

Yeah, yeah, I know, Taurus. It was my first pistol purchase, I didn't know any better.

Background:

• Years ago, I had a problem with the pistol light-striking primers. Sent it in for repair, it was sent back two weeks later and shot fine.
• A year or so after that, I took it out... light striking again.
• A year or two later, I realized that maybe I should send it back in.

So in November of 2015, I sent the pistol to Taurus, again. A week later, I received a call from them telling me that my pistol was subject to a class-action lawsuit, and that they could not repair it until the lawsuit was resolved. I asked them to ship the firearm back to me. One day later, I received a call from a higher-up, explaining that they could not send the firearm back due to it being subject to a recall. I argued with the person, and had them transfer me to their supervisor... repeated this step a few times, always with the same result: nope, won't send it back until the lawsuit is resolved.

Well, as you may know, lawsuits drag on forever. We're about 1.5 years past the date I sent the pistol in, and progress on the lawsuit seems to have slowed down even more. I would say we are still years away from it getting resolved.

On one hand, the outcome of the lawsuit will very likely result in Taurus needing to send me a NIB replacement. And given that I've had this light-strike issue twice, the pistol I sent them has already been permanently reduced to novelty status only (no duty status for a pistol with any kind of reliability issue history). So it makes sense for me to just let them sit on it and wait for the lawsuit to straighten out.

...but it irks me to no end that this company thinks they have the authority to indefinitely withhold my property.

Thoughts as to how to go about getting it back? Obviously, I'm not particularly keen on retaining a lawyer for a $300 shit pistol of questionable utility, though that's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. Call their local PD? Call my local PD? I suspect the former would result in a whole lot of inaction, whereas the latter might result in a lot more action than I might hope (note that I live in PRNY, they can get pretty excited about guns).

[Rosco the Iroc]

How about telling us WHAT Taurus pistol it is. Or lawsuit.
Maybe one could look up and contact the atty in charge of this unknown lawsuit.

[OwnTheRide]

Sure... Carter v. Forjas Taurus, S.A. et al

PT 24/7 OSS/DS

Edit: The official class action website
The webpage that seems to keep the most up-to-date with details on the "progress"

[gold cup abuser]

With litigation on that pistol, Taurus will not release it back to you. They don't want to get another suit. Sucks, but butt covering is what it is.

Wait it out a bit longer and when they return it, sell it and start over.

[Bang]

I can see where Taurus would not return the handgun to you if it has a safety issue of firing when dropped. To repair the light strike might ensure that it would fire if dropped. Secondly, the company to date has no repair procedure to eliminate the safety issue.

That being said, IF your handgun is still under warranty and the warranty extends to you, and they seem already committed to replacing handguns they cannot repair, I would push consumer law. You have a right to reasonable expectation that a product you consume will function as represented to you by Taurus or representative at time of purchase. It has now failed to function not once, but twice. Taurus accepted responsibility the first time. It should have the same responsibility the second time. I believe you may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation within a reasonable amount of time.

Did you receive notice that a class action had been filed and that you may qualify to be a part of that action and receive remedy, if any b forthcoming, and....did you elect to not be a part of the class action? If you did not elect to opt out, you should be part of the class action, but ironically, being a part of it may be locking you into having no recourse but to wait for the outcome.

I think you have already correctly concluded that you are a hapless victim of catch-22s and legal wranglings. Hopefully Taurus or holding company remains solvent enough to one day offer you a new handgun or compensation. I suspect they will try to get away with a compensation costing them the least or ensure they will not collapse as a company.

I was part of a class action once. It involved a tire company. I received a coupon good for $5 toward the next purchase of their products. The coupon stated "must be presented before tires are purchased". Obviously, that gave them opportunity to tack $5 onto the sale for some fee.

[39flathead]

While your pistol was/is probably crap, you should be more pissed at the ambulance chasers who run wild within the legal system and pissed at the legislators that not only allow it but encourage it.

I'd call Taurus and ask for a comparable pistol to replace the one you had to send back twice and cannot get possession of.

[OwnTheRide]

I can see where Taurus would not return the handgun to you if it has a safety issue of firing when dropped. To repair the light strike might ensure that it would fire if dropped. Secondly, the company to date has no repair procedure to eliminate the safety issue.

Yup, I understand that reasoning, but it does not confer upon them the right to withhold my property.

Each time I have spoken with them, the lowest level people offer to send it back to me right away with an accompanying letter stating some CYA crap about not shooting it. Then a day or two later, someone a step up calls and says they won't.

That being said, IF your handgun is still under warranty and the warranty extends to you,

Yes and yes.

Did you receive notice that a class action had been filed and that you may qualify to be a part of that action and receive remedy, if any b forthcoming, and....did you elect to not be a part of the class action? If you did not elect to opt out, you should be part of the class action, but ironically, being a part of it may be locking you into having no recourse but to wait for the outcome.

This was a surprising thing to me. I received no notice whatsoever. Everyone who did not opt out - regardless of whether or not they even knew the lawsuit existed - is now part of the class action. That was basically Taurus's stance from the beginning: there's a class action, oh by the way you're now a part of it.

I think you have already correctly concluded that you are a hapless victim of catch-22s and legal wranglings. Hopefully Taurus or holding company remains solvent enough to one day offer you a new handgun or compensation. I suspect they will try to get away with a compensation costing them the least or ensure they will not collapse as a company.

The compensation has an overall cap. About the best hope I think I have now is that since my gun is already there, I might be at the front of the line for the NIB replacement. But as it stands now, I feel that my property has been stolen from me. If the actor on the other side of the table were an individual, this would be an easy problem to solve.

[Bang]

Understandable feeling. I was thinking...if those named guns are not drop safe, and they have no fix for the problem, what the hell is going on with their engineers and designers, parts suppliers or whatever the problem. They have been around a long time to be having a problem like that, and with more than one model, to boot.

[Gunsnwater]

You posted your answer at the end of original post. The gun's value is so low it's not worth the trouble. Move on and be suprised the day you get a call about where you want your replacement shipped.

You can always buy a hi-Point in the mean time. merica!

[JenniferG]

Read this and see if your firearm is included in the settlement.

https://www.tauruscartersettlement.com/