Smith & Wesson - POOR Customer Service

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I purchased a M&P 9mm on July 14th from my local gun store (Tanners). Everything about the handgun I was pleased with -- until my 3rd day of ownership. When I picked the handgun up that morning, I noticed that the front night sight had gone out. Knowing the nature of night sights, I knew it was something that could not be controlled, but was unhappy this happened so quickly on a gun that was only in my posession for 3 days. I proceeded to go online and request a return shipping label from S&W. The label came quickly and prior to shipping, I contacted Customer Service to inquire if I should send the entire handgun or simply the slide for sight replacement. After speaking with the Customer Service Rep, I packed up the firearm and shipped on July 23rd from my local FedEx location. The firearm arrived at Smith & Wesson on July 25th. Today my wife called to get a status update and to see how the return is handled - basically asking if we will be provided any tracking information so we can be home to accept the package -- here is where my complete dissatifaction has started.

The rep that she spoke with informed us that Smith and Wesson will be closed from July 31st to August 13th! Lovely, so now my stated 2-3 week turn-around time has effectively doubled in length. The rep noted that the company closes every year during this period - almost as if we should have known this already. It is not the customers responsibility to know their vacation schedule! One would think that this should have been noted on their website, or told to us during the first phone conversation so that we could have chosen to either wait on shipping or send it in and wait the full time. Seeing as how a non-glowing dot does not affect the operation of the firearm, I could have retained this weapon for the protection of my family until the scheduled shutdown period was over. Instead, I am now left waiting for 2-3 additional weeks that could have been avoided by a simple word of caution.

A letter has been sent to them ... but I doubt anything will come of it. I just hope by posting this on a few firearm forums that others may not fall into the same situation