Disgusted with S&W "Customer Service"

[Willie Sutton]

Absolutely disgusted.

I lost my home in Hurricane Sandy, and of all of my firearms, only one was damaged. A S&W Model 25-2 that happens to be the handgun I bought on my 18th Birthday. Just a little surface rust, so I thought I would treat it to a new blue job.

Handed it to a good friend who is a competition shooter (shooting S&W Products as a sponsored shooter) and who lives 3 miles from the factory. Asked him to drop it off for a refinishing.

He tried to do so today, and was told that S&W only does two types of service work:


Warantee Repairs.

Repairs for Police.

No "civilian" repairs are offered. No refninishing, no work... nothing.

Unbelieving this, I tried to call their Customer Service phone number.
Three hours later... still never connected. I am giving up.

I am absolutely and most completely disgusted.


Willie

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[James K]

The only perfect person I know of didn't do gunsmithing work, though He was reportedly skilled at wood work.

Jim

[buck460XVR]

Funny....if you go to S&W website they show they offer re-bluing services. Are you sure they did not say they were not taking on anything besides warranty and police work at this time? Everyone is pretty busy right now and I know of some folks waiting for re-bluing services from other major manufactures that were told 12 -14 months.



Performace Center gunsmithing services

[DPris]

Absolutely NOT true.
Keep trying to call.
Denis

[James K]

Their web site says:

"The same master gunsmiths responsible for the quality and performance of Performance Center handguns will apply their expertise to upgrade, enhance and refurbish your new or existing revolvers and pistols. Because these services and packages are through Smith & Wesson, you can be assured of professional service and a high quality result. Express Services available for unaltered guns from 1990 and newer.

To discuss Smith & Wesson Performance Center Services call 1-800-331-0852. Please have your serial number available when calling for information."

I suggest checking directly with S&W.

Jim

[Willie Sutton]

FINALLY after another half hour of telephone tag I got thru.

Seems the SECURITY guards need a bit of training.

Customer service informs me that they had a 3 week (!!) BATF Audit and as a result they are no longer able to accept firearms "at the door" for other than warrantee repair or if delivered by a LEO for non-warrantee repair.

Individual owners are not welcome at the door to drop off repairs.

The guard sent my friend away with only the news that they would not serve an individual. He did not add the following: You can SHIP firearms in for repair. You cannot drop them off save for the above matters.

The Customer service rep indicated that they would retrain their guards, but "well, you know, they are only guards and what do you really expect...".


Also seems that BATFE was not too happy about the quality of the logbook for repairs... thus they are only accepting firearms by UPS, so leave that to be what it is.



Still not "completely" gruntled... but better.


Willie

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[ScottRiqui]

I talked to S&W about getting the nickel plating on my grandfather's M&P re-done, and they told me that they didn't do refinish work on anything that old, but they recommended David Chicoine of "Old West Gunsmith". Looking around on the web, he seems to be very highly regarded.

[CWKahrFan]

I just called customer service last week, got a live person immediately. He said they do rebluing... I sent my "machine parts" in to Springfield through UPS. I'm expecting it's going to take at least a couple months. I'm not in a hurry... not worried. If I can't trust Smith & Wesson, who can I trust?
They have a system and proceedure. They want people to call first.

[Nanuk]

You can't blame the company because BATFE screws with how they do business. Nor should you get upset by 3rd hand information that one phone call or webpage visit could have solved.

[FlyFish]

The question is not whether they still work on guns owned by members of the general public - they most definitely still do that. The question is whether they continue to accept "drop off" of guns at the front gate for such work. I had heard some time ago that "drop off" option was going to be discontinued, as apparently it has. No biggie - it was only a realistic option for Massachusetts residents within a reasonable driving distance of the factory anyway.

[Don P]

I would recommend here, www.fordsguns.com

[tipoc]

Willie,

Seems you are easily "most completely disgusted" and prone to giving up too soon.

Also, and please prepare yourself, but a security guard is paid to help provide security, not customer service. Also third hand information is not always accurate. But I guess you know that by now.

Good luck with your piece.

tipoc

[MrBorland]

I was just up there for the S&W IDPA Indoor Nationals, and was surprised to see all guns from their retail store removed, and guards checking match IDs at the front door. So, given the climate, I'm not surprised to read they're not accepting drop offs any longer.

[Willie Sutton]

Make no mistake about it:

The only person with whom a visitor can converse told the visitor that his needs could not be met.

The visitor was a S&W sponsored competative shooter who lives locally.

That information given to him was faulty, and the delivery was brusque.

The gate staff represent S&W just as surely as the receptionist inside represents them. The representation this morning was less than customer-centric.

That customer went away with the impression that he needed to find a third party vendor to do the work.

It took six phone calls totalling over an hour to get to a live human who was able to assist in dispelling the bad information given at the gate.

This is an ISO certified facility... all answers to all questions ought to be the same, no matter who is answering.


With that said:

I'm glad I sorted it out, because I would really be less than pleased to need to go to an independant gunsmith for a refinish. Nothing is as nice as the factory work.


Willie

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[Evan Thomas]

I've moved this thread to its proper home. Note that from now on, the rules of this forum apply: post only if you've had personal experience with S&W customer service.

Thanks.

[chiefr]

Always had good luck with S&W CS. Their bluing is some of the best I have seen.
I would consider a Model 25-2 a real prize, especially if it is an older model. Hope you can get this resolved.

The only thing I would be curious is if there were any new gun laws passed in your state which could cause a change of policy at S&W.
"Blue" states are passing a myriad of freedom limiting gun control legislation these days.

[Revolver1]

I'd try again. S&W will do ANYTHING you want them to. Their custom work is second to none!

[Dragline45]

I don't know who your friend talked to but I have dropped off more than one gun at S&W for non warranty work. I live about a two hour drive from the factory, and what you do is drive up to the guard kiosk, they wave you in to a lot next to the kiosk, you go inside, fill out paperwork, the guard boxes it up with the paperwork and sends you on your way. The gun is then shipped to my doorstep within a few weeks.

Edit: Just read your other post

Customer service informs me that they had a 3 week (!!) BATF Audit and as a result they are no longer able to accept firearms "at the door" for other than warrantee repair or if delivered by a LEO for non-warrantee repair.

Individual owners are not welcome at the door to drop off repairs.

To say the least, that sucks... It saved me a few bucks to be able to drop off the gun right at the factory. Looks like I can only do so with new bougth S&W's.