Opinion: Traditions 1851 Navy in .44 cal

[Ricklin]

Mykeal, thanks for the welcome!!!
The real name of the company is CheaperThanDirt.com And this revolver has been the only issue I have had with them they are usually great, and I did notice later that they stated plainly no returns on these Traditions/Pietta revolvers. I also have noted another on line dealer is closing out their stock of Pietta's. Now I know why.
Perhaps my "hyperbole" is because I only gave you folks the cliff notes of my experience with Traditions. My first phone call with them I was told their gunsmith was out and would call me back in a week. I waited over a week and called them back. When I finally spoke to their smith I got bad attitude and an RA number. I politely asked that they replace the pistol due to all the aforementioned issues. I got a curt "that's our call" from him. I shipped the pistol and waited over three weeks. I called Traditions again and was told the pistol would ship out that day. Another 8 days passed before I finally received the gun. The only good thing I can say about it is they did replace the weapon.
This was not a cheap gun, I expect better for 400 dollars!
I am a manuf. rep for a living, so this sort of "customer service" really sticks in my craw. If I treated my customers the way I was treated by Traditions, I would not have many customers.
I called Traditions after receiving the pistol to request reimbursment of my shipping cost, of course they refused.
I also stated to them that I would be posting my experience with them online, they did not seem to care one whit.
No worries about being soured on the hobby, I'm just getting back in to black powder, and I love it.
I want a Walker next! It will not be a Pietta, nor will they ever see another dime from me.

[Hawg]

First of all 400 is way too much for a SS Pietta 58. Cabela's has the SS for 299.99 and the SS target with adjustable sights for 349.99. Pietta's quality is on a par with Uberti these days but anybody can make a lemon now and then. I have two Pietta's and they're both great. No burrs, fit and finish are very nice. The grips on my 58 are thicker than I'd like but that's my only gripe.

[Raider2000]

Originally Posted by Hawg Haggen

First of all 400 is way too much for a SS Pietta 58. Cabela's has the SS for 299.99 and the SS target with adjustable sights for 349.99. Pietta's quality is on a par with Uberti these days but anybody can make a lemon now and then. I have two Pietta's and they're both great. No burrs, fit and finish are very nice. The grips on my 58 are thicker than I'd like but that's my only gripe.

I'm in agreement with you HH, I have 3 Pietta Revolvers & they each are very well built except the grip of my new 1858 New Army "a little thick" & like any company out there mistakes can & will be made "I work for a GM Dealership & I see that from time to time" unfortunatly Traditions treated you a little wrong but they did do right by the product by replacing it for you.

[mykeal]

Well. You learn something every day. There is a company actually named Cheaper Than Dirt. I've been to two county fairs and a goat roping and I've never heard of that.

General rule: Never, ever buy a gun, any gun, new or used, from a company with a 'no returns' policy unless you can hold it in your hands, take it apart and look it over real good.

Agree that Traditions did not treat you well. I doubt that they really don't care, however. Go to their web site, look up corporate contact info and let the CEO know how you were treated. That kind of attitude on the part of his customer contact people deserves punishment.

[long rider]

Well put mykeal, thats sound advise.

[Ricklin]

Now why didn't I think of that! I will fire off a mesage to the CEO, but fair is fair. I did let them know beforehand that I would be posting my experience with them online.

BTW I did buy the SS target model. I do hope to get out and shoot it this weekend. Love that smoke and fire!!

Thanks guys

[Ricklin]

Well only one email contact, no directory on their website. I did send a message to the CEO / company president thru the only email address on the site.
I will let you all know if / when I receive a response. From their attitude so far I don't expect much. I really do hope they surprise me and clean up their customer service issues. Given that there is no contact info on their site is not a good sign.

[mykeal]

It's unlikely that you will directly hear of any action taken or not taken. But as a manufacturer's rep you must know that several individual customer complaints can and do have effect.

You should also know that one incident does not a corporate policy make. You may have just gotten a po'd customer service rep who was mad at the company, in which case he or she may eventually be replaced if enough complaints are received. What you experienced is not what people who have reported over the years when dealing with Traditions, so your assumption that it is a corporate lack of interest in satisfying the customer is frankly not likely to be correct. It would be a very distinct change in their policy, in my opinion.

At any rate, they can't and won't change what they don't know about, so you've done your part in letting them know what you experienced. The thing to do now is move on and forget about it. It isn't likely to happen again. I wouldn't let one incident color my view of the company forever.

[Ricklin]

Well as ya'll predicted, no response whatsoever from Traditions.

Further I wrote an accurate review of my experience and posted it to the cheaperthandirt web site. I carefully reviewed their rules regarding reviews and did not violate any of them. That was Sunday, the review has not appeared on the site. Given they are primarily an internet based company that is about as low as it gets. Other (positive) reviews that I have posted there appeared within a day. It is my opinion that they are cherry picking the reviews. In the world of the internet that is lower than dirt. Perhaps they should change their name.

I have yet to fire my .44 my buddy where I shoot is over in England for a few more days. Our local indoor range does not allow blackpowder.

Overall after a long wait Traditions ultimately did the right thing. Cheaper than dirt did not. I will give my business to other etailers in the future.

[wacarney29]

berkmberk1 I got the same 1851 colt navy .44 and am having problems getting the wedge out, was wondering how you got yours out.

[Hawg]

All new guns have tight wedges. First of all the screw serves no purpose except to keep the wedge from coming all the way out. The spring catches on it. Take notice of how far the wedge protrudes on the side opposite from the screw. Drive it in too far and it will bind the cylinder. On my 60 Colt the wedge is barely past flush. Take a plastic hammer or a plastic(or wood) handled screwdriver and drive it out as far as you can. Then use a brass punch and drive it on through till it's loose and the hump on the spring is caught on the wedge screw. A penny might drive it through far enough. Put the hammer on half cock and turn the cylinder til you have it between chambers under the ram then use the ram to pry the barrel off.

[berkmberk1]

He's right.......a penny will do it! Didn't have a brass punch the first few times I took mine apart. With the gun across my lap, I held a penny in a needle nose pliers (didn't want to wack my fingers.....) and gave it a good rap with a plastic headed hammer. That'll loosen it up enough. When you pull on it, it will likely "pop" out...or so it will seem.... Wiggle it all the way to where you swear it'll fall out (it won't, thats what that little screw is for). If you don't, it won't come apart.