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So I had an interesting conversation with Bushmaster today. The situation started about a week ago when I had a customer bring in a complete Bushmaster Carbon 15 Lower. The problem was pretty apparent right off the bat. On the lower receiver, where the buffer tube screws in, the receiver had cracked and separated right along the top, if you are familiar with the Carbon 15 there is a very obvious marking there that shows a joint. It had cracked badly enough that the buffer tube had fallen off. The customer claimed that he had not even fired the gun.
I put in a call to Bushmaster and explained the problem to them, hoping to get the item warrantied. I asked the Bushmaster Rep if he wanted me to send the entire lower including the magazine.
"There is a magazine" he says.
"Yes there is" I reply.
"So it has an open mag well?" he says.
"Yes it does" I reply.
"We aren't gonna touch that, you can't have any open mag well AR-15 rifles in California" he replies.
After discussing the wonders of California law with this guy, he finally tells me to send him whatever I have. So I sent that stuff off last week.
So yesterday I get a call back from him, stating that Bushmaster is going to refuse to warranty the lower because it has been modified. I ask him how he knows it's been modified. He tells me they know it has been modified because it is an open mag well, and that it is illegal in California. He is suggesting that the receiver started life with a closed magazine well and has been milled out, and also specifically stating that the buffer retainer channel has been milled out to make it deeper... I asked him what the purpose of that would even be in the first place and he told me he didn't know, but that their engineers had discovered this modification as well. We go back to talking about CA law and I again explain to him what California laws actually apply. He tells me that Bushmaster employs a person who deals solely in the area of California law.
Side story: About a month ago we had another Carbon 15 lower returned to us due to a manufacturer defect. This one was missing the hole for the role pin that holds the bolt catch. Bushmaster had apparently decided that hole being there was overrated or something and decided not to drill it. GO QUALITY CONTROL!!! Anyway, they had sent me a new lower in that case, one with an open mag well.
Back to the original story: I tell him that I am holding a lower in my hand that they just returned to me last week that has an open mag well, and he proceeds to tell me that is not possible.... The rep then tells me that they work very closely with BATFE when it comes to CA law. When I told him that DOJ would actually be more accurate he tells me that any law regulating CA is enforced solely by BATFE.
In any case, he tells me that because this lower has been "modified" that they are not going to warranty the "manufacturer defect." I'm not convinced that the lower has been modified, if it has, it was a professional job, because I didn't see any evidence. While I understand the sentiment of not wanting to warranty a "modified" receiver, I think it is poor customer service in any case. Kind of like if my mechanic refused to honor the warranty on my engine because I painted my car. Again let me specify that I am not convinced this is a modified lower.
I feel like Bushmaster could have stepped up to the plate and just simply taken care of a customer, but apparently, they aren't in a position to stand behind their product. I feel they are just looking for excuses to not replace defective product. So it looks like the Gun Shop is going to have to eat the cost of a new lower, which is not the end of the world, rather the cost of doing business, but also not really what I feel to be the appropriate solution. We are not going to leave our customer out in the cold over this, because it wasn't his fault. I don't believe he modified this lower.
I (personally) don't deal with companies that do not back their product, and today Bushmaster added their name to that list. It is my belief that they make an inferior product, especially in the Carbon 15 series. Let me also mention that both of these receivers were special orders, we stocked the Carbon 15 for a brief time, and quickly discovered that not only were they not good sellers, they were not of superior quality. I have attempted to advise all customers to avoid that product line, but obviously not with 100% success.
Bottom line, maybe the lower was modified, I am not an expert, but even if it was, it would cost them virtually nothing to back the customer and fix the problem, but they would rather hang a customer out to dry than take care of an issue, and that to me is very disappointing. I informed the rep of my feelings and he said "Everyone is entitled to their opinion, have a good day" and hung up.
Let me also say, I do not necessarily speak on behalf of Ade's Gun Shop. There are times when I speak solely on behalf of the shop, this is not one of those times. Thanks for reading, I'd be interested to hear what you guys think.... maybe I'm completely in the wrong. I'm aware of the status quo, and I'm sure that what I got from Bushmaster, I just sometimes expect a little above and beyond service.
I put in a call to Bushmaster and explained the problem to them, hoping to get the item warrantied. I asked the Bushmaster Rep if he wanted me to send the entire lower including the magazine.
"There is a magazine" he says.
"Yes there is" I reply.
"So it has an open mag well?" he says.
"Yes it does" I reply.
"We aren't gonna touch that, you can't have any open mag well AR-15 rifles in California" he replies.
After discussing the wonders of California law with this guy, he finally tells me to send him whatever I have. So I sent that stuff off last week.
So yesterday I get a call back from him, stating that Bushmaster is going to refuse to warranty the lower because it has been modified. I ask him how he knows it's been modified. He tells me they know it has been modified because it is an open mag well, and that it is illegal in California. He is suggesting that the receiver started life with a closed magazine well and has been milled out, and also specifically stating that the buffer retainer channel has been milled out to make it deeper... I asked him what the purpose of that would even be in the first place and he told me he didn't know, but that their engineers had discovered this modification as well. We go back to talking about CA law and I again explain to him what California laws actually apply. He tells me that Bushmaster employs a person who deals solely in the area of California law.
Side story: About a month ago we had another Carbon 15 lower returned to us due to a manufacturer defect. This one was missing the hole for the role pin that holds the bolt catch. Bushmaster had apparently decided that hole being there was overrated or something and decided not to drill it. GO QUALITY CONTROL!!! Anyway, they had sent me a new lower in that case, one with an open mag well.
Back to the original story: I tell him that I am holding a lower in my hand that they just returned to me last week that has an open mag well, and he proceeds to tell me that is not possible.... The rep then tells me that they work very closely with BATFE when it comes to CA law. When I told him that DOJ would actually be more accurate he tells me that any law regulating CA is enforced solely by BATFE.
In any case, he tells me that because this lower has been "modified" that they are not going to warranty the "manufacturer defect." I'm not convinced that the lower has been modified, if it has, it was a professional job, because I didn't see any evidence. While I understand the sentiment of not wanting to warranty a "modified" receiver, I think it is poor customer service in any case. Kind of like if my mechanic refused to honor the warranty on my engine because I painted my car. Again let me specify that I am not convinced this is a modified lower.
I feel like Bushmaster could have stepped up to the plate and just simply taken care of a customer, but apparently, they aren't in a position to stand behind their product. I feel they are just looking for excuses to not replace defective product. So it looks like the Gun Shop is going to have to eat the cost of a new lower, which is not the end of the world, rather the cost of doing business, but also not really what I feel to be the appropriate solution. We are not going to leave our customer out in the cold over this, because it wasn't his fault. I don't believe he modified this lower.
I (personally) don't deal with companies that do not back their product, and today Bushmaster added their name to that list. It is my belief that they make an inferior product, especially in the Carbon 15 series. Let me also mention that both of these receivers were special orders, we stocked the Carbon 15 for a brief time, and quickly discovered that not only were they not good sellers, they were not of superior quality. I have attempted to advise all customers to avoid that product line, but obviously not with 100% success.
Bottom line, maybe the lower was modified, I am not an expert, but even if it was, it would cost them virtually nothing to back the customer and fix the problem, but they would rather hang a customer out to dry than take care of an issue, and that to me is very disappointing. I informed the rep of my feelings and he said "Everyone is entitled to their opinion, have a good day" and hung up.
Let me also say, I do not necessarily speak on behalf of Ade's Gun Shop. There are times when I speak solely on behalf of the shop, this is not one of those times. Thanks for reading, I'd be interested to hear what you guys think.... maybe I'm completely in the wrong. I'm aware of the status quo, and I'm sure that what I got from Bushmaster, I just sometimes expect a little above and beyond service.
and a company that will back up their products. I've purchased some goodies direct from Bushmaster, and it's very disappointing to hear they don't know and/or understand the current legal situation - and evidently aren't will to listen.
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