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*Update in Post #53. Below is the original post. To date, VA has done all it can to make things right.*
I get a call from Valkyrie Arms telling me that 3 of the 5 guns(mostly saigas) I'm having them work on are ready. I make the ~1hour drive over to get them. I check them out and all seems well until I get home...
I start my normal routine of cleaning my guns with Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. The first two are completely un-eventful. The last one becomes a disaster...
I spray it down and the paint starts dripping off like it was nail polish. It looks like someone went to town painting it but it must not have dried much less cured. The painter even painted the rear sight leaf for some reason.
In any case, I give them a call. The girl on the phone, Lisa, said to bring it back and someone will look at it and take care of it. When I get there I tell them what happened and they tell me:
"That stuff is like brake cleaner. It looks like the factory paint came off. OUR paint is fine. Look at the back. That's where we paint it. We can't do anything because its the factory finish that's coming off. Our paint doesn't do that."
I tried to reason that I have used Gun Scrubber on all my guns including several other saigas including the other 2 guns they finished. The guy goes to back to talk to the manager and comes back with an offer:
"Well, we normally charge $150 to re-finish, but we can do it for you for $100."
I said I will not pay for something I already paid for. I said maybe the gun wasn't completely de-greased or the paint wasn't fully cured and he said:
"You might want to reconsider what you said before I get pissed. Mike worked on your gun and Mike is a perfectionist."
I told him that I'm sure Mike does good work. I'm thoroughly pleased with the other 2 guns but not this one. Whatever happened during the conversion, I didn't do anything I wouldn't normally do to a gun but the finish came off. An Asian guy in the shop comes out and also tells me their finish is fine and the factory finish is at fault. They wouldn't reconsider waiving the cost so I pulled the last 2 guns I was having them work on and left.
Before I left he did apologize for being short with me. Nonetheless, I must say after all the good comments and hype, I am thoroughly disappointed with Valkyrie Arms. I tried reason and logic to explain the situation but was constantly told I was wrong and it was my fault. Nobody told me the paint would not stand up to regular gun solvents. I never once raised my voice or spoke out of line. I wait several months for a conversion and have to hear "...before I get pissed." WOW.
In the end, after paying to have the gun converted and painted, I will have to take the gun apart and finish it myself. Never again will I waste my time or money at Valkyrie.
Calgunners, what do you think? Am I wrong for thinking that I shouldn't have to pay to get the gun finished?
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