Importers v manufacturers

Angel_Eyes · January 22, 2009, 05:12:50 AM

At last I am beginning to understand why you ex-colonials always mention the importers in connection with models of guns, rather than just the maker of said model!!!
I believe you are referring to the after sales service that you receive, or have experienced in your dealings with them!
What you all ought to do, is compile a list of the various importers, in order of good service, and publish it where they can see it.
This may well wake up the more 'reluctant' ones to improve themselves.
(Don't hold your breath!)

UKshooter

Sonoma Bear · January 22, 2009, 11:38:20 AM

In my experience the importer is key. I found the after sale service from Cimarron to be very poor.

Buy from another!
Sonoma Bear

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · January 22, 2009, 12:07:19 PM

My experience, has been Great with E.M.F. and the majority of my guns have come from them, GOOD PEOPLE/GREAT SERVICE/EXCELLENT QUALITY FIREARMS. ( IMHO )

tEN wOLVES

RRio · January 22, 2009, 12:29:34 PM

Quote from: Sonoma Bear on January 22, 2009, 11:38:20 AM
In my experience the importer is key. I found the after sale service from Cimarron to be very poor. Buy from another!
Sonoma Bear

Have to agree with this one.

Quote from: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on January 22, 2009, 12:07:19 PM

My experience, has been Great with E.M.F. and the majority of my guns have come from them, GOOD PEOPLE/GREAT SERVICE/EXCELLENT QUALITY FIREARMS. ( IMHO )

tEN wOLVES

And this one.

And I'll have to add to the "GOOD" list:

Ruger
USFA
Taylor

Leo Tanner · January 22, 2009, 01:13:12 PM

I have been told by reliable sources that the importer is key in that a manufaturer may produce the same gun differently for different distributers depending on the contract terms.
Navy Arms has very stringent standards.

Curley Cole · January 22, 2009, 04:17:57 PM

I have to agree with 10W, I have been dealin with EMF since about 1980, and their service goes way above good...

And as for the importer issue, I have been there when EMF is going thru guns and looking at areas that aren't up to parr. Some of these guns go back to the manufactuer, some are sold as "blems" but Their qa is second to none....

that is just my 2cents
curley

sack peterson · January 22, 2009, 06:15:50 PM

I make grips, and I maintain a list of 1873 SAA clones that are currently produced. It's likely incomplete, but goes like this:

Colt Single Action Army - real deal, not a clone - USA
Ruger New Vaquero - Made in USA
EMF Great Western II - Italian rebranded import, made by Pietta
EMF Hartford - Italian rebranded import, made by Uberti
Beretta Stampede - Italian rebranded import, made by Uberti, which Beretta owns
American Western Arms Classic 1873 - Italian rebranded import, made by Pietta
STI Texican - Made in USA
USFA Single Action - Made in USA
Taylors Smokewagon - Italian rebranded import, made by Uberti
Cimarron Model P - Italian rebranded import, made by Uberti
EAA Bounty Hunter - German rebranded import, made by Weyrauch
Heritage Big Bore - Italian rebranded import, made by Pietta

I understand LSI, one of the importers of the Rossi Puma 92, is coming in with a clone. I saw a picture of it on Gunblast. The grip profile looks a touch different than an Uberti or Pietta.

Virginia Gentleman · March 01, 2009, 10:40:54 AM

I can't believe you "subjects of the crown" are even allowed to hold, shoot or own handguns since the "government saw a need to ban them." LOL! Just funn'n with ya! Seriously, you bring up a good point, the importers are where the rubber meets the road when it comes to replica imports. Even the domestic manufacterers have widely divergent levels of service and quality.

Fiddler Green · March 01, 2009, 10:56:10 AM

Quote from: Angel_Eyes on January 22, 2009, 05:12:50 AM
At last I am beginning to understand why you ex-colonials always mention the importers in connection with models of guns, rather than just the maker of said model!!!
I believe you are referring to the after sales service that you receive, or have experienced in your dealings with them!
What you all ought to do, is compile a list of the various importers, in order of good service, and publish it where they can see it.
This may well wake up the more 'reluctant' ones to improve themselves.
(Don't hold your breath!)

UKshooter

So, what is service like there in the 3rd world? I would think that it's even more of a problem there the here.

Bruce

Major 2 · March 01, 2009, 12:05:16 PM

I'll chime in on Taylor's bandwagon ...2 thumbs up
I have to give Kudo's to Uberti in Gardona too...Susan Webb has come to my aid rapidly & in two cases free of charge (Small screws)

Though I have some very nice Cimarron's.... The poor customer service & bald face BS ...over the early Feb.06 ordered Type II Richards....will have me calling Taylor's or others well before a call to Texas.

EMF is no longer a Uberti dealer $:-\$

Angel_Eyes · March 01, 2009, 02:58:30 PM

Fiddlers Green, you may well wonder!!

Some of the excuses our importers come up with would blow your mind, for instance, I bought a pair of Uberti Remmy's in .36,
fair fit and finish, but the chambers were .005" smaller than the groove diameter of the barrel!

When I pointed this out to the dealer, I was told, "what do you expect, they are not proper target weapons, they are only for playing with"

As for recourse to the manufacturer he said there was no point as they would not change the making process just on my opinion!

I'm sorry chaps, I just can't carry on any more, my eyes have started leaking and I'm flooding the keyboard!!!

See my post on SCORRS (Expecting a good result) for the final outcome.

Angel Eyes