ripper51 Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 I sent my brand new out of the box LR 308 Classic upper back to DPMS at their request. I had been trying to set mechanical zero and ran into issues. This is an A2 setup with a detachable carry handle (A3 setup), mounted on the rear picatinny rail. The A2-style front post sight was loose in it mounting and appeared to be in an oversized hole. The rear sight was loose all over even after tightening down what you can. I ended up getting a mechanical zero but the rear sighted was all the way to the right against the handle, leaving no windage adjustment available to the right. I called and emailed and DPMS responded right away. I sent it back and DPMS received it Sept 12. I waited until the following Monday Sept 17 to call and ask about progress. I was told they couldn't get to it until other jobs were completed and they could schedule range time to test it out. The person I spoke with quoted 7-10 business days for a repair. I asked if it had even been examined and they acted like I questioned their family tree. Of course it hadn't been examined. If they could schedule range time, and if they could find the time to get to it and if the repair person had time then they would begin the process. I explained that I was a high power shooter and had planned on trying this out in high power. That we only had a couple of full distance matches left before the closest range close for winter. The repair guy hung up. I sent an email detailing my disappointment and telling them to either repair it, replace the upper or send it back so I could sell it and get a reputable piece of iron. They read the email responded with "Contact Mike at ext 278" and deleted my email from their records. I tried calling and emailling- no joy. I finally called late yesterday. Mike was gone home but another gent explained that was the way Mike ran repair. He explained it was a busy time with hunting season, many repairs and fewer folks to do the repairs. I explained that I really wanted to try out this rifle at a full distance High Power match, to no avail. The rifle is scheduled to be first tested this coming Tuesday on the range. Then they expected it will take 7-14 business days for repairs. That puts me past the end date for the full distance range. So I have decided to wait whatever time it takes them to fix it. And I now have serious doubts that they know how. I will take this and sell it for whatever I can get and go get an A2 Nm from some one who does know what they are doing. Bottom line is that I will do business with Century Arms before I buy anything else from DPMS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Thats a shame you were treated so poorly brother,others on the form with similar issues have done the same thing.You let everyone here know how you were treated,then your friends,then everyone at work,etc,etc,and you don't do business with them anymore.The money that they will lose because of there poor customer service will eventually put them out of business.Tell them you belong to shooting forms and will also tell the people of there bullpoopy.Good luck brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robocop1051 Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 I have an issue with this post. While the title suggests that DPMS has a "NON EXISTENT" warranty service, the subject matter actually states the complete opposite.@Mike, I'm sorry to hear about your rifle. That shit is as aggravating as all hell! No one likes to have a sub-par rifle. Especially when you are choosing to shoot competition (or similar) with it. You are 100% right to expect a complete working rifle, if that is what you purchased.I just feel you are being a little unfair to the folks at DPMS that are working on the project. It sounds to me like DPMS has taken your rifle and is willing to do the work... but on their time and on their schedule. You bought a rifle from a very LARGE company (possibly the largest). I'm sure you are not the only one with issues, based on the volume of rifles they produce. Your post almost sounds like you want to step to the front of the grocery line because you're expecting to have a BBQ, despite everyone else dinner plans.Even from your own post, you say that the DPMS staff responds to your emails and even gave you a detailed explanation of their repair process. I understand your being upset for not receiving immediate gratification, but I think your expectations are a bit far fetched.You mention that next time you'll buy from a "reputable" company. Which one would that be? Armalite is just as big, if not bigger, than DPMS. Rock River Arms (LAR-8) and Fulton Armory (Titan) are far behind in all their production. You're 2 week wait will be a walk in the park compared to their several month waiting list. Are you expecting a "reputable" company to build you the same rifle for a competitive price? I'm not sure who else makes an A2 styled .308, but you can't touch most builders for under $3k.It seems that DPMS is trying to satisfy as many people as possibly within a reasonable time frame. While your expectation of service may differ, I can't justly say DPMS has made a grievous enough error to warrant condemning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripper51 Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 robo, I might have given credence to their claims and deferred to their time frame except for the dismissive tone of voice used by the rep and the nonchalant attitude by others. I have waited as much as 8 weeks for Springfield Armory and as little as 3 days for Rock River. Waiting 2 or 3 weeks would have been Ok if that had been the original estimate. I am actually one of those folks who waves people ahead of me into the grocery line. Since it was a warranty issue and the rifle had obviously been manufactured to a high standard (they don't get any tighter fitting) I chose to follow their advice, return the upper and await what I thought would have been a replacement upper. To continually quote a 7-10-16 business day timeline struck me as odd. The time started from the 12 when they received it. It doesn't restart again when I call. But that was the impression left. All in all it left a bad taste in my mouth and I will not recommend DPMS service to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robocop1051 Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Rip, I agree whole heatedly that customer service could have been more empathetic to your situation. If a company wishes to be considered a top notch operation, their best impression is made at the customer service level. I truly hope your situation is resolved and you get a working rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magwa Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 The way all the companies have been building and selling and repairing rifles this last year and a half it is a wonder it is not a 6 month wait this is a very very busy time in the ar industry, It sucks to get something that should be right and it is wrong but is just bad luck sorry for your troubles i love my DPMS never had a issue guess i just had good luck.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 ive heard of much worse CS stories. I might be annoyed but certainly wouldnt be writing them off. Im sure the initial time estimate is the generic number they throw out to everyone. With the volume of rifles they ship I cant imagine what a mess the repair dept must be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripper51 Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 All- I've read and re-read my original post and subsequent and finally came out of my fog. For some reason, probably old-timers disease, it seemed like it had been a month and a half rather than half a month since they received the rifle. I probably should apologize to them as they do generally a pretty good job of building these rifles after all. And its not like I haven't waited around before for repairs. Been doing all my own repairs on FALs FN's, G3's, MP5's , M1A's and other rifles ever since I left armorer's school. I generally don't do initial warranty work as manufacturers like to correct their own mistakes- it build customer relations. I think I was believing this was one of those case where they hopped to it to provide the customer with a flawless experience. Sort of like what happens after a warranty job by Mercedes on you SEL500- what problem they ask?So pardon my crassness with some of the posts, and let's see what they do with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripper51 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 This has become one of the funniest and unfun episodes I have had with a rifle since I first started repairing them some 40 years ago. The rifle went back twice. Each time it waited 7-10 business days before they started a one day process of inspect, fix, return. The first time, they claimed to have sent me a brand new replacement upper. Might have been believable except I had stamped an "ms" in the bolt raceway of the receiver. I had also changed out the original sights for a Bob Jones set and back to original, so it left a couple of tool marks. Unless they retained the original detachable handpiece. And I had left a piece of onionskin paper in the handguards from when I was inspecting tolerance. The second time for a bent over front sight post resulted in them straightening the post and vice gripping the top of the gas block. Now the extractor broke. I went outside to see if any of those dark clouds were hanging over- nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue109 Posted December 4, 2012 Report Share Posted December 4, 2012 Wow. Must have been a Friday gun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripper51 Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 It now has been a bit since repairs were done. DPMS mailed me a new extractor. I also took the liberty of laying in a spare parts kit. Then I free floated the upper with a DPMS free float sleeve. Simple. It really is like working on an oversize AR15. I had things tight and drilled out the hole for the swivel stud. Red loctited. At two hundred yards, prone, slinged(sp?) up, the rifle and I punched out the X ring with 20 rounds slow fire. Now, I had reworked the bent front sight- turned out they use a much longer front sight so standard front sight adjustment tools don't work. They sell one though and so does Brownells. I put a standard NM AR15 front site in and mec zero'd again before trying anything. Then found what looked like a crack in the receiver. NDT'd it with dye. Yup looks like a crack. Started to ship it off via original dealer. Took it to a foundry instead and they repeated a non-destructive dye penetration test. I felt foolish when it came back as passed. We checked the line the other NDT dye left and discovered it was a fluke. Bottom line: I have a shooter. DPSM re-taught me a little patience and humility. I now push DPMS, and warn folks about a 3 week wait minimum until their warranty folks can get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Glad it worked out brother.Have fun with the rifle. <thumbsup> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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