Thursday, October 12, 2017

More Of My Kind of Luck - Guns This Time

What was it - maybe two years ago or a little more than that back when my fairly new (I bought it new and had only lightly used it) Taurus PT145 Millennium Pro had to be replaced due to a recall. Instead of them sending me another model of semi-auto pistol in 45 ACP, Taurus sent me a  piece of shit (my opinion) PT140 G2 Millennium in .40S&W! Apparently others think it a piece of shit too since I have been unable to sell it for less than the lowest retail price that I have seen on. It is still new in the box. and probably will remain in that condition until I can sell it. Taurus outright refused to send me a 45 to replace my 45! I will never, and I do mean never, buy a new Taurus product in the commercial retail market.
 
Then about a year ago, I bought a Rock Island Armory M1911-A1 Full Size pistol. I had to send it in because of a problem with the slide stop not snapping into place without the slide stop plunger needing to be manually depressed before doing so. My local dealer told me he did not think of it as much of a problem, if any, but I sent it in anyway on the recommendation of Armscor. Lucky for me I did so because Armscor  (parent company of RIA) found a major flaw in how the frame had been milled and told me it could have led to catastrophic failure down the road. They sent me a new gun - same model and thus I think they did much better than Taurus in that regard.
 
Then it was Savage Arm's turn. I had sent a Savage Model 93 BVXP to them due to a problem with its magazines not seating or feeding properly. They supposedly repaired it. Then they returned it to me. When I received it, the shipping boxes were virtually undamaged but when I examined the gun it was obviously and badly damaged. Seems it had to have happened at Savage Arms. I contacted Savage Arms and they had me ship it back to them; more on this in a bit so it stays in chronological order but first to Marlin.

Back in July, I ordered a brand new Marlin 1895GBL. Got it in record time through a dealer on GunBroker.com. Was in a factory sealed box. Looked at it quickly, at my FFL when it came in; it was too quickly. It looked okay but I was not wearing my reading glasses. I set it aside for about a week or two and then finally took it out to clean it prior to an anticipated range trip. When I was handling it, I felt a screw that was not seated properly. I think the tenon into which it was screwed was stripped. I also found an internally rusted part that could be seen when the lever was pulled out. I sent it to Marlin/Remington for repair. They called me and left me a message, not too long ago, saying it needs to be replaced. Waiting to receive a new one.

Back to Savage. Today, Savage Arms called and left me a voice mail. The rep said that they are going to replace the Savage Model 93 BVXP but they no longer produce the same model and want to offer me some alternatives. Not bad, they offered me two similar models that probably retail for more than did the one I had. The one the offered at first was the 93 BTVSS. Here is it:


Savage Model 93 BTVSS in 22 WMR

The second one they offered, after I asked if they had it available, was the 93 BRJ. Here is it:


Savage Model 93 BRJ in 22WMR

Okay, I like that, that is a class act. I am going to call them tomorrow, after I think over tonight, to tell them which one I want. One is similar  to my original but in stainless and with a thumbhole stock. The other is similar but with a blued steel fluted barrel. I had been leaning toward the one in stainless but am back at I have no clue right now.

Was hoping my son will chime in on this before I have to make the call but he texted me earlier saying he has been working 16-17 hour days because his job just lost 7 people thus I guess he is pooped. Let me take a moment to check the text messages again.... Ah, there was one from him saying the stainless one looks nice. Yes, I must agree but then again so to does the other one look nice. I don't think I have any guns in stainless right now though, so maybe I'll have to go for that one. Decisions - decisions but Brendan's input has me again leaning toward the 93 BTVSS!

I do not know what it is with me and my new guns having to be replaced and had been thinking that was bad luck . Maybe though, like Brendan told me a few days ago, it is all a good thing. After all, the manufacturers found whatever problems were the reasons they decided to replace these guns for me and thus maybe prevented one from blowing up in my face. That is true at least with the Taurus, RIA and Marlin. As for the Savage, the problem was they evidently ruined my original model 93 but they certainly seem willing to make up for that in an excellent fashion. Maybe my luck is actually improving.

Damn, it's Friday the 13th tomorrow!

All the best,
Glenn B