Originally Posted by taylorce1
Well I talked to Darrik, and I'm not going to let him refund my money. This is a MRC problem and I want them to make it right. If they don't then I told Darrik I'd work a trade in deal with him at a later date. I just couldn't let him open that can of worms, what if everyone decided they were as upset as I with the weight of the rifle. I feel this is solely a manufactures problem and not a Whittaker's problem.

I've been on email quite a bit the last two days with Jeff these last two days.

Here is my original email:


I recently received a MRC Extreme X2 .243 Winchester 1:8 twist purchased through a group buy from Whittaker's Gun Shop. Your advertised weight for this rifle is 7lbs 14oz and I expected the rifle to be within a couple ounces of the advertised weight. However, that is not what I received.

I picked up my rifle yesterday from my FFL transfer agent, while the rifle was there I had a Leupold VXII 3-9X40 with Weaver aluminum two piece bases and medium Quad Lock rings. I was amazed at the weight I felt when I handled the rifle for the first time, so when I got home I weighed the rifle on a digital scale and to my surprise the rifle weighed 8lbs 7.5oz. I realize that I added nearly a pound of weight with my scope, rings, and mounts, but that would make your rifle nearly 10oz heavier than advertised.

I can't tell you the huge let down I feel in this rifle. I was all set to build a custom rifle that would hit the 8lb mark ready to hunt, I realized that going to your rifle was a sacrifice of 1/2 pound but it also saved me at least $500 over the custom rifle. When I add a sling and rounds to your rifle to hunt with this rifle I'll be closer to 9lbs, and a 9lbs rifle was not what I was wanting and now wish I had actually paid the extra money for a full custom rifle.

Overall I must say I'm impressed with the workmanship and quality of the rifle. However, I don't think I can recommend this rifle to anyone looking for a mountain rifle, since the weight misses the advertised mark by such a huge amount. I took a chance on this rifle for my young daughter to use on mountain mule deer hunts, but this is way to heavy for her to carry all day.

Sincerely one disappointed customer,

Chad Taylor

And here was Jeff's first response:

Chad,

We are very sorry to hear about your disappointment. Yes the rifle weights are approximates and are being updated on the website as the rifle stock design changed over the last year from using a 3 lb foam and Fiberglass to using a 6 lb foam mixed with Glass strands and Carbon fiber with Kevlar reinforcements.

We will continue to look for ways to make our products better, stronger and sometimes lighter. But weight has never been a consideration on the priorities of the design. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused but I do thank you for the information. We can only succeed when our customers give us information about the products and how they would like to see them better.

Jeff


Jeff Sipe, VP – Sales & Marketing


Well my leg pain woke me up at 2 am and I took time to write another email to Jeff.

Jeff,

I can't tell you how much your company continues to disappoint. No where on your web site does it say that the weights given are approximations. Several other rifle companies can list weights and be accurate, why can't your company be on the ball and update a web site?

Furthermore I'm sure you know it's common practice for gun shops not to accept returns on firearms sold. If there is a problem with a firearm you send it back to the manufacturer to get resolution. I'm surprised how casually you are blowing off complaint about your product, that is not how I'd expect any company to treat a customer with a legitimate issue of their product.

There aren't many stores stocking your rifles, so sometimes all us consumers have to go on is what is listed online on your web page. So when we purchase a rifle online based off the information given to us from the manufacturers web page how can you not expect a consumer to be upset when the product arrives not as advertised? Then when said consumer reaches out to the company for resolution they are told that it is a web site error and the company won't do anything about it. In my opinion that is a very poor business practice you have chosen.

Chad Taylor


After that the painkillers kicked in and I was able to sleep until about 7:30 this morning and by that time I had received a few more emails from Jeff.

email 1:

Mr Taylor,

I'm not sure it is going to matter what I say or what explanation I give you? You sent an email complaint asking for no resolution, just an email telling us how much we disappointed you. There really is no resolution to your complaint. It is what it is. We reserve the right to change our product at any time for any reason should we deem it beneficial to the design and strength of the product. We will continue to do our best to try and keep it within the original specs but we are always trying to better ourselves and our products.

We are still a small company and our budget does not allow for a full time person monitoring and updating our website on a daily or even a monthly basis.

I am sorry you are disappointed that your rifle weighs 6 oz more than what was on the website, we are in the process of updating and correcting the specs on the website. But I'm not sure we currently have a resolution that would make you happy. We are in the investigating steps of making our bottom metal for Synthetic versions in an aircraft grade aluminum in order to lighten the rifles. Our bottom metal which is stainless steel, weighs 8 oz. so depending on the weight of the bottom metal made out of aluminum we can possibly cut that weight in half. This may be a resolution for your weight issues but until I have that in hand it's not really something I can suggest for you.

Let me know if that is something that interests you and we can keep in touch if the new design is implemented.

Again, we are sorry for your disappointment, that is something no manufacturer wants to hear.

Jeff

Email 2:

Another option may be to convert it to a blind mag box and aluminum trigger guard. It would require repaint but it could cut out close to half a pound.


Email 3:

Also, just FYI on myself, I am usually available for a Phone call anytime. Emails are always so impersonal and can be construed and so many different ways. If you wish to call and discuss any of these ideas I am open.

Jeff


Jeff Sipe, VP – Sales & Marketing

2016 NRA “Gun of the Year”

2015 Field & Stream “Best of the Best”

2015 MDF “Gun of the year”


I finally got around to replying to the emails just after lunch:

Jeff,

I'm writing these emails so I have record of what is being said, though I'm open for a phone conversation. The problem is your rifle is more than the advertised weight. Like I said your web pages list the rifle to weigh 6lbs 14oz, your rifle weighs in at 7lbs 8.9oz . That is nearly 11 ounces over the listed weight which is almost 10% more weight than listed. If you follow the links below you'll see pictures of the rifle being weighed.
Rifle weight 1

Rifle Weight 2

I would have figured the new composites such as Kevlar and Carbon Fiber would have decreased the weight of the stock since both are lighter than fiberglass. I also realized that you doubled the weight of your foam per cubic foot by going from 3lb to 6lb foam. However, I would have thought that move would have actually reduced the amount of foam needed for filler allowing you again to reduce the weight of the stock by using less material making a slimmer stock. With the trend to lighter weight rifles, I can't imagine weight wasn't even a consideration in marketing of the Extreme X2 rifle.

All I wanted from your company is a "Well make this right". If that means you send a call tag, and do what you have to do to get this rifle down to the listed weight with no extra charge to me. That might mean weighing and hand picking a different stock, making it a blind mag with aluminum trigger guard as you suggested, fluting the barrel, or even contouring the barrel to a different profile. What I expected was a rifle to be within a couple of ounces of the listed weight of 6lbs 14oz with a 22" 1:8 twist barrel and that is not what I received.

My number is (xxx)xxx-xxxx, feel free to call me with what you're able to do to solve this issue.

Thank you,

Chad Taylor


Well see where it goes from here.


Ok, I see a 'little confusion'

1. [bleep] all the mumbo jumbo about scope mounts/rings, deal with the rifle. Don't litter it up with all the other stuff.


2. In your 1st email you state: "Your advertised weight for this rifle is 7lbs 14oz and I expected the rifle to be within a couple ounces of the advertised weight."


3. In a subsequent email you state: "I said your web pages list the rifle to weigh 6lbs 14oz"


Anyways, succinct and accurate always wins the race.

"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"