Save yourself the click.
You can see a more indepth discussion and the other side of the story here:
Well Jim Ray, you've finally smoked me out of hiding! Just so all of you out there know, I'm only answering the phone on Fridays, until I can get some of my back log out the door, can't talk and work at the same time. I average 40-50 calls a day incoming,and it usually fills the box before noon. I also do not answer the private name/unknown number calls--just too many salesmen out there. My apologies for being so hard to get ahold of.
Mr. Ray, there are a couple of statements made on this forum that bother me greatly.
First, that I've had your rifle since July. The letter that you sent me was dated July 28 and rec'd on the 31st. You and I first talked on August 1. The USPS date stamp on your shipment is August 4th. Your firearm arrived August 11 and is logged in on that day. August 11th to current date doesn't quite add up to 6 months posted here or the 5 months stated in the letter to the Arizona State Attorney Generals Office, Department of Consumer Complaints. On my fingers we're just short of 4 months.
I confirmed on the 12th at the range that the problem that you described was indeed valid. I spent 6 hours on the 13th confirming that Penrod Precision and Bansners had performed their work correctly. Sights in the middle, action squared, throat straight and true,crown square, etc. etc. etc.(Great job guys, I'd let you work on my guns anytime!). Now the conversation in which I agreed that since I could find nothing else wrong, it must be the barrel, and I would replace it, including mounting, chambering, crowning, resetting the sights, rebedding, and refinishing, all at no cost to you.
With this verbal commitment to you why are you stating that I have no interest in repairing or returning your fire arm? I had the new left hand twist barrel on your rifle when we talked in October, at your request for a right hand twist I removed it and built an new barrel. No Questions asked or complaints made to you. I told you I would fix this rifle and I meant it. I suppose I should have told you the 2nd new barrel would add some time to the return. I just assumed that you knew.
Your student investigator did come to the shop. I explained to him where the rifle was in progress. Don't have any idea why he didn't respond to you.
Mr. Ray, Your rifle is reassembled and on its way to Bansners for refinishing. He tells me that it should be back home in a couple of weeks.(his refinisher is going deer hunting this week). It is now hitting the center of the target with the sights set in the center of the base. It's OK. This is not one of lifes expensive lessons. I haven't disapeared, My FFL is good to August 2011, and your rifle is safe and will probably be home before Christmas.
Now, for all of you following this customer relations nightmare, as Paul Harvey would say. Here is the rest of the story.
Mr. Ray did not buy this barrel from me! It was probably purchased from J. Courtney. I did send a barrel to Mr. Courtney with a left hand twist, and Mr. Ray inidicates that he knows Mr. Courtney. It was then sent to Penrod Precision where it was recontoured and installed on a Montana action. From there, it was sent to Bansner for sight installation,and stocking. Now, some of you might at this point be questioning why a shady operator like myself would warranty a barrel for a person that was not the original purchaser, and had been modified by at least two other gunsmiths. The Answer--- Because I believed that it was the right thing to do. Mr. Ray had an obvious problem, And I STAND BEHIND MY PRODUCT AND MY WORK. I may fall down in the customer contact satifaction catagory, but I refuse to leave a customer with less than my best effort a producing a quality product. Bear with me, I'll enumerate on Mr. Rays Expensive Life Lesson.
Jim Ray-- Four months of frustration.
Classic Barrel
1. Tarnished reputation
2. Multiple black eyes on AR Forums
3. 6 hrs diagnostic & 2 range trips $400
4. 1 S/S left hand twist barrel $340
5. 1 S/S right hand twist barrel $340
6. 2 installation charges ($225) $450
7. 1 bedding charge $175
8. reinstall sights and b/b $95
9. freight to Bansners $85
10. refinishing by Bansners not discussed
11. 1 box 416 Rem Ammo $112
12. Freight home to Mr. Ray $???
13. Trouble with AZ Atty Gen
14. Trouble with ATFE
15. Trouble with My Boss at Yavapai
16. Pride in knowing that Mr. Ray's
rifle now shoots correctly PRICELESS
Thank all of you for your patience while I ramble.
Good Nite
Dan Pedersen
P.S. I have two left handed tomato stakes for sale or trade --CHEAP!
