Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns ANOTHER DISASTER

Someone I used to work with was at a shoot where there was at least one Gunzine writer there.
The writer stated that in today's world, the purchaser/shooter seems to be the QA/QC for many companies.

I have a Charter Arms Bulldog that I literally threw to the back of the safe several years ago, were issues from the day I bought it til I thew it back there.

Fellow that used to shoot at the same range I used to attend, had a Colt 1911 that neither local Colt authorized person NOR Colt was ever able to make fire over one or two rounds in succession. Amazingly Colt would not replace it. That advertisement made several members that I know of decide to buy another brand.

A lot of good advice. What really gets me is the manufacturers' failure to test the gun before shipping it. I bought a S&W Bodyguard with a thumb safety that would not operate. How many minutes would it take for an Inspector to flip the safety off and on. Incredible! I just returned another weapon because there was no serial number on it. It was on the box, but not on the weapon. I chastised the Dealer on a gun that would not fire for not at least pulling the trigger. His response was that he sells so many guns that his people don't have the time to check them all. That may be true, but a cursory exam that would only take a minute or two is not out of order. Pulling the trigger and working the safety or slide catch does not take a lot of time. Sending it back to the Mfr. is a pain and it's almost like passing the buck. The dealer won't accept responsibility and the Mfr. just sits there with a nod and might fix the problem when they get around to it. The SCCY that I sent back for FTF had an empty cartridge with an inspector's name on it. How in blazes did he fire it when the trigger would not work? Truth be known, he had a pocket full of spent cartridges and he just threw one in the box during coffee break.

I guess I assumed that everyone does like I do and inspects the gun they are purchasing before sealing the deal. Guess I was wrong. I can't imagine walking out the door with a gun that has a non-functional safety or trigger.

You seem to have a lot of bad luck with firearms.

I do most of my range time during the week and shoot mostly alone. On any weekend though there are plenty of examples of pistols of all types that just don't function like they oughtta. And kudos to glock for the consistent quality of their build, but they still have their share of malfunctions on the range.

My personal sampling of 1911s is small. I bought a colt gold cup in 1979 and it ran without a hitch for many thousands of rounds. I eventually traded it. I bought a RIA govt model 10 years ago. I was surprised to find that ot would only occasionally fire a full mag of rounds without failure. Bought some metal form magazines a week after purchase of the pistol, and have not had a failure since, including a no-clean 3000 round test.

As a part of the 3000 round test I included CCI shot loads, and some french marked WWII surplus that looked like they were loaded with coal. I also threw in a mixed box of loads that I bought at an estate sale. Some handloads, some factory. Zero failures.

I did modify the RIA gun with better sights, but as for reliability it is as I bought it exept for the different mags.

And I paid $275 for the RIA pistol. Wasn't looking for a bargain, but an acquaintance was trying to trade it at a local shop and had no luck. Later that day, at the range we were talking and he offered it to me. Bought it on impulse.

One of my better such impulses...

MOGC, Bad luck isn't the word for it. Terrible luck is better. Seems like Taurus is the only Manufacturer that I have not had to send a weapon back to. Even Smith & Wesson has had to fix a couple of my pistols and they supposedly have good quality firearms. I think I'm done and I'm going to stick with what I have that functions.

ROTFLMAO... SOOOOOoooo, true..

Best post of the week... Thank you MS..

As someone posted earlier, you make your own luck with this stuff. Your Smith & Wesson sigma series pistols are cheap guns just like everything else you listed.

I think you're missing the correlation between price and quality control. If you buy bottom dollar products, you're not paying for quality control, you get to be the QC guy, as you've discovered.

A bunch of police trade-in Glocks are out there right now for $300-$350; just one of those would serve you better than all the other cheap guns you've mentioned here.

Very inexpensively manufactured and very reliable handguns with excellent Q.A. are currently being made - They don't sell dirt cheap, yet.
That's been the major industry development since the early 90s.
Beneath this manufacturing revolution, there's still a healthy market for junk firearms.

Glad to be of service!

Funny how the truth can often ruffle feathers.

I don't really need any service type semi auto pistols, but the 3rd Gen Smiths right now are really a bargain. The only long term issue is lack of spare parts. If a guy had a cigar box full of the most common spare parts for a couple of 3913s, 4506s, and 4516s he could really be set. I have literally watched some of those guns feed empty, fired cases, during malfunction drills on various ranges. Not always, but often enough to be impressed with how totally reliable the guns were/are.

At the zenith of the 3rd Gen series popularity in policing, I was already a rabid 1911 fan, and just starting to really appreciate Glocks. I did not care for traditional double action trigger systems. These days they are not nearly the handicap, shooting wise, as I thought they were 20 years ago. While I have a 2nd Gen 645, and a 3rd Gen 5906, I would really love to own a 4506-1. Unfortunately money is tight at the moment, so it will have to wait. That said, if I was smart (and nobody ever really accused me of that) I would stock up on used parts for one now. That would force me to buy one later. Kind of like buying a scope, them being forced to buy a rifle for it!

About 15 years ago, a group of guys I know bought a bunch of .308 Enfields for $89 a piece. They were griping that they could not get spare magazines. I told them they could get all they wanted for $89 a piece. One guy rubbed his chin and said, “Oh, yeah, it even comes with a free rifle.”

The prices these days on numerous types of guns, especially ARs are the lowest I can recall in decades. When the pendulum swings back the other way, and it will, guys will be crying saying "remember when you could get a real COLT 6920 for 8 bills!". Heck I have seen a couple places selling COLT 6920s minus the furniture (which makes sense since almost everyone swaps it out to what they like anyways) for under 700.

Cabela's weekly flyer is showing the DPMS "Oracle" - basic M4 style AR without sights - for $474.99 or $399.99 after rebate. Not sure what sights go for but with a bit of judicious shopping a fellow could probably be out the door for well under five bills for a decent, working AR.

I'm very happy with the FN15 you recommended for me last year and have no need of a stockpile of AR types, but for the prices they are now you might be right about stocking up for the inevitable swing of the pendulum. I still remember all you could buy genuine Colt Series 70's for $300 not to mention the $400 Pythons, and that was in the mid 80's.

For a defensive pistol, I don't even trust the biggest names. I typically won't buy a self defense handgun that hasn't been out on the market for at least 5 years. Because even the best of them put out pistols before they're ready. Most every name brand maker has a horror story in their past...and most in the not all that distant past.

So an un-proven pistol, from an un-proven manufacturer...and the OP's shocked and surprised at less than stellar results.

Dood, no kidding!!! I have a couple of AR's, but I've always kinda wanted a 6720 and I can't ignore what they're going for right now. But I also want the new Bren 805...decisions!!

Life is like a game of chance you pay your nickle and take your chances.....

Glock 9mm's and Colt AR15's seem to always work for me, I have a few of them. Lately I have been getting good results with SW shields, the 45 is surprisingly accurate, it shoots about like my Kimber 1911, maybe better.

I regret selling my 4506. Perhaps I need to focus on 3rd Generation S&W's this year....

For something that you can bet your life on? Yep.


mike r

FN and COLT being long time defense manufacturers are solid choices to keep for yourself. The budget guns make more sense for buying to sell later when the next disaster happens and people lose their minds,thinking the world is going to end, JADE HELM Operators are going to declare martial law, and take their guns, and the government is going to put everybody in FEMA camps.

Mackay.....I just now noticed the change in your sig line.

Keep that chair handy.....