Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Buyer Beware Palmetto State Armory Censored Reviews

I wanted to let everyone know that Palmetto State Armory censor's their reviews as mine has not been posted to the site on a gun that I purchased and had problems with. In order to leave the review, I had to prove that I purchased the item from them. I notice this item however currently has all 5 star reviews. I am reporting this to the better business bureau, but I wanted to post this here to warn anyone before they purchase an item from them.

On a black Friday sale, I purchased an AR-15 pistol in 6.5 grendel with a 12 inch barrel that was on sale. My buddy and I both purchased ours on the same day to use in alternative weapons season to take our kids hunting and just to own one. After two weeks they arrived at our local gun store and we picked them up. We both sighted them in together. His impressively shot under one inch MOA using hornady 123 grain factory bullets. Mine did not. I shot like a shotgun pattern. On paper at 25 yards it didn't do to bad, but when we shot it at 100 and 200 yards it was bad real bad.

So we started trouble shooting it. We are both prior military and I am a retired State Trooper and previous rifle instructor. We shot each others neither of us could get mine to shoot a group. His gun we both shot under MOA with at 100 yrds. I bought a new 3 pound trigger, clean the gun thoroughly and we switch scopes. Nothing seem to help the gun. My scope zeroed right in on his gun. I took the gun apart and check the barrel nut it was tight within specs. I tried three different brand 123 grain factory bullets and it still would not group firing over 200 rounds and cleaning several times. The best group was 4 inches MOA at 100 yrds with bullets hitting randomly in pattern with letting the barrel cool between shots. I also tested rapid fire 3 shot groups. The gun always function flawlessly, but would not group enough to shoot past 100 yards safely for hunting. Mean while we were ringing steel with my buddies gun at 300 yards. My average gun group was 5 to 6 inches MOA at 100 yards. I troubled shooted this gun several more times and consulted a gunsmith who told me it probably had a bad barrel and that it happens. He said it could be milled bad, have defective steel or other issues. He said call the manufacture and see what they would do since it was less than a month old.

I tried to contact them, but their phones were down several days. I finally got through and the customer service was awesome. They agreed it probably was a bad barrel.
They sent a prepaid label and I only shipped the upper back. I sent several targets in with it showing its cold barrel grouping and rapid 3 shot grouping at 100 yards. I even showed the scope after, I put in on the other gun zeroed in under 1 inch MOA and a box test, I did with it. I wrote a nice letter and sent it in with the upper. Several weeks went by and I get an email saying nothing is wrong with the upper and its being returned with a target. I got it yesterday. I open the box and there is all my targets and letter I wrote explaining all this and what I had done in the box with the upper. I look further and there is a 300 meter/ 25 yard military style AR target in the box with a less than one inch MOA three shot group with a hand written note. "There is nothing wrong with this upper. It was shot at 25 yards and functions fine." Shot with 123 grain Hornady ammo.

My question is why was the gun not shot at 100 yards? Is this acceptable, I think not. I bought this gun to hunt with and I am sure not all my shots will be within 25 yards. How do you test a barrel with only three shots at 25 yards. So, I called them and of course the floor manager is supposed to call me back and did not for the last 48 hours. No one will speak to me about this 3 shots at 25 yard test. I called a couple times now. I went on their website to leave basically this same review. They deleted it even after I proved that I had purchased the gun. I tried to leave the review again and it says, "You have already reviewed this product."

I guess I will replace the barrel at my own expense as during all this I even used the scope on a different gun and it zeroed fine. I will buy a better quality barrel, but to delete an actual review and not contact a true customer is disgraceful. Sad fact is its a really fun gun to shoot and I would have purchase more items from them in the future. No one accepts a gun that only groups at 25 yards and isn't quality controlled or tested further than that. Almost every gun manufacture now comes with an under one inch MOA at 100 yard warranty. Additionally after I provided targets and a nice letter telling them that its issue was grouping at 100 yards to shoot it at 25 yards is disgraceful. I reload alot of ammo and you can't even begin to tell what a bullet is doing until it passes 100 yards with most showing issues at 200 yards plus.

Buyer Beware when it comes to Palmetto State Armory. One a side note, I almost didn't even buy the gun because of the fact that they have been investigated two times for having customers credit card numbers stolen twice in 2019, which they blamed on Russian hackers. I used a credit card , I only use for emergencies just to buy the gun. So again remember you get what you pay for sometimes a deal isn't always a deal.

Sorry to hear you had these kind of troubles. I am a fan of the 6.5 Grendel, and would love to have one in an accurate, reliable AR. Hope you get it worked out soon.

Unreal.

You can't trust ANY internet reviews.

Sorry to hear. I have purchased a fair bit from them, though some years ago, with zero issues.

HSfarm - hope it works out .



Software can be purchased that gets rid of or changes reviews , read about it a while back .
The ole scamarama .

You bought a bargain basement pistol from a company, and you are mad it doesn't shoot under an inch at 100 yards? I understand your frustration, but don't get too wound up about it.

Had to send an upper back twice to them. They refused to refund my money. Ill try to post pics. My rail slid down barrel after less then 2 mags. Sent it back they scratched barrel.

I had a similar issue at Midway USA. They did not post my honest review. Nothing terribly bad but their Binocular harness used to have alternate male and female ends on each side so that you could detach the binos and hook the strap to itself across your chest and if you wanted could hook the straps together on the bino for more or less a carry strap. Somewhere along the line they started putting both male ends on the harness and both female ends on the bino attachment straps. They told me that their advertising department or some similar department determines which reviews they will post. I assume it is a common practice in the industry.

Unfortunately, I've had the same luck with Ruger and Kimber when their guns didn't shoot to the standards I thought they should.

Tom

That sucks. I've purchase a lot of items from them and will make sure to call and voice my opinion about that BS. If they get enough calls, they'll pay attention so please keep letting others know.

Oh man. Sorry to hear.

I was about to order a upper tonight and this slowed that IDEA..... Sorry to hear.

Hi-Point & PSA... same whore, different dress.

Have noticed a drop off at psa i n the last year. But most from primaryarms.com

You might want to read what he wrote again.

Did you even read his complaint?

I bought an AR10 Gen2 from PSA when Gen2s came out it was a blem gun, I could never find the blem on it or to it. At 100 yds I shot so many cloverleaf 3 and 4 shot groups with that rifle and a Burris scope I quit counting. Of the 4 dozen or so rifles I own costing up to 5 times that AR10 none shoot as well. Go figure???

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, especially when you went out of your way to fully and fairly explain your situation. I've had good luck with PSA equipment, and this sounds like something they should have taken care of. Even a budget grade gun should be able to at least shoot minute of deer groups.

I would not expect very good long range accuratcy from a pistol ar15. but I would expect the 2 you bought to shoot close to the same groups. I've had great luck with everything I've bought from them.i never had to deal with customer service.