Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Frustrated ...... What would you do?

Here's the deal. About a month ago I sent a bolt off to be fluted. The guy said that he was running bolts that Friday, and if I could get it there before then, it would ship out Priority Mail on Monday.

I sent the bolt via FedEx, and it arrived on Thursday.

I called Thursday night to confirm reciept, but got what sounded like a Son. When I asked if they received the bolt, he only said "yeah", but couldn't tell me who it was from or what type it was. That was my first hint that I'd made a mistake.

According the USPS, the package should have arrived at my place the following Wednesday or Thursday, but no show. No big deal I thought, probably a few days behind with the holidays.

I called a week later, and the owner told me that he had shipped it back on that Monday, like he had promised. He told me that another he had shipped at the same time had arrived just the day before. Still before Christmas, so I figured I was fine.

Fast forward another week, and still no bolt. I called again and asked for a tracking number. He tells me that it's in the house, and he'll have to call me back later. No problem.

That night there is a message on my home answering machine saying that he tried to track the package, but it wouldn't track (whatever that means), but he does not leave a tracking number. Now I'm very suspicious.

All of a sudden, communication has stopped. He used to pick up his cell phone every time (his son gave me the number). Now it rings once and goes to voice mail (i.e., he sends it to voice mail when he sees that it's me). He has also not returned my last two calls asking for a tracking number, ship date, and address that he shipped to.

I'm sitting here out a bolt, the cost of fluting, the shipping cost, and looking at running down a new bolt and paying to have it headspaced. Of course, it just put me behind on a project as well.

What would you do in this situation?

Try calling from a different phone # preferably from another state,see if he picks up.

what town and state? maybe someone here can ask nicely <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

woofer

Damn CAS, that sucks! Does he have an email? I would do like was posted above and try to call from another number and see if he picks up. And if he doesn't, I would leave a message that he owed me a bolt, so he better file an insurance claim with the shipper for a lost package etc to get me the money for a new one.

I too would be suspicious, but also realize that it is the holidays and he may have his cell turned off. I would leave a message stating that you understand this on his cell and home. But in that message state that you EXPECT a prompt reply with tracking number. If you don't recieve a reply within a day or two, leave another stating that you will go-to every shooting/hunting related board and explain in detail what has happened, and that you have been left no other recourse but legal action. This will give him 3-4 days to respond, (more than enough time) and then follow thru with said threats.--Mike

I just talked to the guy, and he gave me a number, but the USPS website says that there is no record of that number. The the guy tells me that it's only an insurance number, and can't be tracked.

I then find out that he only insured it for $100. That ain't quite going to cover a new bolt!

CAS,
Take the Insurance Number to your local Post Office, they should be able to track it with their internal system.

Good Luck,
HBB

Cas-I sent you a pm-Keith

I sure hope this works out and you get your bolt back. If it does not please let us know so noone else gets burned. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Cant say if the dude is being straight with you, but I've had a priority mail package lost for nearly 3 weeks. It REALLY sucks and is frustrating to no end when the USPS says there aint nothing they can do to track it. BTDT

I'm going to send you a package tommorrow. Take your time and wait for your next job, I'm in no rush.

I feel your pain and it sucks. I would rather have your cituation than mine. HD Rifles has my money, a new Mike Rock barrel, Mcmillan stock, Sako action and the money to cover putting it all together. Two years now and still no rifle, but "It is being finished up and is first in line." It has been for two years. I would gladly swap you my problem for your's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I honestly think I am out the whole works on my project <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Flinch

damn flinch, that sucks i would be driving my but to hd rifles and do a lil talking to who ever is in charge there, thats unacceptable
it definately sucks to be in both of your situations

I believe it might be time to make a personal appearance at HD Rifles and give him the option of returning the stuff and refunding the money or try really hard to have him charged with fraud and theft of personal property and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

What HD is doing is shameful

Good Luck,

HBB

Flinch .... sounds like me and CPR. Supplied 100% of components with a promised 6 week turn-around time and I paid 50% of labor costs up-front...what a zoo with an endless string of excuses. All they had to do was fit, chamber and flute the barrel, install a custom trigger, and bed the McMillan stock I sent. The action was a custom job and didn't need any work.

When I finally received it, well over a year later, the rifle had been bedded so badly (action was so crooked the floorplate extended more than 1/4" above the stock on one side and sunken in the same on the other) no way to salvage it and I certainly wasn't going to send it back so chucked it and started over with another McMillan stock. The only good part is the rifle is a real shooter so they did did a good job fitting on the metal work. I wish I had been smarter and just had Pac-Nor do the work as it would have been much, much less expensive and I would have had the rifle in a timely manner.

well, if you mailed it to him, and you paid him with a USPS money order, and he did not do the work, that's mail fraud, and a postal inspector should be your next stop.

If you used other methods of shipping or payment, you might be screwed.

To be fair, I am not certain that the guy in question is to blame here. I did ask if I could send a FedEx label for return shipping, and he declined, but that's here nor there now.

He did offer to find me a new bolt if this one does not show up, but I'd still need to get the headspace checked, and if that needs to be adjusted, it's going to cost a hell of a lot more than $100 to get things back to where they were.

USPS did say that they could neither track the package, nor even tell me if it was ever shipped. StumpJumper has offered to use some connections to look into it for me, and I appreciate his offer.

Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

Flinch,
I remember over a year ago discussing that project with you. I'm stunned that it's not done yet.

If you can get your parts and money back from Jeff, let me know and I will hook you up with two different guys who will get your rifle put together in SHORT order (they've turned stuff for me in less than a week) and get you up and running.

Flinch,

That's 'Celts' company right?

Come to think of it, I haven't seen him post in awhile.

oops, double tap...

Like another posted above, it's not that rare to have a package disappear for a while. It will almost always show up though. To wit: I had a renter of mine send me a check for the monthly rent. I live two miles from the duplex (now sold). A week went by and no check. Since these people were normally very prompt, I called the wife and asked if they had sent it. She had. They sent me another one.

Three weeks later, the first check shows up with a postmark that indicated it had been routed through COLORADO SPRINGS!!!.

I'm betting your bolt will show up sooner or later.. If the postmark shows a far different city on the pass-through, I would suspect the guy who fluted the bolt is telling the truth..

Best of luck CAS...