Poor Customer Service

dendrig59 · March-31-23 09:03

So, for the complete saga of my problems with my Black Widow, please read the thread, "Black Widow Lemon?" The short version is; I bought a Black Widow brand new; the cylinder locked up after firing about 15 rounds; the receptionist at NAA told me it was because I used Aguila ammo (nowhere does NAA advise not to use Aguila); after about 4 weeks, I received the gun back from NAA; within two days the cylinder locked up again, and I hadn't even fired the gun! So I sent it back in, with what appears to be a broken cylinder bolt. I was told by the gunsmith they would put a "rush" on the repair job.

Now for the latest: NAA called me saying that I did not send them my magnum cylinder, and they need it. I definitely DID send both cylinders, so I called to discuss it. The receptionist said they could do nothing for a week because her manager is on vacation. I asked to speak to someone else in charge who could perhaps address this situation, and move the repair along. She responded that there was no one else in the building who could help. After further discussion it became obvious that I was getting nowhere, and that I was not going to be allowed to speak to anyone else. So, I am left to wait a week before finding out what, if anything, NAA will do to correct the situation.

I had read good things about NAA and the quality of their products. Needless to say, I am very disappointed and greatly regret buying this firearm. I plan to post this information on every firearm forum that I can think of.

Jessica Jarvis · March-31-23 18:03

I'm sorry to hear of the issues you've been experiencing with your Back widow and customer service.

Please email me your info and I will look for your gun on Monday. I will make sure it is with Dustin, the gunsmith and I will have him throw in a new magnum cylinder as it is possible and sounds likely that your magnum cylinder was overlooked.

While I am currently the Sales & Marketing Manager, I ran the repair & CS dept. for 9 years and I know these things happen, and they always seem to happen in the worst situations.

Again, my apologies. Please email me your info - [email protected]

Sincerely,
Jessica

bearcatter · March-31-23 19:03

.

We've done our best to reassure dendrig59 until you got caught up to the issue. We hope you are doing better than well !

Uncle_Lee · April-01-23 06:04

Sometimes someone falls, screaming through a crack.
With NAA, in the end, they will see you happy. Just keep going (politely) and they will take care of you.
We have seen it a few times over the years but this is a wonderful company that in the end will make you happy.
OK, you go out to all the firearms forums and tell your story of your problems.
After NAA makes it right, will you go back to each of those and explain to those members how it ended.
Some folks are quick to complain and slow to praise.

After everything is over and you love your little mini, come back an join the best bunch of folks ever and let us know how life is going with it.
Join in with the crew.
You may have a chance to help out the next person having problems.

top dog · April-01-23 06:04

Dendrig,
In spite of folk's best efforts,someties bad things do happen. I am certain that NAA will do everything possible to correct the problem.

I have sent three of my minis in for repairs (I use and fire them A LOT) and have experienced nothing but the best service.

Top Dog

bearcatter · April-01-23 10:04

I had a major issue with my second Guardian in 2019. The top of the barrel was considerably lower than the top of the slide and the bore was off-center. Wasn't NAA's fault, a vendor was machining the blanks wrong. That probably put the brakes on Guardian production. Took NAA several weeks to correct the vendor and replace the gun. The one I received was identical to my first. Jessica and Ken kept me posted on all the progress. They went above and beyond for me, through all my impatience in spite of my trying to NOT be a PITA....

BTW, I was perusing the Soapbox, no new ones. Saw that NAA is coming up to the first anniversary of becoming employee owned, April 26th. And, if I read the posts right, Jessica is coming up to her 15th anniversary with NAA. Congratulations ! .....

dendrig59 · April-01-23 19:04

Just now seeing Jessica?s response to my original post. I do so appreciate her stepping in to resolve my situation!

By the way, to answer Uncle Lee?s comment, I probably post as much about my good customer service experiences as I do bad. For example, look at what I have to say about Henry Repeating Arms customer service in the Indiana Gun Owners forums. I decided to hold off on posting about NAA in other forums until this situation has been resolved. But if I had posted about my bad experiences, and NAA managed to turn it around, I would be fair and update my posts.

Uncle_Lee · April-03-23 07:04

Quote from: dendrig59 on April-01-23 19:04
Just now seeing Jessica?s response to my original post. I do so appreciate her stepping in to resolve my situation!

By the way, to answer Uncle Lee?s comment, I probably post as much about my good customer service experiences as I do bad. For example, look at what I have to say about Henry Repeating Arms customer service in the Indiana Gun Owners forums. I decided to hold off on posting about NAA in other forums until this situation has been resolved. But if I had posted about my bad experiences, and NAA managed to turn it around, I would be fair and update my posts.

What I was saying is that people will bad mouth a company but when the fault is corrected, they don't go back to praise the company.
I found where you praised Henry but I didn't find where you posted the negative about them.

Watch out on that forum.

Forget to dot and "i" or cross a "t" and you will be barked at and get a bad mark.
I called a magazine a clip and the whole forum went crazy on me. Like I was some kind of a fool that don't know toilet paper from a bare hand.

I was looking through the for sale stuff and saw an old posting that was a real good deal. So I brought it back to the top.
Woha-ha!! Broke the law. If the post is not yours, leave it alone.
Bad mark (get like 3 and you are kicked off)

I started to read and follow the rules but I am retired and don't have that much time to live. I haven't be back there for a few years.

That is why I LOVE it here.
2 rules:
Don't cuss.
Post pictures when you brag.

Of course everything here is said as if your Mother was in the room.

top dog · April-03-23 09:04

Uncle Lee,
As always,very wise words of wisdom. I have a little poem that I learned many years ago:

Be careful of the words you say
Choose them soft and sweet
You never know from day to day
Which ones you're going to eat

Top Dog

Rimfire · April-03-23 10:04

Dendrig, I don?t blame you a bit for being disgusted with your experience to date with NAA products and service, but your case isn?t normal. I, too, bought a faulty NAA product (a Sidewinder) but when notified of it the company responded immediately with a label to ship the piece back for repair. The repair was performed and the gun returned within ten days. Now that Jessica is involved, I believe you?re going to see some dust flying and you?ll be more than pleased to be part of the NAA family.

dendrig59 · April-03-23 19:04

Rimfire, I hope you are right! I have my fingers crossed! ;-)

tinhorn · April-03-23 21:04

I have found that owning multiple NAAs is helpful. When one is in the shop for repair, you still have another one or two (maybe more if you have a generous uncle) to play with. Also works with Ruger Bearcats and 1858 Remington repros.

Canoeal · April-04-23 20:04

Quote from: tinhorn on April-03-23 21:04
I have found that owning multiple NAAs is helpful. When one is in the shop for repair, you still have another one or two (maybe more if you have a generous uncle) to play with. Also works with Ruger Bearcats and 1858 Remington repros.

Yep having a second was a good idea for me, but now I have two, the urge for more is somewhat less...Afterall, mine work perfectly.

bearcatter · April-04-23 21:04

I have multiples of three handguns. No need for a spare yet, but I enjoy it anyway. You never know.

Rick_Jorgenson · April-05-23 10:04

Quote from: bearcatter on April-04-23 21:04
I have multiples of three handguns. No need for a spare yet, but I enjoy it anyway. You never know.

OMG bearcatter! you posted a photo! Thats awesome!

It's great to see all your handguns

bearcatter · April-05-23 10:04

I posted that before, but it was a while back. Here's the 15-22.

bearcatter · April-05-23 10:04

Amazing the Zastavas are nice, shipped like this in crates, smothered in cosmoline. At least the mags are in ziplocks

Rick_Jorgenson · April-05-23 20:04

Quote from: bearcatter on April-05-23 10:04
I posted that before, but it was a while back. Here's the 15-22.

That has got to be a lot of fun to shoot!

bearcatter · April-05-23 21:04

I finally got it zeroed last week. On a so-so rest it got centered groups inside of 2 inches at 25 yards with my scope. I got a few flyers just outside of that, likely my fault. Shouldered I'll expect a little larger. It's fun wiping out a 2 inch bullseye, but I like reactive targets at 50 feet. It should be minute of golf ball no problem !

At 50 feet it's going to shoot a touch high, but I'm leaving everything set at 75 feet, "standard" height for a .22 rifle.

FailedFusion · April-09-23 10:04

Quote from: bearcatter on April-04-23 21:04
I have multiples of three handguns. No need for a spare yet, but I enjoy it anyway. You never know.

How are the triggers on the m70? I was interested in getting one but i didn?t know if the trigger pull would be hard for my wife. She has the grip strength of a 5 year old. Lol

bearcatter · April-09-23 21:04

Man are we drifting ....

The Zastava wouldn't be the best choice for someone with low grip strength. I haven't checked mine, but in two good YouTube reviews, trigger pull checks about 4 1/2 pounds with a Lyman digital gauge. Racking the slide is pretty stiff too, unless you cock the hammer first.

They come caked with 40 year old cosmoline. Parts are very hard to come by, and if you find a magazine they ain't cheap. I actually bought the third gun for parts. A week later, wouldn't you know, someone on eBay listed a lot of parts. I stocked up and got 5 mags too.

Finally, if you do get one the best place is RGuns on Gun Broker, $225.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/980551649 (Listed 25 at a time)

They are the main importer, supposedly 1000s of them. They keep the cream and pass the poorer ones to other dealers.

One very important point - - - M70s from other dealers sometimes have a totally useless, barrel shaped, plastic rear sight. It's way too tall. They mistakenly thought the original sight would not meet import requirements. DO NOT BUY.

The WRONG rear sight - -

Bigbird48 · April-22-23 15:04

I get that we drift a little but Bearcatter your way off the charts here. You post have nothing to do with this guys problem. Lets get back on track and see how he's doing . Has he got his problems fixed yet and is he happier with NAA CS

bearcatter · April-22-23 16:04

I had no plan to post any more but then FailedFusion expressed interest in buying a M70 and the trigger pull. I gave him some basics about it. And our Grand Poobah of Leather added a couple posts off track.

If this forum was a railroad we'd never make it out of the yard. ..

We have not heard from the OP, dendrig59, in 19 days. He's either extremely patient (more than I would be) or gone. NAA has had time to fix the BW twice.

5_shooter · April-22-23 17:04

I thought we were known for thread drift.

Uncle_Lee · April-23-23 05:04

Quote from: 5_shooter on April-22-23 17:04
I thought we were known for thread drift.

We are known for thread drift.

"It is ok to thread drift but not more than I do."

Looks like that to me.

Armybrat · April-23-23 12:04

How about this for drift?
But at least it is still a tiny .22 (short).
Made for Colt by Butler, I believe.
My dad bought it at an Austin gun show for $20 sometime in the 1970s.

RogueTS1 · April-24-23 09:04

Love it Armybrat!

QuoteI get that we drift a little

A little bit of drift Where have you been BigBird? Believe we are more along the lines of BIG BUNCH OF DRIFT, ALL THE TIME!

dendrig59 · April-25-23 06:04

Correcting for drift

So, about 10 days ago, I did receive my gun back from repair. The same day I received it, I put some empty shells in it and dry fired it 5 times. Everything appeared to work OK. I removed the cylinder entirely and continued to dry fire about a dozen times. Something broke, and the hammer locked up again. It will move to half cock, but no further. I have sent the gun back to NAA.

I think that there must be something out of specification with the gun frame that is causing it to break repeatedly, because most of the internal parts have now been replaced twice. So I have emailed Jessica because she helped me previously, and asked that she intervene to get the gun replaced. I haven?t heard anything back from her or anyone at NAA.

OV-1D · April-25-23 10:04

Just why do people get off dry firing a gun no less a mini . Why not take it to batting practice with the little league and toss it around ......................................... Possibly the main spring slipped out of place .

dendrig59 · April-25-23 13:04

I was not ?getting off? by dry firing the gun. I was testing its operation because it had just been repaired for the second time. With spent rounds in the cylinder to absorb the impact of the firing pin, or with the cylinder removed, dry firing should cause no harm to the weapon. NAA states in the mini-revolver FAQ on the NAA website:
?If you first remove the cylinder, dry firing is a great way of becoming accustomed to the trigger pull. Otherwise, while it?s unlikely that any harm will come to the firearm, it?s not a practice we recommend.?

After the hammer locked up, I did remove the grip and checked the main spring. It was fine.

Canoeal · April-26-23 14:04

Dry firing a rimfire always seemd like you were asking for trouble, especially one with a contacting hammer. That hammer HAS to hit something; causing some form of dent or damage to the gun.

Twainman · April-30-23 21:04

I routinely remove the cylinder and run through a few drills of cocking, aiming, and firing -- just to keep in practice and to reinforce muscle memory. If I thought that, having removed the cylinder (which I do to protect the firing pin) and dry-firing I could damage the gun, I would never have bought such a piece of junk in the first place. NAA is not junk by any stretch. Obviously there is something wrong with this gun and, obviously, OP cannot have damaged it by dry firing, if the situation is as he says. From my own experience, I can affirm that NAA does take good care of its customers.

Canoeal · May-01-23 11:05

They have always been good to me...

Armybrat · May-01-23 13:05

My older Mini .22 magnum was made in Spanish Fork.
It has been fired very little - less than one box of ammo - but has always had quite a bit of end shake in the cylinder from the get-go.

I wonder if CS would be able to fix that problem? and also fit the gun with a new .22 LR ?
What say you Ms. Jessica?
I have never sent any firearm back to the factory for repairs or modification since buying my first new Ruger in 1959.

dendrig59 · May-14-23 09:05

Good news! After examining my gun for the third time NAA decided to give up on trying to repair it, and they are sending me a replacement. Under the circumstances, I think it was the right thing to do. I'm very pleased that NAA did the right thing for the customer. After purchasing the "true" Black Widow (the black finishwm was the only one available locally) I was considering buying a stainless one later and making a set. But I had given up on that when I had so much trouble with it breaking. However, NAA's willingness to go the extra mile has kept me as a loyal customer. I would not hesitate to buy from NAA again.