For Gunny

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Modern Warfare:  When you have a problem with a weapon, call customer service while in the middle of a battle:

http://www.wearethemighty.com/artic...alled-customer-service-for-help-with-an-m-107

 

[Gunny]

Great customer service.

 

[ArtW]

absolutely stellar

 

[hepcat]

Not quite so intense, but I bought AR-15s for my department from a manufacturer who is located about 60 miles from our town. The warranty on their rifles is 'lifetime' for as long as the first owner has the rifle. I sent one of my guys to the factory directly from the range as his rifle had front-sight issues. They took him in, equipped the rifle with a new upper receiver/barrel assembly and sent him back out the door. He was able to return to the range and qualify that same afternoon.

Not exactly a combat situation, but good customer service nonetheless.

Good customer service is always worth paying for.

 

[LeeRevell]

Thank Goodness they didn't outsource their CS to India!

 

[Gunny]

Great presence of mind for the Marine to call Barrett. I wish Colt had had a reachable number when I got my first M-16.

 

[Queen]

Great presence of mind for the Marine to call Barrett. I wish Colt had had a reachable number when I got my first M-16.

They would have had every grunt in SE Asia on the phone. 

 

[hepcat]

Great presence of mind for the Marine to call Barrett. I wish Colt had had a reachable number when I got my first M-16.

I'm pretty sure that number should have gone to Bobby McNamara.   :-/

 

[Gunny]

Sorry Hepcat, I have to blame the manufacturer for the crap we got. Fire two rounds and jam, repeat. Not every time but when I needed to be sure my weapon was going to work I could not count on my Colt. Rattled like a childs toy, complete bolts jamming and on and on. Carrying a weapon into actual combat with black electrical tape t o keep it from rattling and not being sure it was going to fire past the chambered round is not confidence inspiring.

They did eventually get most of the bugs out but they should have done it before it went into war. JMHO.

Rob

 

[hepcat]

Gunny, 

The history of the AR-15/M16 is interesting, but McNamara and the "Wiz Kids" have to share some of the blame for the unreliability of the original issue rifles.  Colt had their design specs, and McNamara made some decisions about those specs that cut costs, but also affected the field reliability of the rifle.   I've read about this elsewhere as well, but this website has a pretty good synopsis of the political meddling that preceded the issue of your rifle and was responsible for many of the issues you experienced.

 

[Gunny]

Hepcat, good article and thanks, I enjoyed reading it. Anything designed by committee is going to be a mess. My first M-16 had the steel bolt and the serial number started XM. I hated it. Made a trade with a Green Beret who was going home, but that's another story for another day.

I blame Colt simply because of the sloppy workmanship, fittings and the ever-present rattling.

Rob