I figure I'll get the "waaah" for this, but if I can get the point across to anyone at all, I'll feel better about it.
I have several CQB Solutions/Specter Gear 3-point slings on my rifles and shotguns. I've always been very fond of them, and haven't purchased any other brand for about 3 years now.
Back when I first started buying things from them, CQB Solutions was operated by a gentleman who was also SRT with some Prison facility. I asked him a couple of product questions once via e-mail, and next thing I know he's telling me about products in development (their chest rig wasn't released at the time), I'm asking about his prison work, we had a couple conversations on the phone, and he even e-mailed me this "bad boys" looking pic of him and some other fellas all geared up and ready to quell a prison riot.
I recently found a great close-out deal on 2 CQB Solutions labeled left-handed slings with the bottom sling adapter. (Basically a cuff that attaches around the forearm, has a loop to attach to the bottom sling swivel, and the sling itself is sewn to the right side of the cuff).
Well, I use side sling adapters, so I just cut the stitching and removed the slings from their cuffs. There's no "tri-glide" buckle when you've got the cuff, so I called Specter Gear, and a woman answered the phone. I told her the whole story, and asked her if I could PURCHASE their tri-glide buckles seperately. I told her I only needed two, but I understood if there was a minimum and I didn't mind buying several if I had to.
At first, she didn't understand what I was talking about. I was describing the sling using both model numbers and the descriptions they use on thier website when referring to the various parts etc. I hear her saying something to a guy in the background. She finally says to hang on, and puts me on hold for a bit, then comes back.
"Hey, you still there?"
"Yes ma-am, I am"
"We don't sell sling components"
"Really? There's (interrupted)"
"IS that all you wanted?"
"Well I guess (click)"
My guess is they have the slings manufactured elsewhere and "Specter Gear" is just the middle-man, and that's OK. It wasn't that they wouldn't sell me the buckles, it was the rudeness of her tone and general lack of interest in helping me at all. "I'm sorry Sir, but we don't..." and "is there anything else I can help you with" should have been her response, and how I would respond on the phone to someone I was speaking with. I actually wanted to see about ordering the shell carrier adapters for my two shotguns with CQB/Specter slings, but I was changing my mind about that one about the same time as she was hanging up on me.
OK, I vented... I'm happy now. Let fly with the "did you want her to hold your hand or something" replies.