Alright boys and girls, here's my sob story, such as it is.
It took me four and a half months of saving up, but I ordered an M1A SOCOM 16 on the 29th of November. The FFL that got me the deal ($1,500.00 +tax was the best I could find locally) was an hour away, but a deal's a deal, so I went for it knowing that they were backordered. Likely for "several weeks". After Christmas, the shop called me up to let me know that they had, sitting in their shop, a brand-spanking-new SOCOM II.
I paused and mentally scratched my head.
But I ordered a regular SOCOM, Brett thought to himself. When I vocalized my confusion, the friendly and somewhat apologetic clerk on the end of the line informed me that it would cost an additional $200.00 to "upgrade" to the SOCOM II.
But I ordered a regular SOCOM, thought Brett to himself. Explaining politely that I would simply continue to wait for the rifle that I *actually ordered*, as the SOCOM II cost more for featuers that I neither wanted nor needed and destroyed the balance of a lovely rifle. The clerk apologized again, said I'd have to keep waiting, and hung up.
So I kept waiting.
During a round of various errands down in the valley, on a whim, I swung by the store again to get the skinny on my as-yet-unarrived Springfield. The shop's owner himself smiled and graciously informed me that he'd finally gotten confirmation that the rifle had shipped and would be in the shop within a handful of days. Very pleased, I requested a handful of spare magazines to get ready for the rifle's arrival. They had none, but ensured me that they would order some and that they would likely arrive "before the rifle". Placated, I took off.
The day finally came that the rifle was said to be in, so I called the store to make certain that it was, in fact, physically present. It was! Huzzah! I put together my merry band of cohorts and sallied forth into the valley to collect my long-overdue firearm. We arrived (oddly enough, exactly as my truck's odometer ticked over to 81,000 miles precisely) with a spring in our collective step and visions of sugarplumbs dancing in our heads. Yes, the rifle was there! I saw it, picked it up still in its protective plastic wrap, held it, finished the remaining paperwork, put it back into the box--
--And was told I'd have to wait an additional three days before I could take it home, because the waiting period hadn't kicked in on the day I'd ordered the rifle. I don't know why. That's just how it apparently was. Glumly, I handed the rifle back over to the still-apologetic employees. I then asked if I could buy the extra magazines that I'd been assured would be in "before the rifle". None existed. I left emptyhanded and mildly depressed.
Then, Tuesday came. The appointed hour. The time of destiny. The day the Springfield would become mine in fact as well as in name. I arrived at the store somewhat jaded, but still upbeat. No, the rifle hadn't been sold accidentally to someone else. No, they hadn't lost it. Yes, I could actually take it home today. Finishing the very last of the paperwork, we removed the rifle from its carboard packing crate and plastic sleeve, admiring its lines--
--and then noticing that it was
missing the elevation adjustment knob.
Son. Of. A. Bitch.
So, back into the packaging the SOCOM went, and all the way back to Illinois it is destined to go. Turnaround time will likely be weeks, which isn't in and of itself *bad*, it's just that when combined with all of the energy, time, money, and emotional investments I've made in this project to date... Well, suffice it to say that I'm not a particularly happy camper.
I've been treated so well by Springfield Armory Inc. in the past that I'm confident that the weapon will be delivered in full working condition free of charge--and I don't even have to pay shipping this time, either--but the situation is just ridiculous. It's taken the better part of four and a half months of careful saving, nearly two months of waiting, close to $1,700.00 of hard-earned money on the firearm itself, and who knows how much gas money to get to this point: An incomplete product.
Somone, somewhere dropped the ball. Either the rifle wasn't fully assembled when it left the factory, or it was damaged in transit (which appears possible due to some suspicious dents and tears in the shipping crate), or someone *reallY* decided they needed my rifle's elevation adjustment knob after it'd arrived. None of the aforementioned scenarios really pleases me, to say the least.
I don't know... Not much of a real *point* to this post other than to update everyone as to where I stand with my first adventure into M1A-ownership. And that amounts to just slightly more than bupkiss, as all I have are some receipts and a cable-lock.
*sigh*