How is their service?

[url]http://www.classicarms.org/[/url]

Have made a couple purchases from them.  No problems but just simple mag orders.  They have always been courteous on the phone.

Edited to remove BTT, Ratters reply beat me to it.

Jeez! Their prices are pretty damn low for complete rifles (sure, most of them are late assembly jobs, but still.)

I forgot to mention that they do have a restocking fee for returns if they are not defective.  I think it was like 20%.  I never return anything unless it is defective so never really affected me.  Might concern some though.

One ammo purchase, no problem, very nice polite lady on the phone.

I get nervous when I see the little fishy sign in someone's ad, but it seems to be okay in this case.

Have made at least half dozen orders with them with zero problems, oh wait a minute there was one. The Fed Ex driver says he delivered the 1000 rds of ammo to the wrong address, funny thing though about a week later after many calls to Fed Ex my ammo is delivered by my Postman and post marked from a different city.
Anything smell funny with this saga? Anyhow I contacted Classic Arms and requested Fed Ex be black listed for any orders to me. All is well now. As for the fishy thing, some people talk the talk ( run as fast as you can ) but I believe these people also walk it to. Hope this helps.

only a few ammo orders, no problems.  FedEx isn't my favorite delivery svc. either.  Very polite, don't know about cust. svc. never needed it

Their store is about a 1.5 hour drive each way from me.  I've been by it a couple of times, and I was with a coworker of mine when he bought an AK from them.  

The good:
Their prices, especially the specials at [url]http://www.classicarms.org/new_page_2.htm[/url], are pretty good.  It's the only place I know of around here where I can go and handle 10 different AK's, 10 different Turk Mausers, 10 different Mosin M44's, etc.  They're on a rack in the open, and have prices equivalent to a gun show.  The rifles listed at the link above are priced at wholesale.  You can walk into the store and pick-up a Mauser or Mosin for less than $40.  Amazing.

The bad:
I've been less impressed with their customer service and honesty concerning products.  In the store, the phone rings non-stop, and it's impossible to carry on a conversation.  Also, if something isn't out in front of the counter (e.g., all the handguns and most of their stock of rifles), then it's going to take a while for them to get enough free time to show you something.  Ammo prices in the store are 50% (!!) higher than the prices they have on their web site.

The dishonest:
My coworker bought an Egyptian MISR-10 rifle from them.  It's an AK clone.  The rifle, as we now know, came from the factory setup to handle only a proprietary (read hard to find a replacement after Tapco sells their stock) magazine.  It looks like Classic Arms tried to convert their MISR-10's so that they would handle a standard double-stack AK mag.  It looked like a drunk monkey took a file to the receiver to widen the magwell.  That means the rifle is NOT LEGAL in the US according to Section 922(r) of the Gun Control Act (GCA) if you insert a magazine that doesn't have a US made floor-plate and follower.  If it doesn't have enough domestic parts to qualify, then it's a felony to possess.  Also, Classic Arms didn't do the converstion properly.  They left a pair of rails on the inside of the receiver that isn't on a standard AK receiver.  They wouldn't take the rifle back, and my friend had paid cash (don't do that!).  That took me about 7 hours of work with a Dremel tool to get rid of the rail enough to get a mag to insert.  After the hours of research and work, it now works flawlessly and it was only $170.  Now, we still need to either replace 2 parts on the rifle or replace all of the mag followers and baseplates with US made components.

2 years ago I ordered some "refinished" AR mags from C.A., thinking that they'd be teflon coated ones that were on sale couple of years ago.  They were actually used ones sprayed with black paint, with drips, no less.  I ended up sending them for refinishing elsewhere.

A year later I ordered FN FAL part kit from them.  I called two weeks later, and was told it'd be shipped that day.  Another week later I called again and was told that they had just moved their warehouse and were behind in their shipping.  After threatening to cancel the order I receive the package.  Kinda ratty but serviceable for $250.

Your milage may very, but I wouldn't recommend with good conscience.

I like Classic Arms.  I have gotten some great deals from them, just wish I had not missied their Norinco Makarov ammo for $100/case.  Last summer I got a beautiful, pristine Austrian STG-58 parts kit from them for about $100.  It was completely ready for assembly, and the barrel was brand new.

GunLvr