Guys, this is my last resort. I know that I "may" get flamed, so be it.

I had saved up the cash for a Beta-C mag, so I called Ruben up to order one. This was on the Saturday before the WTC attack.
Ruben told me that he had "a few" left, and that once they were gone it might be all over. That's ok with me. I asked him to hold me one, and that I would be sending $200.00 next day USPS to hold it and then the balance on the next payday.
He agreed over the phone, that was cool of him to do that.
On Monday I was not able to get to the post office in time to send the cash. On Tuesday we know what happened. Since I am in the military I was put on a "high state of alert" to put it mildly. I was working 18 hour days, so again I was unable to send the money off to him.
I called him up and sent him an email explaining what had happened. He told me that he had a Beta-C mag for me, and that he was waiting the money.
Thursdayttack was the first day I had a chance to get to the post office to send him the cash. I sent it next day US mail to him, it arrived at his address on Tuesday.
I sent him another email asking him if he had recieved the letter. He stated that he had not. Hmmm. The delivery confirmation webpage of the USPS webpage and the 800 number both confirmed it was delivered.
The next day I called Ruben up and asked if my letter had been delivered. Again he told me that it had not been.
I asked him if he still had the Beta-C he was holding for me. He told me that he did not have any in stock, that they had all been sold. ??? OK, I guess you snooze you loose.
I then asked him to return my $200.00. He said that he might be getting in a "few more" and that he would try and hold one for me.
I told him that as soon as he told me he had my money I would agree to that.
A week went by without a word from him. I checked my home email account and no word from him. I had been given a couple of days off from work to make up for the long hours I had put in after the WTC attacks, so I was unable to check my email at work.
When I did check it I found an email from Ruben asking if I wanted the Beta-C with a black or green pouch. When I called him back I got his answering machine, so I left a message and sent an email telling him I wanted the black one.
A day passed and no word from Ruben.
The next day I sent him an email asking him to cancell my order and to return my check (it has not been cashed to this day).
He sent an email reply that it was going to be returned. That was two weeks ago.
I sent him an email last Monday asking where my check was. Again he told me that it had been returned.
Another week has gone by and still no sign of my check being returned.

I am asking that if anyone knows Ruben to talk to him and ask what is up. I am tired of trying to get me check back. I wnet into this transaction because of the glowing reviews of his customer service. Well, as far as my check being returned I have yet to see it.

Yes, he bent over backwards to try and get me a Beta-C mag. He did make a promise that he would hold one for me. Well, I know money talks and bullshit walks, but I did send him a check for $200.00 next day USPS mail and he did get it.
If he was so sure that he wasen't going to get another Beta-C mag then he should have returned my check right away.

Thanks guys, I know that this will work out.

Sloooowwww down.... Rubin is a good guy.

It may be crazy for him too. I'm not tryin to flame ya here, but if I were on the business end of this deal I would write you off as a flake, send you your money back and call it a day.

Your check wasn't cashed? Was it a money order, or a check? Either way, I don't belive Rubin would rip you off for 200 bucks.

I think I'd be calling the bank in the a.m. and issuing a stop check order until you and Ruben can work things out.  Hopefully this is all just a mixup, but I"ve learned the hard way that when there is $$ involved, you can't be too careful.

shooter

I agree with shooterX308.

Issue a stop check order, no matter what Ruben says. At least he won't be able to get any of your money.

You're better off paying for the stop check fee, than being out $200.

Av.

From what i have heard reuben is a good guy ot deal with.. I doubt he would screw you.. I would place more money on usps losing it..

just my 2 pennies

I have never done any business with Ruben but one of my friends ordered a Beta mag after the WTC attack, he had a few in stock but by the time my friends Check arrived he was sold out. Ruben sent the check back that day with a letter of apology. So I believe that it has been some kind of mistake and maybe the USPS lost it.

Is there any kind of signature required when the letter is delivered. I usually send important mail Return Receipt Requested.

I bought 2 c-mags from Ruben a little while back to give as a gift to a close friend.

I was recovering from back surgery and had my wife send him payment.  She sent him CASH by mistake.  (and to a few other folks that I had purchased stuff from)

(With No Proof of Delivery, He could have very easily disclaimed any knowledge of receiving the $$ and just pocketed it..)

He called me up to scold me for sending $$ through the mails and to arrange the "blocking" of the magazine to 15rds.  (yup... NJ [xx(])

I had the magazines in 2 days.

Every dealing I've ever had with Ruben has been very satisfactory.  IMHO he rates up there with Georgia Precision, Jersey City Armory and Ammomnan.

I'm sure that he'll take care of you.  Give him another shout !

People who block C mags to 15 rounds should not get to have C mags. Thats like "fixing" your $40,000 corvette to go 35 miles per hour. What a waste.

USNJoe

As I read it, you aren't actually out any money. Screw-ups happen, but as long as it didn't cost you anything but a little time, why bother with the post?

Sir:

An AR 15 reader was nice enough to send me a link to this thing.

You called me and asked that I hold a mag for you, I DID. Later on sent you an e-mail giving you a choice of black or green pouch. YOU NEVER REPLIED.

Never got your telephone call that you are talking about. When I returned from Knob Creek, I had another message from you asking me for your check as you had found one and wanted to buy it.

Took a big magic marker, wrote “VOID” across your original check and mailed it back to you, if you treat your mail the same way you tread your e-mails, your voided check is under a pile of letters.

I had it for you, you ask to void the sale and I did.

Ruben Mendiola

FYI:

To make ir crystal clear for you.

I never deposited or cash yur check.  NEVER.

I don't have your money.

At your request your check with the word VOID across it was returned to you. It was done with a thick permanent magic marker, no way in hell will it come off. That check is VOID.

Here is part of your last message, that is why I returned your original voided check.

..........................
I would like you to return that check to me. I have found another Beta-C
mag that I can purchase now.
I apologize if you have Beta-C mags in stock and are waiting for me to
either send you the remainder of the money or for me to call you again.
Please send the check back to:
Joe ......

USNJoe...
I have been dealing with Ruben for a number of years, and I can assure you that he is one of the most trustworthy (and accessible) people in the firearms industry. I cannot tell you how many times I have sent him payments and firearms in advance without a shred of worry that he would keep his end of the deal. Believe me, if he said he would hold it for you, he would.... no matter who offered him a higher price. I have heard Ruben tell people that his reputation is worth a hell of a lot more than even a couple thousand dollars in profit... and I have personally seen him prove that more than once.

Hell, I bet if Ruben still has one he would be more than happy to send one to you in an effort to make you happy.

Yup..  I kind of agree.  

I also have the local utilities reduce my electrical power to 55 volts too !   [:D]


It was TEMPORARILY blocked because I knew we were moving.

Damn...I thought I was the only cheap bastard that was doing this.

Michael

When Ruben announced that he was running low on C-Mags (very cool of him to do so, BTW), I was a little short so I sent a deposit. Two weeks later I sent the balance, and received the mag very quickly with no problems. Count me as a very happy customer.   Thanks again, Ruben!

USNJoe, I would guess the check is lost in USPS on its return trip. I'd just stop payment on it and forget it.  USPS has been more than a little frazzled from the recent events too.

seems to me YOU are the one who was jerking HIM around with the partial payments, late contacts, and changed mind.

USNJoe,

Ruben has been with this board for as long as I can remember. I honestly do not think that he will compromise his reputation for a measly $200.00.

If he said that he voided your check, then you do not have to put a stop payment for such check. You will just be spending money for nothing.

riddler

We recently purchased a short barreled M16 from him, and while the papers are [u]still[/u] being processed, he was kind enough to send us photographs of the weapon... Damn, for $4500, all we got was a couple lousey photos! [:(]

During the "C-Mag" crunch, Ruben was also kind enough to shelve a large number of mags for the members here that were participating in the LEGP promotion.  We wanted mags, without delay, and he wanted to provide good service.

If there is 1 person in the firearms community that can be trusted, it is without a doubt Ruben!  You don't find gentlemen like him very often these days...  

Come to think of it, EdAvila,sr is a man of the same principles, so maybe it's a Cuban thing...  whatever it is, more Americans need to pick up on it!

Thanks for the quick reply Ruben. I still don't have my check, I would have figured that you would have sent it back USPS delivery confirmation to CYA.


Quoted:
"You called me and asked that I hold a mag for you, I DID."

Never said otherwise.

"Later on sent you an e-mail giving you a choice of black or green pouch."

Yep, I stated that in my original post. Not disagreeing with you on that point.

"YOU NEVER REPLIED."

Kind of hard when I was not at work to check my work email. I did ask you to reply to both my email accounts, my home and work email account. It's not my fault that terrorists attacked America and that I was "mobilized" and had to put in a "little overtime" and I was unable to reply to you right away.

"Never got your telephone call that you are talking about."

I left two messages and talked to a female once, plus I called and talked to you on more than one occasion.

"When I returned from Knob Creek, I had another message from you asking me for your check as you had found one and wanted to buy it."

Yes, and it was no deal. It was used and had a cracked feed lip. And it was $75 more than what you were asking for in the first place.

"Took a big magic marker, wrote “VOID” across your original check and mailed it back to you,"

You never told me that, either in phone conversation or via email.

"if you treat your mail the same way you tread your e-mails, your voided check is under a pile of letters."

LOL, I looked, it's not there either. Like I said, had it been sent USPS delivery confirmation then there would be no worries.

"I had it for you, you ask to void the sale and I did."

Yes Sir, you did.

"I never deposited or cash yur check. NEVER."

And I never said you did. The fact that I didn't cancel that check and/or ask that you send me $200.00 shows that I thought this was either a misunderstanding or the mail was SNAFU'ed.

"I don't have your money.
At your request your check with the word VOID across it was returned to you. It was done with a thick permanent magic marker, no way in hell will it come off. That check is VOID."

I believe you.

My bottom line:
All I wanted was my check back. It should of been sent back USPS delivery confirmation. I would have thought that since I sent it that way to you you would have sent it back to me the same way. Next time I'll ask for that service.

I never recieved an email or a phone call were you stated that you had sent the check back to me.
I called you to ask that you return my check.

I just want to say that Ruben went way out of his way to help me out.
Some of this is my fault, some of it was due to the attack. I can't place any blame for this on Ruben.

Bottom line is that I would have no problems ordering anything from Ruben again (if he wanted me as a customer that is), his reputation on the AR15 forum board speaks for itself.
Ruben helped me out once before when I was having problems with the Beta-C Company over some warrenty work.

I'll leave this up for a little while longer, then it'll be history.

Anyone know where I can get a Beta-C Mag? I have the money.....[X]

Joe Hawkins

so, Ruben, got any more beta mags?

Joe:

Believe me, I go way out of my way for my clients. Not many folks will have accepted layaway; I gladly did it for several clients.

Is unfortunate that due to incredible circumstances in the world, I had a problem adding your name to my list of happy clients, specially knowing you are ready to lay down your life defending our nation under the leadership of our great Commander in Chief (wow, to think that Al Whore almost stole the election).

When I returned from five days in KCR and saw your request to cancel e-mail, I gave your mag to the next person and the following day all the C-Mags I had left went out with all un-cashed “VOIDED” checks for orders I was unable to fill.

Maybe with the current problems, your return check was delayed. In any case, I’m so certain that if is stolen no one will be able to cash it. I wrote VOID across it with a thick permanent marker, if someone cashes it I will pay for it.

FYI: Delivery confirmation is crap, I tried to use it and half of the time was wrong, if you have something that is super sensitive, like a firearm (guns FFL to FFL only) or high value, send it U. S. Registered mail.

I hope to in the future have more magazines, If and when I do, will post on AR15.com and subguns.com.

May Gob Bless the United States of America

(Actually I know he did, by giving us President Bush over Gore)

I like it when things like this really [i]are[/i] misunderstandings that get worked out.  Good to hear.

You dick! I was going to buy that M16.. was making plans to drive down there and look at it when he called me back saying he received a check for it.. Oh well enjoy :)