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Posted: 10/15/2002 6:27:37 PM EDT
This is what I sent to COLT to be refinished;
This is the CAR under restoration. The upper is the guns original piece. You can see the damage from an as yet unspoken accident that occured before I bought it. There are marks on the upper, lower and telestock buffer tube. They are light dings but deep enough not to be able to be completely erased. The lower was sent off for refinishing without the upper for some sort of coating before I bought it. I originally sent it in 5-3-2002, 164 days ago after being promised approx 35 day turnaround and that they could finish in the proper COLT GREY color as the original rifle. Two weeks later receive letter informing me Black is only color available, call in to confirm bad news, advise them to go ahead anyway. At least it will be factory I figured. Waited about 30 days, called in and the less-than-helpful Maria chick knew nothing, have to call the "guys in the custom shop" tomorrow and let me know. No call back next day. So I called, talked to rude a$$hole Michael guy who knew nothing, have to call the "guys in the custom shop" tomorrow and let me know. No call back next day. Finally after 4 days I found out that my rifle was waiting still for some batch to get big enough to send out. 6 weeks, no progress. Get helpful/polite Cindy on the phone, no problem, rifle will be refinished this week. Decide to wait. Call next week, less-than-helpful Maria chick who knew nothing, have to call the "guys in the custom shop" tomorrow and let me know. Figured out to ask for helpful/polite Cindy everytime. Called helpful/polite Cindy next day, bad news, rifle was refinished but the lowers front pivot pin area was broken off during reassembly. They will pull a lower from production, machine it to match old A1 slabside style and put in line to be refinished, be 30-40 more days till I see it. I tell them leave it A2 (mag fence), Cindy appologizes profusely and says no problem about A2. Call back later 40-50 days, can't recall, rifle is still in refinishing, ship next week. Call back next week leave message for helpful/polite Cindy to check status. She leaves message on my voice mail, rifle will ship Thursday 10-4. I call to confirm, possibly get tracking info. Helpful/polite Cindy tells me "guys in the custom shop" said it was made wrong, the front pivot pin is large pin instead of milspec, won't go together with my upper. Cindy appologizes profusely, gives me manager of Custom shops number, guy named Dick, whom I call, no return call, I am freaked out for a while. Then I call back to tell them to put an offset adapter pin in it and get it back to me. Then the story changes (clarifies) to the hammer/trigger pin holes are "large pin" instead of milspec. The front pivot pin is standard milspec as it should be. Seems they special pulled my fenced/reinforced but green label SN# lower out to mill the hammer/trigger pin holes and the machine was setup with the oversize drills, whoops. The option I had was They will pull a lower from production, machine it to have smaller milspec T-D-H holes and then put in line to be refinished, be 30-40 more days till I see it. Or I can take the botched lower. Helpful/polite Cindy throws me a bone and offers a new upper receiver, my choice (probably so they don't have to finish my old one, don't care really). I tell Helpful/polite Cindy they can make it right by giving me new (obviously)trigger/hammer/disconnector in "large-pin", give me a trigger job and make it an A3 flattop and also "check the buffer tube for scratches". She promises it will ship asap and she will forward tracking info. This was on 10-7-02. I get a call on 10-8 saying rifle shipped and delivery is 10-10-02. 10-10-02, no rifle, 10-11-02, no rifle, then the weekend. Monday I call to get tracking info from Helpful/polite Cindy who appologizes profusely saying the "guys in the custom shop" were supposed to ship 2-day and instead shipped ground. I use tracking number to find out that it has been delivered!!! On my PORCH, just laying there. I am an hour away, the beastly children of my neighborhood are out of school in 20 minutes. I call my mom who lives 1/2 mile from my house to go rescue it. She does, whewwwww! I about sh!t when I opened the box. It is a totally different weapon than what I sent in. It used to be A1, now A3 and they gave me a free carry handle (+) The upper is marked "M4" and features proper feed ramp cuts (+) . The lower is unblocked (+) , has mag release fence (unlike the lower I sent in) (+). Far as I know it is the only Green label slabside to be factory manufactured to have a mag fence and other lower receiver reinforcements on the buffer tube threaded area. They refinished my barrel (+), looks brand new. They gave me a new collapsable stock and buffer tube(+). The gas tube is new or replaced(+). They gave me a new trigger (+) (stainless finish never seen one like it!!) and it is two-stage exactly 70ozs, crisp. The hammer-trigger-disconnector are the "large pin", non-milspec size but those controls did get a factory trigger job to make for a very usable trigger pull. Previous aluminum marks from several disassemblies on the bbl are now gone(+). There were also scratches on the bayo lug and top of bbl from mounting a bayonet. It is minty clean now, no signs of use(+). It is basically now a Government Carbine but in A3 Flattop with a free factory carry handle, full trigger job, M4 factory upper, perfect matching matte black finish and new stock.(++++++++) There is one small nick/scratch on the left middle edge of the buffer lock plate, barely noticeable. Not currently for sale ..|.. ..|.. THIS IS WHAT I GOT BACK; Below is an album of many more comparative pictures of the before and after results, enjoy; www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4292200427 |
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hmmm....I dunno what to think of Colt's customer "service" but you've got a great looking carbine!
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Holy F*$king shit!!! What you got is a priceless piece there. Colt went way out of their obligation to restore customer faith. Christ, I think my SP-1 needs to be "run over/ damaged" to get this kind of repair job. I don't care if it took a year. You got a lower replaced with a preban serial number. Hell, Bushmaster does'nt even offer this service.
You are one lucky person. Out-f*$king-standing. Never sell this one. It's priceless. |
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Colt did bad for losing/ breaking your gun, but I believe they more than made up for it. This also goes to show that they can and do make pre-ban serial numbers on new guns :-)
Also, the stainless trigger is their match trigger. It should have a lighter hammer too IIRC. How much did it cost you? |
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I originally paid $225, which for simple refinishing is high. I was planning to sell it immediately on it's return. I would have have had it been a proper 6420 with new finish. Hell, I don't even know what to call this thing, 6420? 6520? GOVT CARBINE? M4-A3 LTWT? |
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Call it "rare Colt collectable, very tactical, maybe even in use with SEALS". :) |
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So does this mean you still intend to sell it???
Inquiring minds want to know..... |
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Postban,
If I had to number it with some sort of Colt model number I'd opt for a " Colt R6420 Government / Tactical Sporter 2 ". Gotta luv the Pony. |
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Great story !! I had a similar problem with refinishing a year ago (not with colt) and had a horrible time getting the company to make good.
BTW.....is that upper **gasp** purple ??? It looks like a lot of the bushy uppers that people complain about. |
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That thing is freaky silky!!!! That's a keeper. I wouldn't sell it.....hang on to it. It does suck that you got such a run around, but I think that it is great that they took care of you so well in order to rectify their mistake.
You know, maybe if Colt made better civilian customer service a priority, more civilians would want their firearms serviced by Colt, thus providing Colt with some MUCH needed income. -REAPER2502 |
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It looks like the firecontrol pins are milspec, but it could just be me and wishful thinking. Can you confirm? Also, it doesn't have the "sear block" pinned in, but does it have the new style "webbing" in it that would prevent the installation of a sear?
Great score, BTW!!! |
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Hey! Did they steal your Taclatch?
Did they do anything with the bolt/carrier? |
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It's my cheapass HP digi cam that does that. It even made an SAR3 look tinted. |
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I pulled the tac-latch prior to shipping. They even returned my "gapper" but installed it upsidedown. You can just make it out in some of the pics. No noticeable mods to bolt or carrier. Both pieces are in about "200 rds fired" condition still. |
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I don't know which is more amazing, the pretty rifle or the story....must be the story.
Congrats on the super service you received. |
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... Wow, am I glad I stumbled onto this thread.
If you would, read similarly related my topic in LEGAL and comment please. Thanks in advance. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=6&t=151797&w=myTopicPop |
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Amazing story and an amazing nearly new rifle.
I'm sure if you were to ever sell it on the EE there would be a huge fist fight over it. |
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Ohhh man! I love it. Absolutely beautiful. I am sorry to hear of your troubles.... ohh wait, on second thought, no i'm not.
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Wow. Great story and a great gun. Sometimes a person just gets lucky that way. I credit you for your patience. I would have been most irate...
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Cool: so did they re-stamp your lower with the same exact design as your old lower?
and is the new "preban" serial number the same as your old number? Cool... maybe I should send in my lower hehe... I have a pre-ban 16.1" M4, and it does not match my Colt-gray lower. I might send it in-- I've been wanting the front take-down pin holes drilled so I can get rid of the screw... I know who to talk to: helpful/polite Cindy! |
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From what I can tell, the markings on your upper receiver appear to be the same as the markings on my M4 upper... COOL! (I was worried...)
www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid35/p2e23c2fd37bd8b87f99b26d43b6eaf15/fd29ab3e.jpg |
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That is a great story. Sounds like it was well worth the wait.
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I received a replacement upper from Colt with the same markings. Apparently Colt made a run of M4 uppers for Diemaco of Canada. What looks like a "D" is Diemaco's logo. |
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postban, what you have there is a colt factory frankengun. i'll get you a thousand bucks for it.
s e e b e l o w JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!! Really, that is one beautiful weapon. If I were you Sir, I would make that baby a "safe queen". You lucky dog. |
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Maybe I cannot see it as well, but mine has a funky looking "c" and what looks like an A with a cutout line across the middle of the upper triangle... I know its Colt, but I never see these markings on post-bans at the gun shows... |
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Energizer, it looks like we have exactly the same upper. I received mine from Colt as an exchange for a "C AF" marked upper that had misaligned feedramps.
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Cool... I've seen many of the C AF uppers. If you look at the DPMS uppers, you will see the "A" with the line across the middle top portion... Maybe each manufacturer that machines on it, adds their mark?
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It seems that Cindy is head and shoulders above her coworkers.
How about sending her boss a really nice letter about how great your dealings with her were compared to everyone else you talked to. BTW- That is one twisted tale you have there. |
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I took delivery of this weapon today..let me tell you guys it is ALL that and more. I hope I don't offend anyone, but this rifle is phreakin bad asp...
Thanks Dan. Thomas |
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Send colt an e-mail with a hot link to this thread. You will praise Cindy and give the others their fame also.
This is a strange story and I wonder what really happened to you rifle at THE CUSTOM SHOP |
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Springfield Armory is the same damn way...the left hand has no clue as to what the right hand is doing in these places.
I am glad that Colt made it super right for you...that is commendable. |
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It's awful to read all of the flaming hoops you had to jump through, but my eyes are falling out of their sockets looking at the end result!
So, if I read this correctly, the only original part you got back was the barrel? Reminds me of the old joke about George Washington's hatchet. Seems a visitor to the museum in Mt. Vernon sees a display - it's a hatchet with a plaque describing it as the one young George used to chop down the cheery tree (yah, it didn't happen, but go with me...). The visitor gets the attention of a museum docent and asks if that is, in fact, the actual hatchet. The docent says, "Oh yes! Yes indeed! Of course, the head was replaced once and it's had 2 new handles since then, but that's the real thing!" I'm jealous of your new "hatchet", man. |
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