A warning to all consumers interested in purchasing kits.


Thread reference:  www.gunco.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22373


I purchased a Yugo RPK-47 kit from Centerfiresystems for the amount of $411.00

I added a hand select fee to ensure that I received a good kit.

The standard shipping was $9.99 as advertised.


The kit was listed as the following (they have since modified their website. (I have a screen shot of the original below):


VERY RARE!

•FIXED STOCK VERSION
•Stamped Receiver
•Limited Availability
•Partially Coiled Barrel
•Heavy Barrel
•Yugo Mfg.
•Model M72B1
•21-1/4" Finned Barrel
•Barrel has 14mm left hand threads at muzzle end with a muzzle nut not a muzzle brake.
•Barrel NOT Chrome-Lined
•Cleaning Rod With Kit
•No Bayonet Lug
•Overall Length approx. 31-7/8"
•Excellent Blued Finish
•Matching Numbers on Kit
•Comes with a Bipod
•Accepts any AK Double Stick Mag
•Has a Conventional Type Buttstock
•Cut to BATF Specs



The kit I received had the following problems:



  1. NON matching numbers
  2. Heavy finish wear.
  3. Shot out barrel, a wolf 7.62x39 round sitting in the crown of the barrel rested on the neck of the case,  clearly the round would have never made contact with the rifling.
  4. They clearly did not honor the hand select as the kit was in very poor condition.

I returned the kit, I was told by Donna that I would be refunded and my shipping (both return shipping and initial shipping) would be covered.



I am told that my account has been credited a return for the amount of $411.67.

The cost of return was approximately $16.00



The cost of return shipping was not included in my refund.



I have checked with my Credit Card Company concerning a credit to my account and it has not been received. I did talk with Matt at Centerfire assuring me it has been refunded. Granted it usually takes 3-4 days for it to show on a credit card account, so I will wait to see what happens.



My point:



I would strongly advise against purchasing anything from Centerfiresystems based on the experience I have had with them.



  1. Their parts and or kits are usually not as advertised.
  2. They don’t honor their word when they say they will cover expenses for their mistake.
  3.  Its buyer beware with these guys, you may get lucky and get something nice; however a lot of people have run into similar situations as I have. In the end if your kit isn’t up to spec, it will cost you money.



I have a link on my website to Centerfire advertising kits (which I am not paid to do), which will be coming off tonight.



My advice:

Other vendors advertise the same kind of parts and or kits. Some times these vendors charge more for the kits. Go with a trusted vendor even if it is more expensive to do so. Roger at Copes distributing is a very good business man. In my experience he is honest about his merchandise and will willingly disclose any problems with it prior to purchase. In my opinion it is poor business to treat a customer is this fashion. Companies who engage in these practices will loose me as a future customer every time.



If you read this post in its entirety, consider yourself warned.  

sadly I'm not suprised.

call, bitch, send it back.  its pretty much all you can do at this point unless you want to build a custom barrel

That sucks.  On a different note, The Romy G kit I bought from them was near perfect.

That's too bad.  

Is that piston BENT?

FUGLY!! 'Nuf sed.

Quoted: Is that piston BENT?

repeat after me:

AK PISTONS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME PLAY AT THE CARRIER

Quoted: Quoted: Is that piston BENT? repeat after me: AK PISTONS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME PLAY AT THE CARRIER

LOL!!!  

DAMN ,  Dude , that looks just like a kit i got from FLORIDA GUN WORKS , real POS --- looks to me if you pushed just a little harder on that wolf round in muzzle half of the "brass" case would go in !!!

Quoted: Quoted: Is that piston BENT? repeat after me: AK PISTONS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME PLAY AT THE CARRIER

OK I did that, now people at work are looking at me funny. What next?

Tagged for the response.  

 

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Is that piston BENT? repeat after me: AK PISTONS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME PLAY AT THE CARRIER OK I did that, now people at work are looking at me funny. What next?

pushups.



in all seriousness, it is not bent it is just at a slightly odd angle due to the wobble that it is supposed to have

That is F'd up like a football bat.

I'm not surprised. With Centerfire (and most vendors) you have to go by the 1/2 rule. What ever they say or advertise, expect 1/2 of that. Follow that rule and you will never be disapionted.

...but they're so nice on the phone...

That is why they have women pimp their products on the net. Had the exact same experience with 4 seperate kits in that they would not refund the shipping and advertised excellent product to only deliver trash. CFS knows they are sending shit out on purpose to play the odds that you will not bitch and accept or fail to inspect in the 3 day inspection period. Other better vendors here give you 30 days return rights and give a drop tag from UPS so you are only out of time and not also money.

Hootbro

Well, from the picture with the gas block I think I figured out what they mean by "partially coiled barrel"

Quoted: That is why they have women pimp their products on the net. Had the exact same experience with 4 seperate kits in that they would not refund the shipping and advertised excellent product to only deliver trash. CFS knows they are sending shit out on purpose to play the odds that you will not bitch and accept or fail to inspect in the 3 day inspection period. Other better vendors here give you 30 days return rights and give a drop tag from UPS so you are only out of time and not also money. Hootbro

Yeah, I agree.  Having dealt with Centerfire and read the stories on three different gun boards I don't think I would ever order from them again.

"The Drama"!!! Your OVEREACTING....

Shit Happens... Whens the last time you smeared McDonalds Or Wendys for screwing up your take out?

16$ is worth it to learn about the 1/2 rule, but you were right to return it.

When was the last time you saw a cheeseburger go for $411.00?

Just so you know, I was well aware of the twisted grading system used kit dealers use (even though its different for each). This is not the first time I have ever bought a surplus kit, this is the first time the kit I got sucked big time.

ya ok.

I tend to agree with 1IV. I ordered their $199 Yugo/Romy combo a while back knowing it probably wouldn't be good. I took a $12 gamble on return shipping as well. You can't ever expect what is in writing when dealing with surplus firearms. If I avoided vendors due to poor reviews there wouldn't be anyone left to order from. You know there is a reason they dropped the price from $500 to $380 on these kits. Live and learn. Pony up the extra $$$ and order one from Copes. I'm glad I did.

Quoted: 'snip'.... This is not the first time I have ever bought a surplus kit, this is the first time the kit I got sucked big time. ya ok.

It happens. Welcome to reality. I received a Tantal kit  from a vendor on this site (3rd total, 1st from this vendor) that makes your RPK look almost mint. I returned it and they made good.....end of story.

I am not saying it does not happen.

I am saying they have not made good yet, as some are pointing out with counter examples.

IE: NO Refund has been recorded.
IE: NO return shipping refund was even allegedly issued.

In addition to that, the idea is to share information with others concerning possible issues. This in turn will allow others to make better decisions.

Decisions such as:

1. To order with a credit card.
2. To take photos of what they ordered when it arrives.
3. To copy webpage’s or documents which describe the item they purchase.
4. Where to buy to get a good kit


The idea is to have vendor represent/describe products correctly and fix mistakes.

I don't know how others feel about owning shot out surplus kits, but in my opinion they are just a pile of metal. You can look at them, use the good parts as spares; you can assemble them and have your bullets impact the target sideways.

I personally would rather forgo owning something that won’t shoot well. I don't need it that bad. So to respond to the concern of kits not being offered as a result of poor product quality; I don't need the kits if they are junk.

Not surprised. I ordered the 4 for $20 and 2 of the mags were worthless Bent/crimped feedlips. Rather than call them and bitch I tossed them. I should have taken pics for proof but too lazy to. You get what you pay for.

When an advertisement says EXCELLENT condition and ALL MATCHING #'s, thats what it should be!!!! The general grading system to firearms and parts has some room for OPINION in it, but is pretty strict and well defined, and is used  by SCRUPULOUS sellers. There is no room for OPINION in a matching # issue---it either has them or doesn't, and force matched should be well noted if thats the case.

Getting the wrong happy meal IS NOT the same thing.

I wish I had your luck with them. I would have liked to purchase more however now I am sure I am black listed and well I just don't trust them after this.

Thanks for the heads up. I was always skeptical of CFS, but this reinforces my belief that I would NEVER do business with them.

So instead of asking for them to exchange the bad kit for a "good" one you would rather come here and bad mouth them?

I've received very nice kits from centerfire in the past .I would not buy another yugo from them again!with all the fuck around of sending kits back & forth it gets pretty old. You can certainly pay for hand select , I promise you this means nothing more than an extra $20 in there pocket! they got screwed on the yugo's &  they are more than willing to pass the srewing on to you!the odds are not good you'll get a nice kit. the soldiers who used them abused them. so the moral of the storry is kids don't buy a used car (yugo kit gun) sight unseen.by the way there are nice yugo kits out there but they are rare. Hence century arms has new barrels put on there's.
.R1150R

In other news,..... If you stand in the rain, you get wet!

OK everyone.

My account has been credited for the amount of: $401.67.

My initial charges were for $411.96

Thus they did not cover the return shipping nor did they cover the initial shipping.

The receipt I received in the mail stated the following about the condition of the kit:

“Yugo RPK w/ Fixed rifle stock
Carved stock, dark bore 7.62x39’

Ironically they do actually describe the kits condition correctly on the receipt.

Like I said, Centerfiresystems has very poor business practices.

1. They did not refund the initial shipping as promised.
2. They did not refund the return shipping as promised. -$16.95
3. They misrepresented their product.

Personal Opinion: DO NOT buy from CFS.

Time for round two, I hope these guys know how to tap dance.

drobs - I asked them for a replacement however they did not have one which matched the initial orders specs.

Yes, I do feel justified to bad mouth these people (especially now). If your going to treat a customer this way you better believe I am going to let others know about it.

In the end I am sure this little flop will cost them more than $26.00

Call your CC company and tell them CFS is trying to rip you off.
Get your big dogs in the fight.

Funny, no mention of that in your original post.
I sat here and on gunsnet watching that website for changes in your original post a couple days ago.

I would call them up Monday and get the 2 people that you talked to + their manager on a conference call and complain about the lack of freight being reimbursed after being promised.  

However, with how you wrote this post, I highly doubt they will reimburse you your freight charges.

drobs - I didn't mention it b/c I already knew what they were doing. I called them and was told my account was to be refunded. I didn't think that it was all that important since my post was centered around the lack of funds being refunded and poor business.

I also didn't mention that I called them on two seperate occations asking about the condition of their product or the e-mail I wrote (which I never got a reply).

I would call them, however I have already done that when I asked about the refund. They keep saying they don't know anything about the promise made by Debra.

I know I can get the $10.00 back but I have a feeling that return shipping is gone for good.

I really don't enjoy blasting companies, infact this is the only time I have had these issues.

BulletBait - yeah im already on that.

Thanks for the help