Weatherby - Whats a fair resolve for this mess

[ANARCHIST]

My son acquired a NEW Mark V SLS - he called and was quoted $160 for the accu brake - he sends the rifle back, a month later he gets a quote almost $300 that's not GOOD.

My son goes ahead and agrees, 2.5 months later his card is billed & rifle shows up at house, box looks good, I notice rifle loose in box, I open box to inspect and report to my son in Ft Hood.

This is what I am dealing with, Weatherby is trying to blame UPS and side step in my opinion bad packing at their custom shop - What is a fair resolve on this mess?

Honestly over the years my dealings with Weatherby have always been excellent, customer service is second to none till now.

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[bigngreen]

Tell my you guys didn't ship the barreled action in that box to them!! There is a 100% chance of damage shipping loose barreled actions, I can't believe the trigger made it!

 

[Dr. Vette]

Tell my you guys didn't ship the barreled action in that box to them!! There is a 100% chance of damage shipping loose barreled actions, I can't believe the trigger made it!

Agreed.
If it left you like that, then be happy it made it at all.

If Weatherby shipped it like that, then I'd put the blame back on them.
I've sent barreled actions back to them for rebluing and other work, and they came back in a similar box but much better packed. If that's all there was to protect it in shipping then they let you down.

 

[HARPERC]

I'd say if it broke shipping it to them they should have reported that damage on arrival.

They hired UPS to ship it so dealing with them is their headache, just like if whoever they hired to install the brake screwed up.

Climb the Weatherby ladder with calls and letters until someone takes ownership.

 

[Dosh]

I've never had a bad experience with Weatherby, but what appears to be a bit of styro and cardboard isn't much protection for the sharp end of the tang. With the handling UPS employs and the packing, I'm surprised the barreled action didn't punch completely through. Might check the trigger also. I've read on the Weatherby forum nothing but great customer service. Perhaps additional aggressive prompting of their CS will resolve this. Good luck

 

[ANARCHIST]

Tell my you guys didn't ship the barreled action in that box to them!! There is a 100% chance of damage shipping loose barreled actions, I can't believe the trigger made it!

Went in a heavy cardboard tube with plastic caps - Yes the rifles are carefully inspected upon arrival at WBY any tiny mark is noted.

UPS requires packages be able to sustain a drop from X # of feet in order to ship, that 4.5lb razor shard spear "TANG" sliced through the box fairly easy I would say, hitting concrete or a solid metal floor, it may have happened at shipping dept at WBY and was given to UPS like that.

The trigger kept the rifle in the box is my thought - is this really happening you have to ask yourself, a shotgun box to send back the companies flagship rifle? really they don't have proper fitting Styrofoam box like they did years ago?

Many years of awesome customer service and now Kimber type CS pass the blame.

Whoever boxed that rifle should be fired for that neglect.

 

[Bullet bumper]

This looks like someone just bounced the package up and down on the concrete floor .
I would say that the postal or delivery service chain is at fault for the damage .
Weatherby has done you no favors by shipping in a box with Weatheby in big letters on the box and very poorly protected .
Write to Weatherby and make a claim to replace the goods due to bad packaging . Whoever packaged that firearm should be fired.
This is why I do as much of my own gunsmithing as I can and what I can't do I take myself to a local gunsmith and pick it up . That way I inspect the firearm before I pay . Sometime I just don't worry about warranty and fix it myself .
There is a lot of sick mental cases in the postal service hence the term "gone postal ".
I would not be surprised if it was dropped purposely . Hope Weatherby does the right thing .

 

[BountyHunter]

My son acquired a NEW Mark V SLS - he called and was quoted $160 for the accu brake - he sends the rifle back, a month later he gets a quote almost $300 that's not GOOD.

My son goes ahead and agrees, 2.5 months later his card is billed & rifle shows up at house, box looks good, I notice rifle loose in box, I open box to inspect and report to my son in Ft Hood.

This is what I am dealing with, Weatherby is trying to blame UPS and side step in my opinion bad packing at their custom shop - What is a fair resolve on this mess?

Honestly over the years my dealings with Weatherby have always been excellent, customer service is second to none till now.

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It was poorly packed by weatherby for sure and what was it insured for but due to packing shipper is not liable?

If it was not insured, UPS will not pay other than the $100 base coverage.

I would write a letter to CEO Weatherby and include pictures. Bet you will get satisfaction. Plus if you see the comments below, the shipper was obviously negligent and the insurer will not cover based on your photos IMO.

On the other side, both UPS and FEDEX only offer $100 coverage. You can purchase additional but it technically is not insurance, it is "additional coverage". If you have ever filed a claim with them, they wil normally deny but here is how to get around it. I have made them pay several times.

Liability of shippers/carriers is controlled by the Carmack Amendment of 1906 to the Interstate Commerce Act which "makes carriers liable for the full actual loss, damage, or injury*** caused by them to property they transport and declares unlawful and void any contract, regulation or tariff, or other means of limiting liability. "

The statute codifies that a carrier is liable for damage to goods transported UNLESS it can show the damage was cause by one of the following exceptions allowed by law:

a. the act of God,
b. public enemy
c. the act of the shipper himself
d. Public Authority
e. the inherent vice or nature of the goods.

Those are the ONLY exceptions for the carrier. Since they cannot show any of those they are on the hook.

By the way, this was specifically upheld the US Supreme Court ruling in Missouri Pacific Railroad vs. Elmore & Stahl, (1964).. The above comments were taken from the Supreme Court decision.

FEDEX can pay the claim OR end up in court, where they will pay the claim AND my costs for filing and attorney!!!!

Everyone should keep this statement above and use it if needed.

 

[ctw]

I'm just curious here. Did you have your package insured?; and if so is there any course of action thru that? I would have to go along with what bullet bumper just said. There is a lot of crazy liberal bunny huggers out there that have no respect for your property and don't care as long as it makes them feel good while they destroy it. I am of the opinion that Weatherby would not be so careless with your rifle at their facility. Customer service means everything to them. But shipping it back to you in a box like that does seem rather careless. cww

 

[Dr. Vette]

My son acquired a NEW Mark V SLS - he called and was quoted $160 for the accu brake - he sends the rifle back, a month later he gets a quote almost $300 that's not GOOD.

FYI, the SLS is blackened stainless. I'm not sure exactly what process Weatherby used to do this, but I suspect it's what increased the costs of the Accubrake installation. They likely had to re-blacken part or all of the barrel, and possibly the brake itself.

I had one NIB SLS that I sold a while back, and still have one that's used. I found that carbon cleaner (for barrels) will remove the blackening material, so I had mine Cerakoted so that I could clean the barrel and never worry about it.

I suspect that the tang will have to be reworked on this rifle and the entire assembly re-blackened again.

 

[BountyHunter]

Looking at your photos again, Weatherby did not pack it correctly. The barreled action was loose in an area designed for a complete rifle it looks like and it clearly punctured the end of the box do to that.

No way insurance is going to cover this as it is shippers fault (Weatherby). Only recourse is to go directly to CEO of Weatherby with photos IMO.

 

[ANARCHIST]

Hey gents this is still up in the air with Weatherby..

The price of the break install was $160 + $100 service fee "they forgot to mention that fee on phone" + Pa. tax - the fee was for packing & return shipping.. Maybe I should of paid an extra $100 for a proper fitting box? they did not refinish for the break install.

I can be honest and say the customer service has really dropped since the 80's & mid 1990's when they replaced the last rifle under warranty. NOT VERY HAPPY they are still tire kicking.

I like to give them the chance to make this right & grinding the tang is not even something we would call reasonable given how the rifle was damaged, and it was a NEW unfired rifle from a major chain store.

EDIT: damage was return from Weatherby so whatever they insure for, however it was not packed properly and that Wby agreed on, the shipping company is not liable.

On another note finally tested the Smith Ent break on the 30-378 along with a ebay break - post a link soon

 

[ANARCHIST]

Replace the receiver or credit towards one of their inflated price rifles that's their resolve - I would like to get a check for what the rifle is worth & never buy another of their product AGAIN..

Judy Sonne is our cs rep - nice enough however this situation is not reasonable & its gone on way too long - not what I would expect from them.

 

[ANARCHIST]

Sorry guys I been away & extremely busy this summer to get this closed, my wife & Judy Sonne argued out a resolve and a NIB rifle was shipped in along with some cash from us - it was a fair resolve.

Wow onto the next mess with Weatherby and our younger son, this one is just as bad or worse.