This situation is not yet resolved and may change, but I've been thinking about it and it may be in my interest to seek some outside opinions.
Back in the first week of April, I picked up a new WASR10 on transfer through a local FFL. Transfer was $10 more than last time due to, frankly, covid gouging. The store was swarming with people, so I hurried through a quick visual check to make sure I got what I ordered and then got outta there.
At the range the next day, I discovered that the front sight base was so badly canted that there wasn't enough adjustment available to get windage on target. Sigh.
Said FFL has a gunsmith that works out of the store. I offered to have him fix it to save me a return and he refused, claiming that fixing a canted sight is something only the factory can do.
I contacted Century customer service and was told that, due to Indiana laws (?), it was necessary to have an FFL ship the gun. This is extremely weird, as I've shipped several guns myself for warranty service with other companies and received them at my home with no FFL involvement, but I was told by Century that this is how it absolutely has to be done, no exceptions, and I would have to pay a second (increased) transfer fee. They offered to provide the FFL a paid shipping label. I was told that the FFL MUST contact them by email with a ticket number to receive an RMA and shipping label. I put all this information in an email to the FFL, which was not answered.
I drove the rifle to the FFL the next day and found the owner in the process of locking up. They have apparently switched to extremely short hours. I explained the situation, explained that they needed to contact Century for the return, and stood there while he opened his phone and found my email. He accepted the rifle and said it would ship out the next day as soon as they could find a box.
11 days later I emailed Century to follow up and was told they never received communication of any kind from the FFL. I called the FFL and was simply told "yeah we sent it back". No tracking info, no elaboration on what "back" referred to. Century's response to that was that anything sent without an RMA would be refused on the spot and returned to sender. Some of their offices aren't able to accept or deal with firearms whatsoever. Their suggestion was to wait and see whether it washed up at Century or ended up back at the FFL.
Needless to say, I am extremely unhappy with this FFL for completely ignoring my clear and repeated instructions in favor of shoving my $700 rifle into a box and throwing it on the UPS truck to parts unknown. It's been about 16 days since it was left at the FFL with zero indication of where it is from them or Century. Should I just keep waiting? If it doesn't turn up, is there going to be need to get law enforcement or the ATF involved? I've never dealt with anything remotely like this. I just wanted my stupid WASR to shoot straight, like any $700 rifle should out of the box.
Back in the first week of April, I picked up a new WASR10 on transfer through a local FFL. Transfer was $10 more than last time due to, frankly, covid gouging. The store was swarming with people, so I hurried through a quick visual check to make sure I got what I ordered and then got outta there.
At the range the next day, I discovered that the front sight base was so badly canted that there wasn't enough adjustment available to get windage on target. Sigh.
Said FFL has a gunsmith that works out of the store. I offered to have him fix it to save me a return and he refused, claiming that fixing a canted sight is something only the factory can do.
I contacted Century customer service and was told that, due to Indiana laws (?), it was necessary to have an FFL ship the gun. This is extremely weird, as I've shipped several guns myself for warranty service with other companies and received them at my home with no FFL involvement, but I was told by Century that this is how it absolutely has to be done, no exceptions, and I would have to pay a second (increased) transfer fee. They offered to provide the FFL a paid shipping label. I was told that the FFL MUST contact them by email with a ticket number to receive an RMA and shipping label. I put all this information in an email to the FFL, which was not answered.
I drove the rifle to the FFL the next day and found the owner in the process of locking up. They have apparently switched to extremely short hours. I explained the situation, explained that they needed to contact Century for the return, and stood there while he opened his phone and found my email. He accepted the rifle and said it would ship out the next day as soon as they could find a box.
11 days later I emailed Century to follow up and was told they never received communication of any kind from the FFL. I called the FFL and was simply told "yeah we sent it back". No tracking info, no elaboration on what "back" referred to. Century's response to that was that anything sent without an RMA would be refused on the spot and returned to sender. Some of their offices aren't able to accept or deal with firearms whatsoever. Their suggestion was to wait and see whether it washed up at Century or ended up back at the FFL.
Needless to say, I am extremely unhappy with this FFL for completely ignoring my clear and repeated instructions in favor of shoving my $700 rifle into a box and throwing it on the UPS truck to parts unknown. It's been about 16 days since it was left at the FFL with zero indication of where it is from them or Century. Should I just keep waiting? If it doesn't turn up, is there going to be need to get law enforcement or the ATF involved? I've never dealt with anything remotely like this. I just wanted my stupid WASR to shoot straight, like any $700 rifle should out of the box.
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