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Tell me about your out of the box lemons

11K views 89 replies 69 participants last post by  mhiggi02 
#1 ·
I would like to start a simple list type thread listing out of the box malfunctioning firearms. Just about everyone has bought a good name brand pistol that didn't function well out of the box.

If this list grows one could read back through the list looking for particular models they are interested in in buying, and could then infer chances of a lemon by the number that needed work.

I would also ask that the super cheap brands up to and including Taurus be left off the list as to not bogg it down.

Just a simple when, what, and type of malfunctions that occurred.
 
#3 ·
I had a Wilson Combat KZ45C and a SA Loaded full size stainless that gave me issues... Both would FTE the Wilson a lot more than the SA.
 
#5 ·
You don't realize how lucky... A lemon is a very disheartening thing!
 
#6 ·
I have a Kahr CM9 that I had a prob with right out of the box Feb. 2012. I went to the range first time and had the slide stick back almost each round fired. I was using WWB, Hornandy and American eagle ammo. I did all the prep mentioned on Kahrtalk.com etc. I ended up sending it back to the factory. It was gone for three weeks. When I got it back it was flawless. I love the accuracy, trigger pull and size of the little beast. I glad I stuck with it. It now has 500+ rounds thur and is my EDC. :danceban:
 
#8 ·
I have a Kahr CM9 that I had a prob with right out of the box. I went to the range first time and had the slide stick back almost each round fired. I was using WWB, Hornandy and American eagle ammo. I did all the prep mentioned on Kahrtalk.com etc. I ended up sending it back to the factory. It was gone for three weeks. When I got it back it was flawless. I love the accuracy, trigger pull and size of the little beast. I glad I stuck with it. It now has 500+ rounds thur and is my EDC. :danceban:
I have a feeling the ultra small kahr models may have quite a showing here but this thread is as much about dismissing notions as confirming so maybe it will prove me wrong.
 
#7 ·
One of our three LCPs - had smiley face jams. Took two trips back to Ruger, but they fixed it up just fine.

Kahr - ugh. Don't even want to go there...
 
#16 ·
Back when the Smith and Wesson SW9M's came out (small, ccw 9mm Sigma) I bought one from the LGS and between the FTE's and FTF's and sending it back to Smith 3 times with no positive results, the LGS owner let me trade it back in at full new-gun value toward a Smith and Wesson 642. Great trade.
'
 
#20 ·
My Rock Island Armory 1911 GI model had constant nosedives, even with ball ammo.

Changed mags, had it "tuned up" by a local gunsmith (not cheap), only to get it to so-so reliability.

Sent it back to Rock Island (which I should have done first), and it turned out to be an out-of-spec mag catch.

Runs like a sewing machine now.
 
#21 ·
Short barrel (Pro Carry) Kimber 45ACP - Bought new, multiple problems! Dealer said "Shoot it lots, these have to get broken in..." 500+ rounds with lots of FTFs and FTEs.

After the first trip back to the factory, factory rep said "Shoot it more, these have to get broken in." 500 more rounds. Then "Try different ammo!" Then "Try different magazines!" Six more weeks of shooting, lots of different ammo, a pile of different magazines, and letting numerous others prove that it was a jam-o-matic, it went back a second time.

After the second trip home to the factory, it was still a jam-o-matic. By then, the dealer had made enough selling me ammo and magazines and bought it back.
 
#23 ·
A Colt Defender, .45 Straight out of the box, it would eject shells straight back into my forehead....
Took it to Nelson Ford, supposedly the best 1911 gunsmith on the planet.... NEVER EVER ran right after that, jammed, FTE, FTF's etc. I never got a complete magazine through
that gun again, after 4 trips and several months of waiting for him to fix it.... finally traded it in on a Kimber Ultra CDP II, no issues.
 
#25 ·
Ruger mark III. had a bad trigger. You had to reset it by pushing it forward after every shot. after arguring with the store where I bought it for about a week they finally exchanged it for another one and I have had no problems since. Would you believe they said it just had too much oil on it and that I would have to take this brand new gun and pay to have it shipped back to Ruger myself ?:mad: I never went back to that shop again!
 
#30 ·
I had a similar trigger reset issue with a Ruger Mk II. I eventually traced it to a tiny bit of dirt on a trigger bar link.

FYI - Ruger will usually pay the freight both ways. They have excellent customer service.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Man, do I feel lucky. Never a bad purchase, new or used. Any issues could be traced to me or my reloads, both of which can be corrected.
 
#28 ·
Two Kahr PM9's and three Kahr P380's, none of which operated flawlessly even after several times back to the maker, proper break-in period before contacting the maker, many hundreds of rounds beyond the suggested break-in, and a wide variety of ammo in the search for something that would work properly. None of these pistols ever did.

And one STI Shadow 1911 .45ACP, which came with a poorly-fitted slide stop and marginally-tuned extractor. Led to many failures to feed, which improved a bit as round-count progressed, but never resolved itself even after a couple of trips back to STI for correction. Changed to a different brand stop, tuned the extractor, and then all the jams ceased. Bulletproof, after that.
 
#31 ·
Walther P99...took it straight to he range after one mag realized that it was firing wild shots, even from a benchrest all landed low left with no real grouping. Took it back to the dealer, he fired a few and figured out the barrel was warped. Got a new one and a prepaid visa with $200 and an apology from the LGS owner. 300+ rounds no problems.
 
#32 ·
10thmtn that may be true, but these folks told me I would have to pay to have it shipped and as I said this was a brand new gun right out of the box. If I buy something new and it dose not work I expect the seller to make it right or give me my money back. They had my money and all I had was a gun that would not work . When I spend a few hundred bucks for something I expect it to do what I bought it to do.
I bought a Tarus .380 at another shop and it would not feed any ammo without two or three jams per mag. I took it back and they exchanged it for a LCP and threw in a extra mag for my trouble. That is what I call customer service.
 
#33 ·
Bought one of the first Remington 1187's what PETA piece of junk that was! Did'ent matter what choke what load if a bird got up in front of that "shotgun" it was safe.

Bought a SIG c3 1911 that thing wouldent run but it would crack those SIG MIM barrel bushings.

When I was 13 or 14 I saved for half a year & bought a Winchester model 190 .22 (new) a jammer, back to the factory two maybe three times & at least twice to different gunsmiths and every time 4, 5 rounds a jam! Still have it, could never bring myself to trade off . Guess I don't like to make people mad.

I'm sure I have made myself forget some others.

That's what I like about hunters & shooters, if they get a firearm that's a lemon they are not shy about telling the world & I think that's why we do have so many good firearms on the market today!
 
#34 ·
Three different Taurus polymer pistols. PT145, PT111, 24/7 Pro. First two a live round in the chamber, seized the slide, sheared off the safety.....FUBAR. The 24/7 couldn't hit paper at two feet and was a complete jam-o-matic.

Several trips to Miami, and they all came back fine and have had no issues since. Local GS offered me $100 for each of them.....so I still have two of them. I gave the PT111 to my ex-wife as a going away present. heheheheh....paybacks can be had in very mysterious ways.
 
#35 ·
Colt Commander LW XSE. First 50 rounds shot fine, next rounds would not fire after 1st rd in mag was shot. Felt like safety was engaged. Had to pull hammer further down and then fire single shots repeating this. Took it to GS he polished sear spring, and mainspring. Ran fine after that. Only 150 rds through it thus far.
 
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