I just purchased on line a Weatherby AccuMark in 340 WM and am extremely disappointed.  The rifle was advertised on  "GunBroker" through a gun store, not a private party type sale.  Brand new in box.  The rifle was advertised as coming with the factory installed Accubrake.  I have no desire to shoot a 340 WM without one.  So of course, when I opened the package - no muzzle brake!  It is brand new in box, all papers fine, so I presume someone shipping made a mistake.  I've just sent e-mail to the store & will call tomorrow, but I'm hoping someone can help me do my homework.

I put the purchase on a credit card so stopping payment is not a problem.  And there is no ambiguity.  If anyone wants to go to GunBroker look up auction 41432244.  Clearly says with Accubrake.

Now my best solution is that they have another is stock, I'll mail this back to them, they'll ship back to me & we're fine.  I think they should pay for all shipping.  I also think they should pay for the $60.00 I'm going to have to spend again to do CA transfer paperwork - anyone disagree?

I'm anticipating they will want to knock off some $$$ and have me keep this rifle.  Fine by me.  I think the amount they take should be equivilent to cost of Weatherby installing the Accubrake on the rifle PLUS shipping costs to & from factory.  Anyone have experience dealing with Weatherby on this?  Cost, turnaround time? 

I presume if a brake is installed by anyone other than Weatherby the factory warranty will be voided - correct?

Thanks for your help.

They will probably stand behind it, and you should be able to get a MB put on locally. I'm with King, though, and would skip the MB.

 I'd also skip the brake but of course we aren't you. It will only be a pain off the bench. A Past recoil shield works wonders for range work.  Wearing one of these I can get in a comfortable range session with any gun I own or have owned.

That being said you absolutely deserve what you paid for and should not except anything less. If the guy proves to be a jerk let us know. You'd be surprised the power the internet has in keeping crooks in line.

Thanks for the support and I will definately let everyone know how things work out.  I don't mind the recoil, I just wanted to put a $19.00 Tasco on it and figured the brake would keep the scope in one piece!

Just kidding.  Am I overestimating the recoil from this thing?  It seems to weigh about 8lbs.  I routinely fire an AR in 338 Lapua Mag with brake and have to say, it's much heavier and I think the thing would have a helluva wallop without it.  I'm 6'4" but only about 190 - right handed & left eyed so I shoot off my not so sturdy left shoulder.  I don't think I'm recoil shy, 300 H & H is no problem nor 375 H & H Encore or 375 JDJ Contender handgun. 

in the original post... i think you are right in expecting the dealer to stand behind the product, and cough up shipping and insurance both ways. and while i think he should also at least split the x-fer costs, i don't think he will... this is the difference between a top notch business and 'just another business'. the better business will take the x-fer fees on themselves...

regarding the brake... i would skip it, too. over time w/ focused practice, recoil can be overcome. part of the practice is to know when to quit shooting, too. at any rate, i would not brake it.

best of luck to you.

OK, lets say I don't get the brake.  The cost of the rifle - taking into account prices can vary alot on line - did include the cost of a brake.  I should get the cost reduced by the amount of the brake, right? 

and install costs. i couldn't tell you for sure what that is, but i don't think a $150 - 200 refund is out of line...

There's a meticulous little fellow at the range who shoots a Winchester 52.  Puts out his ammo in neat little rows, organizes his targets and such.  I never did much care for the fellow.

Just kidding.  I may not get the brake installed.  Range session this weekend will tell.

By the way, the gun store reneged on their offer.  Their reason - get this - was that they post alot of stuff on Gun Broker and can't be expected to have it 100% accurate.  They said I can return the thing but they'll subtract 20% - that's about $300.00 PLUS I'm out the FFL transfer cost of $70.00.  Their add, their mistake - they expect me to eat the $$$?

Kingpin - you read my mind - see below.  Now when is that damed tube top gonna drop?!

Just wanted to let everyone know the results I had from spending $1400.00 on a Weatherby 340 Accumark with "Buds Gun Shop".

The gun was advertised by them as coming with an Accubrake.  I confirmed this with them by phone.  The gun arrived without a brake and their response was "send it back, but we'll charge a 20% restocking fee".  That's almost $300.00 - the brake costs only $150.00 factory installed.

They admit their add was wrong.  Their excuse? Their ads are not always accurate because they post alot of them, I should have known that.  Check out 41432244 and remember - they admit what you see (and read) isn't what you get.

I asked them to reduce the cost by the amount of the factory installed brake - and I'd even pay the shipping to Weatherby to have it done - and they said no.  They offered to drop the 20%, but I'd still be out transfer & other costs - about $75.00.

All I wanted was what they advertised and what I paid for - what could be simpler?

Finally, they wrote an e-mail threatening to change their positive feedback on me to negative if I posted complaint.  Safe to say no more "Buds Gun Shop" for me - ever. 

  I'd start with filing a complaint with gunbroker. Then I'd remind them politely that "word of mouth" advertising is a powerfull thing on the internet, especially when it involves a negative like getting the wrong gun and then claiming they shouldn't be held responsible for posting an accurate ad. Here is what I'd do... Go to accurate reloading and simply post your experience, no need to get nasty but name names. I bet it will snowball. I've seen it happen many times and I've seen companys pressured into doing the right thing. Like I said simply post a truthfull account of your experience, keep it polite and see what happens. I suggest accurate reloading because it's a huge site with a lot of people who buy lots of guns. One thing you can do in the future is inspect the rifle before you take ownership of it legally. If it isn't up to snuff do not fill out the paper work. Contact the seller and tell him you're going to call your credit card company and cancel the payment. Don't sign any transfer papers till you have everything promised you in hand.

 As for the rifle it will kick, no doubt about it and no way around it. As already posted part of the deal is knowing when to call it quits. You won't get a range session in on it like you would with a varmint caliber. A rifle rest will help a great deal, off bags it will pound the snot out of you. I still would leave the brake off and don't brake my large rifles.

You will get nothing, unless you stop payment on your charge card.  I'd not take a credit...they will just dishonor it later.  An immediate refund would be OK.  You only have a limited time to challenge the charge thru the credit card company.

Either decide to stop payment and they tell them in exchange for a "complete release" you will pay the amount minus $200.

I had on Accubrake installed by Weatherby (for my brother); it cost more than $200.  Other non-weatherby brakes are much cheaper, but it does reduce the resale value of your gun.

BEAR

If it looks too good to be true...it isn't true.

BEAR

second thought.

Lots of "new in Box" internet sales and many in Shotgun News are in fact factory returns.  It may not be ethical but every manufacture re-sells the returns, with full factory new warranty.  And they usually put it in a new box.  It might be perfect, it might not.  If you pay for new you should not get 'seconds'.

Once you shoot it the dealer will say you can't return it, as it is used and registered to you.  I'd shoot it quick and see if it is a shooter, if not clean through and return.  You always have the accuracy guarantee (if it is not a Howa) from Weatherby.

Sucks

BEAR

Bear:

I paid by credit card & am considering putting charge in dispute.  I have until 30 days after I receive my monthly bill to do so.  Because I accurately posted feed back, Buds changed their positive GunBroker feedback on me to negative, so I'm leaning that way. 

I called Bain & Davis, they are a Weatherby certified warranty center & will install proprietary Weatherby Accubrake for $150.00 plus shipping.  The general consensus is I should skip it, I'm going to fire away without it this weekend. 

You mentioned factory returns or used that looks new.  In effect, that's what Buds wants me to do.  Return it so they can sell it again as new.

Also, the Buds employee I was talking to said he didn't know much about guns, had to ask someone else about the situation.  Nice to learn you don't have to know guns to work at Buds Gun Shop.

Side issue - I'm surprised at the number of people who have said they were considering a purchase with Buds but changed their mind since reading the above.  The internet does work!

yep - i encourage any members who hang out at other forums to copy dfletcher's post above telling about his experience, then post that message as coming from  "a member of BSB who had a bad experience." include the link to this thread so that anyone reading it can verify the truth of the statement.

if anyone has other or better ideas on how to spread the ward, i'm all ears.

the above message has been posted at the handloaders bench, three of the forums at accurate reloading, and at huntamerica.

WOW! i had the blow the cobwebs off when i went to huntamerica!

here are a few snips of advice from other sites:

• get in touch with your states attorny general. that is fraud to the max.i've heard about these buttheads from other sources
• FWIW the big auction/sale houses are far more worried about the good will of the sellers than the buyers. That's who makes the money for them. And it's hard to blame them; for every legit complaint there a probably a dozen more related to "buyer's remorse" (remember, bunches of folks shop dead-drunk on the internet and commit to things they can't afford or don't want when sober). They are a for-profit business.
  
  A lot of folks have found out the hard way that if you leave bad feedback for high volume sellers, the buyer gets banned.
  
  The only protection you have is similar to buying from an individual. Pay with a US Postal money order and wherever possible get them to ship USPS. AT least then you have a resource on your side that they will fear. And in the not-so-unusual situation where the buyer is really in the wrong, the Postal Inspectors won't harass a legit seller. Not saying this is one of those at all. It sounds like Bud needs a 340 Wby enema.
  
  I won't buy a gun from ANYONE who won't take a postal money order and I never use a credit card unless I have a prior relationship with the seller or it's a national house like Cabela's.
• send them the gun back and take the $75 pop as evidence of learning such a lesson. 
  
  

it seems the major point of contention that i am seeing is the shipping fees... while i certainly sympathize w/ the small business owners trying to eek out a living, i don't think that is really a case here. bud's flat-out messed up, and are blatantly refusing to make it right.

the more that comes out of this, the more bs it seems that place is pushing...

here's a tidbit that might be useful:

Jon Coppenbarger wrote: Do get your money back from the charge! Get all your paperwork together for proof to the credit card company. Copy of the ad and what they sent. That company will then if they lose want the gun back so make them send a pick up tag for the return. Making them pay. As long as they can get Away with it they will and the only way to help them stop is to make them pay for their mistakes The bottom line is unles you make crooks tow the line they will keep burning folks.

looks like quite a bit of good advice coming from here>>>

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/289106993 - http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/9 411043/m/289106993

I liked the idea of contacting Weatherby - these guys do give them a bad name.  Have already e-mailed them on my experience.   

fletch - if you haven't already, click the link above.

here's some more from a different place where i posted this.

• Isn't that false advertising, or bait & switch.
  Heck yeah it's there fault.
  Since they had the ad wrong they should either pay for the accubrake installation, give you enough refund to cover it, or take the rifle back and pay shipping and any other costs.
  
  While their at it they need to get their head out of their 4th point of contact aka A#$.
  Report them to gunbroker too.

Phewww,

Threads like this make me nervous about buying a gun off the net again.  I've bought 2 and haven't had any bad luck.  Both were through GA.  Both were stores.  I talked with them over the phone and they were rather re-assuring but I had to take their word on that since they were over 1000 miles away!  Guess I'll be a little more cautious should I venture to buy online again.

I do agree with the gang that by posting some threads here and there regarding your experience, it will snowball.  I've seen it happen before. 

Hope it all works out!

fletch -

one of the guys at AR seems to know these guys personally. he offered to see if he could be of any assistance to you. here's what he said>>>

"Give them a call and ask to speak to Derrick, he tends to be the man with all the answers. If he doesn't make it right please let me know. They are just up the road from me, and I've had nothing but great luck from them..."

here's the link:

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=518103&f=3411043&m=269106993&r=252102004#252102004 - http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc& ;s=518103&f=3411043&m=269106993&r=252102004#2521 02004

TasunkaWitko - thanks for the info & the contact with Derrick.

Thought about it a bit, and you know - I have to say no to calling & here's why. 

Regardless of what they do now, their treatment of a paying customer is unacceptable.  As someone earlier observed, it's easy to do the right thing when a transaction is routine, but their character as a business is revealed when things vary from the norm.  Even if they were to now make things right it wouldn't mean much.  A customer should not have to meet such resistance when dealing with a seller. 

>>>Regardless of whether they make it right or not,nobody needs the headache of what you`ve had with this purchase.<<<

yep, when it is all said and done, this is probably the bottom line, right here.

well, it looks like bud's gun shop has already caused itself a lost sale or two. this guy here was looking closely at a CZ from them, but now won't touch it with a 10-foot pole. chances are, the deal wouold have gone though just fine, but it looks like he doesn't want to deal with a place that has no character.

http://www.huntamerica.com/wwwthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=708414&page=0&vc=&PHPSESSID=06c27c9334f49fe3c55c21ba6b06e29b#Post708414 - http://www.huntamerica.com/wwwthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0& ;Number=708414&page=0&vc=&PHPSESSID=06c27c9334f4 9fe3c55c21ba6b06e29b#Post708414

more advice from HA >>>

As for filing complaints: First would be to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to see if they have a reason to pull the FFL of the deadbeat. Second, file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney Generals Office in the state where deadbeat resides. Finally, if the gun was mailed to the consumer, contact the Postal Inspector in Charge of your area; your local postmaster has the address and phone number.

I've notified GunBroker & Weatherby, we'll see what, if anything comes of it.  Seems there were a fair amount of people considering a buy with Buds & are now backing off.  Here's something to consider:

Buds would not lower the cost by $150.00 to cover the brake, but would drop the 20% ($280.00) restock fee.  Why?  If they're not willing to take the little $$$ hit, why take the larger $$$ hit?  I suppose they could sell it locally, but don't think it's out of line to think they would do that because if I sent the gun back they could relist it as having never been out of their shop & sell for full price.