What do you look for in a firearm manufacturer?

[adam]

Weird question, but I'm curious as to what about a company compels you to purchase from them? Is it simply the product they offer, the customer service, or...?

To me it's customer service and support. I've already researched and I know what to expect out of the product, but I want to be sure that if anything goes wrong the company has a great track record with helping me get the issue fixed.

What about you?

 

[lovemachine]

Good customer service and support would be great. But the firearm reliability, the way it feels in my hand, something that I can shoot very well, comes first. For me anyway...

 

[WebSnyper]

Good customer service and support would be great. But the firearm reliability, the way it feels in my hand, something that I can shoot very well, comes first. For me anyway...

Agreed, first is the rep of the product for hopefully not needing to use the customer service, followed closely, by the knowledge that if I do have an issue that the manufacturer will take care of me.

 

[Yeah]

A clue.

For instance, there is a bullet company that also makes rifles. Their standard twist rates per caliber, won't stabilize a good many of their own bullets. Tight mag boxes is another complaint and was the death knell for the entire WSSM line.

 

[JetGirl]

Weird question, but I'm curious as to what about a company compels you to purchase from them? Is it simply the product they offer, the customer service, or...?

Longevity, reputation, warranty, customer service, reviews...

 

[blamecharles]

Longevity, reputation, warranty, customer service, reviews...

This.

 

[Mr.JAG]

Pretty logos and color options. What else?

 

[Sylvain]

Longevity, reputation, warranty, customer service, reviews...

What Monkey Lady said.

And also price is important, I believe some companies are overpriced for what you get, like HK.
$800 for a HK when you get a comparable, or even better gun with Glock for $500.

 

[Springer]

Reputation, value, quality parts, and customer service mean a lot to me. A good price doesn't hurt either but I am willing to pay more for the things mentioned above.

 

[SSGSAD]

Longevity, reputation, warranty, customer service, reviews...

^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^ MOST MAJOR MFG'S..... Ruger, S&W, Marlin, Colt, and MANY others .....

 

[Cemetery-man]

Quality, service, dependability, but most important...... Made in the USA!

 

[Sylvain]

Quality, service, dependability, but most important...... Made in the USA!

So no Glock, Sig, CZ, HK, Beretta and other great brands?

I dont limit myself to "made in the USA" (whatever it means now) guns, for the simple reason that some of the best guns are made outside of the US.
That doesn't mean that you dont also have some good companies in the US.

The last "made in the USA" gun I bought, it had the "made in USA" sticker on the box and and manual said "made in the USA with US made parts, US owned" etc... I look at the magazine and read "made in Italy" and the plastic box was probably made in China.
Not the best gun I had, I have a feeling that the next one I will get will come from the good old Europe.

Some Mossberg models "made in USA" are made with parts made in Mexico.

 

[jdg0724]

Weird question, but I'm curious as to what about a company compels you to purchase from them? Is it simply the product they offer, the customer service, or...?

To me it's customer service and support. I've already researched and I know what to expect out of the product, but I want to be sure that if anything goes wrong the company has a great track record with helping me get the issue fixed.

What about you?

Although Customer service is important to me the most important thing that I look for in a firearm manufacturer is out of the box reliability. I dont mind when a company reccommends a so called break in period for their guns, but after the break in period i expect 100% reliability. I also factor in price and how the gun fits in my hand, but reliablity is key for me, whether I am spending $1,000 or $300 on a gun.

 

[dice dealer]

Oldest manufacturing company on the planet .
Only company in on the planet to be owned by the same family since it was first opened 15 generations ago .

able to knock the beloved 1911 out of being the prfered handun on the US military , and all while not even being an American company ..

yes im speaking of the Beloved


Beretta

Nuff said !!!!

 

[Colts]

Longevity

Longevity, reputation, warranty, customer service, reviews...

Rep for JetGirl and BlameCharles; the longer they have been around the longer they may stay around (reputation, warranty and great CS; does not matter if they are not in business when you need them).

That's why I like Colt!

 

[Colts]

Longevity plus Made in USA, even better

I added reps for Sylvain and SSGSAD too (Longevity comments worth a rep.). Made in USA is good too

Glad I had the money for the Colts (but honey they were not that expensive).

 

[88E30M50]

Quality. Not the generic crap with gold plate definition of quality, but more along the lines of Pirsig's definition in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. By his definition, Quality is the natural result of care, enthusiasm for the work, experience and a desire to do well. By that definition, I find Quality in CZ Pistols, Bersas, and even Mosin Nagants. It's not so much a measure of perfect machine work or the highest quality materials, but more in the satisfaction it give when used. When I find something that has Quality, I tend to buy many more products of that type or from that manufacturer. If I buy a gun and it does not give me a feel of satisfaction every time I use it, I tend to look to other manufacturers for the next purchase.

To that end, I've owned 4 Bersa 380s, 2 Bersa 9s and a Bersa 45. My one and only Smith built PPK does not draw me in to buy other S&W pistols.

 

[JetGirl]

Thanks, Colts!

 

[tmkr]

If I am buying a brand new gun,MADE IN U.S.A.,carries a lot of weight.If what I am looking for is not made in USA I"ll wait until it is.
Whenever possible buy U.S.A.,no matter what it is,the job you save may ultimately be your own.

 

[Tombs]

I look for attention to detail, inside and out.

If they take the pride to notice and correct things most others do not, then I'm confident they are making a product I can trust.


Made in the USA means nothing to me unless it's a gun that has an American heritage. The only reason I won't buy a springfield 1911.