Lifetime warranties on guns isn't what's needed

[AZRedhawk44]

https://www.guns.com/news/2019/03/04/taurus-upgrades-numerous-handgun-lines-to-new-lifetime-warranty

I've yet to meet a gun owner that thinks an endless warranty on a gun is a good thing.

Yeah, standing behind a product with a Craftsman-like warranty is noble, I guess.  But so much can go wrong with a firearm over its life that is really just regular maintenance, like various springs/pins/extractors/etc.  Or user modification can change a pistol's dynamic a lot.  Non-OEM mags.  Etc.  And with a manufacturer like Taurus, you're going to send your pistol in repeatedly if it is a lemon, and the chances of it coming back actually fixed is pretty low.  And lemon rate is high with them.

I think the industry would be far better served with a "no bullshit, no questions asked, 100% receipt-documented refund if you don't like this pistol for the first year of ownership" type of warranty.  Guns are one of the few consumer goods that cannot be returned to the seller due to their nature.  Refunds are effectively impossible, and I think this is a big driver of the 2nd-hand gun marketplace (liquidating lemons).  I know I've sold a Taurus .22 revolver just to be rid of it and its problems.

A manufacturer that offered actual-price-paid refunds on pistols that they sold through distributor channels for wholesale prices before arriving at the point of sale would absolutely lose money on each unit returned.  But would gain a lot of credibility for reliability by doing so.  They'd also have a strong motivator to reduce customer dissatisfaction.

[zxcvbob]

https://www.guns.com/news/2019/03/04/taurus-upgrades-numerous-handgun-lines-to-new-lifetime-warranty

I've yet to meet a gun owner that thinks an endless warranty on a gun is a good thing.

Yeah, standing behind a product with a Craftsman-like warranty is noble, I guess.  But so much can go wrong with a firearm over its life that is really just regular maintenance, like various springs/pins/extractors/etc.  Or user modification can change a pistol's dynamic a lot.  Non-OEM mags.  Etc.  And with a manufacturer like Taurus, you're going to send your pistol in repeatedly if it is a lemon, and the chances of it coming back actually fixed is pretty low.  And lemon rate is high with them.

I think the industry would be far better served with a "no bullshit, no questions asked, 100% receipt-documented refund if you don't like this pistol for the first year of ownership" type of warranty.  Guns are one of the few consumer goods that cannot be returned to the seller due to their nature.  Refunds are effectively impossible, and I think this is a big driver of the 2nd-hand gun marketplace (liquidating lemons).  I know I've sold a Taurus .22 revolver just to be rid of it and its problems.

A manufacturer that offered actual-price-paid refunds on pistols that they sold through distributor channels for wholesale prices before arriving at the point of sale would absolutely lose money on each unit returned.  But would gain a lot of credibility for reliability by doing so.  They'd also have a strong motivator to reduce customer dissatisfaction.

I haven't read the article, but assuming the description in the link is accurate, that's not an upgrade.  Taurus's lifetime warranty is useless and worthless.  I have a Taurus lemon.

[bedlamite]

I have a Taurus lemon.

Redundant statement is redundant, but then I repeat myself again.

[WLJ]

Taurus dropped their lifetime warranty and went with a one year warranty for a while and then apparently went back to the lifetime.

    The following Taurus handguns, previously covered under a one-year warranty, will now be covered under a Limited Lifetime Warranty:
    Taurus® G2c, G2s, TH series, Taurus TX22, 1911 Commander, 1911 Officer, Taurus Spectrum®, Raging Hunter®, 856, and 692 revolvers.

Original purchasers of a Taurus firearm covered by a one-year warranty will be pleased to learn their firearm will be covered under this new Limited Lifetime Warranty.

All legacy firearms covered under the original lifetime warranty will remain covered by that warranty.

https://www.taurususa.com/taurus-limited-lifetime-warranty-2/

[Kingcreek]

I’ve used warranty on browning, ruger, and Springfield armory.
The browning BSS was over 20 years old when the trigger guard snapped off at the solder joint with the post. I was really glad they fixed it. The SA had an obvious cosmetic issue when brand new and they fixed what should have been caught at assembly or final. The ruger m77 had horrible accuracy and they made it shoot and returned it with no explanation.
So I guess I could be considered a fan of lifetime warranties.

[brimic]

I've only sent a Ruger in before- it was a Bearcat where the barrel timing was off. They sent it back to me, not only correctly timed, but with a really nice trigger job.
Too bad I lost that one in the divorce.

[brimic]

I think Taurus' business model (as well as remington/cerebus) is make something cheaply and offer a warranty, instead of providing quality at the source.

[Hawkmoon]

I think Taurus' business model (as well as remington/cerebus) is make something cheaply and claim to offer a warranty, instead of providing quality at the source.

FIFY.

Taurus' warranty is worthless. "Friends don't let friends buy Taurus."

[lee n. field]

Taurus dropped their lifetime warranty and went with a one year warranty for a while and then apparently went back to the lifetime.
https://www.taurususa.com/taurus-limited-lifetime-warranty-2/

Taurus had gone to a one year warranty on guns introduced after a certain date.  Guns introduced prior to that still had and still have the any owner any time warranty.   This changes the warranty for the few models that are newer.  The new warranty isn't quite the original warranty.  (Original owner, covers cosmetic stuff first year only, functional stuff lifetime.)

(I do note that Taurus has dropped their popular basic 5 shot .38 snubby, the Model 85, in favor of a new model.  Hmm.  )

I think Taurus' business model (as well as remington/cerebus) is make something cheaply and offer a warranty, instead of providing quality at the source.

Other companies in the "budget" end of the market do that too.  Taurus, Charter Arms, Hipoint, Kel Tec.  Probably others.  Where Taurus falls down is the whole process is potentially drawn out and painful.   With (say) Charter Arms it's quick and relatively painless, and they cover shipping.

[MechAg94]

I am trying to remember when I have used factory warranty service.  Not too often, but I don't think I ever had a bad experience.  I have never bought a Taurus.  

[WLJ]

Over the years I've had 7 Taurus's and still have 3. Never had a problem with any of them.

Trying to remember here.

PT111
PT24/7
PT24/7 compact.
PT709
Still have
PT111 G2
PT1911 Bulls Head model
PT738

[Brad Johnson]

I had a first-gen PT111 that went back for some kind of frame recall. It was fixed properly but did take an inordinate amount of time to be returned, several months if my memory is correct.

Brad

[WLJ]

There was a
PT111
PT111 Gen 2
PT111 Gen 3

And then they come out with the all new
PT111 Gen 2 also called the G2
I was like WUT?

[MechAg94]

As far as the OP, I do agree that the lifetime warranty doesn't mean a great deal to me.  I am more interested in how they support problems in the first few years. 

I bought a used Keltec PMR-30 before the prices came down since it was cheaper.  It wouldn't get through 2 or 3 rounds without a failure to feed.  I had already ordered a replacement barrel with the flash hider before that.  When I changed the barrel, the reliability problems went away and it worked great.  That made me think the original owner never bothered to contact Keltec, just sold it.  Makes me wonder how many people don't even try warranty service.

[HankB]

From personal experience Colt's warranty is
1) Take jammamatic in for service
2) Keep for a month, but do nothing
3) Return to customer
4) Repeat until customer gives up in disgust and swears off Colt.

Kahr's warranty is
1) Try to fix new pistol. Repeatedly.
2) Eventually replace the pistol.
3) Owner trades new, unfired replacement pistol for a Glock, which works out of the box.

I've also had occasion to get warranty service from Bushmaster, DSA, and S&W . . . no complaints about them.

[Grebnaws]

Kahr's warranty is
1) Try to fix new pistol. Repeatedly.
2) Eventually replace the pistol.
3) Owner trades new, unfired replacement pistol for a Glock, which works out of the box.

Someone warned me about the potential for this after I bought a CM9 and had nothing but problems with it. After a single phone call with Kahr and their draconian demands for a new pistol to be shipped back and forth at my cost with hundreds of test rounds fired in between service contacts (in case their fix didn't actually fix anything) I saw the writing on the wall. Even if they fixed the jam-o-matic the magazines were going to be another problem. I traded it in immediately at a huge loss and bought a S&W. I'll never bother with another Kahr.

[HankB]

Someone warned me about the potential for this after I bought a CM9 and had nothing but problems with it. After a single phone call with Kahr and their draconian demands for a new pistol to be shipped back and forth at my cost with hundreds of test rounds fired in between service contacts (in case their fix didn't actually fix anything) I saw the writing on the wall. Even if they fixed the jam-o-matic the magazines were going to be another problem. I traded it in immediately at a huge loss and bought a S&W. I'll never bother with another Kahr.

To Kahr's credit, THEY paid postage for multiple returns with my P9 pistol. (Both directions.)

[MechAg94]

I had a P9 years ago.  I don't recall ever having many problems with it, but it was a little finicky so I was never quite satisfied with it for carry.