CSMC?
 

Are there issues going on there recently? I purchased a poorly mis represented VH from them last month in a hasty move to pick up a turkey gun for next spring. The VH was listed as nice un-restored original Parker.

It wasn't, I contacted them and thought we had worked out a deal that would still in my opinion favor them immensley as the seller but I was not in the mood to send it back as it was deer season here and I was on vacation. A measly refund and a Parker Butt Plate to replace the Browning plate was promised. Neither have showed.

I am sorely disappointed in their showing as what I had considered one of the more premier dealers in fine firearms. I was clearly mistaken. Now, I have tried to access their website to find contact info for someone besides the person I have been dealing with and it will not come up.

Any one else notice CS issues?

I realize I am new here as a member but have been lurking for several years, I do not have lofty expectations but am very surprised at what I would label at best unscrupulous behavior over a $1400 shotgun.

Ryan

Call and ask for Lou. When I had a problem with a CSMC Fox with a broken ejector rod they fixed it even though I was not the original buyer and sent it back to me N/C including the shipping. So give them a call.

I purchased a gun from them that was "all original." Before they shipped it, I found it wasn't close to being all original. I told them to stop shipment and they did. Unfortunately, it took 5 or 6 phone calls and 45 days to get the credit card credited. It all worked out in the end but, not something I want to deal with again. According to their website, it is undergoing an upgrade. This seems the wrong time of the year for a website that isn't working right.

Ken

As Eric recommended, it's best to call.

I get their website to come right up when using this url: https://www.csmcspecials.com

I guess I am glad I brought it up then. I was hesitant to but I wish I had known this before trusting them. Honestly the pictures were lacking but given the seller I figured if you deal in 6 figure firearms the last thing you're going to do is throw your reputation out the door on a shooter....

Not that my experience will tarnish their reputation but had I read a thread like this it would have given me pause.

I had called originally and was floored when I was offered a refund but they would not cover my return shipping cost.

If I was unhappy with an online purchase and the internet gun dealer offered a full refund at my shipping expense then I would probably hurt myself trying to get it boxed up and in the mail as quickly as possible.

PML

I don't know any internet seller that will pay you for shipping if you are returning a gun.

ps, I didn't mean to do a Thank you on your post, hit the wrong button!

I have found that it depends on who you talk to at CSMC.

IMO their customer service has always had big holes in it.

As stated before - talk to Louie.





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In this sense that is why I negotiated a way to move on because I have done so in the past. My irritation is that buying a shotgun advertised as all original from a company that can clearly tell the difference kind of irks me. I have been in similar situations with guns I have sold and have paid return shipping because of issues I was not aware of. I guess I'm just old school.

I will try and talk to Louie about the other stuff on Monday.

Bought a case some years ago, latch popped open, called and spoke to Lou and he said send back for refund replacement or repair. Asked if he knew of a way i could fix it and he said try this and if it does not work do not worry about any damage you do to it we will replace or refund. Worked great and saved sending it back. Lou could not have been more helpful.

I've had nothing but superlative business experiences with Lou.

"I will try and talk to Louie about the other stuff on Monday."

I might recommend you ask for Lou and not Louie.

It all depends upon how one defines original.

There are some that can start with an original Parker Bros. gun and do some minor altering to the gun, such as opening the chokes or rebluing the barrels and call it original. There are some that will completely refinish everything including the wood and metal and call it original. There are even some that will completely upgrade the gun by refinishing all the metal including re-stocking with a higher grade wood and having it custom engraved -- and still call it original!

It all depends upon how one defines original.

Original to me means untouched. No opened bores and no refinishing of the stocks and metal. I believe this is what it should mean to sellers. Some sellers won’t know the difference and some will misrepresent, but an original gun should be truly be original, not matter what the condition. To state otherwise indicates a lack of integrity or ignorance.

I cannot recall Tony ever having a Parker that he priced at $1400. He is always very proud of his Parker offerings. Show us some pictures please.

PML

Greg,

Please don't define what "is" is. :-)

Original does not mean reblued, recased, refinished, restocked, recut checkering, redone, reworked, or restored. As Tom said, it is untouched (or unaltered) since it left the factory. I don't mind "re" guns. There is just a difference in context.

Ken

I completely agree. And that doesn't just go for Parker Bros. guns, but other products as well.

Having said the above and having said: it all depends on how one defines original. You could also expand that to, as Ken stated, to include the context in which the word "original" was used. i.e. an altered or upgraded Parker is still an original Parker. Or a Parker Reproduction can be original (but, if it has been altered, it's no longer original.)

Come to think of it, every iteration of a Parker gun, produced after the first prototype, could be considered a clone, copy or a reproduction of the 1st one built. :vconfused::vconfused:

I will get some pics up for sure, as I am curious to what others believe the value of this is. Maybe I got a deal? I don't know, I signed up here to learn as much as I can and also to reap the benefits of having access to the classifieds here. I have always been a fan of SxS's and lucking into a Parker Reproduction for a fair price started the ball rolling. I still remember talking with the smith that eventually put my Reproduction together about maybe keeping one of the BSS's I had just come into and he told me "Browning BSS's are nice but they're a club compared to a Parker". And in my opinion he is not wrong.

Buy the gun, not the dealer. That applies to cars, rings, guns, houses, you name it. Wake up.

I bought a GHE 16 on the 0-frame with Damascus barrels cut to 26” from 28” for exactly $1400. Originally priced at $1750. I spoke with Tony on the phone and asked him what he thought about the gun. His words were “I hate the @&$#ing thing - do you want it for $1400?” I said yes.





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I repeat my previous post. Buy the gun, not the dealer. The dealer is in business to make money. He has to sell the bad guns as well as the good guns. It's up to you to determine which guns are bad and which guns are good. Don't expect the dealer to tell you which is which. The same goes with cars. There are bad and good on the lot and the dealer has to sell all of them. I have good friends in the gun and the car business, but I look at the product and ignore some of what the dealer tells me. Homework.

My post was questioning their customer service. I stated in my original post that I decided to keep the gun, that is my choice and I am settled with that. I did my homework including browsing posts here to learn as much as I can, that's why I noticed every detail about the gun that was not original. So why the "Wake up"? I agree 100% with you but you make it sound as if I am in the wrong in the transaction? I may have questioned the originality had there been a photo of the Browning Superposed butt plate but there wasn't.

I am not capable of that. If I do not like or trust the dealer or salesperson of any item for sale I will not buy from them, period.