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Nantan2,

I hope your Browning Citori problem gets resolved quickly and to your satisfaction.

I sent my brand new Citori in to the Arnold facility the first week of May for warranty work. I am still waiting to hear from Browning about a return date. I received the post card with the service tracking info. on it and the status hasn't changed in 6+ weeks. Your experience has me feeling more and more nervous about my choice to send it off to Arnold; however, warranty work in the UP of Michigan is not an option.

I completely agree with PGG that "If a Browning gun malfunctions, it SHOULD be the beginning of their finest hour." My grandfather sold Browning guns during the 50', 60's and 70's. He was a big Browning fan because he said they always took care of the customer especially when something went wrong. As a result, I own a bunch of Browning long guns. My hope is that their dedication to customer service is not just a bygone tradition and the current Browning Company isn't resting on the performance of their predecessors.

Best of luck,

Chris

Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 50

In all fairness to Browning and the Arnold facility, I had to have some warrenty work done on a Citori earlier this year. The problem was that the barrels did not close on face and there was a gap between barrels and breech. Not an overly simple problem to fix.

I drove the gun to Arnold since I don't live all that far from them.

3 weeks later the gun arrived on my door step. Problem resolved and gun is better than new.

I would guess that the fast turn around has something to do with whatever back log they do or don't have at the time you send them your gun.

Having said that, I now have a sweet sixteen at the MGW facility for what I would call a simple fix. A pin in the bolt keeps working loose and backing out. It has been with them for 4 weeks now and they said to expect a 6 week turn around, when I dropped it off. Since I will pay when the job is done I doubt that they are holding my gun any longer than absolutely necessary, but it still seems like a long time to fix that pin.

I'm betting that Nantan will be overwhealmingly pleased with how his gun turns out. I have mentioned persistance more than once. Sometimes that is what it takes. As with any operation, the work being done is only as good as the man doing it. Every company has good workmen and some not so good. It is a crap shoot pure and simple. I have had to turn to the higher ups of several companies to get the right results including Browning--several times. It happens.

However, I have also stated that once the Browning home office boys get on the case, things get done right--real right. They have never let me down ever. I wish that were true for all major gun companies. It isn't.

Nantan, you are most fortunate to live within driving distance of the Utah office. I wish I had years ago during the bad barrel episodes I've written about. It would have made things a whole bunch simpler and easier. I also would have been close by enough to go shake some well deserving hands once the matters were made right. I think you will have not only gained back a good gun, but also made some valuable contacts and friends in the end. At least I hope so. I know I did. Good luck and here's hoping it goes as well for you as it has for me.

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Damn 16gaugeguy, we thought you were dead! Been a couple of months since your last visit hasn't it?

Be interesting to see how this Browning service thing turns out. Hopefully for the better!

Matt

Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 50

Sometimes I have to smile.....I just metioned that I had my sweet sixteen at MGW and it seemd to be taking a long time and here they called yestrerday and it was ready.

It has happened more than once that I get a lttle impatient and say something in a forum about something taking a long time and low and behold, like magic the gun shows up the next day or two.

So far my experience with MGW has been good but the real proof wil be in seeing how the gun cycles. I'll be going out to the range later today to run a couple boxes of shells through it and check it out.

I know this is a bit off topic of the original thread but I was so excited at getting my 16 back that I just had to post something! Very Happy

*Last edited by 16gaugeguy on Sat Jun 23, 2007 3:56 pm; edited 1 time in total*

If you have been in any business for 25 years, then either you, or one of your employees has probably screwed up during that time. That is, unless you are either perfect, or a robot my friend. I've never met a perfect human or robot either for that matter. So I already know it's happened. It is all about how you handled that screw up.

In Nantan's case, the Browning home office boys have stepped up to the problem. I would suggest we wait and see how goes it before we line them up and shoot them. What say you?

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Frankly, even if the Sissies are the best mass-produced O/U and outsell the competition 100:1, they're not worth a rat's posterior if they don't fit and feel right for the individual. Keep the estate, 16gg, I'm sticking with my lowly Weenies and Guerinis.

And although I've heard they can be turds to deal with, I've only needed Beretta customer service twice in the past dozen years. Both times handled through my dealer, and both guns back before Beretta's time estimate. One free, including all shipping (as it should have been) and one at my expense (to be honest, also as it should have been).

Just a thought but it might do for Browning a lot of good to include with the purchase of a new gun 16 GG's instructions on how to deal with thier service department Exclamation

Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 72 Location: UTAH

Well, it seems as though my customer service problem with Browning has stirred up a bit of emotion on the 16 Ga. site. Let me just say this, I've owned and shot Browning guns for well over 35 years. Auto 5's, BPS's, Citori's, A bolts, Buckmarks, etc. This is the first time I've had any problem with a Browning product. I like Brownings and will continue to shoot them. But having said that, I am a bit dis-illusioned with this whole customer service problem.
Some of the posts have been right on. I am very lucky to live so close, that I can walk in their front door and show them my concerns "face to face". If I lived anywhere else, I'd been burning up the phone lines with customer service, and then shipping my 525 off to Arnold...AGAIN. The folks in Arnold need to really step up their quality control process. When you send a gun back with vise marks in the stock and rust on the barrels....There's a big problem!! And I have a feeling the boys here in Utah are going to shake things up in Arnold...at least I hope so. I am anxiously awaiting the phone call from Browning Corporate next week, telling me they've finished working on my 525....and my guess is that it will have one sweet stock on it...with no vise marks!! I'll keep you posted.

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