Traditions firearms - customer service expierience

[shipwreck]

Greetings all. I owned an old Traditions Pursuit Pro for about 5 years. nothing special, but it was a great gun and I harvested a lot of deer with it. I decided I wanted a new model and bought the Buckstalker with camo stock and the Cerakote coated barrel. I liked it, it was lighter than my Pursuit, plus I liked the durable finish. It has a speed breach too which i like for ease of cleaning and unloading.

After our season here in NY was done, i cleaned it along with my 870 and .270 and put them in my cabinet. One day when i walked passed the cabinet i saw something on the muzzleloader's barrel....the Cerakote was flaking off, revealing corrosion of some kind. Now from what I was told by a local company that applies Cerakote, it could only be caused by improper prep work when the coating was applied. There was either corrosion, grease or something on the barrel when they applied the coating and that's what it bonded to. Not the barrel itself.

The gun was about a year old at the time and I kept forgetting to call them. I finally called them earlier this week and the customer service rep told me that there wasn't anything they could do, because they don't cover corrosion. I tried to tell her that this wasn't rust from not cleaning the gun, this was the coating flaking off due to improper adhesion. She told me that she was sorry, but it was past the 90 days, plus, again, they don't cover corrosion. I asked if they covered workmanship and she said yes. I said then cover this because this is due to shoddy workmanship. She again declined.

Has anyone ever dealt with this company? I know they get knocked for being sub-par, but I find it amazing that my buddy who has a T/C had the hydro dip start coming off on his stock, called T/C and they replaced the part. These guys seem to have a barrel with some kind of issue and they won't even talk to me outside of telling me sorry. I don't know if the corrosion has impacted the integrity of the barrel or not, but I'm not about to stick a couple pellets in there, touch it off and hope for good things. I also don't think I want to spend the money to have it checked out. I can probably just buy a new smoke pole for that.

What do you guys think? At one point I asked if I could at least send it back for them to determine if this was something they could do on warranty and she said no. This isn't an issue with me not cleaning the gun. I keep all my firearms spotless and on top of that this gun has less than 15 rounds through it. I'm just a little disappointed I guess. I owned a Kel-Tec 9mm and the thing was forever FTF and FTE and I called them 2 or 3 years after I bought it and they replaced everything but the grip under warranty, no questions asked.

TIA!

 

[Smyrnagc]

Did you try and go up to the next level (her supervisor, a manager, etc.)?

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Yes I have dealt them, never again, only rifle I ever sold was a traditions pursuit.

 

[cayuga]

A problem we are seeing with many of the gun manufacturers is a growing lack of concern over their rifles and their warranties. In the past near all of them would honor any problem you might encounter. But it seems that today's trend is more of pass the buck, we don't have parts, or that is not covered. In the past I had excellent customer service from Traditions Arms. But I have not had to deal with them in many years. I really don't know what to tell you.

 

[shipwreck]

thanks for the replies. I ended up picking up a T/C Impact today. I'll see if I can get someone other than the entry level CS rep. Not very optimistic though.

 

[GoexBlackhorn]

Traditions has the worst customer service in the industry. It's been the same krappy way since the 1990s when I dealt with them first. Then again in the 2000s.

I would never recommend a Traditions ML - yet I still own a roundball sidelock of theirs (Shenandoah). Worst mistake I ever made was selecting that full-stock Shenandoah over a brand new 1:60s twist half-stock CVA Mountain Rifle at Cabelas one day. I kick myself in the pants constantly over that boneheaded move/decision.

 

[twild]

I don't know if they have a facebook page or something like it, but my wife has had luck getting a response by talking crap on a social media sight when the phone conversation didn't work. Or they just don't give a poop about repeat customers. Sad

 

[shipwreck]

i didn't get anywhere on the phone again. I did post something on their FB page. wasn't rude or anything. I got a response that I needed to call CS again, and that they don't cover corrosion....again, lol. Then a bunch of people on my friends list chimed in and it kinda went south from there. this is all on their corporate FB page.

I have to agree with everyone else. They don't care about customer service at all.

 

[hank]

Greetings all. I owned an old Traditions Pursuit Pro for about 5 years. nothing special, but it was a great gun and I harvested a lot of deer with it. I decided I wanted a new model and bought the Buckstalker with camo stock and the Cerakote coated barrel. I liked it, it was lighter than my Pursuit, plus I liked the durable finish. It has a speed breach too which i like for ease of cleaning and unloading.

After our season here in NY was done, i cleaned it along with my 870 and .270 and put them in my cabinet. One day when i walked passed the cabinet i saw something on the muzzleloader's barrel....the Cerakote was flaking off, revealing corrosion of some kind. Now from what I was told by a local company that applies Cerakote, it could only be caused by improper prep work when the coating was applied. There was either corrosion, grease or something on the barrel when they applied the coating and that's what it bonded to. Not the barrel itself.

The gun was about a year old at the time and I kept forgetting to call them. I finally called them earlier this week and the customer service rep told me that there wasn't anything they could do, because they don't cover corrosion. I tried to tell her that this wasn't rust from not cleaning the gun, this was the coating flaking off due to improper adhesion. She told me that she was sorry, but it was past the 90 days, plus, again, they don't cover corrosion. I asked if they covered workmanship and she said yes. I said then cover this because this is due to shoddy workmanship. She again declined.

Has anyone ever dealt with this company? I know they get knocked for being sub-par, but I find it amazing that my buddy who has a T/C had the hydro dip start coming off on his stock, called T/C and they replaced the part. These guys seem to have a barrel with some kind of issue and they won't even talk to me outside of telling me sorry. I don't know if the corrosion has impacted the integrity of the barrel or not, but I'm not about to stick a couple pellets in there, touch it off and hope for good things. I also don't think I want to spend the money to have it checked out. I can probably just buy a new smoke pole for that.

What do you guys think? At one point I asked if I could at least send it back for them to determine if this was something they could do on warranty and she said no. This isn't an issue with me not cleaning the gun. I keep all my firearms spotless and on top of that this gun has less than 15 rounds through it. I'm just a little disappointed I guess. I owned a Kel-Tec 9mm and the thing was forever FTF and FTE and I called them 2 or 3 years after I bought it and they replaced everything but the grip under warranty, no questions asked.

TIA!

I purchased a Buckstalker with Cerakote and camo stock this past summer, 2022 brand new in blister pac from a known chain store in Wisconsin. I took the firearm to the range to sight it in and after firing the forth round heard a strange noise. When I inspected the barrel I found a crack in the coating. I phoned Traditions then returned the Buckstalker to them for warranty inspection. I received an email stating they had inspected the weapon and found no issues with the barrel. I called them to ask why they had cleaned it as I had cleaned and oiled prior to shipping. They commented you could see a definite difference in before and after. I also stated it was evident before was taken with breech plug in and after with breech plug out. They stated they would then waive cleaning fee. When I ask about if Cerakote would be repaired they stated it was an obvious ding and that when coating was applied it was sprayed once then a second time then baked. He then went on to inform me they don't warranty finish or stocks and besides it was a 2018 gun. Not my fault it was a 2018 sold to me brand new in 2022 in a sealed blister pac. They still refused to take care of the problem and are shipping it back as it is. Well it looks like I will be going back to a CVA as I had used my 2006 for 15 years with no issues.

 

[Heat]

That's not good. Sorry about your troubles with Traditions, but sounds like CVA isn't a whole lot better. Some guys with obvious barrel issues are being told, "tough, use a Powerbelt", from some of the reports I've read here. On the flipside, I called them yesterday regarding a 10% off code that wouldn't work and they made good on that so could be hit or miss.

 

[improman]

They undermined in price = inferior products all american companys until they folded up and went out of business.Warned everyone years ago that i knew about what would happen. I WAS in mart mart store and see this older fellow co-worker that screamed UNION UNION all the time ..A Big union pusher....standing over a imported SPANISH muzzleloader when there were Thompson centers right up on the shelf...I SAID HEY DAVEY BUY AMERICAN SAVE A JOB...YOUR INTO PUSHING THE UNION AT WORK SO MUCH ....COMMON

 

[GM54-120]

Ive seen many posts about Traditions not covering the Cerakote finish.

 

[sbuff]

This post was pretty old before it got resurrected ,maybe things have changed


I don't own one of those Spanish muzzleloaders as mentioned above but have heard very good things about their customer service

I do own one of those USA muzzleloaders as mentioned above and can tell for fact their customer service is terrible. Not what it use to be

 

[GM54-120]

And to this day Traditions still does not offer a single ML in stainless. They did offer a few many years ago. Cerakote does absolutely nothing for the bore.

 

[improman]

That's not good. Sorry about your troubles with Traditions, but sounds like CVA isn't a whole lot better. Some guys with obvious barrel issues are being told, "tough, use a Powerbelt", from some of the reports I've read here. On the flipside, I called them yesterday regarding a 10% off code that wouldn't work and they made good on that so could be hit or miss.

THET even had to pay for patent infringment on the pro-hunter that Thompson center started...crooked

 

[user 25154]

Not sure if yous know this but cva Bergara and traditions are all owned by bpi. Traditions is just a import house. They make nothing. Just built a 1842 musket imported by them awhile back. It's a very nice rifle. Depends on who made them for traditions. Some good some not. It was 1100 dollars for the parts. My son got it for me for Father's day awhile back. Traditions has no parts. And the company that made them only made enough for that order. So if you break something you better go to dixe gun works. Alot of the parts inter change with other year muskets. I know broke a barrel band spring. Thank goodness for dixe. About all Traditions can do is give you another gun r kit if there not sold out. Atleast that's what I was told when I called them after breaking the band spring.

 

[CatamountRob]

Not sure if yous know this but cva Bergara and traditions are all owned by bpi. Traditions is just an import house. They make nothing. Just built a 1842 musket imported by them awhile back. It's a very nice rifle. Depends on who made them for traditions. Some good some not. It was 1100 dollars for the parts. My son got it for me for Father's day awhile back. Traditions has no parts. And the company that made them only made enough for that order. So if you break something you better go to dixe gun works. Alot of the parts inter change with other year muskets. I know broke a barrel band spring. Thank goodness for dixe. About all Traditions can do is give you another gun r kit if there not sold out. Atleast that's what I was told when I called them after breaking the band spring.

I don’t think CVA and Traditions are owned by the same company, but it’s a fact that Traditions doesn’t make anything.

 

[phalanx]

Per an article in American Rifleman from July 2022 about Traditions:

The company was formed in 1982 and, 10 years later, was purchased by Jay Brenneman and Tom Hall. Hall is president and owner today, making it yet another family-owned business thriving in the firearm industry.

 

[user 25154]

Google it. I saw that same thing. Keep researching you'll find I'm correct I believe.

 

[phalanx]

I did and that's what i came up with at multiple websites even some business ones, all say privately held by Tom Hall with revenue or around $5M a year, 16 employees.