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BEWARE OF AR15 KIT SUPPLIER

shastaboatshastaboat Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
edited August 2012 in General Discussion
I am posting this to advise readers of my complete negative experience with BLACKTHORNE PRODUCTS LLC. Their web sit is: http://akpartskits.com/

I had placed three prior orders for AR15 kits. Out of the prior five kits I ordered four were defective. I was able to replace parts on three of the kits and fix them. One kit had to be returned because of excessive headspace would not allow factory loads to fire.

My last order was on July 25, 2012. The company then reported they were backordered and charged my credit card for the full price and sent me a confirming email with a UPS tracking number. They then updated their web site and said they would be shipping by 8/16/2012. After 8/16/2012 they again updated their web site and said they woud ship all backourders by 8/29/2012. During this time I sent several emails to their customer service department to inquire about my order. They responded in a quite rude and unbusinesslike, unprofessional manner. Never the less I did not cancel the order. When 8/29/12 came and passed I again contacted them advising UPS had no tracking info on the order. They advised me to again read their statement on their website and implied that I din't read the web site info regarding their backorder status. They further advised that UPS did not always post updated tracking info if the shipping label was printed earlier than the ship date. I contacted UPS by phone and was advised that was an extremely rare occurance.

Yesterday I contacted my Bank/Visa and put in a claim for wrongful charges. My Bank advised they would open a claim case and would immeditately contact Blackthorne Products LLC to resolve the issue. My bank was very professional. They also said if they received confirmation from myself or Blackthorne that the kit was eventually delivered they would immediately charge my credit card again to cover the purchase if the crdit was issued back to me.

This morning I received an email from Blackthorne Products LLC that they cancelled my order and issued a credit back and were contacting UPS to return the shipment to them. I believe they completely lied to me and never actually shipped. Interesting that they would be able to locate a shipment from UPS that UPS has no record of receiving. Their kits sell for less than other advertised kits but their quality control on assembled upper receivers sucks.

On any other firearms supplier that I have ever delt with my credit card was never charged in a backorder status until the supplier shipped. I was never treated with such disrespect. In a prior email to them I stated that the "Customer is always right". Their response was "No, the customer is not always right and continued to refer me back to their web site disclaimer.

I would recommend that if any of the readers of this forum site want to buy an AR15 kit or any other product they sell that they not buy from this source. UPS advised me that the tracking number was actually issued by VULCAN ARMS.COM. Both entities are listed in the St. Paul/Minniapolis, MN area. I would caution you about either entity.

I do not know where I will now go to purchase another AR15 kit at this time. Many sources are in a back-order status at this time.

***Please advise me if you know of a source. The kit I ordered was a 16" barrel CAR kit with a flat top receiver.

Comments

  • DocDoc Member Posts: 13,899 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IBTL
    ....................................................................................................
    Too old to live...too young to die...
  • llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hesse == Vulcan == Blackthorne


    Poor reputation for all of their products no matter what name they've changed to for doing business....
  • shastaboatshastaboat Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Doc
    IBTL


    You must be affiliated with BLACKTHORNE PRODUCTS LLC. This is the type of response I would expect from them. When I majored in Business Administration in college and worked in Retail for years "THE CUSTOMER WAS ALWAYS RIGHT!"
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 53,466
    edited November -1
  • Oso2142Oso2142 Member Posts: 2,940
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shastaboat
    quote:Originally posted by Doc
    IBTL


    You must be affiliated with BLACKTHORNE PRODUCTS LLC. This is the type of response I would expect from them. When I majored in Business Administration in college and worked in Retail for years "THE CUSTOMER WAS ALWAYS RIGHT!"



    Nah, it's kind of like a running joke around here: "In Before The Lock." Or, IBTL's the acronym. [;)]
  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,722
    edited November -1
    i aggree shasta...IBTL = post whore[}:)]
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 53,466
    edited November -1
    Also you may want to do a search on here and see how many times a warning for those companies come up.
  • NOAHNOAH Member Posts: 9,690
    edited November -1
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    Yawn.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • hdcolt51hdcolt51 Member Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Shotgun News recently did an economy AR10 build using their products.
    All their uppers come complete even if ordering only parts. The first upper's barrel was loose and had to be returned. The second barrel had to have the front sight turned as it was off. The build was finally completed and in their comments the Shotgun News stated that for the price it was a good deal but be PREPARED TO HAVE TO DO SOME EXTRA WORK, on the upper. Their total build cost was around $825.
  • sharpshooter039sharpshooter039 Member Posts: 5,897 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IF you had done any research you would have found Hesse == Vulcan == Blackthorne
    has to keep changing their name because their producyt is so bad they keep going out of business,,If you choose to keep doing business with someone who has already supplied you with 4 defective kits then its should be on you,,why come onto someone else gun board to cry about it,,did you buy these bad kits off of Gunbroker ??
  • River RatRiver Rat Member Posts: 9,022
    edited November -1
    Ummm...but you keep buying the kits?
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by sharpshooter039
    IF you had done any research you would have found Hesse == Vulcan == Blackthorne
    has to keep changing their name because their producyt is so bad they keep going out of business,,If you choose to keep doing business with someone who has already supplied you with 4 defective kits then its should be on you,,why come onto someone else gun board to cry about it,,did you buy these bad kits off of Gunbroker ??
    Even so, it couldn't be construed as GB's fault.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There's a reason the uppers are sooo "reasonably" priced.... and it ain't because they're being kind to their customers. I'm suprised these folks at Blackthorne were't part of the Davis/Jennings/Bryco/Raven/Sedco/Lorcin "family" of companies churning out the 60 dollar crap zinc-cast auto's of the 80's and 90's.
  • shastaboatshastaboat Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought the kits directly from Blackthorne. I am satisfied that they were the least inexpensive and I was able to get them to shoot reliably and accurately. Their claim that all uppers are test fires is an outright lie. The one that had excessive headspace I blame on the barrel manufacturer but Blackthorne should have caught it. They did replace the kit very quickly within 7 days total turnaround and the replacement functioned reliably. Another had a picanny gas block that the mounting screws were stripped. Two had a defective extractor. The last backorder thing is what totally turned me off to them.
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    ZZZZZ
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • badchrisbadchris Member Posts: 1,668 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shastaboat
    The last backorder thing is what totally turned me off to them.

    From here, it seems the 4 out of 5 reject rate should have sent you running.
    Enemies of armed self-defense focus on the gun. They ignore the person protected with that gun.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ibtl_2.gif





    http://forums.gunbroker.com/PostingGuidelines.asp



    Complaints about businesses, persons, or transactions unrelated to this site (in general all complaints will be deleted).
  • woodshed87woodshed87 Member Posts: 25,785
    edited November -1
    Had A Bro in Law that was a Blackthorn
    Always Something in a Name[:o)]
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    I nominate 1911a1fan for mod![:D]
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • ammo guyammo guy Member Posts: 810 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought 2 of their AR kits a few months ago, with the exception of a minor problem with the ejection port cover not latching( easily fixed) the kits were fine, no issues with head space or of function after they were assembled. Accuracy of the units was very good. This is the only time I have ordered from them.
  • TxsTxs Member Posts: 18,801
    edited November -1
    This thread underscores why I'd never buy an AR built from parts.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    I nominate 1911a1fan for mod![:D]




    bite me [:D]
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,184 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    I nominate 1911a1fan for mod![:D]




    bite me [:D]
    [:p]
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • cce1302cce1302 Member Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
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