16ga.com ~ View topic - 16 ga Model 21 arrived today....back it goes.....

very sad deal, the gun was advertised as original untouched, which was simply untrue. I was extremely disappointed in Galazan's and the misrepresentation. You pay that much for something to somebody with what I feel has a good, respected reputation, in good faith, and then receive a gun with reblued barrels, a bulge in the left barrel 4-6" in, and extensive marks from past bulge (apparently) repairs 1-3" in right barrel, I felt really deflated, I was shocked, frankly, because I thought these guys were really legit.... it was almost unbelievable! Live and learn, gun is on it's way back.......I feel crappy and jerked around..... I'll get over it, I know..... I will never do business with them again, I'm afraid.....I actually feel betrayed and hurt, maybe I'm overreacting, but I never dreamed I'd get hosed by them! I was stunned. Naive? Maybe.....it's just so different than the way I ran my business for 5 years.....I made a bonafide, serious purchase from an alledged "top drawer" outfit, paid a more than fair price, and can't believe what happened. I'm not actually angry, more like stunned with disbelief, and a sense of being deceived. It feels nasty... sorry to go on and on about it, but I guess it helps ease the blow to share with you guys... thanks to those of you that made it all the way through my whining post..... and to those that perhaps tried.... Smile

britgun

Sorry to hear it. From all the hoopla about Galazan's you'd think they'd be a first class act. I've never traded with them, but I've heard enough about their attitude in the past few years from folks they've screwed around to know something has changed.

There is probably nothing so easy to do as lose a hard won good reputation, and nothing quite so hard to do as gain it back. I look at the Post-1964 Winchester company, Smith & Wesson from 1970 through 1995, and Remington after 1985. These are companies with long heritages that lost their reputations in a couple of years. What a shame. Smith & Wesson has made it back into the good graces of the gun buying public after a couple of decades. Winchester is gone. Remington has a long uphill hike ahead of it.

Any way, if they burned you like that, I'll not be trading with them either. Live and learn as you've said. Its a lot easier to learn from the experiences of others.

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

I certainly agree with your feelings! 16 gauge 21's are pricey and to have one described as original untouched and not be is surely a dissapointment!
I have 16 SKEET and it is a very nice upland gun. Keep looking.-Dick

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 602 Location: western pa

Duncan, I can understand a difference of opinion on the condition of a used gun, buyers look at them differently than sellers. However, when it's supposed to be untouched and it has dinged barrels, I wouldn't be too darned shy about asking them to pay the shipping because it was a gross error on there part.

You'd think that for the prices they charge, they could at least be honest about that they're selling Sad

!

I don't know if it's dishonesty or ineptness; you'd like to think neither, but there is a thread now on the Fox collectors site about a gun which is clearly a Savage-era Sterlingworth, which they are touting as a Philly gun. They're either lying or they don't know the difference, and IMHO either is inexcusable considering the way they position themselves in the marketplace.

Sorry about your bad experience. My wife bought me one of their two-shotgun cases and when it arrived it was obviously used (oil spotted, leather worn, etc.) I assume it was an honest mistake, but... To their credit they paid shipping back and shipping out on the replacement. I agree they probably ought to do the same for you.

Fin

Joined: 23 Nov 2006 Posts: 58 Location: Northeast

About 3 years ago I bought a 16 gauge Parker from a highly respected dealer. The gun was advertised as redone.... with recasing, reblued barrels, restocked with a straight stock, nice wood, skeleton buttplate, action screws indexed, etc. Stock dimensions were almost like it was made for me. It looked very nice on the website and was priced pretty high, but I thought what the heck, this is going to make a nice upland gun without going through all the trouble and waiting. I talked with the salesman extensively and asked all the right questions. When it arrived I looked at the "excellent bores" that had some tiny pepper speck pits in them. I had them measured and found they were honed excessively and the wall thickness on one of the barrels was .015" about 10" from the muzzle. Apparently the guy who honed them was afraid to take any more out, thus the pepper specks. Also, the opening lever wouldn't stay to the right when I broke the gun open. I returned the gun and got my money back. No problem. About 2 weeks later it was back on their website with the same description as when I bought it. That was my last dealing with dealer X. Silvers

I had a very bad experience with Galazan's refurbishing my 16 ga. M-21. After repeated returns for rework I finally gave up, ate my losses and sent it to Andy's Custom Shop to be redone. Andy's work was much better quality and at a more reasonable price. Their new guns are beauties, but they don't care much about guns that don't have their name on them. Still charge top dollar though!

Next time I see their table at a dun show, I'll spill a nice sweet syrupy cola all over their table, just for you Duncan.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

britgun,
Sorry to hear about the bad experience with them. I've only bought one gun from them, a Fox Sterlyworth. When I called and asked about it I got all the answers I wanted, even got them down on the price without even seeing the gun.
When it arrived it was everything they said. It's too bad you had such a bad time with your purchase.

I will say though I recently looked at one of their RBLs that was up for sale at one of the higher end dealers in our area. It was not what I expected for the $ and all the hoopla about how nice they were etc. The wood to metal finish on the stock was not very good and the butt plate looked like it was glued on which left a gap between the plate and the stock.

Holy crap, Batman! Bulges in the barrels!!! That's a parts gun. Shocked

Brit, this isn't a M21 but it is one super sweet 16 in the same price range. IMHO, a lot more gun for the money.

http://www.champlinarms.com/Default.aspx?tabid=30&mid=345&ctl=GunsDetails&StyleID=10&GunID=145

Good luck!

Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 98 Location: Illinois

Wow, thats very disappointing to hear. Sorry for your bad experience.

I've heard great things about their RBL and their service regarding the RBL but I guess there's another story to be told.

I hope they take care of you with the shipping.

I have always had good luck with Galazans. I trust they accepted the return w/o incident. Doesn't sound typical to me.

I have found that odd things can happen with any company, and the test is how the incident is resolved. I would doubt that this was an intentional act.

Also, we tend to remember the 1 in a 1000 unusual happening rather than the other 999 uneventful transactions.

Member Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 401 Location: Tennessee

I wonder about that Merkel at Champlin's, I doubt that those non-engraved screws on the sideplates are original. Other than that, its definitely drool material.
Bill

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

Before we start trashing Tony ,Galazan's and RBL's, note that I ordered and received an RBL with Exhibition Black Walnut feather crotch that was a bargain for the additional $700 charge. The gun was also very well done.
I also have met Tony and handled his guns, new and used at various venue's and have never had a cause to be concerned. -Dick

*Last edited by fin2feather on Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:08 am; edited 1 time in total*