Wayward_Son
New member
Please do not let this thread derail onto the topic of debating the merits or shortcomings of the .327 mag cartridge. This thread addresses my personal experiences with the SP101 .327 mag and Ruger's customer service.
I ordered my SP101 .327 on March 5, 2008. It has now been just over six months since I placed the order (and put down the $50 deposit). So far my dealer has not received the gun. Granted, my dealer has also not bothered to call either his distributor or Ruger for an update, which is frustrating.
As a result, I spent about 45 minutes today contacting Ruger. That's not a large amount of time, but it's still a pain in the arse to have to wait over six months for a gun and then make all of the phone calls to get some kind of answer that explains the delay. I'm a little ticked at my dealer for not doing this for me but I'm more ticked at Ruger for not doing something to ramp up production for a gun that they heavily promoted with Federal and created all kinds of internet advertising and hype, but have not created enough to satisfy the demand that they created.
So, here is my experience.
I look up the number for Ruger on the internet. I find this number: 603-865-2442.
I call it and get a person who sounds unhappy and frustrated. She tells me that Ruger makes firearms in batches and that batches are released to distributors on some kind of schedule. I knew that already. I asked her repeatedly (and politely) if there was any way of knowing when those batches would arrive. She assured me that they were on there way but also that there was no way for her to know when they might reach the dealers. I asked her repeatedly if there was anyone that I could speak to that could give me more information. She said "no", so after we were done I called the same number a second time.
This time I got someone else on the phone who started to give me the same answer but then gave me another number to call: 928-778-6555.
This time I got someone who seemed more willing to help me but couldn't because that happens to be the number for semi-auto handguns and the semi-auto pistol-caliber carbines. She gave me the number for the proper department that produces revolvers and then transfered me directly to that number.
When she directed me I eventually got a message that all staff were busy and to try back at a later time. I hung up and immediately called back at the number I was given.
That number is 203-256-3865. I spoke with Linda. While she wasn't overflowing with enthusiasm (which does get old after awhile) she did assure me that the guns were on the way. While I wasn't swayed by her assurances, she did tell me that the guns were on the way. When I told her that I had placed my order over six months ago she asked me for the name of my dealer. I gave it to her. She asked me for the address and phone number, but the business card I have for it only gives a phone number. She also asked me if I knew who my dealer's distributor was, but I did not. I wish I did, because if I had been able to supply that piece of information it might have sped this process up just that much more. I ended up giving her the name of my dealer, his number, his location (Beaumont, TX), as well as my name and number. She told me she would try to speed things up, and I can only assume that she means she will try to cut some corners and get one of these SP101's headed to my dealer even if I am not "in line" on the list of people that have ordered these guns. Apparently they are shipped to dealers based on where those dealers fall by who ordered guns by which date. If a thousand people ordered these guns at their dealers before I did, then those guns would be shipped to those dealers before "my" gun is ever shipped to my dealer where I can go pick it up.
That's pretty much exactly how I thought it worked anyway, but I was glad to hear that she would try to get the gun to me ASAP. I'm also glad she took my name and number as well as my dealer's name and number.
Whether that means the gun will get here any quicker remains to be seen. I hope it does. If it does not than I will be that much more perturbed. I've been as patient as I care to be. I can certainly be more patient, but come on... it's not like making this SP101 .327 would require extensive retooling of the factories or anything. After all, Ruger already makes an SP101 in .32 H&R... all that needs be done is to ream out of cylinder bores a bit further, or just add a new cylinder with more heat-treated strength... the infrastructure so to speak is already there.
It seems like Ruger's sales philosophy is this: We'll hype up this new cartridge, make promises on its potential. However, instead of releasing the gun we'll make absurdly small batches of the gun and release them in waves to keep demand high.
At first glance, this seems like a sound business choice as far as keeping demand high and resource cost low (IE: guaranteed to sell every item they produce). However, the result is that demand is so high and supply so low that good paying customers are ticked off because they still don't have the item they ordered half a year ago (or more!).
If there are any Ruger employees reading this (as I imagine there may be... companies often have people perusing the web to keep a tab on the pulse of the customers), I have this to say:
Look, I bought your hype. I like the new cartridge, and I like the gun. I'm convinced. I'm sold. You've got a customer here. I even put down a deposit. I even bought 240 rounds of the new ammunition, even though the price was astronomical.
SO GIVE ME MY GUN ALREADY!
Your sales/marketing model is only serving to tick off customers and potential customers. That doesn't help you. Meanwhile, there are plenty of customer who would like to buy your new product, and giving them that product would keep them happy as well as put money in your coffers.
Getting these guns out helps you.
Keeping them restricted does not help you as much.
Where's the beef? I'm sold on your product, so why can't I have it?
I ordered my SP101 .327 on March 5, 2008. It has now been just over six months since I placed the order (and put down the $50 deposit). So far my dealer has not received the gun. Granted, my dealer has also not bothered to call either his distributor or Ruger for an update, which is frustrating.
As a result, I spent about 45 minutes today contacting Ruger. That's not a large amount of time, but it's still a pain in the arse to have to wait over six months for a gun and then make all of the phone calls to get some kind of answer that explains the delay. I'm a little ticked at my dealer for not doing this for me but I'm more ticked at Ruger for not doing something to ramp up production for a gun that they heavily promoted with Federal and created all kinds of internet advertising and hype, but have not created enough to satisfy the demand that they created.
So, here is my experience.
I look up the number for Ruger on the internet. I find this number: 603-865-2442.
I call it and get a person who sounds unhappy and frustrated. She tells me that Ruger makes firearms in batches and that batches are released to distributors on some kind of schedule. I knew that already. I asked her repeatedly (and politely) if there was any way of knowing when those batches would arrive. She assured me that they were on there way but also that there was no way for her to know when they might reach the dealers. I asked her repeatedly if there was anyone that I could speak to that could give me more information. She said "no", so after we were done I called the same number a second time.
This time I got someone else on the phone who started to give me the same answer but then gave me another number to call: 928-778-6555.
This time I got someone who seemed more willing to help me but couldn't because that happens to be the number for semi-auto handguns and the semi-auto pistol-caliber carbines. She gave me the number for the proper department that produces revolvers and then transfered me directly to that number.
When she directed me I eventually got a message that all staff were busy and to try back at a later time. I hung up and immediately called back at the number I was given.
That number is 203-256-3865. I spoke with Linda. While she wasn't overflowing with enthusiasm (which does get old after awhile) she did assure me that the guns were on the way. While I wasn't swayed by her assurances, she did tell me that the guns were on the way. When I told her that I had placed my order over six months ago she asked me for the name of my dealer. I gave it to her. She asked me for the address and phone number, but the business card I have for it only gives a phone number. She also asked me if I knew who my dealer's distributor was, but I did not. I wish I did, because if I had been able to supply that piece of information it might have sped this process up just that much more. I ended up giving her the name of my dealer, his number, his location (Beaumont, TX), as well as my name and number. She told me she would try to speed things up, and I can only assume that she means she will try to cut some corners and get one of these SP101's headed to my dealer even if I am not "in line" on the list of people that have ordered these guns. Apparently they are shipped to dealers based on where those dealers fall by who ordered guns by which date. If a thousand people ordered these guns at their dealers before I did, then those guns would be shipped to those dealers before "my" gun is ever shipped to my dealer where I can go pick it up.
That's pretty much exactly how I thought it worked anyway, but I was glad to hear that she would try to get the gun to me ASAP. I'm also glad she took my name and number as well as my dealer's name and number.
Whether that means the gun will get here any quicker remains to be seen. I hope it does. If it does not than I will be that much more perturbed. I've been as patient as I care to be. I can certainly be more patient, but come on... it's not like making this SP101 .327 would require extensive retooling of the factories or anything. After all, Ruger already makes an SP101 in .32 H&R... all that needs be done is to ream out of cylinder bores a bit further, or just add a new cylinder with more heat-treated strength... the infrastructure so to speak is already there.
It seems like Ruger's sales philosophy is this: We'll hype up this new cartridge, make promises on its potential. However, instead of releasing the gun we'll make absurdly small batches of the gun and release them in waves to keep demand high.
At first glance, this seems like a sound business choice as far as keeping demand high and resource cost low (IE: guaranteed to sell every item they produce). However, the result is that demand is so high and supply so low that good paying customers are ticked off because they still don't have the item they ordered half a year ago (or more!).
If there are any Ruger employees reading this (as I imagine there may be... companies often have people perusing the web to keep a tab on the pulse of the customers), I have this to say:
Look, I bought your hype. I like the new cartridge, and I like the gun. I'm convinced. I'm sold. You've got a customer here. I even put down a deposit. I even bought 240 rounds of the new ammunition, even though the price was astronomical.
SO GIVE ME MY GUN ALREADY!
Your sales/marketing model is only serving to tick off customers and potential customers. That doesn't help you. Meanwhile, there are plenty of customer who would like to buy your new product, and giving them that product would keep them happy as well as put money in your coffers.
Getting these guns out helps you.
Keeping them restricted does not help you as much.
Where's the beef? I'm sold on your product, so why can't I have it?
). How does it work with Gunbroker? Do I have to notify my dealer that I'm using him as the FFL before I make the purchase? Or do I just make the purchase and it gets sent to him? What exact information do I have to give Gunbroker regarding the FFL before I make a purchase?