So a bit of a lengthy post, but don’t want anyone else’s daughter, wife, girlfriend to be taken advantage of.
I am a fairly novice shooter, but raised in a house with my Dad who is a very experienced shooter and collector. In Spring 2017 I took LTC class with Brian Chamberlain, owner of Arms In Arms Training and became licensed that summer. I enjoyed the class format. While all are welcome, Brian and his wife Cara gear the classes towards the female shooter. After the class, my 2 friends and I hired him for a semi private session at the range and also attended a ladies night session. We also referred several people to their LTC class.
In December 2018, I mentioned to Brian that I was about to purchase a Smith and Wesson Pro Series .45 compact. Brian told me he had one that was in exceptional condition and would sell to me for $600. He said it was his former carry gun, his “ baby” and that he cleaned it after every use. Normally, I would have never purchased a used gun without consulting with my Dad or another knowledgeable person, since Brian was my instructor that I trusted, I purchased the gun. ** FIRST BIG MISTAKE**
*Dec 14 2017: purchased gun from Brian.
*Dec 15 2017: brought to range for first time and a grip split. When I reached out to Brian, he acknowledged there was crack and offered to purchase new grips. ( When I showed my father, he immediately question who I purchased gun from again and tells me “he saw you coming” and tells me whoever installed the grips was a rookie ).
*Dec 26 2017: I met Brian to get the new grips. ( I met him at a local gunshop where I also purchased a new Canik TP9 that day).
*Jan 6 2018: Brian asks if any issues. I respond that I am going to bring to my Dad to clean it and put on grips. My Dad attempts and tells me again that the frame is stripped and questions me again about who I purchased the gun from. Me, not wanting to believe an “expert” sold me a gun with any type of damage, I take the gun to my friend who is a machinist and was a firearms expert in the military. I ask him to install the new grips and look at the gun. He examines the gun, tells me everything except for the barrel is junk and doesn’t want to reassemble for safety concerns. I promise him I won’t shoot it and lock it in my safe.
*Feb 25 2018: Brian reaches out to ask how the Smith is working for me and I answer vaguely that I am getting used to new grips because I wanted to have actual gunsmith examine it before saying anything to him. This is where I am at fault again. I should have contacted Brian right away, but I didn’t. I locked the gun away and shot the Canik and some other guns I have acquired since. I shot approximately 500 or less rounds out of the gun.
The gun remained locked away from Feb 25 2018 until March of this year. (Did not mean for this much time to lapse, but life happens and I had other guns to shoot).
*March 2018: I brought the gun to G&N Gunsmithing in Wrentham, MA (these guys are incredible). I explain the situation and left my gun. Several days later, I receive a call telling me that they do not have good news. They told me that there is no way this gun was in good condition when it was sold to me. They told me if this gun was cleaned and maintained as stated by the individual that sold it to me, then they knew nothing about guns because the damage was obvious and did not just occur overnight. I was advised that the only salvageable part was the barrel. They estimated that over 20000 rounds were fired and all original parts. I was told my best bet was to reach out to original owner to see if he may be willing to reach out to Smith & Wesson to see if any parts covered under warranty ( only the original owner would be covered). I picked up my gun and the report (see pictures). I then reached out to Brian Chamberlain (see pictures).
April 3rd 2019: I messaged Brian explaining the situation and asking if he would be willing to reach out to Smith & Wesson about a warranty or to discuss purchasing gun back from me. He read the message within seconds of viewing it, but didn’t respond.
April 5th 2019: I message Brian to call me and please leave a message if I was not able to answer. His reply is that he would try on his next day off.
April 6th 2019: I ask him to call, stated that I trusted him but I have attached a report from a gunsmith and the report is clear that damage is long term but I wanted to give him opportunity to do the right thing.
April 6th: He replies the gun was in good working order except for the grip. (a damaged grip he did not make me aware of prior to purchasing, a damaged grip that was hiding a damaged frame-see report). He continues to say he had “never had any work done on the gun except for grips and sites” ( again, the problem with the grips caused the problem with the frame and if over 20000 rounds were fired, how was no other maintenance done????)
April 6th: I reply that I am not going to argue. I offer to go to another gunsmith with him present to review the findings from G&N Gunsmithing and I look forward to speaking with him.
It has been over 2 weeks and I have not received a return call. I understand it is my fault as I should have had someone knowledgeable look at the gun prior to purchasing. I understand he is under no obligation to buy the gun back, to contact S&W or even call me. However, taking advantage of someone is not okay. A good business man would at the very least return a phone call to discuss the situation. He would also at least acknowledge the report from a reputable gunsmith. An ethical businessman, if he was acting in good faith would take me up on the offer to have another gunsmith look at the gun. A simple phone call to me and possibly to Smith & Wesson as a courtesy would have gone a long way.
View attachment 281498
I am a fairly novice shooter, but raised in a house with my Dad who is a very experienced shooter and collector. In Spring 2017 I took LTC class with Brian Chamberlain, owner of Arms In Arms Training and became licensed that summer. I enjoyed the class format. While all are welcome, Brian and his wife Cara gear the classes towards the female shooter. After the class, my 2 friends and I hired him for a semi private session at the range and also attended a ladies night session. We also referred several people to their LTC class.
In December 2018, I mentioned to Brian that I was about to purchase a Smith and Wesson Pro Series .45 compact. Brian told me he had one that was in exceptional condition and would sell to me for $600. He said it was his former carry gun, his “ baby” and that he cleaned it after every use. Normally, I would have never purchased a used gun without consulting with my Dad or another knowledgeable person, since Brian was my instructor that I trusted, I purchased the gun. ** FIRST BIG MISTAKE**
*Dec 14 2017: purchased gun from Brian.
*Dec 15 2017: brought to range for first time and a grip split. When I reached out to Brian, he acknowledged there was crack and offered to purchase new grips. ( When I showed my father, he immediately question who I purchased gun from again and tells me “he saw you coming” and tells me whoever installed the grips was a rookie ).
*Dec 26 2017: I met Brian to get the new grips. ( I met him at a local gunshop where I also purchased a new Canik TP9 that day).
*Jan 6 2018: Brian asks if any issues. I respond that I am going to bring to my Dad to clean it and put on grips. My Dad attempts and tells me again that the frame is stripped and questions me again about who I purchased the gun from. Me, not wanting to believe an “expert” sold me a gun with any type of damage, I take the gun to my friend who is a machinist and was a firearms expert in the military. I ask him to install the new grips and look at the gun. He examines the gun, tells me everything except for the barrel is junk and doesn’t want to reassemble for safety concerns. I promise him I won’t shoot it and lock it in my safe.
*Feb 25 2018: Brian reaches out to ask how the Smith is working for me and I answer vaguely that I am getting used to new grips because I wanted to have actual gunsmith examine it before saying anything to him. This is where I am at fault again. I should have contacted Brian right away, but I didn’t. I locked the gun away and shot the Canik and some other guns I have acquired since. I shot approximately 500 or less rounds out of the gun.
The gun remained locked away from Feb 25 2018 until March of this year. (Did not mean for this much time to lapse, but life happens and I had other guns to shoot).
*March 2018: I brought the gun to G&N Gunsmithing in Wrentham, MA (these guys are incredible). I explain the situation and left my gun. Several days later, I receive a call telling me that they do not have good news. They told me that there is no way this gun was in good condition when it was sold to me. They told me if this gun was cleaned and maintained as stated by the individual that sold it to me, then they knew nothing about guns because the damage was obvious and did not just occur overnight. I was advised that the only salvageable part was the barrel. They estimated that over 20000 rounds were fired and all original parts. I was told my best bet was to reach out to original owner to see if he may be willing to reach out to Smith & Wesson to see if any parts covered under warranty ( only the original owner would be covered). I picked up my gun and the report (see pictures). I then reached out to Brian Chamberlain (see pictures).
April 3rd 2019: I messaged Brian explaining the situation and asking if he would be willing to reach out to Smith & Wesson about a warranty or to discuss purchasing gun back from me. He read the message within seconds of viewing it, but didn’t respond.
April 5th 2019: I message Brian to call me and please leave a message if I was not able to answer. His reply is that he would try on his next day off.
April 6th 2019: I ask him to call, stated that I trusted him but I have attached a report from a gunsmith and the report is clear that damage is long term but I wanted to give him opportunity to do the right thing.
April 6th: He replies the gun was in good working order except for the grip. (a damaged grip he did not make me aware of prior to purchasing, a damaged grip that was hiding a damaged frame-see report). He continues to say he had “never had any work done on the gun except for grips and sites” ( again, the problem with the grips caused the problem with the frame and if over 20000 rounds were fired, how was no other maintenance done????)
April 6th: I reply that I am not going to argue. I offer to go to another gunsmith with him present to review the findings from G&N Gunsmithing and I look forward to speaking with him.
It has been over 2 weeks and I have not received a return call. I understand it is my fault as I should have had someone knowledgeable look at the gun prior to purchasing. I understand he is under no obligation to buy the gun back, to contact S&W or even call me. However, taking advantage of someone is not okay. A good business man would at the very least return a phone call to discuss the situation. He would also at least acknowledge the report from a reputable gunsmith. An ethical businessman, if he was acting in good faith would take me up on the offer to have another gunsmith look at the gun. A simple phone call to me and possibly to Smith & Wesson as a courtesy would have gone a long way.
View attachment 281498
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