Shooter's Outpost Review
Buyer Beware.
Big box store means big store customer service.
A week ago I purchased a new Anderson Manufacturing AR15 from Shooter’s Outpost. I asked the salesman about the quality as I had read some concerning reviews on line. He told me “it’s a great entry level AR, we’ve never had one come back and we stand behind every gun we sell.”
Well, sort of.
After taking the rifle to the range today for the first time, I experienced 100% failure to eject. As a certified AR Armorer I field stripped it, oiled it, tried three different magazine types and two different ammo types. Did not eject a single round.
So, I took it back to Shooter’s Outpost where the nice girl at the counter said. “The owner says just leave it with us and we’ll take care of it”.
I asked to speak with “the owner” and was shortly met by Carey McLoud who’s business card says “Manager”.
She takes the rifle out of the box (points it at me in the process), and puts it back in the box.
She informed me, we will have our gunsmith look at it when he comes by.
I replied that her company, as an authorized representative of Anderson Mfg sold me a defective product and I’d like a refund or even store credit. “That’s not our policy” and she showed me the fine print on the receipt that says no returns.
So I have no choice.
She’ll “give it to the gunsmith when he stops by, but he doesn’t work on weekends”. Apparently, there is no-one on staff at Shooter’s Outpost that can access the function of an AR, and my military service, my certification as a Law Enforcement and Firearms instructor and my armor certification are insufficient as she suggested I might be “making the malfunction up”.
Note that her gunsmith is not an employee, he has a “website” which is a blog that has one post on it and advertises no services, He also does not appear to be “Anderson Mfg Approved”. (Note he may be a great gunsmith, I have no idea.)
So they have my money, they have my rifle, they make no commitment as to when the rifle will be returned, they make no statement about the qualifications of the “gunsmith” who’s work I’m supposed to trust if I ever get the rifle back and they want me to keep (and therefore trust) a rifle that was nonfunctionally defective the day they sold it to me.
Ms McLoud’s cold, unwavering stance was completely unapologetic and unfriendly – tough luck, “that’s our policy”.
So, beware, Shooter’s Outpost’s “customer service” is much better when they are taking your money than it is once they HAVE your money.
With a new Gun friendly president about to take office, I recommend you give your business to a smaller gun store with personal service.
If you choose to buy a gun from Shooter’s Outpost, make sure it’s a gun that you can go without if it’s defective.
BUYER BEWARE