Beware Centerfire Systems

[Warwagon]

I ordered several CETME parts kits from them over a month ago, additionally some US made buttstock/grip kits. They came about 2 weeks ago and I inventoried the order to discover 2 of the grips were missing from the US made stock/grip kits and one parts kit had a badly mangled cocking tube - so bad in fact that the charging handle won't move. I then called and apprised them of the problem. I was told the missing grips would ship out the next day, and after a check for a good cocking tube, they'd ship it too or credit my card $20 for it.

As of today I have received nothing. Checked the credit card account - no credit was made by them. Hmmmm ...

Called them again just now. There are NO US made grips or kits now available - haven't been in nearly 2 weeks. All of the CETME parts kit stuff is gone too. Now we get to the rub. I can keep the 2 stock kits (sans the grips) and they'll credit me with just up to $9.99 toward shipping on my NEXT order (as if THAT'S going to happen - fool me once ... and all that - $10 won't cover finding other US made replacements anyhow) -OR- they'll issue an RMA for them and credit me the 2@$19.99 for them while I pay return shipping (and have to find 2 COMPLETE stock kits at a higher price). Additionally the guy I talked to about the cocking tube credit was "not available" for a call transfer to discuss the matter (So I'm probably out on that too ...) Any way I look at it, I received an order that contained missing/mangled parts for which I paid full price!

Long Story Short - Probably better to try to straighten out the tube, and eat the missing 2 grips, than be out even more parts and money. This was my first - and will be my ONLY dealings with them. If this had been a black market purchase I'd have expected this type of treatment. However it was not - so - I'm letting you fellas know so you don't fall into a similar trap!

Keep your heads down fellas. The END is near. How do you know the ship's going down? All the rats scurry about searching and fighting over the last piece of cheese. Watch out for the airstrike!:plane:Ironically, I just got their nice 56 page color catalog in the mail today ... now THERE'S a way of saying THANK YOU for your business.

//END RANT ... MAYBE.

[M1 Tanker]

Moving to Reviews.

[jlpskydive]

I would call them back and speak with someone else. I bought my Yugo SKS from them and it was great and came with extra stuff they didn't even advertise. Sorry to hear about your experience but, give them another call.

[Warwagon]

Moving to Reviews.

Sorry Tanker, thought it outta go where those doing builds could see it - my bad...:blink2:

[M1 Tanker]

No worries man :) I'm just a neat freak :P

[pjm204]

I got screwed on the grips as well. they were like, oh we shipped 30 of them out and didn't realize there was no grip, that was after I talked to 3 people who said they would ship the grip out. Oh well, the credited me 5 bucks, WHOOPEE

[k98k792]

I have dealt with them for years. Sometimes they will screw up. If you call them enough,and don't give up you will probably get some kind of satisfaction,I always have. Remember though, alot of the stuff they have is bottom of the barrel,often left overs from other vendors. Good luck, I hope it works out for you in some way.

[drhall762]

Remember, if they don't want to play ball, contact your credit card company and dispute the charges. Also, sometimes a letter outlining your states policy on unfair and deceptive trade practices helps.

I have had very mixed results on three transactions with them but have never got stiffed. I have however, stopped doing business with them.

Dave :sniper:

[Grasshopper]

Ask for Lowis, we at the RCG forums deal with her and she usually dots the i's and t's. This is the first i have herd bad things about them.

[Planning]

warwagon, your case seams to be very tipical. CFS is one of the companies i no longer buy from, it appears they get what left over after the other vendors pick out the good stuff or they don't really have it, or charge you for it and then takes a long time to ship it, or it's not as advertized, etc......

i have tried to buy from them several timesand only 1 time did they get the order correct. go to some of the other site and see some of the crap they have pulled over the years. as for louis , not once was she any help( she may have helped a few guys, but the rest of us got screwed).

it's just easier not to buy from them than taking a chance. that special deal they offer usually turns out costing more in the long run..............:wallbash:

grasshopper: "This is the first i have herd bad things about them."

duh! where have you been?????????????

[IMBLITZVT]

Yeah you do take a chance from ordering with them.

I got one of those CETME kits from them. I got it and no bayonet lug and cleaning tube... they claim these are seperate... BS they never issued the gun without a bayonet lug!

But I have never been to upset with them... but if I can order somewhere else... I probably would.

CALL CALL CALL... eventually they will get it right...

[LostInTexas]

Well, it seems like there are mixed reviews on CFS then. I've order 10+ kits from them and all have come in as described and many other parts. The one that was missing parts only took one call and a few days to resolve. Read what the ad says, if it says rough or missing parts expect it to be ROUGH and missing parts. Me personally, I give them a THUMBS UP!. I always try to deal with Jayne but have had good experiences with Louis and Pam both too.

-Jat

[Shovelheadfxwg]

Dealing with CFS is like deal with most of the other companies selling Kits and such, most all of them are a hit and a miss. I have dealt with many of them. Most of them have some good stuff and some crap, and they are going to try to unload that crap on someone, so they don't get stuck with it. It seems to me that the more that you order, at one time, the more crap they try to mix in the bunch.(like ordering 10 kits at one time)
Some of the best and most reputable ones that I have dealt with are Copes Distributing, DPH Arms, and Classic Arms. These guys have never let me down, I have had very few problems with them, and if I did, they always made it right without a hassle. Most of the time CFS advertises cheaper, but doesn't include the sling, bayonet, cleaning kit, magazine, etc. If you want the accessories that go with it and you add it all up, you are just as well to go with one of the more reputable companies. The times that I order from CFS is when I need parts or a single part, not a kit to build. Many of the guys selling kits won't break them up to sell a part, and if I need multiple parts it is sometimes cheaper for me to buy a kit from CFS and bust it up for repair parts than to buy the parts individually.
By the way Century isn't much better. They will send you their junk when they can.

[Warwagon]

Well Men,
I've called 2 times trying to rectify this. And I'm NOT going to try other means or calling again. I'm missing a couple of parts as stated before, though it is NOT like losing a home! I'll treat this as a LEARNING EXPERIENCE, and NOT waste any more effort on them. I already spent the $, now some TIME trying to rectify their mistake. I'm not going to lose any more of ANYTHING on this deal to them. As subjects of the crown (think we're not - think again - just a different crown), we negotiate a portion of our LIFE TIME for $ when we work (ie. Time = Money). Therefore, I'm not going to lose any more LIFE on this one. At my age, it just isn't worth the loss of spirit ... just figured you fellas would like to know. I just don't know how much spirit a human has to lose before he becomes an :monkey: and forgets his ability to reason and treat others equitably.