View Full Version : Daniel Defense 'Oops'!
I had a handful (maybe a dozen) DD rifles pass through my place last year, along with a modest amount of sights, accessories, and a few LPK's. I definitely wouldn't consider it a HUGE amount, however, and was surprised to see a few of these shortcomings.
The first was a CH that was immediately swapped with a BCM GF, so it wasn't a huge issue, but the charging handle was definitely binding while cycling the BCG and you can clearly see the tooling 'drift' to the left at the end of the cut. I sat it aside for a few months and kind of forgot about it.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l167/hunt_ak/15B08B95-662E-455A-AD6E-77787B509920-3656-000002F8FE93441E.jpg
While assembling a lower from a DD LPK, I ran across this little gem
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l167/hunt_ak/B7460A48-A1E0-44FA-9453-7D010070757E-3656-000002F9033A10E8.jpg
I didn't like to see a few oddities like these from them but if you're making widgets for a living, you're bound to make a few goof-ups from time to time.
I called and spoke with a gentleman that was fairly surprised that I was telling him a pin was that much too short giving me a 'Whaaaaaat?' I offered to send pics and also told him about the CH from previously. No questions asked, didn't want to see pic, just got the new parts headed my way the next day. Back in business!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l167/hunt_ak/C557E718-E59C-48B9-8CB7-92ED9CB6F8D7-3656-000002F8F6E9DF85.jpg
I agree. I don't expect a company to make 100% of their product to be perfect especially with the volume coming out of them. But I do expect them to have perfect customer service, and that's what Daniel Defense has. Which is more than I can say from my experiences with Colt's CS though their reps are very helpful at shows/conferences.
my experience with DD customer service is that these guys really care and try hard to make everything better than before.
I had a V1 that was a little sluggish with .223 power ammo and the CH was rubbing in the receiver. nothing critical but I wanted it looked at.
they said send it in but I was going to be in town on business so I asked if I could just drop it off on my way through. they said sure and I went to the factory.
as they worked on my gun, I got a factory tour, met several of the engineers and staff and got a little info on the downlow about upcoming plans and improvements.
these were very cool people who obviously knew their trade and were very interested in their product and their customers.
based on this experience I like DD so much I got another... :D
Meanwhile at TOS, some guy will post your pics and tell everyone how DD sucks and their parts aren't as good or as "milspec" as Spikes or Delton...
I had a handful (maybe a dozen) DD rifles pass through my place last year, along with a modest amount of sights, accessories, and a few LPK's.
Are you a business? I'm trying to figure out the context of the post when you say "my place".
sinlessorrow
10-20-12, 14:23
Meanwhile at TOS, some guy will post your pics and tell everyone how DD sucks and their parts aren't as good or as "milspec" as Spikes or Delton...
Omg man you should see the DD Chrome BCG thread there!!!
Everyone is jumping DD about how the BCG is damage, when in actuality the marks came from the extractor pin, no one there seems to be able to figure it out, and its like 5 pages of bitching.
Theres also another thread there about tool marks inside the rear of the carrier and how its clearly damaged!
That site is hillarious
Omg man you should see the DD Chrome BCG thread there!!!
Everyone is jumping DD about how the BCG is damage, when in actuality the marks came from the extractor pin, no one there seems to be able to figure it out, and its like 5 pages of bitching.
Another thread had the same question about the "rough" interior of a chromed LT carrier, and that seemed to just get ignored...
Grand58742
10-20-12, 15:40
Just my own minor story to tell and the outcome.
Got an M4V3 and was attempting to swap out the pistol grip for a Ergo. Got the issue one off and started putting on the new one on when I discovered the grip wouldn't align correctly (slight gap between the grip and receiver). And the replacement hex head screw I was using (I hate slotted screws with a passion) wasn't backing out. Long story short, I've got an Ergo grip halfway on the receiver and a screw that's halfway out. So sent in the rifle to DD since I didn't want to attempt anything more since I could break it.
Fast forward six weeks, I get notified by the gunsmith at DD that my rifle is done and headed back to me. Asked what the problem was and he couldn't say exactly what the problem was but they ended up snapping off the head of the screw trying to back it out. Low and behold I get a brand new lower receiver (with my Ergo grip installed with a slotted screw...I ain't messing with it) and no charge even though it was my parts that caused the foul up. A completely new lower receiver...awesome.
Gunsmith said since they couldn't get the screw backed out themselves to inspect the lower, they can't prove it's my parts that caused the malfunction for lack of a better term. So they replaced the lower although it's not their policy since I attempted to modify it.
Major props on the Daniel Defense customer service department even though it was a "my bad" that I was perfectly willing to pay to fix. I originally thought I might have sold it, but recent events and their good customer service has caused me to reevaluate.
Are you a business? I'm trying to figure out the context of the post when you say "my place".
I have a small duracoating business and have an FFL because of it....
Small mistakes are bound to happen, point being they take care of their own, why even make a thread like this.:rolleyes: business must be slow..
sinlessorrow
10-20-12, 18:42
Small mistakes are bound to happen, point being they take care of their own, why even make a thread like this.:rolleyes: business must be slow..
Because he was praising DD for the customer service.
I'm speaking about the OPs original thread and title, yeah I see where he is giving a nod to DD CS, regardless I still see it as pointless and ammo for all the Internet rumor trolls
I think it's common knowledge that all manufacturers have problems, and to even think that any one company never has or never will make a mistake is down right foolish.
What sets companies apart is how they handle their mistakes; any thread that praises a companies CS dept. is in no way pointless.
We as consumers need honest reports of how good or how bad any companies CS dept is, so that we may make knowledgeable decisions about what products we buy.
I've seen enough reports of how great DD's CS dept. is that I would never hesitate to purchase a DD rifle.
I do, however, believe that threads intended to praise a companies CS dept. should be skillfully written, as to portray only the positive aspects.
I think it's common knowledge that all manufacturers have problems, and to even think that any one company never has or never will make a mistake is down right foolish.
What sets companies apart is how they handle their mistakes; any thread that praises a companies CS dept. is in no way pointless.
We as consumers need honest reports of how good or how bad any companies CS dept is, so that we may make knowledgeable decisions about what products we buy.
I've seen enough reports of how great DD's CS dept. is that I would never hesitate to purchase a DD rifle.
I do, however, believe that threads intended to praise a companies CS dept. should be skillfully written, as to portray only the positive aspects.
I agree totally with everything your saying, that was my point, maybe I should have been more clear, at first glance it seems like it was negatively portraying DD, which I have never heard a bad thing about. There is no problem and I encourage people praising CS and or reaching out to us when it's bad, one of the many reasons I picked DD as my first AR was of all the positive reviews about their CS alone. Truth is shit happens we all know that, how a company handles it is what is sometimes the determining factor. I found comfort that in the rare case something were to go wrong or be out of spec that I'd be taken care of. What brought my Intrest to this thread was mostly the title. Well one thing is for sure if little things like this are the biggest issues I'll have to worry about with DD I'm good to go. My fault if I was disrespectful.
I have a small duracoating business and have an FFL because of it....
Cool, I think the past few years have really changed thing when you look at coatings. I think it has gotten much more popular on a variety of weapon systems.
Do you have a preference for thermal vs epoxy coatings?
Thanks for the reply.
everyusernametaken
10-20-12, 22:29
I agree totally with everything your saying, that was my point, maybe I should have been more clear, at first glance it seems like it was negatively portraying DD, which I have never heard a bad thing about. There is no problem and I encourage people praising CS and or reaching out to us when it's bad, one of the many reasons I picked DD as my first AR was of all the positive reviews about their CS alone. Truth is shit happens we all know that, how a company handles it is what is sometimes the determining factor. I found comfort that in the rare case something were to go wrong or be out of spec that I'd be taken care of. What brought my Intrest to this thread was mostly the title. Well one thing is for sure if little things like this are the biggest issues I'll have to worry about with DD I'm good to go. My fault if I was disrespectful.
Most here are more highly-evolved than the knuckle-draggers typical of some other sites, so this sort of thread doesn't have to turn into a frenzy of idiots trying to convince everyone that these minor mistakes prove that DD is no better than whatever POS they bought.
I believe DD is exceptional in their commitment to the quality of their products and CS.
Cool, I think the past few years have really changed thing when you look at coatings. I think it has gotten much more popular on a variety of weapon systems.
.
I agree. Even since I started doing this 3-4 years ago, you see countless manufacturers offering coatings from the factory. I really am a small-beans guy doing this out of my garage but my skills have definitely improved and I do it mostly by word-of-mouth on an Alaska Outdoors Forum that I frequent. I have only had one bad duracoat job that I botched (luckily it was my brothers rifle), but other than that, I feel it is a good product. I have several weapons that see over 100 days afield that are in their 3-4th season in the hands of Western Alaskan fishing guides, mountain hunters, etc.
Without any personal experience with what I consider 'the other coating', I do feel that Cerakote is a better product after reading reviews on the subject from individuals who have more experience/knowledge on the subject than I do. I don't have the access to an oven that can handle a 32" Ithaca Mag 10 barreled action (which I painted fairly recently), or anything even remotely large, so the epoxy air-cure duracoat is what I am working with at the moment. One BIG thing that I feel is a detractor from the Duracoat is the VOC content...off the charts.
I hope that answered a few of your questions.
As far as the original intent of this thread, I think the last few posts hashed it out well enough. I try my best to not make 'those threads' but I apologize if this seemed frivolous.
regardless I still see it as pointless and ammo for all the Internet rumor trolls
In the same time it took you to post that, you could have elected to report the post using the Report Post button (little exclamation-point button thingy off to the right of every post), guaranteeing that a staff member would review it, and let them decide.
Consider the decision made, and that the matter of the viability of the thread need not be brought up again unless there's a justifiable reason to do so.
I choose not too. Just MHO, but ok boss:big_boss:
sinlessorrow
10-21-12, 09:42
I choose not too. Just MHO, but ok boss:big_boss:
He just went there with santoro???? This will noy end well
He just went there with santoro???? This will noy end well
Am I missing something I was just in a few words saying that I did not hit the "!" Button I did not think it needed to be flagged for moderator attention, lesson learned and as I wrote he is the boss next time I will do so. I don't t see how it could end any different.
Anyway back to the subject at hand....
This is disappointing. I have had great luck with DD in the past.
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