Re: Contact info: Van Dyke Rifle Designs
UPDATE:
Couldn't retrieve my original login so my name is a bit different.
Anyway, here is the latest.
I received a rifle from Van Dyke Rifle designs only after I had a lawyer mail some unpleasant correspondence to the Van Dykes. Within a week of contact with my lawyer a rifle was delivered.
It arrived with a big ole tomahawk chop down the middle of the scope: It was shipped in a Kalispel case without the foam being trimmed so the rifle simply slid into the inside aluminum seem during shipping and landed squarely on the $1500 optic. The upper turret cover and rheostat cover are toast. At this point I'm over it and just put the damn thing away for 4 months; disgusted and bitter.
When I do take the rifle out to the desert I get 6 shots through it (it did shoot straight). I was advised by John before it was shipped out that the action will be tight and will need a box of ammo or 2 run through the rifle before it sets in. Well it certainly was a tight action; after the 6'th shot the bolt would not open and the bolt handle began to separate from its weld on the bolt. It is my feeling that this is a bit more serious than a "tight action" and this rifle was improperly made. Thankful that the damn thing didn't blow up in my face I called VDRD and spoke to Bill who claimed to be training new employees.
He was very apologetic said this has happened to a few other customers and he new exactly how to fix it, send it in, it will get fixed right away, they stand behind our products and their customers...blah blah blah the whole sales pitch.
Needless to say I was VERY weary about sending the rifle back but after a couple calls to VDRD to make sure that they actually know how to pick up the phone again (heck they even responded to an EMAIL!) I removed the barrel and action from the stock, take off the optic and mail in the jammed up mess.
That was three weeks ago. We are back to business as usual; nobody responds to emails or picks up the phone.
This has turned into a laughable joke; albeit a very expensive one.
So, in 3 years time after being paid in full Van Dyke Rifle Designs STILL cannot get a working rifle out the door to me. WHAT A JOKE!
This is the most Godawful purchase of ANYTHING I have ever gone through.
I have some vacation time next week and think a little trip to Plainville Ks may prove amusing.
So to sum up
Whole bunch of money + 2 years build time = crappy rifle that seized up in 6 shots.
It is my personal opinion that Van Dyke Rifle Designs is the absolute worst place you can go to have any type of firearms related work done. Poor quality, endless excuses, deplorable customer service and oh yeah; THEY NEVER ANSWER THE F***ING PHONE!
I would have done better with a $150 WWII surplus bolt action POS than I did on this rifle from Van Dyke Rifle Designs.
If the Van Dykes cannot get their sh*t together after 3 years, I have a feeling it just aint gonna happen.
FREDREDED: If you can get in touch with the Van Dykes and ask them to kindly check and respond to their emails I would appreciate it as I am not looking forward to wasting my vacation time traveling out to Kansas to deal with this crap. Better yet get them to respond to this thread; I would LOVE to hear their side of the story and hear them try to explain this.
