FN Herstal Firearms banner

5 7 Sent In For Repair - (Major Update Added To Post One)

7127 Views 50 Replies 27 Participants Last post by  BigBuckeyeGuy
I own two 5 7s. I will never buy another FN product again.

You may recall I had a windage problem with my first 5 7 that I bought a few months ago. My rear sight was maxed out to the right for windage to be on target. I posted about it here and your responses convinced me to send it back for repair.

Two months ago I sent it back. FN issued a call tag and UPS picked up the gun in the middle of March. In addition to having the windage problem looked at, I requested to have the slide cover changed since I fell and banged it up a little.

A month ago I called to find out the status of the gun. They said they need to email me an estimate for the slide cover replacement. I said ok please send it. A week later I still had not received an email. So I called. They said they would send it soon. I asked if I could just pay for it over the phone with my debit card. They said no, I need to wait for the estimate. Finally, a few days later the estimate showed up in my inbox. They wanted over $100 to replace the $3 slide cover, which takes about 4 mins to do at most. I have a spare and decided not to have them do it. However, If I had wanted them to do it, I would have had to printed out the form, filled it out and snail mail it in. They refuse to take cards over the phone or online. Hello FN it is 2015??? And my gun has now been sitting at FN for 6 weeks and NOTHING has been done to it!

I called and declined to have the slide replaced and asked them to simply perform the warranty repair. Today, two weeks later I called to find out the status of the gun. They said it was still waiting to be looked at. This is now 2 months after they received the gun! I asked how much longer until they repaired it. The guy said he did not know. I just told him to ship it back without being repaired. I am sick of waiting. Here I spent $1300 on a new gun and it has been sitting at FN for 2 months and not a soul has even looked at it. I am sorry, that is not acceptable.

I have owned hundreds of firearms over the last 25 years. I have had to send quite a few back for repair. For example, in the last two years I have had to send back 3 new S&W revolvers for repair. Door to door, 2 to 3 weeks each time. All paid for by S&W, the guns were returned in perfect working order. I had to send back and Adams Arms AR15, 3 day turn around. Yep, 3 days. Ruger, 2 weeks door to door and they sent me 2 free mags.

In all the years I have owned firearms I have never had an experience like this. And this is the most expensive semi-auto I have ever purchased. Does FN really think it is ok for someone to buy a $1300 handgun, have it for a week and have to send it in and it sits for months.

The CS I have received from FN is totally unacceptable. I will never purchase anything from them again. I don't care how cool it is. CS is extremely important to me, and in my business I understand that and would never pull BS like this.


UPDATE!!!!


I just called FN this AM to see if I could get a tracking number on my 5 7 they are returning. A much nicer guy answered the phone today. I told him I called Friday to have my gun returned and would like a tracking number. I also told him in a very nice way how unhappy I was with their CS. He asked if he could please have someone look at the gun today since it had been there for 6 weeks and a few more hours would not make a difference. I said sure and that would be much appreciated.

Two hours later he called me back. He informed me they are destroying my gun and replacing it with a new one. The gun is not up to their standards and they all agreed they would not want to own that pistol and that a replacement was necessary. Damn good thing I called!
See less See more
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
You received CS from Browning and not FN. that's why it sucks :(
  • Like
Reactions: 4
You received CS from Browning and not FN. that's why it sucks :(
And that is somehow an acceptable excuse? Maybe FN should provide their own CS if they care at all. Which clearly they don't. So that makes their CS even worse in my mind.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
that's frustrating.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Try waiting over 9 months for S&W to get a part in and then having to pay for it when warranty should have covered it. I'm in sort of a reverse situation. Never had to use FN CS, but I'm not a fan of S&W and the CSR manager, Kate Fredette.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
My 57 took about 10 weeks to get back for a simple repair that the mags didnt drop free. They will fix it if you wait long enough but I agree 8 weeks for a simple repair is ludicrous. Sig sauer took 9 weeks to get my mk25 back to me so I don't think crappy CS is solely a FN thing. since you and me are civilian customers there is no rush to get your firearm back.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Try waiting over 9 months for S&W to get a part in and then having to pay for it when warranty should have covered it. I'm in sort of a reverse situation. Never had to use FN CS, but I'm not a fan of S&W and the CSR manager, Kate Fredette.
I'm a big S&W revolver guy. I spend a tremendous amount of time on the S&W Forum. If you read the many posts about members experience with S&W CS, you will find the vast majority have an excellent experience. 2 to 3 weeks is standard turnaround for warranty repair. However, if you need a part that is out of stock and not slated for production, you will wait a while. They have made so many thousands of different guns that makes sense. You didn't tell your story here, but something tells me it makes sense.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
My 57 took about 10 weeks to get back for a simple repair that the mags didnt drop free. They will fix it if you wait long enough but I agree 8 weeks for a simple repair is ludicrous. Sig sauer took 9 weeks to get my mk25 back to me so I don't think crappy CS is solely a FN thing. since you and me are civilian customers there is no rush to get your firearm back.
That is the reason I do not own a sig. ****ty CS. That is why I will never purchase an FN again.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Maybe FN should provide their own CS if they care at all
At one time they did, but to save money now they don't.
  • Like
Reactions: 3
At one time they did, but to save money now they don't.
As I said, they don't care.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
That is the reason I do not own a sig. ****ty CS. That is why I will never purchase an FN again.
Sent my P229 .357 sig on Friday and received it back the following Thursday. I guess it's luck of the draw.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Some back story for you.

http://fnforum.net/forums/fn-fnp/20544-bob-ailes-retires.html#top

When they forced out the customer service manager it ruined FN for all of us.
  • Like
Reactions: 5
And that is somehow an acceptable excuse? Maybe FN should provide their own CS if they care at all. Which clearly they don't. So that makes their CS even worse in my mind.

Buffman never said it was ok. He was simply informing you.

All of this information was on the web in multiple threads, when FN's CS moved from real FN to fake Browning.

When my FsN breaks, I ship it to Elite Ammunition to get it fixed. They have spare parts and actually know how to fix the gun.
  • Like
Reactions: 4
And we have a forum sponsor that can work on your pistol.

FN Gunsmithing
  • Like
Reactions: 5
Thank God I've not had the pleasure yet, but I have never heard of a positive experience with FN customer service yet, that is terrible. Another thing that makes me wonder is I believe the new line of SCAR's with the 20" and heavy 16" are to be made in the U.S. , if so I wonder if they'll manage to trash FN's image altogether with bad product as well. Hate to hear of yet another bad CS experience from FN . This Country really needs to get it's head out of the sand and look around.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Thank God I've not had the pleasure yet, but I have never heard of a positive experience with FN customer service yet, that is terrible. Another thing that makes me wonder is I believe the new line of SCAR's with the 20" and heavy 16" are to be made in the U.S. , if so I wonder if they'll manage to trash FN's image altogether with bad product as well. Hate to hear of yet another bad CS experience from FN . This Country really needs to get it's head out of the sand and look around.
I agree. We spend $1000's ($10,000 for me) on these products and get this. I just ordered another 17. This thread makes me want to put it up on gunbroker before I even get it. :(
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Buffman never said it was ok. He was simply informing you.

All of this information was on the web in multiple threads, when FN's CS moved from real FN to fake Browning.

When my FsN breaks, I ship it to Elite Ammunition to get it fixed. They have spare parts and actually know how to fix the gun.
Do you really think I should have to send my new $1300 pistol to a third party and pay for what should be a warranted repair? I personally think FN should provide the same level of customer service that every other major firearms manufacturer in the U.S. does.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Do you really think I should have to send my new $1300 pistol to a third party and pay for what should be a warranted repair? I personally think FN should provide the same level of customer service that every other major firearms manufacturer in the U.S. does.
This third party lists warranty work:

Midwest Gun Works offers a full line of gunsmithing services for the FNH Firearms. Our in-house gunsmiths are factory trained and can provide you with a wide variety of services associated with your FN Firearm such as:

  • Firearm Inspection
  • Cleaning
  • Mechanical Repair
  • Trigger Adjustment
  • Factory Warranty
  • And Much More
  • Like
Reactions: 4
This third party lists warranty work:

Midwest Gun Works offers a full line of gunsmithing services for the FNH Firearms. Our in-house gunsmiths are factory trained and can provide you with a wide variety of services associated with your FN Firearm such as:

  • Firearm Inspection
  • Cleaning
  • Mechanical Repair
  • Trigger Adjustment
  • Factory Warranty
  • And Much More
Link already posted up above. :?
  • Like
Reactions: 1
This third party lists warranty work:

Midwest Gun Works offers a full line of gunsmithing services for the FNH Firearms. Our in-house gunsmiths are factory trained and can provide you with a wide variety of services associated with your FN Firearm such as:

  • Firearm Inspection
  • Cleaning
  • Mechanical Repair
  • Trigger Adjustment
  • Factory Warranty
  • And Much More
I have bought many parts from MGW over the years. So you are saying I can send my gun MGW for warranty repair, and I don't have to pay a dime? I suspect I will be paying for shipping, which I can deal with.

What really gets me is I have this brand new gun that cost a small fortune, it has spent more time sitting on a shelf at FN/Browning service, then in my possession. All for no reason. Now I would have to start the process all over. I think I will just live with the rear sight all the way over to the right.

I always do my research on a firearm manufacturer's CS before I make a purchase. If I read consistent reports of horrible CS, I do not buy a firearm from that manufacturer. This has served me very well, because I would say I have to send back about 10% of the new firearms I have purchased over the last 20 years for warranty repair. I should have done my research more carefully on FN. Clearly I was reading about experiences people were having when their CS was good and Bob Ailes was in charge.

I think the 5 7 is an amazing pistol and I respect the cool firearms FN has brought to the civilian market. But I can't buy another FN because I know if I have a problem I will not receive any support from the manufacturer. That's is very unfortunate.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 1
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top