Lehman's in East Prosect Never Again

[gander215]

My father bought a Bersa Thunder 380 from him in Nov 07. He shot four rounds out of the gun and then it had a jam. Unable to move the slide he took it back to him since he clams he is a gunsmith he took it back to him to see what the problem was. He found the there was a bulge in the barrel. At this time my father asked him to ship it back to Bersa to have it fixed because it was still under warranty. He told my father that he could just ship it in the mail himself. This being untrue my father told him that he had to ship it. Plus it needs to be shipped by a FFL next day ground. Three weeks went by and he called to check up on it. He was then told that he just shipped it to the New Jersey plant the day before. Which it clearly states on the Warranty papers DO NOT SHIP GUNS TO NEW JERSEY PLANT. This is just a distribution center, NO GUNSMITHS. A few more weeks go by and still no word. Dad calls to see what's going on with the pistol. He states that he does not know and that he won't be concerned until the pistol is out more then 15 weeks or so. At this time my father calls the New Jersey plant to see what's going on. He is quickly advised that his gun is not there, never was there and there are no records of his firearm in the system to be fixed by any Bersa plant. At this time he contacts Lahman's to get the tracking numbers from the post office. He is given a number and was advised by him that he should not worry because he took a $400 insurance policy out on the pistol thru the post office. Dad contacts the post office and is told that the tracking numbers don't exist and there again is no record of a shipment from him to the New Jersey plant. The post office told him that there should be a "V" number for the insurance. No number again. At this time Lehman is contacted and given this info. He clams that he now shipped it to another dealer/repair shop in eastern PA. They are given a call. Again no one there has anything in my father's name Lehman's or any clue about this gun. At this time my father called me and asked me what to do since I work the firearms counter at GM and do a lot with shipping of firearms. I told him that his gun is now MIA and he needs to contact a local LEO and then the BATFE. Both were flored with his story and tried to help him with the situation. They finally contacted the post master general who advised that there would be an investigation after thirty days. My father informed him that it has now been two months since he gave Lehman the gun and he "shipped" it. It has to be a thirty day wait after the PMG is contacted and then they will investigate the situation. Thirty days went and came. At this point he was told that they will now investigate the situation to find his missing pistol. He was told that if he infact shipped the gun thru them and it was lost he would get the insurance $. Now after 35 days (5-6-08) my father calls Lehman's to see if he was contacted by the PMG. He is told that they found his pistol. It was to have never left the post office. He told him that he recieved it a few days ago. Now one would think that if he recieved the gun back that he would have called my father.....NOPE. During this whole not once did Lehman's call him to give him updates. My father does not know what happened to the gun. Did he really ship it, did he try to resell it, or what happened to it since as far as the post office is concerned it was never there when my father called. But the post office had it when Lehman's called. HUM. My father told him that this all seems shady and I agree. I told him that Lehman's should replace his gun and let it be lehman's problem since he dicked him around for so long, but Lehman's refuses to make it right. He feels as if no one needs to be hold responsible in this matter. His only fix is ot try and send it back out again and see what happens. I will let you think of where my father told him to stick that gun. My only solution that I can think of is for him to get it back. He does not want it back due to the fact that he does not know its whereabouts for five months. But if he got it back and examined it and it appeared to be in the same condition I told him that I would bring it to our in-house gunsmith and he can either replace the barrel or send it back to Bersa. At least this way I can keep my eye on it. I know this was long but I wrapped up five months of jerking around with this. If there are any suggestions we would both be greatful. Thanks for the time. -BB

[rflynn]

Did your Dad get a receipt at the time he handed it over? If so the gun should have been entered in Lehman’s book and Lehman’s responsibility for the time he had it .

Sounds like a big pile of Bull Shit on Lehman’s end. I would like to here his side of the story.

Get the gun back and get it fixed or send it back for real to Bersa . Then wait and wait some more.

[s.vermeire]

I may be wrong, but I thought an individual could ship a firearm back to the manufacturer without going through an FFL. Just like when selling interstate I can ship it directly to an FFL in the buyers state. If I am wrong then shame on me....

[gander215]

Quick update... Dad went back to p/u the gun when he got there he handed that gun back to my father in the factory box. Dad asked where the postal package was so he could look at the tracking numbers and get the "V" number off of the postal label. He was told that he did not have it. He advised that a part-time worker took it out of the package and threw it away. He said that he still had the tracking number that was writen on a scrap of paper. Dad said that it was not good enough for him to take his word for anything after all of this. So there is no paper trail as far as the post office goes and we are to take his word that he tried to ship it out to be repaired. I don't think so. So dad did get it back. I called out gunsmith at work who advised that all he had to do is call Eagle Imports (Bersa) with the serial number and they would sent a barrel no charge and he would switch out the barrels again at no charge do to the Thunders having a Lifetime Warranty. All in all Lehman's could have sent the gun to any of the 10-12 authorized repair shops on the warranty list or to the Gander Mtn 10 min away. It would have taken a week instead of five months of headaches. And on his way out the door he sees that the gun is selling now for $65 less then he bought it for....what a real kick in the face. -BB

[gander215]

Originally Posted by s.vermeire

I may be wrong, but I thought an individual could ship a firearm back to the manufacturer without going through an FFL. Just like when selling interstate I can ship it directly to an FFL in the buyers state. If I am wrong then shame on me....

You are right I was thinking of a transfer. But there was no reason for dad to pay the shipping. -BB