My bad experience MPI STOCKS

[Brianc74]

Now that the stock arrived yesterday. If I would have known she would not keep her end of the deal. I would have just restocked it with a B&C LR stock and had MCM Arms in Nampa ID bed and free float. That's now though. She charged Gary $1100 for the stock. She knew what she had done to him. She never apologized or anything. Just gave excuses about how she had been at shows.
In my mind, a verbal agreement via phone had been reached. If I got her the Barreled action that week, and paid the $600 down that week. Then she stated and agreed to perform a full stock build and have it shipped on or before 1-10-18 so Gary would have it for his hunt in February.
We fulfilled our end of the deal. She only filled one part. To make a stock.
She missed the ship date, did not communicate at all, no invoice or emails for communication (nothing). And the stock won't work for this Barreled action. It's a Extreme Titanium LA with a Proof Research Carbon Barrel . Lay the rifle On the bench with a rear bag and a Harris bipod. Then the barrel is getting stock pressure. The forend is way to flimsy. As you move behind the rifle in the prone position, the stock moves up and down and hits the barrel just with very little pressure to great pressure. So basically not free floated unless sitting upright in the safe. When her and I talked and made the order. I ordered the Thumbhole Sillhouette with a 14" lop, atlas rail for bipod the lightest they could make it. She told me that the slim Sporter might work. I told her only if it was a forend that was super stiff and guaranteed to not ever touch the barrel. She stated ok. The stock reciever is the slim Sporter.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I didn't read past the first couple posts. Years ago I had a Brown rifle that would not shoot. The owner would not cooperate. I called the credit card company. she said, "The sooner he get's the rifle back the sooner you get your money." The rifle was $3,000. He never returned my action.

 

[Brianc74]

I'm just really not happy on how she is ok with not doing what she says she will do, Take a lot of money for a a crappy stock. I guess her business model is steal from new clients and not worry about not getting return customers. Figure she thinks there are enough one timers out and about. Just my opinion.( Gary and I got scammed). Big time!!

 

[jrock]

Sorry to hear and sorry you are so upset. I've read good and bad about MPI on the internet. When I called MPI to get the 411 on the lightweight stocks, she spent a half hour or more on the phone with me discussing all the detailed specification and models. I've ordered lots of gun parts from different manufactures and the wait times are + or - several weeks. I would not order any gun parts for a gun I planed on using in a hunt within a year of going. It's tough when you put someone in a tight spot for delivery in any case. Delivery time and quality are both on the line. Lessons for all to learn.

 

[Brianc74]

I understand that a given timeline for a promised delivery date to go + or -. That is why I asked her if she was positive on the ship date. Her reply was yes. If I shipped the rifle to her that week and paid the down that day. I did so. Remember, the promised ship date was 4 weeks before his hunt. According to her just before his hunt. The stock was done minus the painting. And she is the only one that paints the stocks. And that she will get the stock to Gary before his hunt, that she was aware of the importance. This call was in late January, before she left for another show. Also it's the incorrect stock, and is missing the atlas bipod rail.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Are we reading about someone who is pleasant with people but not good at running a company?

 

[Brianc74]

I guess.
Pleasant when wanting you to make an order and giving her money
Then after they money is given. The lies start and verbal contract is broken into little pieces.
Still she has not contacted me this week. And she broke her word again. She still has not emailed a invoice. I'm suspecting because the invoice has a different stock to be built.

 

[eshorebwhntr]

I don't disagree that this lady should shoulder the blame in this ordeal based on what you've said. She apparently made a promise she couldn't keep. That's bad on her for not either owning up to it and refunding your money or being honest with you about the situation and letting you weigh the options to move forward. Even if that meant not selling you a stock of hers.

At the same time...you had to have known you rolled the dice in that situation. A custom stock commissioned 2 months before use on a hunt is a serious gamble. If there wasn't a contingency plan for this dream rifle not coming together in place then I have to say the lost hunt deposit and all that is pretty much on you guys.

But either way, I wish you better luck going forward.

 

[Rich Coyle]

At the same time...you had to have known you rolled the dice in that situation. A custom stock commissioned 2 months before use on a hunt is a serious gamble. If there wasn't a contingency plan for this dream rifle not coming together in place then I have to say the lost hunt deposit and all that is pretty much on you guys.

But either way, I wish you better luck going forward.

So you are saying we should not be able to trust the owner of a company to stand behind their word? In that case why make a deposit on a hunt?

 

[eshorebwhntr]

So you are saying we should not be able to trust the owner of a company to stand behind their word? In that case why make a deposit on a hunt?

No. I'm just saying in my opinion it was a bad idea to figure on going on a hunt with a custom stock that you were on the phone ordering 2 months prior to the hunt date without a contingency plan. She definitely deserves to shoulder the blame for what she did. No doubt. Big time mishandled the situation.

Like others have said...buy a beater gun to get the job done before dumping $1500 down the drain. No way I would've just ate that and not found a way to go hunting.

 

[Brianc74]

I understand what some of you are saying. You just would have gone and bought a new rifle, spent the time to find ammo that worked and got comfortable shooting it out to around 500-700 yards for this hunt. So loose $1500 by canceling. Or spend around another $1500 on a rifle, ammo, and on. That you will then sell for a loss when you get your custom rifle back from needing a new stock. Remember. His stock was broken on his custom rifle, unfixable. He broke it The last couple of days in November. He was offered the hunt from his outfitter due to a Cancelation in the 1st week of December. He called me and asked for my help. Like I said. I then called most of the stock manufactures. That's when MPI (LISA the OWNER) stated she could get Gary a new stock, and in time for the hunt no problem. I told him the deal and her guaranteeing him the best stock he ever had and in the time needed. So he booked the hunt.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I understand what some of you are saying. You just would have gone and bought a new rifle, spent the time to find ammo that worked and got comfortable shooting it out to around 500-700 yards for this hunt. So loose $1500 by canceling. Or spend around another $1500 on a rifle, ammo, and on. That you will then sell for a loss when you get your custom rifle back from needing a new stock. Remember. His stock was broken on his custom rifle, unfixable. He broke it The last couple of days in November. He was offered the hunt from his outfitter due to a Cancelation in the 1st week of December. He called me and asked for my help. Like I said. I then called most of the stock manufactures. That's when MPI (LISA the OWNER) stated she could get Gary a new stock, and in time for the hunt no problem. I told him the deal and her guaranteeing him the best stock he ever had and in the time needed. So he booked the hunt.

His action sounds reasonable to me. But due to his experience I will not do business with her again.

 

[Barrelnut]

Seems to me bad customer service is somewhat rampant in the gun industry. Think about the almost constant posts with rants about just about every business or company in the gun industry today. Some deserving, some not, some just **** happens incendents.

What dismays me about this situation, is that someone with the means for custom guns and guided hunts, would not have a backup rifle in the safe. Heck the scope could break, the extractor could break, the stock could break... A rifle is a multi component tool and breaks down. Most anyone who owns one understands this. Add this to the fact that "custom" anything industries are notorious for missed deadlines, and you end up just where this hunter did.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I am seventy-three years old and didn't have a back up rifle until last year. I sent my Weatherby Mark V six lug ultralight to the shop for a new barrel chambered in 6.5 Coyle and purchased another just like it in a .270 Win so I could keep on playing. My rifle is still gone, but I expect it next month. Since my rifle is noticeably lighter than the back up I had the 'smith put an old Proof Research stock from my rifle on it. Now the .270 weighs five pounds five ounces with its factory 24" barrel.

By the way it is a five and a half hour round trip to pick up the rifle. I don't trust the gun smiths around Grants Pass / Medford area. If someone could recommend one I would be obliged and buy them some pie and coffee if they contact me.

Edited to add: I went a a few guided hunts expecting my rifle to work. I don't have a back up pickup or back up binoculars.