First bad experience with Del-Ton came during the initial Obama run on anything firearms related. I ordered a plain carbine kit early March 2009 and waited four months and had enough and built my own.
Second bad experience was when I purchased one of their Thanksgiving Day Special complete bolt-carrier-groups. Put 800 rounds through it and began reading stories about weak heat-treating and many broken bolts during the time-frame of my purchase. Lost faith in it and sold it off with full disclosure and at a big loss.
Third bad experience came this spring when I read that Del-Ton was now offering their barrels in 4150 steel. I took a leap of faith from reading sooo many good things about them all over the web. Paid for the chrome-lining on a 16" mid-length light-weight and $15.00 shipping. I built it into an M4 upper and first round Fiocchi 55gr. FMJ barely cleared the port and bolt failed to pickup second round round. Racked the charging handle and the second round jammed in the chamber. Had to mortar it out. Three through seven same. Del-Ton customer service asked me to send it back and I spent $15.00 to ship it back to Del-Ton. They (some gal named Laura) emiled that she’d build the barrel into an upper and test it and get back to me with details of the test to include what type of ammo was used and etc. I got an email simply stating that she found nothing wrong with the barrel. I was charged a $30.00 re-stocking fee. I’m out two-way shipping and re-stocking fee totalling $60.00. I’d hate to be the sucker who gets that re-stocked clunker barrel. Hey, maybe I already was??
Bad experience number four came when I tried to rate my experience with the barrel on their web-site. I gave their light-weight-mid-length barrel an honest one star rating and gave an honest and straightforward account of my purchase experience. That rating has never appeared.
I’ve read several accounts where Del-Ton either deletes poor reviews or deletes good reviews which were edited to include poor experiences that had occurred after an initially good experience.
Just have to wonder how long they can get away with it?
Everybody was on back order in March of 2009. I waited 8 months for an LMT.
You sold the bolt because someone told you to and it is Delton’s fault?
When you build anything, a rifle, a computer, whatever, you assume the risk there will be a problem and you assume the responsibility of correctly diagnosing the problem. Maybe the barrel wasn’t at fault.
I don’t have any experience with Delton but I do have a lot of dismaying experience with Ruger and I think I can answer your question. They can get away with it a long, long time.
It sucks that you had so many bad experiences with one manufacturer. My question is why would you go back so many times if they under deliver every time you purchase from them?
I have to agree with the previous post on your 1st two complaints... Backorders in 2009 and bolt carrier problems that you heard about on the internet.
1.) LMT was WORTH the wait, Del-Ton (turns out) was not.
2.) Del-Ton’s the responsible party and has apologized often and replaced many bolts. Unknown who is made to pay shipping on the bolts. Nobody “told” me to sell it. I appreciated the info and made a decision to sell, no drama there. Didn’t even stop me from trying them again.
3.) “responsibility of correctly diagnosing the problem.” You lost me here?? I sent a non-functioning barrel back to the original manufacturer to get fixed or replaced or FULLY refunded.
Several things can cause the kind of failures you describe, misaligned gas block comes immediately to mind. I don’t see that you proved the problem was the barrel. Maybe it wasn’t the barrel. If Delton assembled an upper with this barrel and it works, they still owe you a full refund with shipping both ways? I’ll bet, even with your $30 they lost money on that transaction.
Your bash seems to be based more on emotion and hearsay than facts. Your first example seems typical for the time period. There were plenty of people who waited months for parts or rifles. I can understand how you got impatient waiting but that may not have been DelTon’s fault.
Second example, you sold a bolt / carrier based on what you had heard and not personal experience. Selling it at a huge loss was your decision. You may have made the right decision but I don’t see where you should bash a company based on that.
Third example, now you have some first hand experience and maybe there were problems with the barrel. You were completely right to send the barrel back if you weren’t satisfied. I wouldn’t be happy about paying the shipping and restocking fee either.
I don’t know how DelTon handles their reviews. Unsatisfied customers should base their reviews wholely on facts.
I have one barrel from DelTon, bought during the Obama run. The barrel is not chrome lined and I bought it cheap. I built a carbine using it and plan to upgrade as soon as it gives up the ghost. So far with tons of rounds through it I can’t seem to kill it and it still shoots accurately.
Hopefully you can find something you’ll be happy with which will be reliable for you.
Untouched, brand-new, A2 sight post installed by Del-Ton, and purchased directly from Del-Ton.
Built an ESS barrel into the exact same upper/lower and same box of Fiocchi ammo, zero malfunctions.
Lost money?? If they never pay shipping and recycle a clunker barrel over and over?