ComplaintsforDark Storm Industries LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased an AR-15 rifle from Dark Storm Industries (They call it DS-15).The rifle was delivered by mail. I took it to a firing range to test it.The rifle jammed repeatedly and became unusable. Near 80% of charging the rifle resulted in a failure to feed.Each of these failures caused clear damage to the rounds (bullets).I have numerous videos documenting the experience which was necessary to show the failure and resulting damages and dangers to Dark Storm Industries. I shared these videos with Gunsmith Groups online and every one of them agreed this was a mechanical failure and NOT user error. I have previously purchased firearms including another DS-15 Rifle from Dark Storm Industries and none have had issues like this. I demonstrated the difference to the seller in the videos.I have sent back the rifle several times and they claim there's nothing wrong with it and sent back a video showing normal usage of what was an intermittent issue.I have taken the rifle to two local Gunsmiths in my area and they also agreed there were mechanical problems and they suggested not to use the rifle until it was repaired due to the danger of user injury.The first gunsmith suggested a new barrel with a cost of over $300. The second gunsmith suggested repairing the barrel for under $100. Of course it is no longer in new condition but I went with this option.--- The rifle is now working perfectly.---I am seeking reimbursement of the repair costs and the cost of the damaged ammunition resulting from this defect. I can provide paperwork, screenshots, videos, documentation from other gunsmiths, etc.The amounts are $85.80 for repairs and $21.39 to replace the lost ammunition. (this is including tax)The total is $107.19

  Business response

  07/12/2022

  *********************** reached out with an issue he was having with his standard DS-15 lightning in 5.56.  His issue was that he felt that the rounds were double feeding and not cycling correctly in the gun.  **** forwarded us multiple videos of him cycling live rounds in his house in which he would not send the bolt home fully or ride the charge handle.  This is also very dangerous as this could cause bullet setback by chambering the round constantly.  After explaining how this could affect functionality, he proceeded to tell us there was still an issue. After hearing about the issue,we had **** send back the firearm at no cost to him. After inspecting and testing the rifle, we cycled a few fully loaded mags through the firearm with no issues. We cleaned and lubricated the gun for the customer before sending the rifle back.  When **** received the rifle back, he continued to tell us the same issue was happening. We had the customer send us the complete upper and at that time we replaced the entire complete upper for him at again no charge. Before the new lightning upper went out, we test fired multiple mags with no cycling/feeding issues. The customer took his firearm to the range and at that point reached out once again to let us know he felt that the firearm is unsafe and was having the same exact issue. Once again, we had the customer send back the firearm to us (no cost to the customer every time including all the test ammo and shipping back and forth). We inspected the entire firearm and shot another 50 rounds through it with no issue. We filmed the entire test and sent the customer the video of the firearm in perfect working condition with no malfunctions.  The gun functioned exactly as designed. After reading ****s complaint we reached out to the gunsmith that did his repair. They informed us that **** came in complaining about the gun, they proceeded to test fire it and it operated flawlessly as designed.**** then demonstrated to them what it was he desired and slowly chambered a round while riding the charging handle. This caused the gun to malfunction as no AR15 is designed for that scenario. To get the gun to smoothly chamber a round in the way **** demonstrated to them they polished the feed ramps on the SECOND barrel that **** received from us. Being that we have already spent well over $800 in shipping, test ammo and replacing the entire upper when there was zero defect from the start, we respectfully decline to further compensate **** for fixing a problem that did not exist.
  
  

  Customer response

  07/13/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  I've attached additional video evidence (recorded in my SC Workshop) that I was not cycling the weapon slowly in a manner that it was not designed. I had previously purchased another similar rifle from Dark Storm Industries (DSI) that didn't suffer this defect even after years of use. The differences between these rifles are primarily cosmetic. All of the components are interchangeable. The video shows the weapon being charged (in a safe direction with a trigger lock)The charging handle was ***NOT*** charged slowly as they claimed. Any examples of slowly charging were for demonstration/comparison purposes on the videos.As I explained several times, the problem was intermittent. I demonstrated this by charging both quickly and slowly (again, the slow demo was only for the purposes of demonstration so you can see where it gets caught up). It is understandable by anyone with intelligence that nobody loads a firearm in such slow motion in reality.Online Gunsmithing Groups completely disagree with DSI.Attached is a MS **** document containing several screenshots of their responses after viewing my video demonstrations.As you can see by the screenshots there is complete consensus with them all agreeing to the problem being related to the feed ramps.This is exactly what the local gunsmith had repaired and now the firearm is working properly.DSI refuses to accept any responsibility for this defect although the cost and effort to repair the firearm was extremely minimal. 

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• Initial Complaint

  10/13/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered a rifle from Dark Storm Industries on 3/24/21 knowing it would be a 4-6 month back order. I emailed the company and was informed that they haven’t even started on my order and if I wanted to cancel it would be a 20 percent charge of my original order. I am writing to see if I can be refunded the whole amount. Thank you

  Business response

  10/13/2021

  Customer purchased item March 24, 2021. Anticipated lead times vary based on demand and supply chain availability.

  Large banner posted on our website home page provides ESTIMATED lead times at time of purchase.

  The following week, effective 4/1/2021, banner was changed to indicate “at least 12 months” due to exponential demand surge. 

  Prior to purchase, banner indicated backordered lead time ESTIMATED "at least 6 months." (see attached)
  Our cancellation policy is posted on our website and the customer must acknowledge the policy at checkout.
  At slightly past the 6 month mark, customer requested to cancel the order. We processed the cancellation with 20% cancellation fee per policy and refunded the customer the balance

  Customer response

  10/19/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  The company refuses to refund the full amount even after admitting they changed the estimated wait time to a year a week after I had made the purchase. That additional six months would have impacted my decision to buy from this distributor and wait for a local store to stock the rifle. It states on the sales receipt a back order time of 4-6 months. I realize that’s estimated, but when I sent my email inquiring about the status of my order, I was informed that the company was just getting to orders from December 2020. This puts my order at about ten and a half months at least when it was estimated to be around six.my mindset is if you take a customers money and promise a certain timeline, you have an obligation to make things right. Keeping the 20 percent without even coming close to holding up their end of the bargain is unacceptable. That being said, I informed the company that I wanted to cancel my order. I was informed on 10/14/21 that the company contact would pass my cancellation info along to their executive team for processing. I am still waiting for the money to be refunded back to me, even though the company’s response stated they had done that already. At the time they responded to the better business bureau, they could not have refunded it because I hadn’t even canceled my order yet and they didn’t have my card information to refund the money to. Today’s date is 10/19/21. I’ve attached some documents to provide support for my claim. I would like to thank the better business bureau for their help in this matter.

   

   

  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business response

  10/20/2021

  As per our cancellation policy the customer WAS refunded $882.04 to his card ending in #**** as promised.  This was completed within 3 business days which is far from unreasonable.  All policies and Terms and Conditions posted before his contract was made WAS FOLLOWED.  Buyers remorse or another store having another item for him to buy is not a reason to break the contract and take all the details of that contract and just ignore them.  They are there for a reason.  Please see supporting documentation showing the refund as per the contract, cancellation policy and Terms and Conditions.  We are a manufacturer.  Materials and Labor were already allocated to this contract starting 3/25/2021 this is why we had such policies and procedures in place.

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a rifle back in March I was told it would be 4 to 6 months till I received it. I called to find out where I was in the process and I was told it would be more like 12 months I asked for a refund I was told that I was going to be charged 20% for cancellation fee. I understand if this Buyers remorse I was told I would receive a product in a certain timeframe and they changed it. Then I was told I would be moved to The front of the line but that’s unfair. This company is taking advantage of the pandemic and limited supplies.

  Business response

  09/15/2021

  - Customer purchased item March 30, 2021. Anticipated lead times vary based on demand and supply chain availability.
  - Large banner posted on our website home page provides estimated lead times at time of purchase.
  - The following day, effective 4/1/2021, banner was changed to indicate “at least 12 months” due to exponential demand surge.
  - Prior to purchase, item screen said backordered lead time estimated 4-6 months.
  - Our cancellation policy is posted on our website and the customer must acknowledge the policy at checkout.
  - At 5 month mark, customer requested to cancel the order. We processed the cancellation with 20% cancellation fee per policy and refunded the customer the balance
  

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