Anyone else have difficulty getting customer service from Lothar Walthar? They claim they have shipped a barrel to me via UPS but absolutely refuse to provide a tracking number to me and UPS My Choice shows no shipment in route.

I've had better luck calling them. Communication definitely leaves much to be desired.

Sounds as if somebody's employment might end.

if you have some one that refuses to give you a tracking number for something they claim has shipped. You need to ask for a supervisor or above.

I would demand a refund and tell them to shove it

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:
if you have some one that refuses to give you a tracking number for something they claim has shipped. You need to ask for a supervisor or above.

I would demand a refund and tell them to shove it

So who is above Woody Woodal? I have been communicating with him and he has been less than helpful.

I have a UPS account and they are not showing any recent shipments to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodhits:
I've had better luck calling them. Communication definitely leaves much to be desired.

When I call Krieger, not only are they happy to help, they don't mind shooting the breeze for a few minutes...

Unfortunately, Krieger did not have the twist rate I needed for this particular caliber (404J).

Call the billing dept. Kindly ask if it was charged and shipped. Maybe they can blow away some smoke.

I used them once for a .318 barrel. 3 months turned into 6+ months and there were communications problems. Nice barrel, but there are many barrel manufacturers here in the states that want and need your business without the hassle.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
I used them once for a .318 barrel. 3 months turned into 6+ months and there were communications problems. Nice barrel, but there are many barrel manufacturers here in the states that want and need your business without the hassle.

Could not agree more -- but 404J barrels have a limited number of suppliers.

Here is a quote from one of the emails. This is what set me off:

"We are not a distributor. As such, sending out UPS numbers delays other orders from shipping and raises the cost of production."

I remember calling him a number of years ago and got into quite a conversation with him. The gist of it as I recall was that I didn't know much of anything about chambering and fitting barrels, his way was the only way, etc., etc.
Needless to say I have never purchased one of his barrels and it is unlikely that I ever will. As above, there are plenty of great American barrel makers who want and appreciate my business and turn out a great product. And for some strange reason I do seem to know how to chamber and fit THEIR barrels.... go figure.

quote:

Originally posted by ggruber:

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
I used them once for a .318 barrel. 3 months turned into 6+ months and there were communications problems. Nice barrel, but there are many barrel manufacturers here in the states that want and need your business without the hassle.

Could not agree more -- but 404J barrels have a limited number of suppliers.

Here is a quote from one of the emails. This is what set me off:

"We are not a distributor. As such, sending out UPS numbers delays other orders from shipping and raises the cost of production."

Thats a load of horse shit right there. There is no reason they can't plug your damn email in when the generate the shipper.

That right there is just plain not getting with the times.

It appears old Woody hasn't mellowed in the last several years.

Man when you set up the UPS shipment you enter the email and UPS handles the notification for you.

I tried to order a barrel from Woody several years ago. After a "non-constructive" conversation I decided I needed a different manufacturer.

ggruber,

Pac-Nor has 404 Jeffery barrels any way you want them. I got mine from them and I am very pleased with how my rifle shoots. Believe it or not, I have a 3/4 inch group at 200 yards with the Northfork 340 gn soft point. The rifle shoots anything that I have put in it. At 50 yards it is a one hole group. The wait is fairly long as they do not stock the barrel. It will be made up for you and your specifications.

If I were you, I'd send a copy of your detailed complaint to the customer service of the home company in Germany. So far, I bought 3 custom bbls. from LW and was treated with courtesy.

I've never known LW USA to be consumer friendly. The few times I called, Woody did seem a bit of a dick. I guess they make most of their money with volume commercial customers and we just get in the way.

quote:

Originally posted by Hoot Murray:
ggruber,

Pac-Nor has 404 Jeffery barrels any way you want them. I got mine from them and I am very pleased with how my rifle shoots. Believe it or not, I have a 3/4 inch group at 200 yards with the Northfork 340 gn soft point. The rifle shoots anything that I have put in it. At 50 yards it is a one hole group. The wait is fairly long as they do not stock the barrel. It will be made up for you and your specifications.

That is great info. I don't know how I missed them during my initial search.

quote:

Originally posted by Andre Mertens:
If I were you, I'd send a copy your detailed complaint to the customer service of the home company in Germany. So far, I bought 3 custom bbls. from LW and was treated with courtesy.

You didn't buy from Ol' Woody in the USofA.

OP-
If life is so inconvenient

Cancel payment & seek other barrel manufacturers.

Quite simple & no whining!

Butchlambert,

True, I ordered from this site in Germany :

http://www.lothar-walther.de/114.php

Brux barrels will make a cut-rifled 404 with your desired internal dimensions and twist rate. About five months, but worth the wait.

My LW .404 took about 9 months instead of the quoted 5 months. Woody is not the most customer friendly person in the world, but the LW barrels are good.

quote:

Originally posted by Dans40XC:
OP-
If life is so inconvenient

Cancel payment & seek other barrel manufacturers.

Quite simple & no whining!

If only life was that simple. They cashed my check long ago...long before they started giving me the run around.

15 years ago Woody was hard headed, opinionated and difficult to work with. So much so that I never ordered a barrel from him. Time has not mellowed him in the least.

That's just Woody, heck of a nice guy btw...If you don't like the way he does things, go elsewhere is your best bet, he probably won't change much..

I like the guy and LW barrels are far and away my favorite barrels, and I'm willing to take what comes..That said I have not had any problems with LW of any kind and I been using them for 30 or so years..I call him up and we have some interesting conversation and sooner or later I get my barrels..

Oh,
Somebody likes Woody??

well ja but its ray

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
That's just Woody, heck of a nice guy btw...If you don't like the way he does things, go elsewhere is your best bet, he probably won't change much..

I like the guy and LW barrels are far and away my favorite barrels, and I'm willing to take what comes..That said I have not had any problems with LW of any kind and I been using them for 30 or so years..I call him up and we have some interesting conversation and sooner or later I get my barrels..

Ditto what Ray said. I have never had any problems. Maybe Woody and i just hit it off.

I've never had any issues with Woody. I've bought a lot of barrels from him over the years.

Once, I had UPS deliver an empty box. the end flap was torn off. One call to Woody and several weeks later, an new barrel arrived.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Oh,
Somebody likes Woody??

I do...was on a flight home with him on SAA a few years ago and learned a lot.

Ordered a 338 Win Mag barrel for my R 700, and it was one of the finest barrels I have ever owned.

Screw that I just talk to Ashley at Shilen, She'll walk out in the shop and tell me if a blank is in stock. shipped out and here in three days minus the weekend

Kerry,
I think Ashley is the pretty young Lady that hunts hogs with her dogs and dispatches them with a knife.

quote:

As such, sending out UPS numbers delays other orders from shipping and raises the cost of production."

So you mean to tell me that essentially a 5 to 10 minute job of going back through the paperwork to find something as simple as a tracking number causes delays on other orders?

BULLSHIT!

That has got to be the lamest excuse ever and shows what shit fucking customer service they have.

How come is it that the likes of Sinclair and Brownells are only too happy to send tracking numbers and get back to you within 24 hours. Does it hold up their production and do they see fit to raise their costs...No.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Kerry,
I think Ashley is the pretty young Lady that hunts hogs with her dogs and dispatches them with a knife.

I wonder if she's single??

I think she is.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
I think she is.

Well I think I have a few more barrels to order then

WOODY????? $%^&*&^^%$$him.

I have found, over the past 40 years, that Douglas is far more responsive and accommodating with orders, and special orders, than any other barrel maker.
Any and all. So I have no need for anyone else.