Lyman customer service rant

joken · Apr 14, 2022

I bought a Lyman 57wjs aperture sight in January from Midway and just recently had it installed on a Rem 700 ML. The sight is sloppy in the vertical adjustment slot and moves when touched up/down, left/right. I opened ticket with Lyman a couple of weeks ago and sent a video. They couldn't open the video and requested pictures via email. I sent four pictures as an attachment and they said they won't open and would I send them in a file which I did a week ago. I finally called them and the guy said they couldn't help me if I didn't know who I was speaking with via email. The email has no name other than customer service. I next sent an email requesting the name of the person I have been dealing with via email, no response. I'm running out of patience but don't know what to do, call Midway? The pictures that I sent all opened fine from my sent email.

FALshot · Apr 16, 2022

Sad that you've run into a dead end. I hope you are are able to be relentless in your attempt to get Lyman to stand behind their product.

If I needed anything from Lyman I would gladly sight your case as to why I would be hesitant to deal with them.

joken · Apr 16, 2022

FALshot said:
Sad that you've run into a dead end. I hope you are are able to be relentless in your attempt to get Lyman to stand behind their product.

If I needed anything from Lyman I would gladly sight your case as to why I would be hesitant to deal with them.

Thanks,
I sent it back to Midway for an exchange. I already had the rifle drilled and tapped for this sight. I'm hoping it was the last one made before they replaced the mill that cut the slot. Lyman has gone completely silent. I found comments from others about their customer service being hit and miss and a lot of reviews stating that it was not a good place to work

TTSX · Apr 16, 2022

Another American company putting profits over quality

RVTECH · Apr 16, 2022

joken said:
I found comments from others about their customer service being hit and miss

Never dealt with Lyman but what you described were really odd responses from them.

I use William's sights and while I have never had a problem with them I have contacted their customer service with a question about getting just specific parts from them (I was designing my own sight) and they were very helpful and friendly.

Alexx1401 · Apr 16, 2022

Sadly the last few years of this hoax, lock downs, pay people to not work, ect, has really taken a toll on a few places. Many places were barely able to hang on. Many of those who did found "creative" ways to keep the doors open. Now its showing up with stuff like this. What a sad commentary on a brand that was for so long a standard others were judged by. At least Midway will stand behind what they sold you.

Certaindeaf · Apr 16, 2022

TTSX said:
Another American company putting profits over quality

Or trying to get by because of leftist sanctions.

joken · Apr 16, 2022

Alexx1401 said:
Sadly the last few years of this hoax, lock downs, pay people to not work, ect, has really taken a toll on a few places. Many places were barely able to hang on. Many of those who did found "creative" ways to keep the doors open. Now its showing up with stuff like this. What a sad commentary on a brand that was for so long a standard others were judged by. At least Midway will stand behind what they sold you.

I bought it way back in January and they took it back without question. They provided a shipping label the same day I emailed them.

TTSX · Apr 16, 2022

Certaindeaf said:
Or trying to get by because of leftist sanctions.

I don't know what sanctions were put on a company that makes neither ammunition nor firearms (AFAIK) though the trend of lowering quality to a point where the increased profits outweigh lost sales due to angry customers/returns is all too common in this country, even in "good" times. Heck, especially in good times.

joken · Apr 16, 2022

joken said:
I bought it way back in January and Midway took it back without question. They provided a shipping label the same day I emailed them.

Alexx1401 · Apr 16, 2022

joken said:
I bought it way back in January and they took it back without question. They provided a shipping label the same day I emailed them.

See THAT, is how you keep customers.

Alexx1401 · Apr 16, 2022

Off the topic of the poor service from one place and great service from another again this can make or break a Co. I have long been real happy with my alarm system by SimpliSafe. Bit ago they e-mailed me that my unit was needing an upgrade to keep up with the cell service. Sent me a new chip for 4G. I put it in and they showed its working. Problem was it would no longer find the WiFi. So called them they played around and finally said the brain would need to be replaced. Its several years old. I fully expected to just pay for the new one. They said no, its on them. They are sending a new one, sent me a RMA label to slap on the box and put the old one in to send back to them. Since the old one is still doing its job and is several years old I would have had zero problems just buying a new unit. That they are sending it free? Speaks highly of them to me

joken · Apr 18, 2022

A guy on a bullet casting and reloading forum said this about Lyman.

James Ford
Kenneth Donaldson While I had no issues contacting Lyman or getting a response. Once I sent them a mold to be repaired they absolutely refused to do anything for me Except offer me a new mold at more than average retail price. It took two months for them to send the mold back to me.

gmerkt · Apr 18, 2022

My impression of Lyman is that it's an old company and operates like one. Nothing new or innovative comes out of them. They are not competitive with other manufacturers. The quality level of many of the products they still make in old designs seems not up to par. In this case, the inability of their customer service rep to be able to deal with what are now routine communications media may fit the entire picture. Poor customer service contributes to their death spiral.

I have to say, the one thing they are still good at is the Turbo Tumbler. But it's not exactly rocket science.

The bullet molds, Lyman is working off fully amortized, old equipment in a product line that is now difficult for new firms to get into economically. This legacy business will sustain for a while longer but they have to do it in a manner that preserves product quality.

Alexx1401 · Apr 18, 2022

joken said:
A guy on a bullet casting and reloading forum said this about Lyman.

James Ford
Kenneth Donaldson While I had no issues contacting Lyman or getting a response. Once I sent them a mold to be repaired they absolutely refused to do anything for me Except offer me a new mold at more than average retail price. It took two months for them to send the mold back to me.

Sadly it looks like a pattern is forming here. That Co was for all my life a "standard" others were judged by. Keep this up and they will end up a forgotten memory and an example of how to take a prosperous Co and kill it off.