The model number on the polished blue finish is HP9202. The matte blue finish is model number HP9201. The MSRP is the same on the two models at $799.

Online prices are as low as $640, although there seems to be a variance of $10-$40 difference between the two.

The online dealer I ordered it from has responded that they received my photos and are waiting for a management decision on a return.

I’m going to call Springfield and see if I can talk to someone about this, and I’ll report back as I learn anything further.

I talked to someone at Springfield customer service, sent him the photo, and he said it definitely looks like the finish didn’t take. He said that if I take possession of the gun they will refinish the gun.

I’m wondering now if I should take it and send it back to Springfield. I’m thinking a personally supervised refinish might be better than the average production gun. What do yall think about that?

SA, Inc earning their reputation for poor QC. That pistol should have never left the factory. Shame on them. No excuse

Update: Online dealer has issued a return label for return of this gun. They have ordered another one from their distributor and they will inspect it prior to sending it out. They said that if it doesn’t look good they will issue a refund.

That’s about the best they can do, so no complaints on them.

For anyone else thinking about these, I’d be a little hesitant to buy without seeing it first. At least ask for an inspection.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
Update: Online dealer has issued a return label for return of this gun. They have ordered another one from their distributor and they will inspect it prior to sending it out. They said that if it doesn’t look good they will issue a refund.

That’s about the best they can do, so no complaints on them.

For anyone else thinking about these, I’d be a little hesitant to buy without seeing it first. At least ask for an inspection.

Well hopefully your second one is better. Keep us updated. I don't need one of these, but the want is strong.

Back in 2000, a gunsmith on the old Jouster boards said a brand new M1A with a stainless barrel came into his shop. The customer said the rifle would fire but the action would not cycle.

Turns out that the barrel had no gas port. At a minimum, this rifle would have had to pass visual inspection of the barrel before installation, and test firing after assembly, but the lazy clock-watchers at SA,Inc managed to get the rifle out the door anyway. Great job.

Later that year, I ordered an M1A receiver for a build. The receiver showed up with one of the angled pads on the scope mount section machined so poorly, that attaching a mount would not have been possible. It was so obvious, a blind man could have seen it, but, once again, the drooling half-wits at SA,Inc sent it out the door. Hey, you know, whatever. Time for a cigarette break.

That tore it for me and I mean for good. I called SA, Inc. Sure, they said, send it in and we'll replace it. Replace it with what, I asked - some more of your bullshit? Nope, I want my money back. Well, he chuckled, y'see, that's not our policy. Yeah, we'll see about that, I told him.

A half dozen phone calls and ten days later, they had their shit receiver and I had my money back, and I haven't bothered with them since. I went out and bought an M1A produced in 1988 and they didn't make a penny off of my purchase.

The boys at Jouster got a kick out of that - getting money out of SA,Inc.

This is why you'll never hear me refer to them as Springfield Armory. What a joke it is that this army surplus outfit named themselves after the premier U.S. Government Arsenal founded by George-by-God-Washington his own damn self. They're not fit to muck out General Washington's stalls.

New acquisition came in Friday. Overall I am pleased. Looks and feels nice. Trigger is good, mind you it’s not a great trigger but very good for a High Power. Best safety as compared to the Arcus clone and MKiii. Pic with mkiii.

Betcha they forgot to drill the gas port

UPDATE: Received this email from the dealer today:

"Upon inspection of the replacement, we have deemed that the replacement does not look any better than the original. Due to this, we have issued a refund. Please allow 2-5 business days for the refund to reach your account."

So, this not being baseball, two strikes and I'm out. I'd still like one, so perhaps I'll keep looking, hoping that I can find one with a good finish. I'm really hesitant to order another online.

Belwolf, I'm sending you an email; please be on the lookout.

Q.E.D. SA,Inc quality control is atrocious.

Sorry for the disappointment, Lou. Try to find one you can look at in person.

Reply sent, Lou. That’s too bad about your experience. I initially wanted to purchase at a shop but no local shop had them in stock. I got lucky I guess.

As I said in my email, there was no preservative on the outside and it was in the nylon case. Springfield, IMO, needs to rethink how they ship a blued gun. Should at least be in gunwrap.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
UPDATE: Received this email from the dealer today:

"Upon inspection of the replacement, we have deemed that the replacement does not look any better than the original.....

It is odd how modeled and irregular the finish was on yours and how nice it appears on the video Para posted?

Is Springfield using actual traditional bluing or is it some new polished blacked finish mimicking bluing?

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
UPDATE: Received this email from the dealer today:

"Upon inspection of the replacement, we have deemed that the replacement does not look any better than the original.....

It is odd how modeled and irregular the finish was on yours and how nice it appears on the video Para posted?

Is Springfield using actual traditional bluing or is it some new polished blacked finish mimicking bluing?

In fairness I don’t trust any YouTube video review. “I make no money off this review”. 0% true. Even if they truly are 100% unbiased, I can’t decipher those videos from the paid advertisement ones.

That's neither here nor there. I posted that video because it shows an example of the polished blue pistol in the wild, without the finish defects we're now discussing.

The fact is that SA,Inc is allowing pistols with substandard finishes to pass inspection and be shipped to distributors. This is particularly egregious because what sets these pistols apart from their other High Power offerings is the finish.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:

In fairness I don’t trust any YouTube video review. “I make no money off this review”. 0% true. Even if they truly are 100% unbiased, I can’t decipher those videos from the paid advertisement ones.

Most Youtube videos I view with some skepticism but find the majority to be informative and accurate, if a little biased at times. The finish on the P35 he reviewed looked nice.

Eah, not saying either of you are viewing or posting videos for any particular reason. I just don’t trust a good example as a fun for the norm. Or know when to trust a review as honest or sincere. More a reflection of my own haste to trust YouTube more than a judgement on y’all’s viewing or posting of YouTube videos.

I try to search for “honest” reviews and filter through the clickbait and obvious sponsored videos. I still don’t trust what I find most often.

Yall might better at deciphering YouTube than me.

At the end of the day I’d love to pick up a nice example from the factory. But as someone else mentioned, I’ll have to see it in person before buying.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
Eah, not saying either of you are viewing or posting videos for any particular reason. I just don’t trust a good example as a fun for the norm.

I did post it for a particular reason, as I stated, and you seem to be missing the point entirely, and all of this is a needless diversion from the subject at hand.

Whether or not SA,Inc Inc is providing ringers to reviewers does not change the fact that they are allowing pistols with substandard finishes to pass inspection and be shipped to distributors.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
Eah, not saying either of you are viewing or posting videos for any particular reason. I just don’t trust a good example as a fun for the norm.

I did post it for a particular reason, as I stated, and you seem to be missing the point entirely, and all of this is a needless diversion from the subject at hand.

Whether or not SA,Inc Inc is providing ringers to reviewers does not change the fact that they are allowing pistols with substandard finishes to pass inspection and be shipped to distributors.

Understood, just trying to articulate that I wasn’t trying to argue with either of you, Para.

Sorry if I missed the point you were trying to make.

I was just trying to express that I don’t trust these YouTube videos of perfect examples. Based off the poor examples as demonstrated in this thread. I never know which one holds more weight. Not that you were posting it to show that “most” examples were as the video. I know that’s not why you posted the video.

Sorry for the “diversion”. Didn’t know I was causing one.

SA never misses an opportunity to disappoint. Every time I get my hopes up. Oh well.