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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #32796 is a reply to message #32774] |
Wed, 20 August 2014 11:53   |
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Admittedly having not worked in a position where labor was measured against production, I can't say I know all the math behind it. Perhaps they can quickly cut/render the barrels unusable and sell the remains for parts? Just seems to me that it's a waste of $ to trash something if it can be reused or repurposed, somehow. I'm not thrifty, per se, but I do look for value and worth wherever I can find it. Seems like a worthwhile endeavor for someone willing to put forth a little of their own time for some cash on the side to part out some barrels for replacement parts. Can't say I'm connected enough to pull off such a request but I'd otherwise consider it. Parts are always in demand. If you make it, someone will find a way to break it, and need another.
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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #32798 is a reply to message #32796] |
Wed, 20 August 2014 14:32 |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708
Registered: August 2012
Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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Dan, here's a small example from personal experience. There's about 20 coal mines in the Gillette, Wyoming area. Some Companies own more than one mine. For the most part, they all have the same general policies.
I worked for over 20 years repairing and modifying mining equipment, either for the mine or for the company that made it (warranty work). I was sent there as an outside contractor. There were many ocassions when I needed nut's, bolts, and washers to do my work. I could go to the mine's parts department and get whatever I needed. They encouraged us to get as many as we needed, and if anything it was better to get too many than not enough. I'd estimate what I needed, and sign them out of inventory. I was TOLD, Do NOT return anything I didn't use nor return what I did use and was still useable when I was done with it. I was told to throw them all in the metal dumpster.
Reason: I was told it cost the mine more money to take those and put them back in inventory than it cost to get NEW and keep inventory well stocked. Dumping a big box of maybe 50 or 75 pounds of 1" NC nuts was cheaper that throwing several batches of 3 or 4 or 10 nuts back in the bin, then update those minor amounts on the computer and keep the count up-to-date. Considering that every miner makes 20-40 dollars an hour salvaging a 5 cent part is insignificant. Once it hit the dumpster anyone was free to help themselves if on their own time. You could easily get a manger's signature so you could get them out of the gate. They would NOT unless they knew you got them from the dumpster.
I had to buy my own welding gloves, 10-15.00 or more a pair. Mine welders could get as many as they wanted "free", just ask for them. The guy in the tool crib just kept track of how many pair he checked out, at the end of his shift he'd enter into the computer how many pair he gave out during his shift. As you can imagine, mine welders were pretty "spoiled". They had a 1/2 hour to "clean-up" their work area. They may put on a NEW pair of welding gloves to gross sweep the floor. Got the gloves a smidge dusty/dirty. Rather than carry those gloves back to the locker-room/shower or their tool locker, they'd just toss em in a trash can or dumpster; just get several brand new pairs the next morning. Contract welders dumpster dove for gloves, leathers, grinding or cutting shields etc.
Including me. I'd just throw away my shrunken up, curled and stiff ones, leave with virtually brand-new, WAY better than what I got on-site with. I suppose the mine could have assigned a 26.00/hr grunt to dumpster dive and clean up welding gloves and return to inventory, but I never saw it done. I did see a lot of my co-workers check out a can of ether to clean the gloves they dumpster dove. I just never bothered with the ether. I always worked as long as I could, then did a quick clean-up, grab my stuff and hope to catch my ride back to town. My paid time stopped when I went through the guard shack. Drive time and expenses was on me(gas, etc.) Sometimes drove a co. truck back to/from town, but drive time wasn't paid. Hope this helps you put this in perspective.
Jim
[Updated on: Wed, 20 August 2014 14:41] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #32800 is a reply to message #32798] |
Wed, 20 August 2014 15:15 |
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I do recall my grandfather telling me about the time and expense it cost the Army to patch up holes in planes from bombing runs as part of his service in England during WWII, but after a time the planes were being made so quickly that it wasn't economical to spend hours patching up holes and they'd just relegate the "used up" planes to a yard where they'd pick them clean for spare parts, etc. That was more my way of thinking, but it's interesting to read about your experience with mining operations. I guess some things are just considered in the cost of "doing business" and rather than scrutinizing over every last penny spent, just factor in some losses and net it all out alongside the profits. Someday I'd like to own and run my own business doing something I love, but that may be quite some time, if ever, with the way our economy has been performing, let alone with how considerate D.C. is to business owners. It seems they're doing nearly anything and everything in their power to push innovation and entrepreneurship outside our borders. But I digress...
Since the previous mention of the stamps on the barrel lug had been brought up, I thought I'd share what I saw on my barrel prior to shipping it to S&W as part of the recall:
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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #32809 is a reply to message #32803] |
Thu, 21 August 2014 02:34 |
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Yeah I hadn't even bothered scanning it either to see what it would turn up. Now my curiosity has gotten the better of me, but since my barrel is currently sitting in Massachusetts, I'll have to wait.
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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #33082 is a reply to message #32962] |
Mon, 08 September 2014 21:19 |
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Supposed to be shipping back sometime this week. Will call again in a couple of days to see if they have tracking. It's suggested that my barrel was likely fine as-is in that they wouldn't have had a ready supply of the 20" Katahdin .460 S&W barrels to replace mine with. Not sure how many barrels this entailed but almost a month to find out "nothing wrong" is a bit annoying. I get the liability stuff, but it seems to me they should have a better way to track production.
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| Re: Encore barrel recall [message #33134 is a reply to message #33082] |
Sun, 14 September 2014 18:45 |
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Barrel was shipped back to me after being inspected and stamped to confirm it's safe. About a month overall in the process. From what I was told, this potentially impacted barrels made between January and June of 2014 this year. In general, for those purchasing a barrel this year, inquire about the time the barrel was received from a distributor to get a ballpark on whether or not the recall applies to you. Short of that, S&W hasn't really done anything to educate customers or make this safety issue more known to consumers. I made about 4 calls in total on this matter and pleaded my case about the lackluster response from S&W but don't feel that they'll really make any effort to remedy lackluster their outreach to customers. I get that it may not be easy, but to avoid further headaches and costs and liability issues, you'd think they'd at least attempt to square this away for PR purposes. For what it's worth...
[Updated on: Sun, 14 September 2014 18:46] Report message to a moderator |
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