Couldn't be more pissed at a paintball company...
So, I like many others was patiently awaiting the arrival of the Kingman Hammer 7 last fall. The original Hammers were my favorite Nelsons (adjustable bolt, brass internals, quality 12g changer) and when the First Strike rounds first came out I modified one of my old Hammers with a fixed magazine to feed them. I hadn't owned a Kingman marker newer than the Spyder SE, and hadn't bought a full production marker "new" in 10 years.
I bought the Hammer7 day one. Due to work requirements changing from 45 hours/week to 75+ hours/week around the time of release, it sat unopened in my closet until March when I left that job. When I opened it up, I was pleasantly surprised by the production quality that $130 gets you. The whole marker seemed well made, and the parts/tool kit included was comprehensive.
Then I noticed the frame... a 45 frame that isn't a 45 frame. Even the grips included with the marker fit like **** - it's uncomfortably tall and thin, and the placement of the finger grooves are inappropriate for anyone that didn't borrow their hands from a gorilla. At the very least they could have included a set of grips that actually fit the deceptively 45-looking non-45 frame.
I threw discomfort aside, gassed up the marker, and HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS it leaks down the barrel immediately. I dropped in a little oil, gas it up, and it starts hissing again. I replace the cupseal with the included backup, gas it up, and it starts hissing again. I try a brand new LAPCO cupseal, gas it up, and it keeps hissing. At this point I started to get a little annoyed, so I dig out an old original Hammer valve that's been sitting in a box of parts for over a decade. For giggles, I screw in a tank, and it holds pressure. Go figure. I steal THAT cupseal, toss it in, and surprise, it still leaks.
Now I've got a BRAND NEW marker that doesn't hold air right out of the box. It's not an o-ring, it's not the cupseal, it's just a factory defect piece of junk. We're not talking about a $25 WalMart-special marker here; it's a Spyder that any idiot is supposed to be able to plug a tank into and start shooting. When I called Kingmans service line, I was told that I needed to pay to send the marker in (about $15 if I want it to arrive this decade) and that I must include the warranty card. SURPRISE! I've got all of the packaging and accompanying paperwork but no warranty card was included... "Sir, did you accidentally throw it away?" no jackass I just opened the damn thing for the first time and called you within 25 minutes.
Now Kingman wants to charge me for the repair because I don't have my receipt or the warranty card, the retailer won't help because I don't have my receipt and they only cover markers for 30 days anyway, and even if a DID have the damn warranty card I'd be paying $15 to ship a BRAND NEW MARKER in for repairs.
I will NEVER do business with Kingman again. Thanks for the paperweight.
