Serbu's are a piece of s--t

[quiet 1]

So the welds broke that hold the barrel on my super shorty. Looks like a 6 year old welded it. Heres the email I sent....lets see what happens.


As an owner of many NFA items, my recent purchase of one of your super shorties was impressive until I realized the weapon was built to be a safe queen. Is 200 rounds the average life expectancy of your firearms? Let me start by saying that my background is as an ASME section I welder preforming x-ray welds in a mirror more often than not. I am now a Superintendent on such projects and manage QA/QC as well. My point is I am not just a typical disgruntled customer that is uneducated in what they speak of. The welds on your firearms are of the quality of someone I would terminate. It is quite embarrassing when the barrel falls off of your gun. Yes I laughed, but only because I am capable of repairing it on a permanent level. The SOT that I purchased the firearm from is also a close friend of mine that has also had similar issues with his personal weapon. The purpose of this email is not to obtain a substandard repair like my friend has, as I have already repaired the item myself. It is to inform you of some of the short comings of your product in the hopes you may take an interest in metallurgy and ASME section 9, and build a quality product so others may not have to wait 6 months for a weapon that lasts 60 minuets.

Total crap, pay a welder $20 an hour and get $20 an hour welds. I have no idea what he pays his guys, my point is you get what you pay for and they obviously skimped in the welding department. I'll build my own next time!

[robpiat]

So the welds broke that hold the barrel on my super shorty. Looks like a 6 year old welded it. Heres the email I sent....lets see what happens.


As an owner of many NFA items, my recent purchase of one of your super shorties was impressive until I realized the weapon was built to be a safe queen. Is 200 rounds the average life expectancy of your firearms? Let me start by saying that my background is as an ASME section I welder preforming x-ray welds in a mirror more often than not. I am now a Superintendent on such projects and manage QA/QC as well. My point is I am not just a typical disgruntled customer that is uneducated in what they speak of. The welds on your firearms are of the quality of someone I would terminate. It is quite embarrassing when the barrel falls off of your gun. Yes I laughed, but only because I am capable of repairing it on a permanent level. The SOT that I purchased the firearm from is also a close friend of mine that has also had similar issues with his personal weapon. The purpose of this email is not to obtain a substandard repair like my friend has, as I have already repaired the item myself. It is to inform you of some of the short comings of your product in the hopes you may take an interest in metallurgy and ASME section 9, and build a quality product so others may not have to wait 6 months for a weapon that lasts 60 minuets.

Total crap, pay a welder $20 an hour and get $20 an hour welds. I have no idea what he pays his guys, my point is you get what you pay for and they obviously skimped in the welding department. I'll build my own next time!

$20 an hour seems like good money for a welder...Thats more than most cops or teachers make...

[quiet 1]

So the welds broke that hold the barrel on my super shorty. Looks like a 6 year old welded it. Heres the email I sent....lets see what happens.


As an owner of many NFA items, my recent purchase of one of your super shorties was impressive until I realized the weapon was built to be a safe queen. Is 200 rounds the average life expectancy of your firearms? Let me start by saying that my background is as an ASME section I welder preforming x-ray welds in a mirror more often than not. I am now a Superintendent on such projects and manage QA/QC as well. My point is I am not just a typical disgruntled customer that is uneducated in what they speak of. The welds on your firearms are of the quality of someone I would terminate. It is quite embarrassing when the barrel falls off of your gun. Yes I laughed, but only because I am capable of repairing it on a permanent level. The SOT that I purchased the firearm from is also a close friend of mine that has also had similar issues with his personal weapon. The purpose of this email is not to obtain a substandard repair like my friend has, as I have already repaired the item myself. It is to inform you of some of the short comings of your product in the hopes you may take an interest in metallurgy and ASME section 9, and build a quality product so others may not have to wait 6 months for a weapon that lasts 60 minuets.

Total crap, pay a welder $20 an hour and get $20 an hour welds. I have no idea what he pays his guys, my point is you get what you pay for and they obviously skimped in the welding department. I'll build my own next time!

$20 an hour seems like good money for a welder...Thats more than most cops or teachers make...

It's not. Cops and teachers can't weld....just saying, although both mostly make more.

[twodollarbill]

Should of posted pics of the broken welds....

[504ranger]

Damnit this makes me nervous because I just bought one too. Which model did you buy the 870 or Mossberg?

[Wicked]

I have a Safety Harbor AOW and all the welds look fantastic. I'm also the owner of a precision welding shop, so that's a complement I don't hand out lightly. The Safety Harbor design is quite a bit more robust in that area. The attachment point and the weld itself goes completely around the outer diameter of the barrel like a band. The welded area is not just on two small tangs on the bottom of the barrel like the Serbu.

Last time I checked, the welder (or at least one of them) at Serbu was a female named 'Angela'. I am fairly sure she is the girl in this pic.

Anybody know if she still works there anymore?

[66427vette]

Decent welders here make 26 to 33 bucks an hour.

[quiet 1]

Decent welders here make 26 to 33 bucks an hour.

Grab a broom and you will make that working for me haha. Tell me how to post pics and I will. It's text book lack of fusion........don't know how the F--k to weld.


on edit: My welders make $40 in the check and another $20 in benifits, get what you pay for, and I still think they have a lot to learn

[BISHOP]

Cops and teachers? Hell I make a s--t ton more than they do and I just install bathtubs everyday.


BISHOP

[LoudasFawk]

Why didn't you give Serbu a chance to get the problem fixed? I'd figure that would be a issue addressed under warranty.....

Check- I re-read the post and saw your buddy had shitty repair work done for the same issue.....

[Wahnsinn]

What welds are involved in this gun that failed? I thought it was just an SBS, didn't realize they were more complicated than taking a hacksaw to them

[quiet 1]

The welds to the barrel. I honestly don't know if they are done by Remington or Serbue (as this the the only 870 I own) but they should be wrapped to prevent this issue on a sawed-off. The bars also have an issue with breaking. I was pretty hot last night when it happened but shame on me for not doing more research before my purchase. I guess I expected a turn key weapon. From the research I have done not very many people run thousands of rounds through these guns which seems to be what it takes to break the bars.

[Wicked]

The welds that attach the barrel to the mount/yoke are done by Serbu or whomever makes your AOW. They are not factory.

This is what the Serbu barrel to yoke mounting method looks like, welded in only 2 small places:




Now, this is how the Safety Harbor mount/yoke attaches to the barrel. Note that the 'barrel band' completely encircles the barrel itself? It's welded all the way around there too. That bitch isn't going anyplace. Better design in my opinion.

[Bendersquint]

My Serbu built on an 870 has been fine, weld looks well done, well over 500 rounds through it now and still going strong. Know of a couple others that have a lot more then that and those are still running strong.

[raymond-]

my Mossberg SSS is still running reliably after 10 yrs

[Garrett]

...my background is as an ASME section I welder... hopes you may take an interest in metallurgy and ASME section 9...

I understand what you are getting at. I use ASME codes on a daily basis as well (primarily Sec. I, IX, B31.1, and some Sec. VII).

However, if I were a gunsmith I don't know that I'd invest several hundred dollars on code books relating to power boilers and pressure vessels. Additionally, you probably know what it costs to go through the process to qualify a weld procedure under Sec. IX. Again, I can't see a small shop going to this expense.

I will agree however, that the process and the welder skill need to be adequate to the product.

[CWA Guns]

Sir:

Could you please post some photos of the welds in question? I have found Marks work to be above par on the guns we have had through the shop. Hopefully this is a one time problem.. Everyone is entitled to a chance to make things right... It seems a bit abrupt to call the many Serbu's out there pieces of s--t.

V/r,

Ed @ CWA

[Bendersquint]

Sir:

Could you please post some photos of the welds in question? I have found Marks work to be above par on the guns we have had through the shop. Hopefully this is a one time problem.. Everyone is entitled to a chance to make things right... It seems a bit abrupt to call the many Serbu's out there pieces of s--t.

V/r,

Ed @ CWA

Still waiting on the pics myself as I am eager to see the issue. There is always a chance a lemon made it out, it does happen but always best to let the manufacturer try and make it right before slinging dirt.

[BLAKE2131]

^ agreed

[continuity]

The barrel fell off? WTF broke?

Will say, my home brewed 870 SBS hasn't had the barrel fall off. But I guess there were no mods done to the mag tube either.

[Bendersquint]

The barrel fell off? WTF broke?

Will say, my home brewed 870 SBS hasn't had the barrel fall off. But I guess there were no mods done to the mag tube either.

Noone may ever know he posted the complaint, and then hasn't been back since.

I wonder the validity of this claim as I have yet to see or hear about anything like this before with the SSS and the OP never posted pictures. Jury is still out on this one but coming to a decision........

[2Munkeez]

I was a cop right up until late 2011. I made about half that I went into security to make more money lol.

[Dolphinvet]

I'd really like to see pictures of the weld failure too, as I should be taking possession of my Serbu Shorty in a couple weeks or less.

[Bendersquint]

I'd really like to see pictures of the weld failure too, as I should be taking possession of my Serbu Shorty in a couple weeks or less.

The OP complained and hasn't been back. Until there are pictures I am of the belief that it didn't happen, or if it did not anywhere at all like how he described.

Going on a decade of Serbu products out there and never have I heard of the barrel falling out, I could see other issues long before a barrel would just fall out.

I honestly don't think you need to worry about it at all.

[robrob]

I love my Serbu .50 BMG. No problems at all.