Crappy dealings with Matt w/ Stalking Rhino

[briansp82593]

First things first, I am looking to make things right before blowing them out of proportion and smearing him as that is not my intention.

Little back story. I am an FFL/SOT. I have a Knights Armament XM9 (the Beretta "snap on" 9mm silencer)

When the XM9 came into my possession unfortunately it did not have the internals. No end cap and inside tube/wipes/spacers. I had a local 07 fab up some stuff to stuff inside of it, poorly and crude made baffles, just to get keep things kosher with not having "spare" parts laying around. I figured having been on this forum long enough there were some reputable people here who could custom recore that old can for me. I chose a dealer most of us here are familiar with, contacted them, made arrangements for sending my silencer off to be fixed up.

That was thirteen months ago. I have remained in constant contact with Matt/Stalking Rhino checking the status of my custom project but as we get into the last two months I have ceased to hear back with anything. I have sent repeated emails and left voicemails asking that my silencer be returned to me. Even sent a box and a return label inside.

Last week ATF came in for their normal inspection/audit of my FFL. Unfortunately ATF is not looking kindly at me at a thirteen month long "Repair" of an NFA item that is on my registry.

I mailed a money order to SRI for $375 with the suppressor for the recore thirteen months ago. Money order was cashed. The box and shipping label I sent in January was signed for and received. I have kept up my end of the bargain and still seems like I am getting the shaft.

Matt offered to buy that suppressor off me multiple times. Since I declined to sell it, it seems he is just going to attempt to keep it.

I have calls into the ATF field office in North Carolina, and I have a couple agents here in Kansas City who are going to help me retrieve my silencer back.

Unfortunately this is all happening while my form 4 is pending transfer out to me.

Just a heads up to guys here on the forum.



Brian.

[mars]

13 mos is way too long. why would he offer to buy it? makes no sense. hopefully he makes it right for you.

[kbillet]

Think maybe he screwed it up and can't send it back in the original condition?

[themonk]

Think maybe he screwed it up and can't send it back in the original condition?

This is the most plausible explanation. Bummer. I hope you get it back.

[Bendersquint]

First things first, I am looking to make things right before blowing them out of proportion and smearing him as that is not my intention.

Little back story. I am an FFL/SOT. I have a Knights Armament XM9 (the Beretta "snap on" 9mm silencer)

When the XM9 came into my possession unfortunately it did not have the internals. No end cap and inside tube/wipes/spacers. I had a local 07 fab up some stuff to stuff inside of it, poorly and crude made baffles, just to get keep things kosher with not having "spare" parts laying around. I figured having been on this forum long enough there were some reputable people here who could custom recore that old can for me. I chose a dealer most of us here are familiar with, contacted them, made arrangements for sending my silencer off to be fixed up.

That was thirteen months ago. I have remained in constant contact with Matt/Stalking Rhino checking the status of my custom project but as we get into the last two months I have ceased to hear back with anything. I have sent repeated emails and left voicemails asking that my silencer be returned to me. Even sent a box and a return label inside.

Last week ATF came in for their normal inspection/audit of my FFL. Unfortunately ATF is not looking kindly at me at a thirteen month long "Repair" of an NFA item that is on my registry.

I mailed a money order to SRI for $375 with the suppressor for the recore thirteen months ago. Money order was cashed. The box and shipping label I sent in January was signed for and received. I have kept up my end of the bargain and still seems like I am getting the shaft.

Matt offered to buy that suppressor off me multiple times. Since I declined to sell it, it seems he is just going to attempt to keep it.

I have calls into the ATF field office in North Carolina, and I have a couple agents here in Kansas City who are going to help me retrieve my silencer back.

Unfortunately this is all happening while my form 4 is pending transfer out to me.

Just a heads up to guys here on the forum.



Brian.

You know how the NFA works! You of all people should know that I can't just keep it.....its on your books!

There are many ways to get in touch with us. Recently the ONLY contact I have had was the email about the audit, thats it. It is packed up and UPS has been called for a pickup. If you have been calling you haven't been leaving messages as there are none here from you. I just checked my SilencerTalk mailbox...nothing. My SRI mailbox.....nothing(besides audit email). Phone records.....nothing in the last 90 days.

We haven't gotten the reputation that we have by screwing people.

UPS should pick it up on Monday.

[Bendersquint]

13 mos is way too long. why would he offer to buy it? makes no sense. hopefully he makes it right for you.

13 months was long yes, we were doing more than just repairing it.

I offered to buy it several times because I have been wanting a KAC setup like that for over a decade and figured it was worth a shot to see if he would sell. Wouldn't you try and buy something or see if its for sale if you have been looking for one for a long time and they were not common items? Most people would.

Of course we are making it right, we have ZERO desire to take anyone on anything.

[Bendersquint]

Think maybe he screwed it up and can't send it back in the original condition?

Nope, I am a man, if it dinked it up I would speak with the customer about it. Why would I risk legal action by hiding? Not like in this world I COULD hide. Besides thats a pretty immature way to do business.

[Bendersquint]

Think maybe he screwed it up and can't send it back in the original condition?

This is the most plausible explanation. Bummer. I hope you get it back.

Its taken so long because of the anodizing of the baffles and an issue we had with the anodizer.

[Fulliautomatix]

All other issues aside, why does the ATF care how long something has been out for repair, as long as they have record of who actually possesses it? I mean, auditing is part of their job description, if they're worried about can being MIA, then go pay its last known address a visit.

[briansp82593]

Matt,

Ill reply to your PM and your messages here.

I am sorry it had to come to making a big long and elaborate post on ST. Your last response to me was at the beginning of February about the anodizing.

ATF is doing their job and trying to get on any little thing they can find and basically said I won't have the closing on my inspection till they have word or physically touch this suppressor that has been gone for so long. I have called. I have left a couple voicemails. I have sent plenty of emails to the same sales@stalkingrhinoDOTcom email.

If you received the email where I asked for it to be returned for my inspection, and at least would have given me a reply to that I am sure this could have taken a different path. Instead I am feeling the heat from my ATF IOI's.

I am not one of those people who expect an email once a week. I have been pretty accepting of the "custom work" time frame.

A little communication goes a long way.

All other issues aside, why does the ATF care how long something has been out for repair, as long as they have record of who actually possesses it? I mean, auditing is part of their job description, if they're worried about can being MIA, then go pay its last known address a visit.

They are making a big deal out of it because they aren't finding anything else wrong. Because of the time frame they are trying to say I transferred a can without a form 3.

[JasonNC]

Its taken so long because of the anodizing of the baffles and an issue we had with the anodizer.

So as a nosy curious observer, was the suppressor repair complete when you sent it back to him after the 13 month wait or did you end up just refunding his money?

[Capt. Link.]

I've known Matt for a very long time and would say he has a sterling reputation.I worked as a 02/07 and have never even heard of BATFE having any question about the duration a item was on the books if they were done correctly.While 13 months may sound like a long time custom work on a item that is not in the range of normal takes extra time.I don't know the details but it sounds that he created a unique suppressor for you that needed not only parts made but refinished as well to meet his level of perfection.While I am fully capable of making my own I would use Matt and SRI because he is craftsmen and I know he will deliver a product to be proud of.
-CL 02/07 retired.

[briansp82593]

Its taken so long because of the anodizing of the baffles and an issue we had with the anodizer.

So as a nosy curious observer, was the suppressor repair complete when you sent it back to him after the 13 month wait or did you end up just refunding his money?

Matt is sending the suppressor back to me. Once the guts are finished Matt has offered to send them to an 07 FFL (manufacturer) of my choice. Because I am an 01 FFL it's one of those technicalities where I cannot have spare parts or baffles laying around. Doesn't have to make sense. Just the name of the game.

[mars]

well, you got results. squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[JasonNC]

well, you got results. squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Well 13 months later and he is getting his unrepaired suppressor back. I guess he needed that for his audit but that still stinks that its not repaired IMO.

[David Hineline]

You can't just take a silencer with missing regulated parts then just make new replacement parts for parts long lost, you can't just make regulated unregistered parts and supply them to another manufacturer for assembly into an empty silencer tube.

[curtistactical]

You can't just take a silencer with missing regulated parts then just make new replacement parts for parts long lost, you can't just make regulated unregistered parts and supply them to another manufacturer for assembly into an empty silencer tube.

You are correct you must have the old baffles out of the suppressor before you can legally replace them with new ones. You can however as an 07/02 manufacture baffles and end caps for another 07/02 with no paperwork needed and they do not need to be marked, its up to the receiving 07/02 what he does with the parts, if you manufacture a tube for another 07/02 you must get a variance to mark the tubes for them.
Joe

[doubloon]

I'm confused about the whole FFL/SOT vs 01 FFL thing ... I thought FFL/SOT was the same as 07/02 but later brian says he's only a 01 FFL ... can you be an 01 FFL/SOT?

[Bendersquint]

well, you got results. squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Well 13 months later and he is getting his unrepaired suppressor back. I guess he needed that for his audit but that still stinks that its not repaired IMO.

Just waiting for the parts to come back from anodizing...his can will be finished.

[Bendersquint]

I'm confused about the whole FFL/SOT vs 01 FFL thing ... I thought FFL/SOT was the same as 07/02 but later brian says he's only a 01 FFL ... can you be an 01 FFL/SOT?

Brian is an 01/03........ffl dealer / nfa dealer
We are an 07/02.........fflmanufacturer/nfa manufacturer

[doubloon]

thanks ... should have picked up on that when it said 01 but leaving off the 3 combouzled me

[thecameraman79]

Sounds like it would take less time and not that much more money to just buy a new suppressor. Considering the wait is in the 5 month or so range currently. Of course there is the tax stamp cost and depending on the suppressor cost but I couldn't wait 13 months for a repair.

[propeine]

Sounds like it would take less time and not that much more money to just buy a new suppressor. Considering the wait is in the 5 month or so range currently. Of course there is the tax stamp cost and depending on the suppressor cost but I couldn't wait 13 months for a repair.

I think you're in the realm of saying "just go buy a new civil war musket" not quite the same as what these guys are working on.

[thecameraman79]

How so? 13 months vs 5 months. My dealer even lets me play with mine while it's in jail. I'm just saying for that cost and that amount of time it doesn't sound worth it. At least not to me.

Sounds like it would take less time and not that much more money to just buy a new suppressor. Considering the wait is in the 5 month or so range currently. Of course there is the tax stamp cost and depending on the suppressor cost but I couldn't wait 13 months for a repair.

I think you're in the realm of saying "just go buy a new civil war musket" not quite the same as what these guys are working on.

[Fulliautomatix]

Because the KAC XM9 is no longer manufactured. Last time I saw (~10 years ago) they came with a specially modified Beretta 92 at were running $3k-$5k for the setup. They're very hard to come by.