My Beretta A300 Purchase and Customer Service Experience - don't make the same mistakes

[Packfan]

You should not buy a Beretta A300 or any other Beretta owed product for that matter, and here is why. Let me start by saying, I really like the A300 and I think it is a goodvalue and it is made in America. We usethem at our scout ranch and they are very dependable. I researched other guns and selected the A300o ver the Remington V3 and Winchester SX3. But Beretta's customer service is deeply disappointing and a disgrace to the gun community and they made me regret my choice.
It started when I purchased an A300 from a big box sporting goods store at a very good price. I looked at the display model and when I decided to buy, they brought out a boxed one from the back. I gave it a quick look over and then took it home. When I got home, I discovered that what I thought was cardboard and packaging particles on the receiver, was actually pitting to the base metal. I was disappointed, but never having a bad gun buying experience in the past, just assumed I could box it up and take it back and exchange it for one that was not defective.
GUN BUYING TIP: make sure you look over any gun before you purchase it. Inspect everything, assemble everything, cycle it, etc. Because once the paperwork is done, you own it regardless of any problems you may find.
Upon returning to the store the next day, they offered a $50 cosmetic discount or they could send it back to the factory for evaluation and repair at no cost to me. While it sucked not having my gun for a month, I decided to send it back. While the store was writing up the return slip they pointed out a few other issues, a small dent in the fore-end, poor finishing on the stock, and a mismatch of the stock and the recoil pad. I had noticed those issues at home and they were not really a concern, but the stock finish was annoying, with a texture that was not even as smooth as a 2x4, so we decide to include those defects as well. My primary concern was pitting to the base metal on the receiver. It looked bad, might get worse, and would likely rust. I'll try to attach a picture to this post.
Next, comes the most disappointing part of the story-Beretta customer service. After several weeks they contacted me to tell me that the issues were all considered cosmetic defects and as such, none were covered under warranty. They offered to replace the fore-end at a cost of about $150, they said they would buff out the stock at no cost, but for the receiver, there was nothing they could or would do. They also said the stock/recoil pad mismatch was within acceptable tolerances. They said it was my fault that I did not inspect the gun better before I purchased it and the topper -I bought it, so I own it. I told them I was expecting a quality product from a reputable US company, so I had not been too concerned about inspecting it closely before going home. At this point, I was doubting the quality of this gun and other guns from Beretta. If such an obvious defect like the pitting gets past their quality department, assuming they have one, what else did they miss?
Attempts to speak with a manager or further pursue a more appropriate solution were shut down. I was told there was no one else to speak with about the matter and nothing more could or would be done. I politely explained how angry and disappointed I was and that I would voice my feeling on internet sites. Their reply was "go ahead and do what you need to do". So here I am, one guy, writing and posting this review to warn others of Beretta's poor quality control and shameful customer service. The following companies are owned by Berretta and while they make some great products, I'll never spend a penny on them. Of course, you do what you like. Beretta USA, Benelli, Franchi, SAKO, Stoeger, Tikka, Uberti, and Burris Optics are all owned by Beretta.
The big box store was extremely supportive during the entire process and in the end offered me a full refund for the A300 since support from Beretta was so poor. I now shoot a Mossberg 930 Sporting Pro purchased from the same big box store. It is a bit different than the other guns I considered, but a lot of gun for the money, lots of cool features, it shoots great, and it is made in America. It too had a problem when I purchased it, the front sight was skewed, lucky me. I contacted Mossberg, the got back to me the next day. They said it looked terrible and sent a FedEx label so I could exchange the barrel for a new one. It took a while to finally get the new barrel because the 930 is done in limited runs, but that is more representative of customer service you expect in the gun community. You wouldn't go wrong if you purchased a Winchester or Remington either. I just don't recommend Beretta and they told me to let you know that.