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1 October - 1 December, 2009
This is to advise you, and to apologize for in advance, that certain KRISS Super V Vector CRB/SO and SBR/SO carbines may experience a persistent Failure to Eject (FTE) issue caused by an off-spec ejector part. You may have some of the affected carbines in your inventory, and it is likely that you have sold some. At KRISS USA, our goal is to have zero-defect product in the marketplace, and we need your help to ensure we both have satisfied customers.
NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE!
THIS IS NOT A FACTORY RECALL OF ALL KRISS SN's 1100-1633.
This provides you with the details of the issue, what KRISS USA is recommending be done to solve the problem and how we need your help.
Affected SN's: KRISS CRB/SO, SBR/SO Carbines SN's 1100 - 1633 (last four digits)
Note that while it is our intention to upgrade any problem ejector in every CRB/SO and SBR/SO with a KRISS SN (last 4 digits) 1100 - 1633, NOT ALL firearms will evidence the problem; we're seeing it in perhaps 2-5% of the total. KRISS CRB and SBR carbines with SN's below 1100 are not affected and none of our law enforcement SMG's are affected.
Description of the Problem
Some of the ejectors in the affected firearms may be below spec.
A new vendor provided us with ejectors that while meeting our dimensional and hardness QC tests, we have found that some of these ejectors are bending after 75-100 rounds, which is why our proof-firing of 15 rounds per firearm shipped didn't catch them. If the ejector bends, it may impact the spent casing at an improper location or angle, and as a result, the spent casing may not fully eject. In some cases, the extractor may bend enough that it scrapes the bottom of the bolt, which in addition to causing ejection failure, may actually cause a failure to feed (FTF) as the bolt's forward action may be slowed.
Our Fix
We are reverting to the previous ejector part used in KRISS firearms with SN's below 1100...we've never had one of these bend out of spec or fail...and will continue to use the earlier design ejectors in new production until we're sure we have this fully sorted. We will maintain this program through 1 December, 2009.
It is our intention to re-fit and upgrade every KCD Demo Gun, unsold KRISS with SN 1100 - 1633 that is in your or AcuSport's inventory and to fix at our expense any original owner's KRISS with SN 1100 - 1633 that is experiencing a problem. Again, not all KRISS carbines will experience the FTE issue. NOTE: This free fix does not apply to used/resold KRISS firearms. KRISS USA will deal with owners of used KRISS firearms directly.
What We Intend to Do
--Step 1: Diagnosis We have designed and will mail to all KRISS Dealers, free of charge, a tool that will allow you to quickly gage if an inventory gun or customer's gun with issues has an ejector that is out of spec. We will provide full instructions with the tool and will post them at www.kriss-tdi.com under "Support" or direct to www.kriss-tdi.com/ejector-refit/html. This "Pass/Fail" tool does not fix the problem; it only determines if the ejector is in the right position, or not. Please keep this tool in your KRISS toolbox. We plan to have this tool in your hands by the end of this month.
--Step 2: Notify your customers who bought CRB/SO and SBR/SO SN's 1100 - 1633
- Sold CRB/SO's: Each customer must be notified that their KRISS may have a bad ejector. If they've put hundreds of rounds through with no FTE issues, then no repair action is required after notification. IF YOUR CUSTOMER HAS NOT FIRED SUFFICIENT ROUNDS THROUGH THEIR KRISS TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS AN FTE PROBLEM, PLEASE ASK THEM TO ... we are only re-fitting those firearms with a demonstrated problem. However, if they are seeing FTE's using approved ammo, their gun needs to be re-fitted with a new ejector. If so, ask them to bring the gun into your store for inspection once you've received your check gage tool from us. If the ejector is out of place, it needs to be replaced.
You have the option of either returning the firearm to us for repair and return at our expense, OR, we will mail you the necessary parts and instructions for the re-fit, free. When you return the old ejector to us in the postage-paid envelope included with the part, and your invoice to us, we will mail you a check for $50 to cover your time for the re-fit. The refitting of the new ejector is not difficult, but the lower housing must come off the lower receiver in order to gain access to the ejector. (See Step 3 below)
- Sold SBR's: We do not want you, your customers or us to have to go through the hassle of requesting ATF transfers for SBR's back to us. So, we would strongly prefer that you handle this repair locally for us. Same deal as with the CRB; contact your customers, see if they're having problems, and if so, ask them to bring their guns in for inspection. Again, if they're not seeing FTE's and they have lots of rounds on their SBR's, no re-fit is required.
Note that if you prefer, just email or fax us the contact information of your customers with potentially affected guns and we'll be happy to contact them on your behalf in order to save you time and energy.
--Step 3: Refit Locally or Return? Obviously, every gun you inspect and re-fit locally is one less gun that needs to make two cross-country trips. With your KRISS Armorer training, we are fully confident of your ability to install the new ejector properly. You have the option to refit a new ejector locally, or return the gun to us at our expense. Please follow the directions below based upon your choice and please, do not ship us any firearms without the proper RA and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES return an SBR directly to us:
- Refitting Locally: FOR ALL SBR's and any other affected CRB's you wish to re-fit locally, please email (preferred!), fax or call us to request a re-fit kit to be sent to you free of charge. This kit will include the necessary parts, instructions and return envelope for the old extractor and an invoice form you can fill out to claim your $50.
- Returning CRB for Re-fit: You can email (preferred!), fax or call us to request an RA for the SN's you do not wish to refit in your store. We will not issue an RA unless we have the SN and owner contact information, so please have it handy when you contact us. We will respond within 24 hours and provide you with the necessary information. Our contact info is reprised at the end of this message.
Summing Up
We are embarrassed and apologetic that we let this part slip through and we've taken steps to ensure we've turned the screws on our vendors and internal QC processes to ensure it doesn't happen again.
We appreciate your forbearance and assistance in helping us, and our mutual customers, through this process. As the CEO of L. L. Bean, and grandson of L. L. Bean himself, once told me, "I wish we screwed up more often; every time we do, we create a customer for life through the manner in which we resolve their problem." There's a lesson in there for all of us.
Don't hesitate to contact us via the form below or Becky Houchin at AcuSport (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
), if there's anything in here that doesn't make sense.
Charles J. Kushell IV
CEO and Director
Transformational Defense Industries
Links:
KCD Ejector Refit Contact Form
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