I sent this email off to the 'Contact' address on their website:
Hello,
My problems started with a gun that had been 'slicked' by someone ... my gunsmith used the term 'butchered'.
My gunsmith attempted to buy replacement sears from EAA. He listened to the 7Cues (!) on three different occaisions before talking to a human being. Each customer service rep stated that the previous customer service person did not understand the order, and that they would send the right parts.
Three times my gunsmith was sent the wrong parts (i.e. seers for the double trigger model). Three times my gunsmith paid for the parts and postage before he found he had been sent the wrong parts.
When I talked to EAA I waited again through the seven cues and finally got someone ... who told me that I needed to talk to their gunsmith and that he would call back. He never did.
So I called Remington, since I understand they are importing your gun as the Remington 220. When I stated that I had a Baikal Bounty Hunter IZH43-1C, I was given the EAA 800 # and was assured that they would handle the problem.
My gunsmith has given up on Baikal and is having someone add drill tool steel to the original part, and is going to file the original seers to make them work.
Just to be honest, I belong to cascity.com, and have honestly added my experiences when the subject of Baikal Shotguns ... that I love mine to the point that I have even shot skeet with it. But my gunsmith has had the shotgun since July and has had to make due with the old parts because Baikal's USA Representative was unwilling, unable, or unwanting to assist.
I have reported that I even emailed and called Baikal/Canada, and was told that if I called them back with the exact number from the exploded diagram, that they might be able to help me (that is, if the part is in stock ...).
The Baikal customer service reminds me of Renault America, which was forced to close down because the parent company in France was unable to support their dealers with parts.
So the next time that I am asked what I think of the Baikal shotgun, you can see how I will be responding.
Best wishes; I would like to be proven wrong because the shotgun just does not deserve this shoddy customer service.
Sincerely,
George W 'Skip' Baker
SASS # 84743
AKA Wadd Watson Elllis
(Address, ph# and email withheld)
P.S. I have missed the entire 2009 hunting season, and it is a mute point wether this shotgun will be ready by the 2010 season ...
It will be interesting to see if I even get a reply.