Burned by Legion? Me too.
I heard many wonderful things about Legion Rifles over the past couple years; especially their AR-10 variant offering. I was recently in the market for a reliable AR-10, so after some conversations with people who had fielded these rifles and run them hard, I decided to put in an order. That was over seven months ago. I was quoted a six month delivery time by Legion. I thought that sounded a little long but demand and coming out of the post-Newtown panic it seemed like six months was going to be standard at the time. I was willing to wait six months for what was supposed to be a quality rifle that would fulfill my need for a precision rifle teaching platform.
No one likes to hear troubling things about a company they gave their hard earned money to, yet while that six month window ticked away I began hearing about delivery times not being met, about people waiting well a year for their rifles and about product not showing up at all after being fully paid for. Of course some of this can be chalked up to unhappy customers, internet rumors or flat out lies; however the amount of rumbling was significant enough to give me pause in my decision to purchase from Legion. I decided to stick with it, giving them to-the-day on my rifle.
Well, six months came with no word from Legion. So I made the call to pull my deposit. No response from Adam Morehead, CEO of Legion Firearms. I made another call. No response from Adam Morehead. I waited a few days and made another call. No response from Adam Morehead. Three voicemails left, not one call returned. So I decided to contact someone I knew who worked for Legion, he somehow convinced Adam to call me. Adam did; I was told of money problems and supply problems with their barrels. I said I understood, but wanted my deposit back. Adam agreed and told me to give him a couple of weeks. I gave him exactly two weeks, which by my definition is “a couple.â€Â I called. No response from Adam Morehead.
Via Facebook I find out about a Better Business Bureau report on Legion Firearms, which details the experiences of others who bought from Legion and got part of their order if they were lucky, or nothing at all (read more here). I of course wanted to talk with Adam Morehead about this, but Adam Morehead doesn’t return my calls. As of writing this I have left two more messages with no response.
As much as one shouldn’t take things too personally, this is a direct reflection on his company and if I am in the minority of dissatisfied customers, it would be hard to prove as any web search of Legion Firearms leads to more negative than positive.  Just a peek at the comments on the Legion Firearms Facebook page is telling of the dissatisfaction with their customer service.
I suppose I learned a very expensive lesson; a lesson that makes me want to go with the larger, more established companies in the future instead of taking a chance on the “little guy†which is the wrong answer, but for people who save for months or years to make a purchase of a high-end rifle, it’s the safe answer. It’s not a reflection on the industry, as far as I am concerned it is a reflection on Adam Morehead. The saying has always been that “business isn’t personal†or some variation on the theme, but the truth is that business is personal, especially in such a small industry. I am on first-name basis with many of the people whose firearms and gear I use and not just because I am an Instructor and product tester; many of my relationships go back to when I was just a police officer running a training department.
I don’t need to be buddies with the management, but I do believe in customer service and standing on your word. Truth be told it’s not the money that I may never get back that bothers me the most, it’s the fact that my money and my concern doesn’t warrant a call from Adam Morehead. I, like many of us, can be a very understanding person and when business is made personal we are far more likely to be accommodating. A little communication from Adam and I would have been more than willing to wait for my rifle; now I’m not interested in owning one at all.
I don’t know if Legion Firearms will recover from this; I’ve heard many troubling rumors, and while I won’t write rumor, I don’t hold out hope as the company is seemingly silent and the level of dissatisfaction continues to grow.
I agree. I like the idea of supporting small businesses too but there’s definitely more risk involved in doing business with a very small company.
I recently had a negative experience with Phlster Holsters. I wanted to try AIWB carry and at the time of my purchase their website stated an unconditional 30 day return policy for a full refund and made no mention of a restocking fee(I have a dated pdf copy of his website as proof).
He charges your credit card upfront and after 7 weeks I had to send him an email to get my order shipped.
After trying the holster, I didn’t like the way it protruded past the muzzle end of the slide on my G19 and dug into my pelvic area. When I returned the holster he held back a 10% restocking fee and I noticed he had changed text on his website in the last 2 days to include the restocking fee.
Now, I thought that everyone in business understood that you can’t change the terms of a transaction after the fact but apparently he either doesn’t know this or he’s being intentionally dishonest. I sent him an email pointing out that the restocking fee wasn’t part of the terms when I ordered but he still wouldn’t give me the full refund to which I was entitled.
Needless to say I was really disappointed because I like the idea of supporting small businesses but there’s definitely more risk in doing that.
I have been waiting for a holster from Kobelson leather works since November 2012. My order was paid in full at the time I ordered it. Very little communication from the maker and hollow promises. I’m reporting him to the BBB.
Contact the district attorney in Temple, TX.
I’m guessing that Aaron Cowan stumpled into the business world with good ideas and a good product. When he stumbled, it was because he didn’t have a solid business plan and business mentality including (but not limited to), supply, materials acquisition, distribution, pricing, personnel-skills placement & order handling. He should have had multiple layers of suppliers (contingencies), back order programs, better communications throughout the company and consumers, and “freezes” on ordering, when appropriate. Don’t promise things without predictable wait times posted for products and services provided!
Another way to handle this, would be to post quantities available with real time updates posted of available stock. Great products that you don’t have, don’t produce real, and repeat sales.
Aaron’s posted resume’ is indeed impressive with the skills he possesses, but they give no hint of his ability to produce goods for the hungry and massive firearms-buying public.
Ken I think you might be confused – Aaron wrote the article and he’s the customer, Adam Morehead is the CEO of Legion.
Ken Millard…Aaron Cowan wrote the article complaining that Adam Morehead of Legion Arms is the one you should be naming…maybe you should re-read the article & edit your comment…as your slandering & confusing the who is who & who didn’t do what they should
I agree. I have had the same exact issue with umbrella Corporation Weapons Research Group. I purchased many lowers, uppers and grips from them, even their first SBR. I was on an email reply from Jaime the office manager many times. She might take a while, but she replied and was very good at her communication.
Then they started taking back orders for their new billeted lowers and I jumped all over that. I was told 4-6 months, so I waited 8. Then I emailed, no reply. 9 Months came by, several polite emails, nothing. 10 months came by, left voice messages, emails, website messages, Facebook messages and finally, after a year; I called my Credit Card company. I filed a complaint and requested my money back. They wrote them, they called them, nothing.
I eventually ended up getting my money back from the credit card company, but the change in attitude of the company was surprising. Especially all the while this was occurring they filled an order I placed for a grip and some Lower Parts Kits.They continue to post on their Facebook page. But they simply do not reply to customers. Why? I guess maybe they got so many pre-orders that they just left to the beach on some Island that doesn’t have extraction treaties for the US Marshals to get them? At least put out a mass email explaining any situations. It has to be better than leaving people in the dark, people that have spent a lot of money with them.
Not a way to establish a good name and reputation. Even if the owner was a perfectionist, no one’s going to purchase if they can’t trust they will get their item.
Watch out if they use a movie/video game reference as their company name…
Dude I’m on the hook for one of their Hex cut barrels… 7 months ago.. $500 F me… All of us that are getting screwed need to get together!! CMC triggers last I read is in the same boat..
What’s up with CMC Triggers?
We’ll be more than happy to help you out, and no 6 month wait with us!
I had the same problem with LMT. They have never responded to any email or call from me.
And Turner’s Outdoorsman here in SoCal. They have “oh, im so sorry, we’ll look into that and call you back” for over a year.
And Marvin Pitts. He LOST a Noveske Barrel I had sent him. He made good on it, it was no problem, but it ended up taking 18 Months to get that project finished. As with the LMT, I was so pleased with the final product that it sort of vindicated the whole thing, but there were still month-long period when i couldn’t get an email response.
I think it’s an industry thing. The number of things I’ve paid for and then waited a year for is pretty long actually.
Sucks- had high hopes for Legion. LaRue should buy what’s left and finish the orders and with the extra tooling, shorten lead times on their products.
I’ve had the exact same problem with Allstar tactical (got my money back after months and months and filing with my CC company) as well as Shadow Ops weaponry. In both cases I tried to be patient, but after a year and a half I’d had enough. I want to support small business these experiences have really turned me off.
Just ordered a 3.5 lb trigger from CMC on a Monday and had in my hand Friday.
not gun related… but kind of is…seeing that it has ads in all of the RECOIL magazines… On FB I ordered some “LIMITED EDITION” hoodies & tshirts from Warrior Culture Gear for CHRISTMAS gifts… back in November… here it is August & my CC co. said they could do nothing to help me even though I have all of the emails, electronic receipts, & IM’s on FB….needless to say I had to come up with last minute gifts that I couldn’t afford to buy…
I like to support small companies when they deal with smaller items, that way if I get burned I am not out too much but when it comes to actual firearms I stay away because of the horror stories like this
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer/complain.shtml
Did it ever occur to you folks that Legion is a scam headed and run by a bunch of “gun grabbers”………..
just thinken………….
I ordered a Legion rifle in January of 2013. As you might have guessed I am one of the many people who hasn’t received their rifle. I paid just shy of $2600 for the Orion Design Group model. I decided to pull the trigger on this rifle, despite it cost, to support two small businesses that I believed were innovators in the industry. Oh ya, and the rifle looked pretty badass in lupus. After many polite emails and phone calls over the next year, I patiently waited for my rifle to arrive. It was constantly “we need one more month or just a few more weeks”. I finally decided to call just before shot show 2014 to findout what was going on. I spoke with Adam Wilson of 1 MOA Solutions, he was helping Legion correct their customer service issues. He guarenteed me that my rifle would ship no later then the beginning of March 2014. So I decide keep waiting and hoped everything would shake out. Around April I began to call more frequently to keep up on what was going on with my rifle. At this time Adam Morehead was answering his phone or at least returning my calls, but it was still just two more weeks everytime I called. I decide to ask for money back at the beginning of May and was told they couldn’t do that because they had used all my money to purchase the parts and those parts had already been hyrdo dipped. I asked for them to send me pictures of my dipped parts which never happened. At this point I decided to call the owner of Orion Design Group. I found out Brian the owner of ODG has had nothing to do with them for awhile due to non payment of royalties. He was unaware that there were still some of his signature rifles that hadn’t shipped. Brian is a standup guy and has been very helpful, he has tried everything in his power to make it right and has even offered to complete the rifle if we can get the parts. I know this is getting very long winded so let me wrap this up. I treated the Legion Firearms employees with respect and gave them time to make this right. Not only have they not done that, they made it worse by deciding not to do anything to make it right. Adam Morehead you should be ashamed of yourself, you obviously have no integrity or honor. There are many ways that this could have been made right, instead your hiding like a coward. Brian from Orion Design Group is the total opposite, not only has he gone above and beyond he understands that when you stand by your customer your customer stands by you. Thank you Brian for all your help, you have a friend and customer for life. Legion Firearms should be avoided at all costs. I have no doubt they will be out of buisness soon. I would also like to thank Aaron for posting this article, it was really well written and will no doubt help bring this situation to light for potential buyers.
I’m in the same situation, I paid in full $720 for a break and 16″ Hex cut .308 barrel in May 2013. Numerous calls later, it’s always the same, two weeks. That was five weeks ago now I can’t get a return email or call. All the BS they spewed at the SHOT Show was a flat out lie about taking care of their customers.
I will be reaching out to the DAs office, being in law enforcement for 22 years I know the money is gone but refuse to just drop it.
90 weeks ago I ordered 2 rifles for our sheriff’s dept. Adam Morehead should be arrested. They are still taking people’s money and actively using a working website to do so. Bottomline- SCUM FUCKING BAGS!!!
My first gun from legion turned out to be outstanding, even though it was a long wait. My second order now has become problematic and I have not been able to get through to them and I have waited more than six months. I am going to file a small claims case if I don’t hear from them by the end of the month.
Over a year here as well. They took money on product they couldn’t deliver. I’m sure it was not out of a desire to screw people, but because of industry/supplier problems. But, at some point you have to stop taking people’s money.
Legion just posted a sob story on their facebook page asking for new investors to help them because their screwed. No apology, these guys are unbelievable. Biggest scumbags I’ve encountered in the firearms industry by far.
I think it’s interesting how this author is connected socially to Jamie Wehmeyer, and can see the MANY trips, vacations, and spin off gun manufacturing companies that are being created with stolen money. I doubt that this is truly unbiased journalism and more of a subtle way to blame everything on Adam Morehead.
AB, I don’t typically approve comments from fake email addresses. It reeks of cowardice.
I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying. I’m “friends†with Adam on Facebook too (Monderno is my website), the social media connection means nothing. I’m pretty sure that Adam isn’t too pleased with me these days for publishing this post, and yet the connection remains.
If you doubt the validity of what Aaron is saying, I suggest you do your research, or talk to some former Legion employees. They’ll tell you what happened.
http://www.bbb.org/central-texas/news-events/bbb-in-the-news/2014/07/bbb-investigation-legion-firearms-misses-the-mark-with-consumers/
http://kwkt.com/news/local-firearms-company-under-fire-better-business-bureau
Your first link is to a credit company in San Antonio.
I’m just saying that BOTH the CEO’s should take accountability; Adam Morehead and Jamie Wehmeyer. One has disappeared and the other is spending mad cash everywhere. Moderno even wrote about his split with 2Vets Arms for doing the same thing he did at Legion; taking money and not producing product.
Link updated.
This post isn’t about Jamie, it’s about Legion Firearms. I have zero personal experience with Jamie or Sierra Hotel Manufacturing. You have a problem with Jamie, I get it, but don’t come here and run your mouth saying “I doubt that this is truly unbiased journalism” because of it.
AB,
I did not mention Jamie in this article because at the time of my rifle purchase, he was not involved with Legion (Chris Reeves had taken over at that point) and my only contact with the company was Adam Morehead. Had I dealt with Jamie, it would certainly be in there.
My first rifle with them was excellent. The second , they never delivered, never answered the phone or emails after 8 months. I was able to do a charge back in lieu of a small claims lawsuit. I had similar issues with Larue as well. Always empty promises and they never deliver.