Sig Sauer and the MCX - How Recalls Should Be Handled

Although I'm not affected by the recall, I bow deeply to Sig Sauer for the way they're handling the MCX recall.  I got the recall emails, presumably because I'm a registered Sig owner, although possibly because I enter their contests all the time.  The way Sig is handling this is exemplary.  Since the meat of the email is only two paragraphs long, I'm going to excerpt it here, with bold added in a few places:

SIG SAUER is conducting a mandatory replacement of the carriage assembly in SIG MCX rifles. SIG has found through extensive factory testing that in extremely rare instances, not reported in the field and extremely difficult to replicate, a condition may exist causing an unintended discharge. Failure to follow the loading procedures and basic rules of safe firearms handling outlined in the user’s manual has the potential to cause serious bodily harm or death.  Although this has only been witnessed in 300 blackout, SIG has decided to upgrade all MCX models since the MCX is a modular platform and we want to ensure the quality and reliability of all products we manufacture.

Stop use of firearm immediately, and visit the SIG SAUER website listed below as soon as possible to register your firearm, initiate the process and view a video explaining how to change out your carriage assembly. SIG will send you a prepaid box to return your complete carriage assembly to the factory. A new assembly, designed with the firing pin locking mechanism, will be shipped out to you within 5-7 working days of the receipt of your parts at no cost to you. Please note total in transit times will vary based on geographic locations. SIG will also send you a $50 gift voucher for any inconvenience this may have caused. This upgraded carriage assembly addresses this potential issue while enhancing the performance and longevity of your rifle. You may also contact SIG SAUER customer service at the number below with any questions if needed.

In my mind, this is textbook perfect handling.  They found the issue through their "extensive factory testing", which based on my experience, I interpret as reliability testing (in our business, we called it HALT - Highly Accelerated Life Testing and was done by testing beyond the products' rated limits; you are basically trying to induce failure).  It was never reported by a customer or field user.  It was hard to duplicate even in the testing lab, but it could possibly cause an ND.  Even though it only showed up in one caliber, since users can reconfigure the firearm, it could affect guns that are setup for an unaffected caliber today at some time in the future.  So Sig Sauer told their customers to let us know you have one, we'll send you a box to return the subassembly, we'll get the replacement out to you in a business week, and include a $50 gift voucher. 

I'm shocked at the bad reactions I see on the Firearms Blog. 

By contrast, I first heard and talked about the Taurus issue with unsafe Millennium pistols back in August of 2015.  The Millenniums were being returned because of real field problems, not testing at Taurus: customers were observing discharges when the gun should not have fired.  At that time, I learned there was a legal settlement to complaints about the guns.  Taurus did the old, "deny, deny, deny" tactic.  Again, bold added.

“The Taurus Companies do not admit liability in connection with the settlement,” the official told Grand View Outdoors. “If anyone has one of these pistols, we are happy to inspect it under the warranty and suggest that they send it to us so that we can do so.”

I've chronicled my problems with Taurus since then.  I sent my Generation 1 Taurus Millenium Pro (PT-145) back then; August 19th, 2015.  In brief, I've followed up a few times, the first at three months (when they said the gun would be returned in 6-8 weeks) and was given a story, then a few months later when I was given another story.  This August, on the one year anniversary of turning my gun over to them, I got yet another story.  From the transcript of my customer service chat:

... your firearm is a part of a class action settlement. All information related to the matter can be found at www.tauruscartersettlement.com. A Third Party Administrator has set up this site , and can handle inquires. Please visit the website. You can fill out the contact us form or call the number on the website for further assistance.
https://www.tauruscartersettlement.com/

A few weeks ago, I wrote a letter (actual snail mail!) to the law firm mentioned on the settlement website.  There were two reasons for this: the first was to make sure that my registration on the site showed up (there is no feedback) and then to see what the status is.  From one viewpoint, I handed over a gun that was not known to be bad 16 months ago in exchange for absolutely nothing.  Much to my surprise, I had a phone call from one of the lawyers on that case.  What I learned is that the settlement was contested by someone else (trying to get more back from Taurus, I suppose), that contesting was denied by the courts, and that denial is in appeal.  If I wanted my gun back, they could almost certainly get it returned to me, but I'd be giving up my spot in the line of returned guns.  The attorney stated there are few returns to Taurus now, and once this is finalized, they expect more of a flood.  Right now, I'm closer to the front of the line than I'll ever be. 

The terms of what Taurus will do about this are unchanged.  Under the "enhanced warranty" option, Taurus will repair or replace at their discretion, except that there is no known repair.  If an owner opts for a buyback, Taurus will buy the gun back at a currently unknown price.  The original settlement set a fixed dollar payout amount that Taurus would not have to exceed in total, so they won't know how much they're paying out until they know how many people are applying.  I understand that the maximum payout will be $200.  It could go lower.  $200 is considerably less than I paid for mine, even as a used gun.  The only option that makes any sense to me is wait for the replacement gun. 

Given the way Taurus has handled this problem with their guns and how Sig Sauer is handling the MCX issue, Sig is the better company by a mile.  Hands down.  No question about it.