Caracal - Recall

[JV_]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2013/09/10/major-recall-caracal-model-pistol


Caracal is now issuing this recall of all Model C pistols in all markets, following the completion of a full investigation. Caracal is initiating this voluntary recall of Model C pistols because the safety of its customers is paramount.

This recall affects all Model C pistols, including but not limited to those with serial numbers which start with the following letters: HM, AA, AD, AG, CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CH, CI, CJ, CK, CL, CM, CN, CP, CR and CS.

If you own or have access to a Caracal Model C pistol, PLEASE DO NOT LOAD OR FIRE YOUR PISTOL. Please contact Caracal customer care immediately to arrange to have your Model C pistol returned. Caracal will provide you with a full refund of the purchase price of your Caracal Model C pistol or vouchers for other Caracal products. Unfortunately, the potential safety issues cannot be addressed through a repair of the Model C pistol and all Model C pistol’s must be returned for refund.

Step 1 –Please contact customer care in accordance with the below details and provide your name, address, telephone number and details of your purchase.

For USA Customers

Contact us at +205-655-7050 or info@caracal-usa.com

For International Customers

Additional numbers will be published shortly; however please contact us on recall@caracal.ae in the interim.

If you have sold or transferred your Caracal Model C pistol to any other person, we ask you to please contact us in any event and provide us with the name and contact information for the person to whom you sold any Model C Pistol so that we may also notify that person of this recall.

Step 2 – Customer care will contact you to arrange for a refund in accordance with the above. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause and thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Thank you. Caracal International LLC

[Tamara]

I'm having flashbacks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vektor_CP1).

[TR675]

Perils of the early adopter.

Most firearm design may be more art than science, but the risk of a catastrophic failure across an entire product line that can't be fixed...how much engineering went into this thing?

[Slavex]

Does this represents the entire line of pistols the company produces? Or just one model?

[Rich]

Is this the second or third recall?

I never liked the looks of a plastic pistols .

But for some reason the caracal appeals to me ?

[TCinVA]

Does this represents the entire line of pistols the company produces? Or just one model?

Near as I can tell, it's all of them.

[TR675]

Hard to tell what is affected from the company website. All pistol models start with "C" and have numerals after them.

Per Wikipedia there are three models, the "F" or fullsize, "C" or compact, and "SC" which is different than the other two models somehow. So this may affect only the compacts.

I will say this, if one product is affected this badly, and if they miss obvious typographical errors (mostly spacing) in their recall notice, how good do you feel about their attention to detail in their other offerings?

[Byron]

It seems that most recall notices I've seen in the past (whether for firearms, cars, or anything else), at least make some attempt to describe the problem being addressed.

This notice just makes vague mention of "potential safety issues."

Am I wrong to find that curious and/or concerning? I would - at the very least - expect the notice to warn of the actual nature of the safety issue. Does it fire when dropped? Does it go full-auto? Does it go kaboom?

TheFirearmBlog links back to a previous article they ran, where a Caracal blew up (http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2013/02/20/the-curious-caracal-kaboom/). The actual incident happened in Nov 2012. Am I to understand that this is a related issue, or is it just being brought up as an example of previous Caracal trouble?

If this is linked to the November kaboom in any way, it seems very troubling that it would take 10 months to complete an investigation and make a press release. If it's not related to that kaboom... then what is it?

[Casual Friday]

I was told by a Caracal owner that is just affects the "C" models but who knows for sure.

[Tamara]

I was told by a Caracal owner that is just affects the "C" models but who knows for sure.

I don't grok how that would be, as the lockwork is the same?

[LOKNLOD]

I don't grok how that would be, as the lockwork is the same?

I don't grok how a pistol is suddenly and inexplicably unsafe after a couple years on the market, either, but sho'nuff they are asking for them all back and giving refunds, so anything is possible I guess.

[Tamara]

I don't grok how a pistol is suddenly and inexplicably unsafe after a couple years on the market...

A guess? When the calls from plaintiff's attorneys begin to stack up...

[Casual Friday]

I don't grok how that would be, as the lockwork is the same?


Not sure either, but I found this on another forum.


UPDATE
Caracal Model C Pistol Product Safety Warning and Recall Notice

Caracal International LLC previously instituted a recall of Caracal Model C pistols on March 28, 2013 for batchnumbers from SC188- to SC222.

Caracal is now issuing this recall of all Model C pistols in all markets, following the completion of a full investigation. Caracal is initiating this voluntary recall of Model C pistols because the safety of its customers is paramount.

This recall affects all Model C pistols, including but not limited to those with serial numbers which start with the following letters: HM, AA, AD, AG, CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CH, CI, CJ, CK, CL, CM, CN, CP, CR and CS.

If you own or have access to a Caracal Model C pistol, PLEASE DO NOT LOAD OR FIRE YOUR PISTOL. Please contact Caracal customer care immediately to arrange to have your Model C pistol returned. Caracal will provide you with a full refund of the purchase price of your Caracal Model C pistol or vouchers for other Caracal products.

Unfortunately, the potential safety issues cannot be addressed through a repair of the Model C pistol and all Model C pistols must be returned for refund.

[Chris Rhines]

*sigh*

Caracal had just showed off some interesting stuff at ADIHEX. Pity.

[Tamara]

Not sure either, but I found this on another forum.

Yeah, I saw that. It recapitulates Caracal's language at their .pdf.

[farscott]

I was told (but have no independent verification) that the issue which led to this recall is related to the heat treatment and geometry of the slide. The reported failure mode is the slide suffering cracks and/or breakage. There was no information whether the heat treatment impacts an existing stress riser in the design or the material/geometry interaction is just plain wrong for the application.

Not sure what is happening, but kudos to them for owning up to the issue(s) and refunding customers money.

[Byron]

Not sure what is happening, but kudos to them for owning up to the issue(s) and refunding customers money.
What issue(s)?

How can they be "owning up" to something if they never actually articulate what they're owning up to?

"I am sorry that I wronged you. Here's some money."
"Oh... um... thanks for the money, I guess... but what did you do?"
"Don't worry about that. Just take this money and stop asking questions."

S&W recall:

Smith & Wesson has identified a condition where the trigger bar pin could damage the lower trigger in certain M&P Shields in a way that may affect the functionality of the drop safety feature of the firearm, potentially allowing the pistol to discharge if it is dropped.

Any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential to cause injury, and we ask that you STOP USING YOUR PISTOL IMMEDIATELY UNTIL IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND, IF THE CONDITION IS FOUND, REPAIRED.

Springfield recall:

Springfield has determined that under exceptionally rare circumstances, some 3.3 XD-S™ 9mm and .45ACP caliber pistols could experience an unintended discharge during the loading process when the slide is released, or could experience a double-fire when the trigger is pulled once. The chance of these conditions existing is exceptionally rare, but if they happen, serious injury or death could occur.

Winchester ammo recall:

Through extensive evaluation Winchester has determined the above lots of RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition may contain incorrect propellant. Incorrect propellant in this ammunition may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter or bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury when fired.

As seen, it is standard for recall notices to actually articulate the problem they are targeting. I find it troubling that Caracal gives absolutely no detail as to the nature of this recall. Vague reference to "a full investigation" of "potential safety issues" (I note that's plural) tells consumers nothing.

It's already a heavy enough blow to a company's reputation to recall every single unit from a line that has been in production for years. But lacking further detail, why should customers trust Caracal going forward?

"Sure, it took us years to realize there are critical problems with one of our products, and we're still not telling you a single detail of what we found, but you can totally trust us that the issues will never come up again in the future."

[JodyH]

Perhaps going into too much detail would allow an unscrupulous opportunist (and their attorney) to take advantage of the situation.

[Byron]

Perhaps going into too much detail would allow an unscrupulous opportunist (and their attorney) to take advantage of the situation.
Perhaps. Not sure how that same concern wouldn't also apply to every other product recall that we've ever seen, such as the ones I quoted.

The fact remains that providing actual detail of the problem is standard for recalls: http://www.recalls.gov/recent.html

[JodyH]

What's the point of providing data if they consider the problem so severe that it cannot be fixed?
Perhaps they are worried that some home Bubba gunsmith will attempt a Dremel repair and they'll be on the hook for his missing appendages when it fails catastrophically.

I'm fairly impressed with how Caracal has stepped up with a full refund of actual cost (not just MSRP or distributor price) and they are even buying back accessories like magazines and holsters for actual cost.
That's well above and beyond the norm when it comes to product recalls.
That they aren't going into detail doesn't bother me at all with a reimbursement policy like they have implemented.

[Urban_Redneck]

I'm an actual Caracal owner, the Caracal C has been my EDC for 11 months. I also own Caracal F that was swapped out a few months ago as result of the original drop safe recall. I have fired over 2k rounds through my C without failure and over 9k through the two model F pistols I've owned.

2 guns have had violent, injury causing, slide failures in Pakistan.

Only the C Models are effected by the recall/buy back. I spoke with Caracal this AM and they will buy my pistol, (9) mags, and holster, back for what I paid.

My speculation based on the reports over at Pakguns, suspect high pressure (possibility counterfeit) ammo, has shown ceramic fracture/failure of the slides, seems to indicate the geometry of the Compact slide is not compatible the the heat treatment temps and cycle that were applied.

Now I have to figure out what to buy and carry til the Gen II guns land in 3Q 2014.

https://sphotos-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1173758_515348671885861_6529706_n.jpg