CPS Firearms Extended Warranty Program

Executive one-pager · Prepared for CPS leadership · May 26, 2026

1. Most Common Firearm Problems & Repair Costs

Most common failures (across handguns, rifles, shotguns)

Problem Where it happens Typical Repair Cost
Extractor / extractor spring failure Semi-auto pistols, AR-15s, shotguns $35–$75 + parts
Recoil spring fatigue Semi-auto pistols (~every 3,000–5,000 rds) $35–$60 + $10–$40 part
Magazine spring / feed-lip issues All semi-autos $25–$60 (replace mag)
Trigger / firing-pin issues, light strikes All firearms $75–$150 + parts
Bolt or carrier-key failure AR-15 / modern sporting rifles $100–$250 + parts
Revolver timing / lock-up wear Revolvers $125–$300+
Barrel throat erosion / re-crown High-round-count rifles $60–$100 (crown); $250+ (replace)
Stock cracks / bedding Wood-stocked rifles & shotguns $35–$200
Optic mount loosening / zero loss Scoped rifles $35–$120
Red-dot battery/electronics failure Pistol & rifle optics $50–$200 (or replace)

Cost reality the consumer doesn't see coming

$75–$105/hr
Gunsmith labor rate (2025–26)1,2
$150–$250
Round-trip FFL-to-FFL shipping per claim3
$225–$300
Average all-in repair cost
Why this matters: Post-2021/2022, UPS and FedEx require firearms to ship FFL-to-FFL only.4,5 Even a "free" manufacturer warranty repair now costs the customer $50–$150 in shipping plus FFL transfer fees. That's the gap CPS fills.

2. Proposed CPS Warranty Program

Three-tier structure, 2 / 3 / 5-year terms

Feature Essentials Plus Premium
Mechanical / electrical failure ✓ ✓ ✓
Parts & labor at CPS gunsmith network ✓ ✓ ✓
Round-trip FFL-to-FFL shipping paid ✓ ✓ ✓
Accidental damage from handling — ✓ ✓
Annual cleanings included 2 2 Yearly
Deductible per claim $50 $50 $0
Replacement if repair > 60% of MSRP — Option ✓
Optics & accessories bundled Add-on Add-on ✓

What's covered vs. excluded

✓ Covered

  • Mechanical & electrical failure
  • Defects in materials and workmanship
  • Accidental damage from handling (Plus/Premium)
  • All factory-original components
  • Round-trip FFL shipping & transfer fees
  • Labor and parts at authorized gunsmith
  • Annual cleanings & function checks
  • Replacement if uneconomical to repair

✗ Not Covered

  • Theft or loss (not insurance)
  • Intentional damage, neglect, criminal use
  • Unauthorized modifications
  • Damage from squib loads or overpressure handloads
  • Cosmetic wear (holster wear, finish dulling)
  • NFA items (suppressors, full-autos, SBRs)
  • Antiques (pre-1899) and C&R firearms
  • Commercial / rental fleet use

3. CPS Pricing vs. Competitors

Proposed CPS pricing (3-year term)

Firearm MSRP Essentials Plus (w/ AD) Premium
Handgun · $300 $39 $59 $89
Handgun · $500 $59 $89 $129
Handgun · $800 $79 $119 $179
Handgun · $1,200 $109 $159 $239
Long gun · $1,000 $99 $139 $209
Long gun · $1,500 $139 $199 $299
Long gun · $2,500 $199 $289 $429
Pricing benchmark: ~8–13% of MSRP for 3-year Essentials. Targets ~45–55% loss ratio with 35–45% dealer commission.

Competitor landscape

Provider Term Price Key Limits
Davidson's GuaranteeD6 Lifetime Free Davidson's-distributed guns only; customer pays return shipping; no optics or NFA
Bud's Lifetime Warranty7 Lifetime ~$21–$48 Original owner only; defects only; voided by any outside gunsmith work
Lockton / GunBroker8 3 yr $14.99 / $19.99 / $29.99 / $49.99 4 flat-rate tiers regardless of firearm value; payout capped at $250–$1,500 lifetime; $50–$100 deductible; mechanical only; not in RI or U.S. territories
Sportsman's Warehouse FSP9 1, 3, 5 yr ~$70 (5-yr, mid-tier)
$500–$1,000 firearm value		 Covers freight only ($20 long gun / $40 handgun saved per claim); 15% gunsmith discount; eGift card if unfixable; concurrent with mfr warranty — does NOT pay parts/labor at outside gunsmith
GunWarranty.com10 2, 3, 5 yr Wholesale to retailers
(retail pricing set by each dealer)		 Payout capped at $250 or purchase price (whichever lower); mandatory arbitration clause; must enroll within 30 days of purchase
Mfr warranties (Glock, S&W, Sig, Ruger)11,12,13 Limited lifetime Free Original purchaser only; customer pays shipping; no accidental damage
CPS (proposed) 2, 3, 5 yr $39–$429 FFL shipping paid both ways · accidental damage option · national gunsmith network · pays parts & labor up to MSRP
Strategic read: Sportsman's FSP looks cheap at $70 because it only reimburses freight ($20–$40 per claim) and gives a gunsmith discount — it's designed to funnel customers back into Sportsman's stores and gunsmith hub, not to actually pay for repairs. CPS pays parts and labor outright at any authorized gunsmith. Independent dealers using CPS get a $0-deductible offering (Premium tier) at higher commission margins, without losing customers to a big-box ecosystem.

CPS competitive edges

Sources & References

Gunsmith Labor Rates & Repair Pricing
  1. Accuracy Gun Shop, published labor rate sheet: $75/hr man-hour, $100/hr machine-time. accuracygunshop.com/labor-prices
  2. Missouri Gun Smith, published labor rates: $80/hr with half-hour minimum. missourigunsmith.com/labor-rates
Shipping Costs & FFL Carrier Rules
  1. Real-world FFL-to-FFL shipping cost data aggregated from Smith & Wesson Forum, Glock Talk, Northwest Firearms, and Accurate Shooter forums (handgun USPS Priority $50–$75; long gun UPS Next Day $80–$150). S&W Forum · Glock Talk
  2. Accurate Shooter Daily Bulletin, "Shipping Guns via FedEx Now Limited to FFLs & Gov't Agencies" (Jan 2022, confirming Q3 2021 effective date). bulletin.accurateshooter.com
  3. The Firearm Firm, "Shipping Firearms Without UPS? You're Not Compliant" (Aug 2022, UPS effective date Aug 29, 2022). thefirearmfirm.com
Competitor Warranty Programs
  1. Davidson's GuaranteeD Program terms. galleryofguns.com/about/terms
  2. Bud's Gun Shop Supplemental Lifetime Warranty. budsgunshop.com/warranties
  3. Lockton Affinity / GunBroker Firearm Protection Plan (4 tiers: $14.99 / $19.99 / $29.99 / $49.99 verified Q1 2026). gunbroker.com/c/p/gun-service-agreement
  4. Sportsman's Warehouse Firearm Service Plan (FSP) terms. sportsmans.com/firearm-service-plan · Safeguard Terms
  5. GunWarranty.com (L&M Solutions) terms. gunwarranty.com/warranty-terms
Manufacturer Warranties
  1. Glock warranty terms and de facto repair practice. glocktalk.com discussion
  2. SIG SAUER warranty information. sigsauer.com/support/warranty
  3. Taurus Limited Lifetime Warranty. taurususa.com/support/limited-lifetime-warranty
Common Firearm Failures (Failure Mode Data)
  1. Gritr Sports, "Handgun Malfunctions: Common Types & How to Fix Them." range.gritrsports.com
  2. Athlon Outdoors, "Identifying & Clearing Pistol Malfunctions." athlonoutdoors.com
  3. Minuteman Review, "What Parts Are Most Likely to Fail on an AR-15?" minutemanreview.com
  4. Ronin's Grips, "AR-15 Component Service Life: An Analytical Report on Wear & Replacement Trends." blog.roninsgrips.com
  5. RailScales, "Which AR-15 Parts Fail First?" railscales.us
  6. 2A United Arms, "Troubleshooting Common Firearm Malfunctions: A Gunsmith's Handbook." 2aunitedarms.com
Industry & Market Data
  1. NSSF, "Update: Make That 26.2 Million New First-Time Gun Owners Since 2020." nssf.org
  2. NSSF, "NSSF-Adjusted Background Checks Top 15.2 Million in 2024." nssf.org
  3. NSSF, 2025 Firearm & Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report ($91.7B industry, 379% growth since 2008). nssf.org/government-relations/impact
Regulatory & Compliance Context
  1. Duke Center for Firearms Law, "An Update on Challenges to State Assault Weapon and Magazine Bans" (state AW/magazine ban tracker). firearmslaw.duke.edu
  2. USPS firearm shipping rules summary. govfacts.org
  3. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act service contract provisions, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq. Journal of Texas Consumer Law (PDF)
Consumer Priority Service · Firearms Warranty Program Proposal · Internal Draft · May 26, 2026