Accuracy Issues with "turn key" 1000yd rifle

[338 dude]

Hello everyone, longtime follower but this is one of my first time posts. Last fall my wife purchased me a custom long range rifle that was set up with optics ready to go (wont name them yet, hope they make things right) and I can't seem to get it to shoot less than a 3 to 4 inch 3 shot group at 100 and 200 yards with their provided loadView attachment 142951 View attachment 142952 View attachment 142953 . After checking the usual, scope mounts, action screws, shooting it clean, fouled etc. I found about a 2" crack in the synthetic stock in the top of the grip behind the back tang . It looks like it's the seam where the two molds came together. After noticing the crack I pulled the action out of the stock and found that it is not bedded, just a bedding block and it looks like the action has been able to move from the markings. What are your thoughts?

Unquestionably a major problem definitely see movement from the markings on the receiver and the stock doesn't necessarily have to be bedded with the bedding block but there is way too much movement that is your problem more than likely hopefully they will just give you a new stock and be done with it

 

[BallisticsGuy]

I guess I`m turned different, why would you not go ahead & mention the maker, then his solution after you notify them?? I believe in bragging a great item up, & I darn sure will give a bad review if I receive a poor quality item! I`m surprised by so many posts like this, Kinda scary a high $$ gun gets delivered like this! I guess I`m gullible in thinking you should get what you pay for.

Even six sigma manufacturing let's out one bad one in a million. So, we should understand that reality happens and deal with it accordingly rather than painting an entire company with an evil color when it might have been just a single one-off boo boo that they make right in abundance. Putting companies on blast without giving them a chance to make it right betokens failure to understand real life or mass production. Even professional product reviewers who get a defective widget will first attempt to get a replacement and then review the replacement whilst noting that they did initially get a bad one and that it was replaced quickly/slowly/easily/generously etc...

 

[Wyowelder]

Guys thanks for all the feedback. Just to answer a few of the questions
1 My wife purchased the rifle from known gunsmith, not a shade tree builder. It was said the gun was built, barrel broke in and all data gathered for the scope. I did not get in on the entire purchase since it was a gift as you all can understand
2. Sorry for not throwing the name of the builder out there just yet. I emailed them last week with the pics and left a message. I am hoping they make it right and wanted to give them a chance to do so.
I will keep you posted on what happens

 

[FEENIX]

ave

Even six sigma manufacturing let's out one bad one in a million. So, we should understand that reality happens and deal with it accordingly rather than painting an entire company with an evil color when it might have been just a single one-off boo boo that they make right in abundance. Putting companies on blast without giving them a chance to make it right betokens failure to understand real life or mass production. Even professional product reviewers who get a defective widget will first attempt to get a replacement and then review the replacement whilst noting that they did initially get a bad one and that it was replaced quickly/slowly/easily/generously etc...

LOL! As a CPI, this might have been the first time I have seen reference to six sigma here but I agree with you. The gunsmith deserves the opportunity to make it right.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Thanks for pointing that out. To me, it just makes matters worse. If they broke the barrel in and "gathered data" and still let it out of the shop, shame on them.

 

[ntsqd]

All of the other observations aside, what I'm seeing on the bedding block and action is fretting. That tells me that the action was slightly loose in the stock. This could easily be due to the coarse finish on both 'wearing-in' during the barrel break-in and data gathering.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm with the camp that says to let the builder have a chance to fix it before pushing them under the bus. Any reputable shop will want that chance, and the damage done to both their reputation and their customer relationship by pushing them under the bus won't be repairable.

 

[FIGJAM]

I'm with the camp that says to let the builder have a chance to fix it before pushing them under the bus. Any reputable shop will want that chance, and the damage done to both their reputation and their customer relationship by pushing them under the bus won't be repairable.

Maybe - it also holds them accountable. That relationship with the customer is already damaged. There is really no excuse for what happened. They can redeem themselves by taking care of the problem. That should also be shared on the thread. I think people know mistakes are made, its how they handle them that businesses are judged by. Sharing the name of the smith is only damning to him if he doesn't fix it.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Sure, I would give the builder a shot to make it right but I would also call him out on it. They built it, broke in the barrel, mounted the scope, zeroed the scope and provided the load and shipped it out shooting 3-4 inch groups. Paint that picture. Now did they provide the ammo or give him the recipe for a specific load? Could be his loads are off. Maybe just told him a factory load it liked? Try another load. Let someone else shoot it. Lot of pieces to the puzzle........

 

[csrcharlie]

keep in mind also, that data collection out to 1000yds is not gonna be solid, since poi has been shifting from the get-go.

 

[ntsqd]

If it was an honest mistake and they are mortified by it then public mention does no one any good. The very breaking-in and load development could be the cause of the fretting that I see. Should they have checked action screw torque before shipping it? Maybe. Maybe they had no reason to suspect that it had loosened and have never had them loosen from that sequence in the past.
We had a rule in the race car shop, you never, ever partly installed anything. You either installed it and then went to lunch, or you didn't install it until after lunch. Maybe they have no such rule, and it has bit them.

They're accountable either way, but public shame for no good reason does only damage. Give them the benefit of doubt, or better yet put yourself in their shoes. If you made an honest mistake would you want it broadcast all over the net before you even had a chance to fix it? It's bad enough that the mistake was made. Like someone else just said, how they go about addressing the problem will be important. If they are less than immediately on fixing it and going out of their way to make it right, then where's that bus? I'll help you.

Maybe - it also holds them accountable. That relationship with the customer is already damaged. There is really no excuse for what happened. They can redeem themselves by taking care of the problem. That should also be shared on the thread. I think people know mistakes are made, its how they handle them that businesses are judged by. Sharing the name of the smith is only damning to him if he doesn't fix it.

 

[entoptics]

I dunno about the "name and shame" usually, but based on the OP's description and pictures, this is quite a bit beyond "a mistake". If his 1000 yd turn key rifle was printing 1.5 MOA at 800 yds, and had some issues with the bedding job, I'd agree with the "let them have a chance to make it right" camp.

In this case, the bedding job is terribly ugly, the stock is cracked, and the rifle shoots >2 MOA with ammunition the rifle maker provided. That's not just a "bad day" or "it slipped by us", that's gross negligence.

Though I likely won't ever be buying a turn-key rifle, I'd still like to know who let something like this get out of the shop into the hands of a customer...

 

[ntsqd]

I see a mold parting line, not a crack. Unless I'm looking at the wrong thing.

 

[Len Backus]

Once you name the company you are in violation of LRH Forum Rule #7

7) There will be no threads started for the purpose of airing your problems with companies or individuals you have done business with. (Complaint Threads) Handle those issues privately. This rule applies whether the complaint is against a LRH Sponsor or not.