Savage B.Mag 17 Winchester Super Mag Teardown

[oregonreloader]

Rotts,

Don't jump on me. I'm only reporting what I've found and making suggestions for a means to identify and localize the problems. I don't KNOW that the problem isn't with the B.MAG, just as I don't KNOW that it isn't with the ammunition. I'm simply pointing out what I learned in my last outing that seems to substantiate the results of all my previous outings with the .17WSM.

Insofar as an answer to your question: If you made and sold widgets that only worked in combination with a separately purchased gizmo made by a different company, and if you had corporate agreements to promote the success of the combined product, wouldn't you keep replacing the customer's widget, while quietly working behind the scenes with the gizmo manufacturer to get the gizmo right? What's the alternative? Throw up your hands and publicly say, "the widget-gizmo combo is no good because my business partner can't make a working gizmo"? Not a good ploy if you want to stay in business selling widgets.

 

[oregonreloader]

17Fireball,

On May 22nd, I received an email from a lady at Winchester with whom I've had previous exchanges. She told me she had forwarded my email to one of their engineers for review, but that he was in the process of moving his office and had yet to get to my email. She offered to cut a check to me in exchange for the 17WSM ammo I have. I replied to her with a 'let's make a deal' email. I'm still waiting for the reply from either the engineer or my contact.

 

[Rotts]

Oregon, I didn't mean to jump on you. If you read my first report, I had ammo that had tabs on the case mouth that stuck up. I did return the cases and rest of one box, and Winchester sent me $25. It seems that there are variables in ammo and weapon both. Tough to fix the problem with so many variables, but I did buy a new rifle on 1/17, and have yet to get a day's use out of it. When I sent my rifle to Savage, it took 2 weeks for it to go from their receiving dept. to the repair shop. I was told"Well, it is a very big factory" when I commented on the delay to one of their reps.

 

[oregonreloader]

Check out the article entitled, "Fast-Stepping Smallbore" on page 24 of the May 2014 issue of Guns magazine. I think the author's words are going to resonate with a lot of us.

 

[17Fireball]

I don't get the magazine. Could you paraphrase for us?

 

[oregonreloader]

The author, Holt Bodinson, reviews the history of the .17-caliber cartridge, leading to development of the .17WSM round. He then provides a physical description of the B.MAG and it's characteristics. He starts with the bolt, finding it stiff and the barrel thin compared to other varmint rifles. He then shoots the B.Mag at 100-yards with both the 20gn and 25gn cartridges and gets groups ranging 1⅜" to 2½". He then describes his "issues", describing most all of the "issues" discussed in this thread.

You should find a copy of the magazine and read the story.

 

[17Fireball]

This is such an amazing feat I hope somebody gets the 17WSM in a gun that shoots better. Amazing caliber and would be a shame to lose it. Thanks for sharing the information. I'm guessing he did not say anything about the ammo case neck splitting issues or give reasons for the extraction issues?

Will be interesting to look back five years from now to see who owns up to the issues and if they are able to be resolved.

 

[oregonreloader]

17Fireball,

No splitting, as I recall, but dirty cases and FTE, yes.

 

[oregonreloader]

17Fireball..PM sent

 

[17Fireball]

Got the PM...thank you! lightbulbgun)

 

[Tompow]

Wow... just spent 2 hours reading the entire post and you've all lived my life with my B-mag since last September but with a much happier ending to my saga than most of yours. In a nutshell..

Bought 1st B-mag in September had 2 days extractor point broke. shot 1 1/2" groups right out of box. not bad but didnt have much opportunity to tweak since broke. Returned to Savage and the sent an entire new rifle because rifle and bolt are married (?) whatever. recieved new rifle in 3-4 weeks. Got cold, didnt shoot for couple of months.

Second B-mag- not free floating, 4"+/- groups, issues with magazine fit causing rifle not to feed. sent back to savage in December

Third B-mag - recieved mid-February. too cold to shoot but still not free-floating. during down time modified stock as others have done awaiting opportunity to shoot. Clear, warm day comes in march... will NOT shoot. Firing pin will no hit with enough force to fire round. adjusted trigger, talked to Savage sending back again. laughable at this point.

During past couple of months found out about SS bull barrel and Savage said would upgrade for $50 bucks so I'm in. this was April 3rd. was told would ship in two to three weeks. Spoke to Savage last Wednesday (5/21) and was told another 4-6 weeks. to put it mildly I went ballistic ( sorry Marissa )and after a few minutes Savage agreed to refund my full purchase price if i sent my original receipt. Agreed.

Friday 5/22 purchased a new WSM .17 with the SS bull barrel from my LGS, mounted my original Vortex 6-24, and proceeded to shoot sub-MOA groups all day saturday with 25 Gr. shells once zeroed. No issues at all. I firmly believe the gun is a keeper and we all were victims of QC and R&D being performed by the general shooting public. I mean really, who will give better feedback of issues and problems; Savage Engineers or the many of us who purchased, field tested under real world conditions, and provided legit feedback ? Hell, Oregon probably did more research than anyone at Savage.

Anyway sorry for the long post but at least I feel better. Good shooting on the West coast. BTW here on the East coast ( Virginia) no ammo problems to speak of 20 and 25 readily available from ~$14-$16 a box

 

[HntWhtTail]

TOMPOW,
thats the first good news I have seen as of yet I have not made it back to the range to shoot my new heavy barrel, all I have is 20gr ammo left and wont be buying any more this year unless it turns up local and at a normal price.

 

[mojo1029]

I don't get the magazine. Could you paraphrase for us?

The article is available online here:

Fast-Stepping Smallbore | Guns Magazine

 

[Aussiecritter]

Hi guys! New here and I must say you guys are are wealth of knowledge for the somewhat firearm uneducated like myself ( as far as barrel harmonics and the sciences etc go). After reading this thread I may have something to add.
I too had a poor shooting bmag for about a month...UNTIL!!.....I took 4 inches off the barrel.. Lol this was always an intention, as I wanted it to be a lil more cab friendly.
Now, I don't know How much velocity IV lost, or anything to do with how or why it's worked, but my groups went from anything between 3 and 6inches @ 100yrds ..to all hitting in an inch square 9 times out of ten.
Yet I must say, the shorter barrel has made it Literally a "blast" to shoot!