“Only accurate rifles are interesting.” — attributed to Townsend Whelen.
We need to have a serious discussion, O My Readers, because I’m wrestling with a gun problem.
You will all recall that the original rifle intended for the Boomershoot giveaway was this Savage Apex Predator .308 Win / Vortex 4-12x scope package:
…which necessitated sending it back to Savage under warranty to address the “hard strike” (primer-puncturing) and chamber-binding problems. So late last week I got it back, and a couple days ago I took it out to the range to check out its performance — and again, not good. The two problems had been fixed, but now a new one reared its head: a bolt action so stiff that after almost every shot I was forced to lay the gun on its side and practically hammer the bolt open with the heel of my hand, then slam it closed with a karate chop.
I didn’t check the serial number, but it looks like Savage may have sent me a different rifle — this one with its own issues. But that’s not the worst of it.
I could not get a consistent grouping out of the thing at 100 yards: I’d get two shots inside an inch, and the third two inches off — and worse still, the flyer would come with either the first, second or third rounds.
I’m not a great rifle shot, but I’m not that bad, as anyone who has shot with me can attest. There was a young guy in the next lane over who’d been dumping rounds into pretty much the same hole all morning, so I asked him to take a few shots to see whether this was the gun, or me. He couldn’t get a decent grouping either.
Cliff Notes: I hate this fucking gun.
Now here’s where we come to the point of discussion.
My original plan was to get the “repaired” gun, make sure it was fit for purpose and then either sell it at a loss or else make it “second prize” in the drawing — eating most or all of the cost of the gun because this whole story has been an exercise in total frustration, and I just want to get it out of my safe.
Now I can’t do either, because the gun is a total POS — I certainly can’t sell it in good conscience, and frankly, knowing what I do about it, I don’t even want to give it away to someone who spent good money on a ticket. And I’m not really interested in spending more money with a gunsmith to fix the bolt action, or to go through the cost and rigmarole of sending it back again to Savage, pox be upon them. (I’d just take an angle grinder to the thing, such is my frustrated rage, but I don’t have an angle grinder.)
So, Readers: what do YOU think I should do with it?
By the way: the Savage’s replacement — CZ 550 Varmint .308 Win — (the original of which was stolen, as you may recall) has been ordered, and as soon as it comes in, I’ll be buying it and a decent scope with the insurance money, and holding the draw.
