Savage Arms: Bad Company?

Opoponax · Mar 12, 2017

I picked up my 30-06 Weather Warrior Tuesday, had a gunsmith mount the scope, and I took it to the range on Wednesday. Well, the magazine wouldn't feed properly. The bolt would glide right over it without picking up the round about half the time. But apparently, you have to kind of insert the magazine's back end first and then push up the front where it will then lock into place. So, okay.

Then on Friday, I went back to the range and the thing isn't ejecting spent cartridges, which, when trying to operate the bolt quickly, resulted in jams and double feeds, and even by-the-book insertion of the magazine didn't get the bolt to chamber the round about 25% of the time. It was a mess and something I've never experienced. Maybe I've been lucky, but of the 6 firearms I own, I can honestly say I've never had a problem with any of them.

Now apparently, this is a not uncommon problem for Savage. I did research the company, mostly for accuracy, and while I did notice complaints during that research, it seemed to be the Ford v. Chevy argument more often than not, with the occasional person being the unfortunate recipient of a lemon. But now that it's happened to me, and now that I can identify a very specific problem, it seems like this isn't exactly a rarity with this company.

I haven't had the chance to speak to them yet because of the time difference, but tomorrow I will. The test for Savage now is to either fix it, replace it, or refund my money in 30 days of receipt of the rifle. If it's a lemon, and they get me new one that works properly within the given time, then fine, I'll praise them all day long. I'm anxious to see what happens.

Nunyacreek · Mar 13, 2017

I've had very good experiences with savage when I called them. I hope yours is the same.

Keeptrying · Mar 13, 2017

How did it shoot?

MThuntr · Mar 13, 2017

Give them a call...my 204 did that when I first got it. It has something to do with the extractor and ejector springs. They sent me the parts and I fixed it myself but I'm sure they'd fix it for you or reimburse a gunsmith

MJE2083 · Mar 13, 2017

Don't fill out the help form on their website I can tell you that. I filled one out a month ago and never got a response.

Opoponax · Mar 13, 2017

Keeptrying said:
How did it shoot?

It was accurate. I'll give it that. But when you can only fire one round before having to manually remove the spent cartridge and take the magazine out in order to remove the new cartridge, reload the magazine with two more cartridges, re-insert the cartridge, and start all over again, it makes the product unfit for the purpose for which it was sold.

For the time it took between shots, someone who's really good with a muzzle loader would probably have a more rapid rate of fire.

Opoponax · Mar 13, 2017

MJE2083 said:
Don't fill out the help form on their website I can tell you that. I filled one out a month ago and never got a response.

Yeah, I'm just calling them today. I've already written a letter that outlines the basic California contract law that pertains to the sale of a good that's not fit for the purpose for which it's sold and how the law applies to this particular set of facts. It's kind of frustrating, but also amazing what you can get product sellers to do when you have that kind of knowledge and information at your disposal. I was once asked in a somewhat similar situation for a defective product I returned, "Are you a lawyer?" And I said, "No, even worse; I'm a law student."

MThuntr · Mar 13, 2017

You shouldn't have to threaten them with legal documents because you'll find that they are eager to help figure out what is wrong. The problem will be that they will likely want you to send the rifle with once fired brass back to them which will take some time to get it repaired under warranty.

JCWINZ · Mar 13, 2017

Agree with Mthuntr, shouldn't have to threaten them. Couple years ago I bought a new Savage that had a poorly reamed chamber, shoot great, but made reloading difficult. They had a new rifle back to me within a couple weeks. I was in contact with them multiple times and it was pleasant. The store I bought it from sent it back for me and did the transfer when the new gun came back. Sure, it was an unfortunate situation, but they made it as painless as possible.

MinnesotaHunter · Mar 13, 2017

Opoponax said:
Yeah, I'm just calling them today. I've already written a letter that outlines the basic California contract law that pertains to the sale of a good that's not fit for the purpose for which it's sold and how the law applies to this particular set of facts. It's kind of frustrating, but also amazing what you can get product sellers to do when you have that kind of knowledge and information at your disposal. I was once asked in a somewhat similar situation for a defective product I returned, "Are you a lawyer?" And I said, "No, even worse; I'm a law student."

Do you believe that Savage doesn't have a fleet of lawyers, or that you are going to dazzle them with something they have never seen before? If I were you I would hold off on going ugly early, and let them make it right.

If you go the legal route, they are probably only going to give you the treatment they are legally obligated to give you; which you may find is not much.

Keeptrying · Mar 13, 2017

Wow. Why don't you try communicating with them before bringing a bunch of attitude to the table.

I had a failure to eject issue with a Savage rifle that isn't even made anymore. They shipped me the repair parts on their dime.

Mechanical stuff can have problems. A little bit of experience would show that to not be a huge problem.

LuketheDog · Mar 13, 2017

Opoponax said:
Yeah, I'm just calling them today. I've already written a letter that outlines the basic California contract law that pertains to the sale of a good that's not fit for the purpose for which it's sold and how the law applies to this particular set of facts. It's kind of frustrating, but also amazing what you can get product sellers to do when you have that kind of knowledge and information at your disposal. I was once asked in a somewhat similar situation for a defective product I returned, "Are you a lawyer?" And I said, "No, even worse; I'm a law student."

Geez, you could just try talking to them before going scorched earth. It's amazing how productive situations like this can turn out if you're kind first...

ida homer · Mar 13, 2017

A little hostile but sometimes that's the route you need to go with companies for warranty issues. It's the same thing with insurance claims, no one is in a hurry to give refunds. When I was 19 I worked at the Verizon Wireless tech support call center. We were trained to not send replacement phones until the customer essentially threatened to leave Verizon or called us multiple times.

Regarding Savage, I had an issue with my 114 American Classic and sent it back, it took them 6-7 weeks and they repaired it decently. A local gunsmith would have done a better job. I thought about returning it again but it shoots handloads at 0.6 MOA and factory loads at 3/4 MOA consistently so I didn't wanna screw with it.

HighDesertSage · Mar 13, 2017

Where did you buy it? I bought a new gun a few months ago that failed to fire and took it back to Sportsman's Warehouse. At first they were reluctant, but after I got the store manager involved and a gentle reminder about how much money I spend there, they agreed to replace the rifle with a new one. All I had to do was run the background check again.

MJE2083 · Mar 13, 2017

Opoponax said:
Yeah, I'm just calling them today. I've already written a letter that outlines the basic California contract law that pertains to the sale of a good that's not fit for the purpose for which it's sold and how the law applies to this particular set of facts. It's kind of frustrating, but also amazing what you can get product sellers to do when you have that kind of knowledge and information at your disposal. I was once asked in a somewhat similar situation for a defective product I returned, "Are you a lawyer?" And I said, "No, even worse; I'm a law student."

You're right a law student is even worse than a lawyer! They think they know everything.

jwilkstn · Mar 13, 2017

You didn't have ejection issues on your first day at the range, just the second?
Basic question, but did you clean the shipping grease from the gun prior to shooting it?

Doublecluck · Mar 13, 2017

I own a bunch of savages, but have never had to deal with them because they all work great. I have had to deal with Remington a bunch and beretta, Benelli for stuff I messed up duck hunting. All of them were easy to deal with. I can't imagine a company like savage giving you much trouble on a new gun defect. well unless you send them a nasty letter. Maybe..

LuketheDog · Mar 13, 2017

MJE2083 said:
You're right a law student is even worse than a lawyer! They think they know everything.

Yeah, I dated a law student once upon a time. She was extremely argumentative and always had to win, she told me "You should pick your battles better if you're going to argue about something", so I did...I dumped her

buckbull · Mar 13, 2017

LuketheDog said:
Yeah, I dated a law student once upon a time. She was extremely argumentative and always had to win, she told me "You should pick your battles better if you're going to argue about something", so I did...I dumped her

LOL. I paid for my wife's law school after we got married. Geesh, talk about a change in demeanor. Thats why she's the ex-wife now.

JohnCushman · Mar 13, 2017

I slept with a paralegal once...does that count? :hump:

Savage Arms: Bad Company?

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