Gunsmithing

I recently bought a new Winchester 7MM WSM and it has a bad chamber. I have sent this gun back to our friends at Winchester and they sent it back with the same bad chamber. Can you all believe a company as big as Winchester would do this to one of us and not stand behind the guns that they sell to hard working folks like us. I hope a billion gun owners and shooters read this post because I am here to tell you I will never ever buy another Winchester long gun and I warn each and everyone of you that they will do the same to you. I will not send this gun back again, so I am asking can anyone out there give me the names of some competent gunsmiths that can rebarral and chamber this rifle for me without it costing me an arm and a leg.
Thanks

Time has certainly finished this chapter... :coffee:

Yes, it has.:(

My similar experience was with a 6.5 x 55mm Swede in the Model 70 Featherweight. I still have the rifle, I've got WAY too much in it now to ever sell (and it's not a bad shooter, now). I bought it "slightly used" shortly after they announced these were available. Maybe that should have been my first clue!

It probably would have been cheaper to rebarrel early on, but I have been called an incurable optimist. So, when it didn't shoot too well, we glass bedded the stock and worked the trigger, and eventually squared the breach end of the barrel, squared the receiver, and then lapped in the bolt lugs.

In essence we rebuilt the danged thing and, as I said, it shoots pretty well now. But I still haven't taken the time to develop "the load" for it. I've been just too disappointed in Winchester for sending this POS out into the shooting world, and in THAT caliber!:coffee:

Got to agree with you C1PR on the Featherweight POS ... ah, intermittant quality.
Several years ago I saved up and bought a new Model 70 Featherweight in 270 Win.
When I got it to the range we discovered it had more problems than a teenager from the other side of the tracks. The beautiful stock had been inletted about a quarter inch too deep. The thin barrell contacted the stock in 3 or 4 places, unevenly, and the trigger felt like dragging your fingernails across the sidewalk.
All of this poor craftmanship resulted in extreme verticle stringing.

Lots of glass bedding and trigger work ( hours and hours worth ) resulted in an average shooter with a real pretty stock.

In conthast, my Model 70 Laminated in 270 WSM has some of the nicest quality that I have seen in a production rifle. The barrel and stock fit well, the trigger is passible and it shoots 3/4 in. groups regularly, and 1/2 in. groups every now and then just to keep me working up loads.

But then it appears that this new and improved quality wasn't enough to keep Winchester making rifles in the USA.

Dealing with most of the big gun makers, and even some of the small ones, can be problematic. It's not just Winchester. I've had problems with Winchester, Remington, and Ruger. Shoddy workmanship is the norm nowadays, something we just have to learn to live with. Poor bedding and downright lousy triggers are probably the biggest complaint. In my experience poor shooters and bad barrels, chambers, etc. are rare. But they do happen.

In most cases I've had good luck by calling them before sending the gun to them. Then I write a polite and descriptive letter, no matter how pissed off I am. Butter them up, claim to be their best customer, etc. Anything that may get them on your side. I've had good luck playing it like a politician. I hate it but it works. Hey, it works for the best liars in the world. Won't it work for us, too?

In the rare exception when they still don't make things right I tell them I'm sending it back again and will continue to send it back until it's fixed. I've only had to do that once. It worked and they made it right. But it still makes you mad and costs you postage. Still cheaper than a new barrel by a gunsmith! And, usually, we pick a certain kind of gun for a reason so if it does finally work out we can adapt our thinking some and eventually learn to love the gun even if it started out being unfaithful.

In one case I called and told them about the problem not getting fixed. They claimed it was "up to specs". So I told them I was going to send it back and ask them to install a new barrel even if I had to pay for it. But if I had to do that I'd never own another of their products and I'd be the worst advertising they ever knew. I'd paid for a new rifle and I expected the quality they were supposed to be known for. They "fixed" it but not good enough. I got rid of the rifle and have not owned another in that brand since, and it's been about 26 years. If I had the opportunity I would probably buy that brand again because they've changed some in the years since.

Not long ago I had to threaten to have it rebarreled and pay for it myself again with one of our gun makers. I finally got through to a manager and the work was done right and really quickly this time. I think it pays to be nice even if we don't feel like it. If that doesn't work then it's time to talk like we are knowledgable. If that doesn't work it's time to get rid of the gun. I doubt threats or cussing would do much good.

Most of our factory guns will, with some work, shoot very well. But in this day of assembly line productions a few are lemons. It's just a fact of life. We're playing a gamble. But we can usually come out winners if we persevere.

I've been much happier with used guns for a long time, and very reluctant about ordering new ones.

It's obvious that very few gun owners, sellers and makers employees are able to tell the difference between the good and the lousy; so at the end as long as it goes bang there's little complain, and makers can cut on old fashioned quality control...
And now customer services, like 911 girls, are trained to discourage you in thinking that anything is in need of service...

kg

I won't buy another Ruger rifle due to the trigger. Remington and Savage get my business. Dale That is Ruger bolt rifles, I expect the mini-14 to have a military type trigger.