Terrible custom build experience

[Linetrash]

Looking for opinions on how to handle a situation I’m currently in. I had my first custom rifle built by a well known shop and I also had them work up a load for the gun. The whole experience has been poor up to this point. But I carried on with the build. My fault probably. But I finally received the rifle! I went to put the hand loads into the mag and I couldn’t load more than 1. They were too long for the mags… I was shocked. I then went to chamber the round from the mag and the bolt couldn’t chamber the round. The oal was just too long and the angle of the dangle was too sharp. I can’t believe that this high dollar build left the shop like this. I now have to box up my rifle and send it back to them. I have two options. Go to a bdl system and keep the same rounds or keep the dbm system and they’ll work up a new load.. I’m on my last bit of patience. What would you do in this situation? I’ve been in contact with a gunsmith and a middle man but been avoided by the owner. I’m giving them a chance to make it right, but what’s right?!

 

[Hammsolo]

What’s right? They make it right, or refund. It doesn’t even “work.”

 

[Article 4]

Looking for opinions on how to handle a situation I’m currently in. I had my first custom rifle built by a well known shop and I also had them work up a load for the gun. The whole experience has been poor up to this point. But I carried on with the build. My fault probably. But I finally received the rifle! I went to put the hand loads into the mag and I couldn’t load more than 1. They were too long for the mags… I was shocked. I then went to chamber the round from the mag and the bolt couldn’t chamber the round. The oal was just too long and the angle of the dangle was too sharp. I can’t believe that this high dollar build left the shop like this. I now have to box up my rifle and send it back to them. I have two options. Go to a bdl system and keep the same rounds or keep the dbm system and they’ll work up a new load.. I’m on my last bit of patience. What would you do in this situation? I’ve been in contact with a gunsmith and a middle man but been avoided by the owner. I’m giving them a chance to make it right, but what’s right?!

What is right is what is right. Any rifle should have an expectation to work. Glad you are in contact with them to make it right...they should. Period, end of story. If they cannot make that right quickly, they should put another rifle to the head of the line for you and make you a completely new model.

Protect yourself just in case too. Get your phone out and document the issues on video. Video the feed issues, the mag issues, and anything else you can find.

Did they make the DBM standard or extended length? What caliber is your rifle and what bullet. Sometimes a DBM wont take some of the longer non- SAAMI calibers and requires a CIP mag.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Sounds like an ammo problem not a gun problem?

 

[TxLite]

It shouldn’t have even left the shop without checking function. It sounds like they didn’t actually do any load dev and just threw something together and hoped it worked. From what I can tell they are at least trying to make it right, but shipping costs should be on them. Hopefully they can get it working for you.

If it comes back and still won’t cycle I’d likely ask for a refund

 

[TxLite]

Sounds like an ammo problem not a gun problem?

Agreed. But considering the shop developed the load for that rifle, it should function with them.

 

[Jimbee]

Who's the builder?

 

[MThuntr]

You're handloading for a rifle you did not have on hand? Is this a SAAMI cartridge? You sure your ammo is to spec? I missed the part that the ammo was loaded by the builder.

It seems like you're not happy and/or have buyers remorse. Get rid of it and start again with something else because you'll never be happy with it.

 

[Pharmseller]

Ask for a full refund and do it now.

 

[Wrench]

Did you ask for a throat or give a dummy round to throat to? Sometimes you can't achieve both desired length and mag feed.

What stock is it, and did you pay for bedding? Sometimes the stock will be too tall to work with mags and require work to fix that.

Have you tried more than one mag? Magazines aren't manufactured near as tight as the rifles machine work and you could have one with goofy lips or draft.

Hopefully these points were brought up.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

I've got to ask, why are they "working up a load"? Is this some boutique cartridge?

 

[Dmoua]

You're handloading for a rifle you did not have on hand? Is this a SAAMI cartridge? You sure your ammo is to spec?

It seems like you're not happy and/or have buyers remorse. Get rid of it and start again with something else because you'll never be happy with it.

Read his post again. The ammo was provided by the builder.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I've got to ask, why are they "working up a load"?

That way the owner of the gun doesn't have to.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

It sounds like they maybe only single-loaded when they did the load dev, or they would've known the rounds were over mag length. At a minimum, they should pull and re-seat the bullets to mag length and re-test to see if they still group. However, if the OP can't even get one of the rounds to chamber, then Houston definitely has a problem.

 

[rkcdvm]

Currently the rifle isn't as good as a Savage walmart rifle/scope combo. It makes me wonder how they developed a load for it... They would have caught those problems if they would have shot it. How do they develop a load and determined the OAL of the round without shooting it? How did they determine how much and what type of powder without shooting it. Sounds fishy

 

[Trogon]

I got burned for saying this before but Ill say it again anyway: poor rifle function and reliability is the dirty secret of "custom rifle" builds. Its very common if you parse through all the threads. Odd though that screwed customers often shield the smith. If they didnt there would be less of this.

Tell them what you want and dont settle for less. If you want a rifle that is mag fed, then they need to provide a new load workup that fits the mag and shoots the way it should. Or refund you the "load development" and do it yourself. If it shoots good and feeds 100% with mag length loads, I would question how much heartburn this is worth for you.

 

[Seeknelk]

Currently the rifle isn't as good as a Savage walmart rifle/scope combo. It makes me wonder how they developed a load for it... They would have caught those problems if they would have shot it. How do they develop a load and determined the OAL of the round without shooting it? How did they determine how much and what type of powder without shooting it. Sounds fishy

They could and probably did develop a load by single feeding it only. I think this is WAY more common than we think.
Not filling the mag and running it hard, from owners to builders. Been guilty of it myself and then discovering a problem later. Now I mag feed and generally use the rifle harder.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Odd though that screwed customers often shield the smith. If they didnt there would be less of this.

I can see not putting somebody up on blast unless things come to a standstill.

 

[MThuntr]

Read his post again. The ammo was provided by the builder.

My bad. I cruised through it and missed it somehow.

I stand by my second statement that the OP won't be happy with that rifle and it needs to go back.

 

[11boo]

I wouldn’t be tempted to give them a second chance if they will give you a refund.
How does this even happen?