Slow Savage Customer Service

[jeff3680]

I sent my new MLII Laminate in to Savage because it shot 5" to 6" groups and maxed scope adjustment out close to a foot low at 100 yards with 2 pr oven scopes . They have had the rifle in house for three weeks and all they can tell me is that it has been sent to the range for testing. I am really p$%*$% off after being told there would only be a 2 week turnaround ..... Early season opens in around 4 weeks and I don't know if I will be shooting the rifle I paid quite dearly for. I think that savage has seen the last of my money !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Richard]

Just curious............so why did you not put a set of Burris rings on with the adjustable inserts and be done with it? Some have gotten a fairly quick turn around from them and some have had to wait and grovel ;D Hunting season is obviously a busy time for them. Once it is straightened out, you will look back with no regrets.
Richard

[jeff3680]

The rifle did not group well, Burris rings would not fix that. Plus the fact I had purchased Warne rings and bases. Why should I have to buy another set of rings to accomadate a poor shooting rifle that already cost my close to $750.00 ?? I called customer service and was told to expect a two week turn around .... Will not grovel to receive proper service .... I am to bull headed to kiss anyones arse !!!!

[spaniel]

How many powder and bullet combinations did you try? Which ones?

[bigmoose]

In my experience Ruger and Savage have the best customer service. If I was Jeff, I would call and speak to Joe DeGrande, and ask him to personally look into the matter.

[mike3132]

Sept 14, 2010 15:49:42 GMT -5 jeff3680 said:

I sent my new MLII Laminate in to Savage because it shot 5" to 6" groups and maxed scope adjustment out close to a foot low at 100 yards with 2 pr oven scopes . They have had the rifle in house for three weeks and all they can tell me is that it has been sent to the range for testing. I am really p$%*$% off after being told there would only be a 2 week turnaround ..... Early season opens in around 4 weeks and I don't know if I will be shooting the rifle I paid quite dearly for. I think that savage has seen the last of my money !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff, If you would have come on here and told us what loads and how you mounted the scope we probably could have solved the problem. Savage has the best customer service Ive ever seen. Joe Degrande does an outstanding job and goes beyond what Savage has to do to satisfy their customers. Right now going in to the hunting season is a very busy time, be patient or contact Joe as suggested. Mike

[mike.dawson]

When I had to send my 10ML back for a seized breech plug, they damaged the barrel, got me a new barrel and it was back in my hands in less than 3 weeks. I doubt it was the rifle but bases touching the recoil lug, poor powder choice, no cooling time, if you bought the rifle new there was a test target yes. Tell us about powder, sabots, cooling time, etc.. Joe DeGrande should be contacted and help you out. Talking out the side of your mouth wont get you any sympathy here. But we sure can help you if you ask.

Mike

Mike

[jeff3680]

I tried various N110 , 4227 and 4198 charges , xtp 250 and 300 grain bullets winchester primers and MMP long and short sabots. Yes I waited plenty of time between shots and the recovered sabots were intact and looked good with no signs of slippage. Ignition was good, bullet/sabot fit was tight in the bore. With the rifle shooting low I decided to let the factory fix it. I'm not complaining that the rifle wouldn't shoot 1", it scattered its shots with no attempts to group. I have been shooting rifles all my life, reloading for over 25 years, and unfortunately owned a couple of rifles that just did not want to shoot. I just sounded off here to vent some of my frustration ..... Maybe I could convince Cooper to start making muzzleloaders............

[tar12]

Jeff,
The one and only time I had a issue with maxing out a scope was due to weaver bases. In conjuction with different sized bases, the leading front base screw was bottoming out.This particular set up acted very much as you have described your dilemma. I would suspect this was the issue or the front base riding upon the recoil lug.I believe it was a combination of the 2.
There is a wealth of knowledge here that is freely shared.Yours for the asking.You will not find any anti-savage sentiment here as has been mentioned their customer service is second to none. It is not unreasonable to expect a company of this nature to be playing catch up this time of the year. I understand your anxiety with your season so close,but there is no need to worry because as soon as you get it back we can have you on track in short order.

[lwh723]

Yep, I had to file down the front of my weaver base too. Caught it before I did any shooting (thanks to reading about issues like that on here).

[10ga]

try .458 bullets in the MMP orange sabot.

[mountainam]

I second 10ga. I tried all the Barnes and other $1 each bullets but came back to the Rem 300gr HP .458" bullet that shoots the best in all the ML's that I own. If the MMP orange is too loose in your rifle then try the Harvester black crushed rib sabot. Oh yeah, I've tried Rx7 and it shot the best and never looked back to any other powder. Good Shooting!

[dannoboone]

Jeff,
When ya get your rifle back, place the front scope base a bit behind
where you would actually mount it, then slide it forward. If it is
stopped by the top of the recoil lug, you need to grind some relief
to the front of the base to the point the relief is enough to enable
the screws to go in without the base touching the recoil lug. I
suspect this to be the problem with both shooting way too low
as well as large groups.

As tar12 said, the groups could also be from your front base
screw bottoming out on the barrel threads.

Uh-huh, this ain't no Cooper. After all, you paid 1/3-1/4 the price
Cooper would charge for one!

[whyohe]

jeff, i can see your frustration. we are more than willing to try and help. A call to Savage to see why you havent had any notification is not out of line. like said before, we are real close to hunting season and things can pile up fast.

All gun manufacture's have problems and most people find them right before hunting season weather warrenty or not. i had to send a brand new remington back and diddnt see it for 6 weeks and that was sent back in july.

[ET]

Joe3680

So you have a beef with Savage concerning an additional short delay with processing your 10ML-II. There was a time I wish that was all I had to contend with.

Now here’s my story of dealing with Savage.
Numerous years ago I double loaded my 10ML-II and bulged the barrel. I contacted Savage by phone and explained what happened and that I needed a new SS barrel. Now it was my luck that Joe De Grande was not there and a woman was assigned to temporarily take his place. After a lengthy discussion I was informed/instructed to go to their dealer here in Canada who owned a gun shop and he would do the repair. Okay I would follow her instructions and contacted their authorized dealer to arrange ordering a new barrel and do the repair. Two months went by before the dealer contacted me and told me Savage sent a barrel but it was not SS. I simply refused to have that barrel installed.

Now keep in mind while all this developed I kept this board informed of what was going on.

Well with a short time left before hunting season I figured I was toast in getting my 10ML-II up and running before the season and admitted that here. Then the Calvary arrived when a member on this board offered to sell me a spare SS barrel, then another member helped me get a barrel wrench, still another provided me with info on barrel nut torque and others provided me with points on how to do the barrel exchange. I managed to have her all back together with enough time to get in a few quick range sessions before the hunt.

Now the way Savage handled my case for need of their Customer Service kind of left a bad taste in my mouth for short while but the board members here were absolutely terrific with helping me get back on my feet just in time for the fall deer hunt.
Now you won’t see me praising Savage Customer Service because in all honesty I never really experienced that, if anything I felt the opposite for a short time.
Now I won’t vent, rant or complain about Savage Customer Service either because in the end I felt I was one of those isolated cases that slipped into the cracks after hearing so many others receiving such good Service.

I will admit they do make an excellent muzzle loader that normally can be tweaked into a real shooter.
But most importantly you won’t find a better Board with such generous giving members in many aspects who will bend over backwards to help you get the best from your 10ML-II.

Now I can understand your venting from frustration with Savage but not slamming the door on this Board on your way out. What else would you call your expressed intent of leaving on another thread and shortly thereafter executing it? But if that is your choice of behavior, so be it.


Ed

[edge]

I wish that I had been following this thread!

First, anyone having a problem with Savage CS you should contact:

SAVAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE DIRECTOR

Joe DeGrande
Director Of Customer Service
Savage Sports Corp.

[e-mail]
413-568-7001 ext4139

I would strongly suggest the email route as he gets back to you normally within a day if he is in the office!

Secondly, send me a PM when a thread like this gets going.
Some companies are better at CS than others, especially when you get the wrong person in the first place.

I have yet to see anyone disappointed after dealing with Joe.

Third, that doesn't mean when you need a screw or a breechplug that Joe should be the person to contact, but with a serious rifle problem he IS the go to guy.

edge.

[bigmoose]

Each person has his own experience that form his opinions
At one time I was have a problem with my Ball rifle, I respect the privacy, Of Joe DeGrande and Ronald Coburn, so I can't share the letters that we exchanged, what they reflect is the deep caring those gents have in customer service, which I believe is second to none, When they found the problem and repaired it they sent my Rifle back by air.and also had me sent my other Savage so they could check it out. If Joe can't please you than no one can. He is a very rare breed of gent.
Marty