Be careful what you wish for 300 win mag:

Jamie557

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Feb 26, 2015
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15
Location
Lebanon, MO
Be careful what you wish for 300 win mag:

About two years ago, I decided I needed a 300 win mag to be cool like the rest of the guys. Traditionally, I always hunted with a Weatherby Vanguard 30.06 rifle. I wanted to hunt wide open spaces and make far kill shots like they guys on TV. I needed a 300 Win Mag it was gonna be my dream rifle. I mostly hunt the Ozark Woods of Central Missouri with no need for such a large caliber rifle.

So I purchased the best Sako 300 Win Mag Gray Wolf rifle and mounted a $1500 Leupold VX-6 scope on it. It shot like a dream (sub MOA all day) but would not eject a shell casing to save its life. The fired casing would hit the bottom of the scope and sent it directly back into the action, which of course jammed the action. I had at best a one shot wonder of a rifle. I shot a running Kansas buck at 375 yards and he kept trucking. I needed a follow up shot, which of course was not going to happen because with gloves on, I couldn't unjam the rifle. I ended up losing the buck on the neighbor's property, but they kindly let me track it and recover it. After that I decided a fix was in order, I mean if I was gonna hunt Moose, Elk, and Bear a follow up shot might be in order. I tried working with the manufacturer and they would do nothing to resolve the issue. (google it they know about the ejection problem but they will not fix it) They said sell the scope and buy a smaller one. This was not an option as used scopes just don't bring any money. SO after reloading a hundred shells and taking my time seasoning the barrel and loving the rifle, I sold it for a loss. I explain to the guy that bought it. You can't use a 30 mm tube scope on it. It won't eject. He didn't care he had a Sako. I was never found of the silver barrel and pretty wood anyways.

I thought you need a real expensive Weatherby Mark V to show off at deer camp. But then, I had a deal coming on a new rife that was the cat's meow. So after that, I came upon a sweet deal on a Legendary Arms Works 300 Win Mag (The Professional), never fired. New in box. It was priced at what was a steal. About 60% of what they retail for in the store if you can find them. I bought it from one of their factory reps. I had learned my lesson, buy American. It was listed as one of the best rifles in Field n Stream magazine. Editor's choice from several others. A cerekoted dream of a boom stick. It was love at first sight. I mounted my scope VX-6 scope on it and relished it. I had finally found a good rifle.

So next was the range. I shot it. It was all over the place. I tried 3 different brands of shells. Sub MOA my *** more like 3 or 4 MOA at a hundred yards. I had never shot a gun that grouped so poorly. I had a friend who shot competitive bench rest matches shoot it. His best 3 MOA. So, I contacted the company. They said "we want to see that rifle". They over-nighted it back to the factory. I then contacted them two weeks later and they said, your rifle is in line to be worked on by our best gunsmith, it will take a month. So five weeks later, they call me to tell me that they shot my gun and it sucked. They want to rework the whole gun the barrel is substandard. So a New barrel, sand blast, re-cerekote, range test and ship a less than MOA rifle back to me. Better than new. A reworked rifle by "custom gunsmiths" at no cost to me. Sweet deal right there. Finally someone who will stand behind their product. Made in the USA.

So a few more weeks go by. I hear nothing, I call and they say your rifle is all built. We are gonna range test it, clean it and send it back to you immediately. I say to myself be patient your gun will shoot one ragged hole. So I wait about a month and no gun. I have tried to call them atleast 20 times but their voice mail boxes are all full. So you can't leave them a message. No real person will answer the phone. No updates. No rifle. I am at my wits end with this company. No rifle for deer season. It doesn't take 3 plus months to work on a gun. No email addy no nothing. Do I contact the BBB with a complaint? I sent a certified letter, for all I know they closed up shop and skipped town.

In closing, I reached into the safe, and dusted off my old trusty Weatherby Vanguard 30.06. It shoots Sub MOA. Another gun season in the books. No 300 Win Mag. I guess I should have coughed up the dough and bought a Weatherby Mark V like I wanted too. It's my fault. I tried to save a few bucks and be cool. Most of all buy American made. Maybe by x-mas I will have my gun back if the folks at Legendary Arms Works aren't out of business.

I am thinking, don't even shoot it, sell it and buy a Weatherby.
 
Wow!!! That's sucks!!! I'm sorry and I know how u feel. I waited almost 2 years for a custom gun.
But if you want to sell it at the 60% off. I might be interested!!!
 
Taggin in. Curious how this pans out in case my 7 Mag from LAW doesn't shoot. Just got it back from the factory last week, and haven't gotten a chance to shoot it yet. They replaced the bolt and trigger assembly. Good luck.
 
Sako wasn't sure that a one inch scope would work perfectly. They suggested high rings and a one inch scope. Then move the scope to where it would eject if possible and disregard eye relief just put the scope where it will eject. This is not a viable fix. The problem is when Berretta bought the rights to import them to the USA they made SAKO change the bolt to save money. Now the bolt ejects shell casings at the 2 oclock position instead of the 5 o clock position this ejection problem only affects long action rifles. Sako wont fix it. They say its Berretta's fault. There is no known fix. So if you buy a new Sako with Long Action you will have the same problem.

Sako is a European rifle company all European rifles predominately use 30 mm tubes. They told me after numerous emails to try the one inch tube. They say its all berrettas fault for changing their design. Also there is no one telling you or posted anywhere that you are limited to a one inch scope. You win that prize after you purchase it. The guy that bought it from me shoots a one inch scope with high rings, really uncomfortable to shoot if you ask me. I bought it to be a do all big game rifle, I had some big game hunts planned. Shooting deer was just going to be how I kept it from getting rusty.

I would have lost more money selling the used scope than the rifle. Plus I wanted a 30 mm tube for long range shooting.

I was able to email Legendary Arms Works yesterday. I am not the first to have accuracy issues with them that's for sure. But you spend a lot of money on a rifle you expect it to work right every time. Instead its all hype and not a lot of quality control in my opinion.
 
I received my gun back on November 21st. It was at Legendary Arms works for over three months.

I called the CEO a week prior to receiving it for an update on its status as in an earlier conversation I was told if I didnt hear anything in a week or so to call back. I was told someone had reportedly notified me the week before on its status by the CEO, but no one did. Then I was later told they left me a voicemail, no voicemail was ever received. I never pressed the issue about not receiving a call or voicemail.

I was then told my gun was fixed and it was going to be fed ex'd back to me in a few days. I was told I would receive a call with shipping information. Never received a call. My Fed Ex app let me know that my gun was on the way back to me. I was able to sign for it and receive it with no problems due to the Fed Ex app.

SO one thing I can say is they still have a customer service problem.

Now onto the rifle. It came back to me with a slightly heavier barrel as far as I could tell a few ounces maybe. It was in flawless condition. Included with the rifle were some targets that were shot by "Mark Bansner". Several different kinds of factory ammo (4 different ammo brands total from 168 grain to 180 grain) were tried. I could see by the targets that the more the rifle was fired the tighter the groups were getting. On the last target there was a sub MOA group (measured .775) with Barnes bullets. There was a note written on the target that said "Shot # 19, 20 , 21 another 10 to 20 and it will be broke in" Signed "Mark Bansner" the gunsmith who started Legendary Arms Works.

So I took the rifle and mounted my Leupold VX-6 30mm Scope back on it. I made sure it was tightened to specs and level. I used talley one piece low rings. I went to the range the next day. I took a blue box of federal 180 grain "cheaper" 300 win mag, a box of Vortex with Barnes Bullets 168 grain, and a Box of Hornady 200 Grain ELD precison hunter.

I fired the rifle using three shot rapid fire groups allowing the rifle to cool at least ten minutes in between groups. The results were impressive to say the least. The rifle with its 704 action ejected the spent casing flawlessly. Never hitting the scope. It shot all three types of bullets under an inch MOA. The best was Hornady 200 grain ELD with a group of .625 with three other groups under .700

I have not seen that kind of grouping from factory ammo in a 300 win mag in a long time. With handloads that LAW rifle should group atleast in the .5 range I would guess. My Sako grouped .785 at its best group with handloads. It was about .850 average with factory ammo.

I have tried to be fair in my review. The customer service absolutely sucks. The rifle however is well in my opinion Legendary.

I look forward to the 2017 hunting season to try it out. As for this year, I tagged out with my old 30.06 that I had tossed in the gunsafe and forsaken once I got bit by the 300 win mag bug.
 
Sounds like the ejector position on the Sako need to be changed.

I hope to hell Sako can get away form Beretta. Too many **** mergers in the hunting firearms industry.

Eric B.
 
great story.sorry to hear all the stress you went thru just to get a decent rifle.sounds like it now shoots as good as it should have in the first place.stories like this make me feel better about building my own rifles
 
Thankful the heads up on Legendary Arms. Guess the only thing "legendary" about them i.e. the huge amount of time it takes for them to get anything done.

To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, "They are a legend in their own minds."

Ya know, I have an inexpensive 6.5 CM Ruger American Predator. In factory trim it would consistently shoot 3/4 MOA or better with Hornady 140 gr. Match ammo (ELD-M). I've just put a Boyd's Classic laminated stock on it and bedded the V blocks. Then I added an excellent Timney trigger. I'll take it to my range to shoot it this week at up to 980 yards. It has a SWFA 3 - 15 x 42 scope with a 30 mm tube and NO problem ejecting cartridges or feeding at all. That BS about a rifle "requiring" a 1" scope tube to let it eject is so **** wrong and Beretta should buy them all back immediately.

Eric B.
 
Nicely written. That really stinks though, sorry.

Came here just to say the same thing, great writing! Also good on you for telling it like it really happened, the good and the bad. With all the various options available to guys looking for a custom/semi-custom rifle, this is the kind of stuff we need to hear about.
 
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