MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
Some of you may be familiar with the saga of my Sako Finnlight 300 WSM. Well here is tha latest.
When I got my rifle back from the factory the first time for accuracy problems (2-4 MOA) after a 2 1/2 month wait. I got some paperwork with it that said that all they had done was to give it a thorough check over and cleaning. And then they shot it getting a .9" group @ 108 yds. Their guarantee is a 5 shot 1" group @ 100 Yds. They basically were saying it was a dirty rifle which is total BS. I broke that barrel in cleaning after each shot for 13 shots then I cleaned it after every 3-5 shot group. Then I cleaned it after every few groups and never exceeded 20 shots' between cleanings. In the field I used Butch's Bore shine until I saw white patches. I also used a brush. At home I gave it Wipeout soaking treatments until I saw a white patch. When you get a white patch after soaking a bore with Wipeout for 8 hours there is nothing left in the bore. It is clean to bare metal as has been verified to me by a local gunsmith who I had borescope a couple of my barrels after cleaning with Wipeout.
After getting the rifle, I bought a box of Winchester 180 PP to shoot through the rifle which is the same ammo they had said they used. BTW, the target they sent back was computer generated. No bullet holes and it wasn't even to actual scale. They shot it through some peice of Oehler equipment which replicated the alleged group on paper. I went to the range with a friend who is a compition shooter and we did some some shooting. I had thoroughly cleaned the bore before getting to the range. I fired two sighter/fouler rounds and then fired a 5 shot group. It measured 1.35". I asked my friend to shoot a group and it measured 1.15". I then shot a group of Fed premium 180 AB's which measured about 2.5" Subsequent trips to the range and groups went down hill with groups in the 2-3 inch ball park. I was not happy. I sent the rifle back a second time recently, this time with a 3 page letter, explaining a lot of details including the fact the the rifle had been very well maintained and the bore was very well cleaned... spotless to be exact.
I called Beretta yesterday (a week and a half after sending it in) to get the status of the rifle. I spoke with a man named Rick in Maryland, who siad they did the same thing as before. Cleaned the rifle and shot a .9" group. I asked what happened when they cleaned the barrel and he said they had got a lot of copper out of it - exact words... "a lot of copper". I was livid, but I basically kept my composure, but my tone did change. This dirty bore story was totally manufactured, and I would have to call it an out right lie. I explained to him the lengths I went to make sure the barrel was clean. He was not impressed and said they had cleaaned it with Sweets and that I had just not got all the copper out. My blood pressure was going up and I am usually a calm person. I explained to him that Wipeout was a better product than Sweets and insisted that the bore was spotless. He would have no part of it.
Then I said, OK, I will shoot the rifle again when I get it back, and if it doesn't shoot 1", I will have a gunsmith boresight it and verify in writing that the bore is completely clean - would he accept that? He said he would not accept the written statement of a smith who boresighted the rifle. Simply amazing... He said the only way to verify it is to run a patch through it. I couldn't bhelieve what I was hearing. Then I said, What if I were to run some Sweets through it after cleaning it with Wipeout? He wouldn't go for it and said if I sent it in again and they fired it to spec, they would charge me this time for their effort. I was quite angry at this point, but remained basically calm.
I had also explained to him, that I used a Nightforce scope on the rifle and used this scope on a Sendero 300 RUM and shot a sub 1/2 MOA group with it. I also shot a .24" 3 shot group with a Sendero 25-06 recently in less than ideal conditions. I think this rules out the scope and the shooter. I may not be a BR competiton shooter, but I can hold and shoot steady. Shooting a 1" group with a rifle that is capable of it is no problem for me.
Bottom line... IME, Beretta has manufactured a story of dirty barrel and I believe they have lied to me with what they did to the rifle and the results. Their 1 MOA guarantee is worthless and they will not stand behind it. They do not provide targets with bullet holes with their rifles like Cooper and Weatherby do. Other manufacturers do not make accuracy guarantees. Remmington "says" that their Senderos will shoot very accurate and they do. Much better than the newer Sakos.
I think Sako Quality has gone downhill with the take over of Beretta and if you by a Sako or Tikka, you're on your own. They have an empty guarantee. False advertizing. At least this hunting season I have a couple of good shooting rifles to pick from unlike last year.
I will not buy another Beretta product ever.
-MR
When I got my rifle back from the factory the first time for accuracy problems (2-4 MOA) after a 2 1/2 month wait. I got some paperwork with it that said that all they had done was to give it a thorough check over and cleaning. And then they shot it getting a .9" group @ 108 yds. Their guarantee is a 5 shot 1" group @ 100 Yds. They basically were saying it was a dirty rifle which is total BS. I broke that barrel in cleaning after each shot for 13 shots then I cleaned it after every 3-5 shot group. Then I cleaned it after every few groups and never exceeded 20 shots' between cleanings. In the field I used Butch's Bore shine until I saw white patches. I also used a brush. At home I gave it Wipeout soaking treatments until I saw a white patch. When you get a white patch after soaking a bore with Wipeout for 8 hours there is nothing left in the bore. It is clean to bare metal as has been verified to me by a local gunsmith who I had borescope a couple of my barrels after cleaning with Wipeout.
After getting the rifle, I bought a box of Winchester 180 PP to shoot through the rifle which is the same ammo they had said they used. BTW, the target they sent back was computer generated. No bullet holes and it wasn't even to actual scale. They shot it through some peice of Oehler equipment which replicated the alleged group on paper. I went to the range with a friend who is a compition shooter and we did some some shooting. I had thoroughly cleaned the bore before getting to the range. I fired two sighter/fouler rounds and then fired a 5 shot group. It measured 1.35". I asked my friend to shoot a group and it measured 1.15". I then shot a group of Fed premium 180 AB's which measured about 2.5" Subsequent trips to the range and groups went down hill with groups in the 2-3 inch ball park. I was not happy. I sent the rifle back a second time recently, this time with a 3 page letter, explaining a lot of details including the fact the the rifle had been very well maintained and the bore was very well cleaned... spotless to be exact.
I called Beretta yesterday (a week and a half after sending it in) to get the status of the rifle. I spoke with a man named Rick in Maryland, who siad they did the same thing as before. Cleaned the rifle and shot a .9" group. I asked what happened when they cleaned the barrel and he said they had got a lot of copper out of it - exact words... "a lot of copper". I was livid, but I basically kept my composure, but my tone did change. This dirty bore story was totally manufactured, and I would have to call it an out right lie. I explained to him the lengths I went to make sure the barrel was clean. He was not impressed and said they had cleaaned it with Sweets and that I had just not got all the copper out. My blood pressure was going up and I am usually a calm person. I explained to him that Wipeout was a better product than Sweets and insisted that the bore was spotless. He would have no part of it.
Then I said, OK, I will shoot the rifle again when I get it back, and if it doesn't shoot 1", I will have a gunsmith boresight it and verify in writing that the bore is completely clean - would he accept that? He said he would not accept the written statement of a smith who boresighted the rifle. Simply amazing... He said the only way to verify it is to run a patch through it. I couldn't bhelieve what I was hearing. Then I said, What if I were to run some Sweets through it after cleaning it with Wipeout? He wouldn't go for it and said if I sent it in again and they fired it to spec, they would charge me this time for their effort. I was quite angry at this point, but remained basically calm.
I had also explained to him, that I used a Nightforce scope on the rifle and used this scope on a Sendero 300 RUM and shot a sub 1/2 MOA group with it. I also shot a .24" 3 shot group with a Sendero 25-06 recently in less than ideal conditions. I think this rules out the scope and the shooter. I may not be a BR competiton shooter, but I can hold and shoot steady. Shooting a 1" group with a rifle that is capable of it is no problem for me.
Bottom line... IME, Beretta has manufactured a story of dirty barrel and I believe they have lied to me with what they did to the rifle and the results. Their 1 MOA guarantee is worthless and they will not stand behind it. They do not provide targets with bullet holes with their rifles like Cooper and Weatherby do. Other manufacturers do not make accuracy guarantees. Remmington "says" that their Senderos will shoot very accurate and they do. Much better than the newer Sakos.
I think Sako Quality has gone downhill with the take over of Beretta and if you by a Sako or Tikka, you're on your own. They have an empty guarantee. False advertizing. At least this hunting season I have a couple of good shooting rifles to pick from unlike last year.
I will not buy another Beretta product ever.
-MR
