I just rcvd my first custom rifle from a gunsmith in SC on Friday. I sent him a new L579 Sako action(seven months ago). I had him true/square the action, install a 21" Stainless Hart barrel, work the trigger over and adjust to 3 lbs, mount my Vari X III 3.5x10x40mm in Conetrol mounts/rings, and bed the action to one of his "custom" fiberglass stocks, install sling swivels in the stock, install a decellerator, and teflon coat all metal parts.

Here is what I rcvd on Friday....

The bolt feels like it is binding. The bolt is really tight when retracting it in several places, especially when the lugs get near the bolt stop. the rear sling swivel has 1/2" cracks on both sides of it. There is a small blem right in the middle of the stock. There is an obvious repair to the stock under the safety( He ended up having to use a Timney trigger, and I think he had cut the stock around the safety before he realized he wasn't going to be able to use the Sako trigger/safety). The firing pin position indicator hits the stock when fully retracted. the front sling swivel is slightly off center. The barrel channel in the stock looks screwy. There is twice as much material on one side of the barrel than the other side. The trigger end of the action protrudes almost 1/8" from the bottom end of the stock. It also doesn't feed the .284 Win cartridges worth a hoot. I loaded up two dummy rounds to 2.8" and cycled them several times. JAMS,JAMS,JAMS. The rounds now look like they have been through a blender, not a custom Sako action.

Working the action on this rifle now makes me see RED! This was a nice slick action built in the 70s and never barreled. Now my dilemma is whether sending it back to him to rework and run the risk of it getting worse, or sending it to someone a little more competent.

Any thoughts or suggestions from you guys will be appreciated.

How far from you is this fellow. Have you talked to him about your complaints? Was all items to be done by him in writing? Sorry to hear of this but need more of the above answered.

He lives in SC close(45 min) to my folks, I live in TN. All work was listed in writing. I have a receipt, but it is kinda vague. I talked to him briefly about the stock and binding. He suggested I shoot it and send it back if the stock doesn't "hold up." I have no interest in shooting the rifle in this condition.

I may take it to a semi-local gunsmith that builds benchrest guns and has 50+ years gunsmithing exp and pay him to evaluate it. I probably should have had him build the rifle in the first place. Here's that hindsight thing...

StikR
Sorry to hear all this bull shit.
The original sako trigger is nothing wrong with compared to a timmey, actually I would say sako is a damn good trigger if it's adjusted right.

I suggest you claim the money of this clown and makes sure you gotten that sako trigger back.

If you call McMillan and order a stock "ask for Dick Davis" he knows how the action looks and how to get a suitable stock that fits for it.

I think that High Tech also makes one for this sako action. Now you got two to choose from

We have a memeber on this forum who is a well known gunsmith in SC, John Lewis. He a very good person and will most likely fix up this rifle.

Annother smith in SC to call is David Tooley.

Make sure you get your money and ask him to stuff it. It's always a hazzle when you are building a custom rifle and you got a clown smith. Ask for references if possible or seeing pictures of work

/ JOHAN

The barrel channel is the mark of an amateur, not a gunsmith. Find out if he did the work, or an assistant. Is the gun inletted cockeyed, or is the forend warped to one side? And if I understand you right, the entire barreled action may not be inletting horizontally in the stock, but the barrel is instead inclined downward? Perhaps he overbedded the rear of the action? Issues like this would also explain the bolt binding -- screwed up inletting and bedding is flexing the receiver, probably a high point in the center, and making the bolt stick. Take the action out of the stock and see it if still sticks. I hope he didn't twist or otherwise deform the reciever.

I would pay him a visit, bring the gun, show him the flaw(s), and tell him it is unacceptable. Your chances of getting any satisfaction are probably small however, based on the reply he already gave you. Maybe shoot for a refund of the stock and associated work, then go buy a decent one.

Little things like this give you a new appreciation for the pros on this board, who are fine gunsmiths and true gentlemen.

Good luck,
Todd

[ 04-27-2003, 17:06: Message edited by: Todd Getzen ]

StikR--

Unfortunately all it takes to BE a "Gunsmith" is to be able to spell it on the sign....

It sounds like this guy had help in doing that.

If you came into my shop wanting to teflon coat an old Sako action and install a 284 Win barrel you would'nt get either one, but that's a function of me and my shop. Since he accepted the work, he should have performed it no matter how odd the order.

BTW-
-The Sako trigger is worth about four times any Timney ever made. That sounds like a rip-off to me.

In my OPINION you got a bad job on a project that made little sense to begin with, given the parts you already had.

[ 04-27-2003, 18:27: Message edited by: JBelk ]

There's definetely something amiss with the feed rails and/or follower. I had Bill Leeper build me a 7-08 AI on my L579.I had considered the 284 but Bill advised against it.I'm glad I listened although my action would "sort of" feed empty 284 cases,it was far from smooth.He told me of one that had the feed rails opened up so much to feed the 284 that the bolt would "fall off" the rails and bind.But another fellow I know had the same L579/284 combo and a local guy here has an AII in 6/284 and they say they have/had no feeding problems so it can be made to work.

When choosing a smith for a custom rifle:

1. Get references.

2. Inspect examples of his work, if possible.

3. Only use the local shop if you live in Ferlach, Austria.

Wow, that sucks man. I think that there are two ways you may approach it:

1. Ask for a full refund and the original trigger back

2. Get the trigger, and tell him you are having the gun done properly by a competent smith and will expect him to pay for this cost.

personally I would go with number two, the reason being that you will probably find fixing another persons mistakes will cost more than starting out did. If you visit him and give him a letter to this effect, take many pictures of the rifle. AND have the gunsmith that you find to do it properly make notes of all things that were done wrong and had to be fixed or replaced. This way you have excellent documentation and verification of costs if you should have to make iit a legal thing.

I foresee lots of hassle for you in getting your blood out of this turnip. Any asshole that takes on a project that they can't do properly obviously has no scruples.

Keep us posted.

Red

This is definitely a bummer. I have an idea I know the "internationally known" bean field guy you are talking about. E-mail me for some facts. I have a customer thinking about a law suit if it is the same guy. I had to do the job alll over for him and it included doing some work that was paid for and not done.

Mmmm!! Him heap BAD gunsmith!!!

Browning used the Sako L-579 for their .284 Safari. I had one and it functioned perfectly, so there's no reason a Sako L-579 cannot be successfully used for this cartridge.

Obviously, you got a poor overall job. Unfortunately, your gun is probably worth less now than the new Sako action was before you started the project.

I don't think you have any recourse other than to personally take the gun to the offending shop and ask the smith to defend his work point by point (let him try to cycle a .284 through the action!) It sounds to me that a fair resolution would be for the smith to refund your money, keep the gun, and buy you a new Sako action.

You know this just flat SUCKS!!! This post has really bothered me as we all know building a custom is big bucks and we all work hard for it. I guess I have been very lucky in that I had had great results in the 15 or so custom;s I have had done for me. I try to have my guns built by smith's that are within driving distance of me, say 500 miles. I inspect the work they have done for others and also speak to owners to see how they feel about the smith. I really hopes this works out for you and that you get some sort of satisfaction.

Thanks for all the replies. I am ILL! I haven't completely decided what to do yet. This was my first custom project. I am driving distance to another gunsmith that I have also heard alot of good about near Jonesborough, Tn. I am thinking about taking it by his place to get a second opinion and to see if he thinks the action is salvagable. I don't think anything has been done to the feed rails(other than shooting a little overspray Teflon on them.) The problem I have with this is that I have seen this guys rifles before and they looked/functioned very good. You live and you learn-sometimes the hard way. I need more opinions on the .284 Win for this action. Some say no problem, some say no way. I almost had it chambered for 7mm-08 and now wish that I had.

Jack Belk-
Is that Sako trigger really worth four(4) times what a Timney costs? That would put it near $300. He made it sound like he did me a favor by "having" to install the Timney but not charging extra for it. Wow.

Jim Kobe-
This is not the famous "Beanfield" guy in South Carolina. This guy lives in Chapin, SC near Ellett Bros Dist. BTW, this is the action I bought from you. I know. I know.

Thanks again for the replies. You guys are helping ease the pain.

StikR, you bought the action from Jim Kobe and didn't have him build you gun, Shame on you His work is top notch as I am sure you already know, good luck and keep us informed.

StikR---

Don't confuse retail price with value.

The Sako trigger was the first of the commercial over-ride triggers. They're milled steel with lapped pivot holes and great heat-treatment. Expect to pay over a hundred bucks for one....IF you can find one. They fit M-98 Mausers and are good enough to be in demand.

Timneys are aluminum, riveted together (usually) and has neither the materials or the workmanship of the Sako.

Like the guy above, I also used to own a Browning safari grade on the Sako medium action. Mine started life as a 308 and was converted to 284, I bought it as a 284 after the conversion. The feed rails had been modified. The 2.8" COL constraints notwithstanding, it was perfect. Dead reliable and fed like snot on a roosters lip. Slick... So it can be done, and done to perfection, although from what I understand definitely not an easy job, and may not be worth the risk on a fine older Sako action.

I'm afraid your option may be relegated to returning the rifle to the "gunsmith" and giving him the opportunity to "fix" it. I'm not familiar with the legal recourse you have available.