New gun pr0n

I've been wanting to get ahold of something in .17 HMR for some time now. I've heard nothing but great things about the round (except for the bad stuff about shooting it from a semi-auto). I've been shopping around for awhile, then finally found a Savage Model 93 in M.O. Brush Camo, topped by a Simmons 3-9x40, also in M.O. Brush. (I don't know what it is, but I love the look of M.O. Brush camo, even though it doesn't really match anything here in Wiskonsin. I guess it just reminds me of Texas, and I love Texas). It was just north of $300 at Pecker's sporting goods. It's a nice looking gun.

Yesterday I took it to the range for the first time. Let me just say, the accuracy boasts made by Savage about their rifles, and the stuff people say about the .17 HMR. It's all true. Tack driver. Even with the Simmons (joke). There are a couple of things I don't like about the rifle though. 1. the magazine release/catch seems kind of chinsy (a colloquial midwestern term). It's just a piece of metal torqued so it has some spring to it. Because the mag slides up a rail, combined with the mag release/catch, it's not a smooth process getting the mag on and off. And sometimes if you think it's on, the mag release/catch, hasn't fully seated, so the mag isn't seated properly. I think this has something to do with the second issue, which is; 2. I had some feed issues. Some of the rounds just wouldn't feed properly when I slid the bolt forward. The bolt kind of stuck. I think this could be in part because the bolt is such a small diameter, due to the caliber, and the finish on the bolt isn't smooth, it's kind of rough, so it doesn't slide smoothly. Couple that with a wide bolt knob, and I think by grabbing the bolt at the knob and sliding creates an awkward side-leverage to slide the narrow bolt home. I don't know if you follow. In my mind it makes sense, I just don't know if I'm being clear. But, if I push the bolt directly from the rear with my thumb, instead of by the bolt knob, the round went into chamber easier. I think time and some wear will remedy this issue, so I'm not terribly worried.

The other issue is the magazine. After I fired a couple of mags off, I was inserting the mag into the rifle with the bolt open. When I tapped the mag to makes sure it was seated, the rounds spewed/erupted out of the mag and all over the table and ground around me. I have never fired a bolt gun with a removable mag, so I thought this was my fault, and I should only insert the mag with the bolt closed. So I loaded the mag back up and tapped it AR-style to make sure all the rounds were properly seated (not an easy trick with such a small mag) and all the rounds again spewed/erupted out, this time in the deep snow in front of my firing line. Now it's no longer my fault and a mag issue. So I load it up again, and this time don't tap it, and was in the process of moving towards the rifle when the round spewed/erupted out a third time.

I now have a single shot.

So, I got home and first thing, called Savage support. On the main line, after 3 rings, an actual person picks up. "How may I direct your call?" "Service, please." "Hold on." 2 rings. "Service, how may I help you?" Hi, I bought a rifle yesterday, and was at the range today, and the mag...blah, blah, blah..." "OK, would you like a new magazine, sent to you?" "Sure." "What's your address?" "It's ...blah, blah, blah." "OK, the mag is on the way."

Wow, now that's great customer service.

Now I'm looking forward to getting the mag, and hopefully that will fix that issue. Just in time for the weekend before the supper bowl, which is when the group that I hunt with has the "Annual Tree-Rat Roundup" where we go out and thin the squirrel herd on their property.

Semper Fi

*****Follow up - 1/9/2010*****

I received the new magazine from Savage. I measured the feed lips with a caliper, and sure enough, there is a difference of .020" inches between the one that came with it and the new one. The new one being narrower, of course. That doesn't sound like a lot, but with a round as small as this, I think it will make all the difference in the world. I'm sure this will eliminate all the problems I had with rounds spewing/erupting out.

Semper Fi