Granting wrote:Free lesson learned in the end I guess. Next time you buy a second hand rifle be sure to inspect in an out.
Very true. A valuable lesson indeed.
Today I dropped the scope off and the staff were completely happy to fully refund and acknowledged that it was not VGC.
They also mentioned the gunsmith had cleaned it up and that it turned out really good. I just had the pits on the action in my head, and that huge pit in the barrel and asked about it, staff member replied something like "ah that's nothing, it cleaned right up". But seriously, that's a large pit, and they don't clean up...
Anyway, They offered repairs, and they offered a refund, so I went for the refund and they wrote out a cheque as I mentioned I was still in the market for a .223.
A minute later another staff comes out with a Browning A-Bolt in .223. He says it's a mates and they haven't displayed it yet, but it's in great nick and I can pay $200 difference and they'll foot the cost of a new PTA for the earlier stuff-around. So I put the rifle under careful scrutiny
The wood stock was so clean without a scratch it looked like new fiberglass. The action was flawless - not a scratch. The bolt was smooth as silk and when shouldered, the scope rose straight up to my eye, not my eye to the scope. I then looked down the barrel and saw rubbish lol.
So I told the staff if I could go out the back and have the smith clean it in front of me and have an inspection then I'd make a decision. So to the back I went and watched the smith use a brush twice, jag thrice and follow up with dry cloth a few times. I looked down the bore from both ends. It was immaculate. Not a spot on it, shiny as a mirror with sharp lands.
Well, call me a sucker, but this rifle looked pretty neat. I was also surprised to see a barrel tuner on it. The scope was a 10 x 40, couldn't find a brand name, but it was clean and clear. So I bought it. Opportunity only knocks once, and I believe this would have sold after a minute on the shelf.
All in all, no love lost with the shop. They did the righty by the customer and offered repairs, a refund and also a replacement. Got to be happy with that... Now I'm a new owner of a Browning A-Bolt just as soon as the PTA arrives
(Please note I was already looking for an x-bolt in .243 but I figured a cheaper, but still quality browning a-bolt would be just as good a purchase).
Anyway, that's closure to the thread. Something good came from something bad.