I am sick...

3473 Views 28 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Loke, Oct 3, 2015

BUL_KRZY

Discussion Starter · Oct 1, 2015

Why do I have to learn all the hard lessons in life??

Long story... but I had a local range put my new (50 rounds through it, but never been in the field) X-bolt Stainless Stalker in .270WSM in their Zero-matic. Yes - stupid of me.

shot the gun, they handed it to me, I cased it and took it home. Take it out of case and look at the butt and there are two rather large chunks chipped out of the previously immaculate composite stock on the lower butt, both sides of the butt. The butt pad was pinched to the point that it split the rubber on both sides as well. I about died and it took me all night to get over it. ok, ... I'm still PISSED. :redface:

What would you do? I plan to go show them the damage today so they can be more aware and careful, but don't expect them to do anything about it. My choice, my risk, i'm sure will be the answer. Never doing that again! I think I'll take stock butt pad off and put a limbsaver on it to cover the uglies. I hate that my pristine rifle now looks like I beat the hell out of it.. and yet it's never been in the field! ughhhh....

Tire Hood Automotive tire Tread Wood

Brown Textile Luggage and bags Beige Material property

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1 - 20 of 29 Posts

DallanC

· #2 · Oct 1, 2015

That is ridiculous. I'd be uber pissed as well!

-DallanC

Billy Mumphrey

· #3 · Oct 1, 2015

What was the name and location of the range? It won't fix your problem but I'm sure we'd all appreciate knowing where to avoid in the future.

Loke

· #4 · Oct 1, 2015

Why do you need a machine rest to zero your gun? If it kicks too much maybe you should look for a nicer caliber.

Reactions: 3

BUL_KRZY

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 1, 2015

Loke said:
Why do you need a machine rest to zero your gun? If it kicks too much maybe you should look for a nicer caliber.

I expected this and took the risk of posting it anyway. Has nothing to do with recoil. I shoot it fine. Just a stupid decision all around - appreciate the additional kick in the nuts though!

Reactions: 2

30-06-hunter

· #6 · Oct 1, 2015

Where was this done at? I have had nothing but great interactions with our local range the 2 times I used their zero-matic.

BUL_KRZY

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 1, 2015

Right there at our local range 06 hunter! Lions Club. Never would have imagined, but it happened!

GaryFish

· #8 · Oct 1, 2015

Sorry man. That sucks. Especially on the new rifle.

I've had the guys at Lee Kay use their machine on several rifles over the years and they have always been extremely careful not to scratch or harm the stock in any way. I don't have any composites though - that could make a difference.

Sorry though. That sucks.

brendo

· #9 · Oct 1, 2015

I understand it sucks but stuff happens! I would hold off judgement until you see what they are willing to do. I'm sure they won't just let it slide..

Nambaster

· #10 · Oct 1, 2015

I was thinking about using that 0 omatic and now I am pretty happy that I did not use it. 270 WSM is a pretty cool round. To be honest with composite stocks I really don't worry about ding so or dents or scratches in them. At the same time I really don't worry about the character on my woodstocks either.

I had a guy buy a $44,000 truck from me and the first thing that he did with it was he hit it with a hammer to give it it's first dent... Not even kidding... My jaw dropped to the ground.

Reactions: 3

bowhunter

· #11 · Oct 1, 2015

Loke said:
Why do you need a machine rest to zero your gun? If it kicks too much maybe you should look for a nicer caliber.

As a moderator, I wouldn't expect such a stupid answer from you...Really? Come on man!!! Don't be a D-bag. Put yourself in his shoes. He's just venting over something that I'm sure we'd all be pissed about.

Lame response man.

BUL_KRZY

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 1, 2015

Agreed, stuff does happen and life moves on. Not like this is a $5000 custom build or something. It's a $1k rifle I can pass down to my son someday. I take pride in taking care of my stuff though, so I guess the salt has a little more sting in the wound on this one.

Appreciate the therapy gents! I needed it.

brendo

· #13 · Oct 1, 2015

I wasn't discounting the value of the gun. It shouldn't matter if it's a grand or five grand. I'm just saying I would judge them based off of how they take care of you not on the mistake made.

Smoot

· #14 · Oct 1, 2015

It sucks that someone else did this your property, I would be bothered too. But honestly I think trying to keep a gun in mint condition sort of defeats the utilitarian purpose of the gun in the first place. Keeping it clean and mechanically sound is one thing, but a rifle thats been in the field even once should show some character. You should see some of my lever guns. They still shoot as good as the day they came out of the box, but man do they show their usage.

Reactions: 1

waspocrew

· #15 · Oct 1, 2015 (Edited)

Smoot said:
It sucks that someone else did this your property, I would be bothered too. But honestly I think trying to keep a gun in mint condition sort of defeats the utilitarian purpose of the gun in the first place. Keeping it clean and mechanically sound is one thing, but a rifle thats been in the field even once should show some character. You should see some of my lever guns. They still shoot as good as the day they came out of the box, but man do they show their usage.

While I definitely agree with you about the rifle staying functional, I'd be just as angry with this situation. It's a brand new rifle and those Brownings aren't cheap. While the stock doesn't affect its performance at all, it just sucks knowing that he wasn't the person that caused the damage. When you hunt with equipment, crap happens - plenty of scrapes and dings occur along the way, but they are all part of the hunting memories and experience. All these marks will do is remind him of some idiot who messed up his rifle at the shooting range.

Bax*

· #16 · Oct 1, 2015

Don't feel bad. Sometimes I use a rest too. Not because I cant handle the recoil, but because I want to be sure the rifle is as steady as possible to get it zero'd best as possible. Then I cant blame the rifle when I miss my shot.

Reactions: 1

Loke

· #17 · Oct 1, 2015

bowhunter said:
As a moderator, I wouldn't expect such a stupid answer from you...Really? Come on man!!! Don't be a D-bag. Put yourself in his shoes. He's just venting over something that I'm sure we'd all be pissed about.

Lame response man.

So because I'm a moderator I'm no longer entitled to an opinion? I've seen too many people rely on a machine rest to sight in their rifles, because they don't have the skills to do it themselves. Then they wonder why they "missed" when an animal they shoot at doesn't fall DRT like they do in the movies, and don't bother to follow up on an animal they gut shot. In my non-moderated opinion, if you don't have the shooting ability to sight in your rifle, you should stay home and practice until you do. If you can't consistently hit a target at 100 yards well enough to adjust your scope, you have no business shooting at a live animal at any distance, let alone at whatever you describe as "long range".

utahgolf

· #18 · Oct 1, 2015

I think you should sight in how you are going to shoot in the field. Otherwise your gun isn't really zero'd in when you think about it. Shooting off of sticks versus a lead sled or what not is completely different. You will be very inconsistent, and then people wonder why they shoot way high or low etc... Same thing goes with trigger pulls. Even if you don't have a good trigger pull, if you consistently pull it the same way, even poorly, you can sight in accordingly and get really good groupings. You can't do that from a vise type set up. A little off topic, sorry. That sucks about your gun, it's totally different when someone else does damage to it versus yourself. As long as it shoots straight though.

Springville Shooter

· #19 · Oct 2, 2015

Loke said:
So because I'm a moderator I'm no longer entitled to an opinion? I've seen too many people rely on a machine rest to sight in their rifles, because they don't have the skills to do it themselves. Then they wonder why they "missed" when an animal they shoot at doesn't fall DRT like they do in the movies, and don't bother to follow up on an animal they gut shot. In my non-moderated opinion, if you don't have the shooting ability to sight in your rifle, you should stay home and practice until you do. If you can't consistently hit a target at 100 yards well enough to adjust your scope, you have no business shooting at a live animal at any distance, let alone at whatever you describe as "long range".

I totally disagree with Loke on this one. Get your rifle sighted in the best you can however you can. This makes you the only variable. I use a $500+ bench rest setup to zero my rifles for hunting when I will never have the luxury of that type of rest in the field. Sight in and load development is all about removing as many variables as possible. After these things are done is the time for developing marksmanship. Very few people I've met( including gun counter experts) have the ability to shoot to a modern rifles potential without A LOT of help, ie bench rest devices. I myself fall into this group and I'm usually at least the third best shot at the range.-----SS

DallanC

· #20 · Oct 2, 2015

Nope, I agree with Loke and utahgolf.

"POI" (point of impact) can change quite a bit from machine fired to human fired. I've personally seen this happen and it was over a 2MOA poi change. In fact, I've seen quite a POI change from a lefty shooting a gun sighted in by a righty and vice versa.

Look if you want a machine to get you close to zero fine, but the hunter definitely needs to do the final sighting in.

-DallanC

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