I got a Mark II BTVS for Christmas. My friend lets me shoot his Mark II heavy barrel and I had to have one. His rifle was practically stacking bullets at 50 yards. This was the first new in the box rifle I've owned since I was 14 (long, long time ago).

Before shooting it I cleaned the barrel. A lot of lead and carbon came out. Strips of lead, not flakes. What do I know, maybe they all come like that. After the first shot the brass will not eject. We don't see anything wrong with the extractor, comparing it to the other Mark II bolt head. It takes a cleaning rod to get out the brass. Same thing on the next dozen or so shots. I'm shooting into a target at 25 yards and the groups with Federal target ammo are almost 2".

Next day I take the gun back to where I bought it. They tell me to expect to wait up to four months to get it repaired or replaced by Savage. I don't see any other choice so I leave the gun. I wrote a letter to Savage customer service about my dissatisfaction. Now I wait.

What has been your experience with Savage customer service?

Jon