heads up if your looking for gunsmith work.

[jamie g 17]

hi guys a mate of mine as had a nightmare with some rife work. he isnt a member on here so i guessed i would post it up.

 

so all you guys on here don't get ripped off if your looking for some work done on a rifle these are his words off a different forum.

 

 

 

 

Ok - The full story... This is not just sour grapes at the service and quality of work - but is a genuine safety concern.

 

Sept 2011 - Me and my shooting pal, asked Rhino Rifles to rebarrel two Tikka 595 rifles in 204 R. ( a relatively simple job one would think for a rifle smith )

 

Dispite promising taking about 6 - 9 weeks - the job was finally complete in May 2012 .( 9 months later ) Every excuse given - but we finally got the call that both rifles were ready for pick up.

 

On collection both rifle barrels and actions were scratched and absolutely filthy - It took over an hour to strip and clean each rifle. ( not a great way to hand a rifle to a paying costomer , I am sure you would agree )

 

On cleaning the rifles - I found shards of metal splinters on the patches that i had pushed through the barrel - This metal obviously came from when the rifle barrel was chambered - This has been to proof and had bullets fired over these loose splinters of steel ( not great for the barrel )

 

While cleaning the thread - A 1cm metal splinter pieced the cloth I was using and was stuck out of my thumb like a thorn ( Not overly happy at this point )

 

Next - I notice the stock screws had only been tightened finger tight - The reason - The new barrels were slightly bigger than the standard Tikka barrel and therefore did not fit in the original stock. The stocks on both rifles were purposely left loose - as if they were tightened - it would have split the stock fore end.

 

So after cleaning - both my mate and I , then needed to open the barrel channel on the rifles we had just paid a custom rifle builder to sort.

 

We complained to Rhino - You should have brought it back was the reply - ( er - it should not have left the work shop in that condition ).

 

Now the really bad bit - Both rifles would not group under 2.5 inches with any consistancy - All Rhino advised, was to try different bullets / Powder combinations.

 

My mates rifle ( I will talk about his rifle at this point ) - took his 204 rifle to Mike Norris to get it inspected - Mike found the following issues. ( these were shown on the bore scope )

 

1 ) - The Crown and threading very poor , rough and unfinished.

2 ) - A piece of rifling missing at muzzle

3 ) - Excessive head space - serious safety issue

4 ) - Chamber was cut very rough - jagged and totally unfinnished.

5 ) – Action face not trued up. ( only had 1 MOA adjustment

 

This was in addition to issues that we had already sorted.

 

Mike worked all afternoon , he removed the barrel , sorted out the chamber - cut a section of barrel off ( with the missing rifling ) re-crowned and threaded - a superb job - The rifle now shoots superbly BTW..... The cost of this work was payed for by my pal - Lets say he was not a happy bunny with Rhino.

 

OK so far - The 243 saga.

Earlier this year - (before the 204 was complete )- I ordered a 243 barrel ( 8 twist Pacnor ) to be fitted on my 22.250 Tikka 590.

 

I received the rifle about 2 weeks ago - ( whilst still trying to sort out the 204 fiasco )

Again the rifle was filthy on collection. This time the stock fitted though - I ordered a new GRS laminate which Chris had tightened this time.

 

On testing - the average group size was 3 - 4 inches – some bullets missed a A3 sized target completely. I contacted Rhino again and was told to " try different bullets / Powder combo’s"

 

At this point i had totally lost any faith in Rhino Rifles - Last Saturday morning I phoned Mike Norris and explained the situation - " bring it straight down " was his response.

 

Mike inspected the action and the muzzle of the new barrel - The Chambering was very very rough - This could clearly be seen on the bore scope - The crown area was a joke - It looked like steve wonder had done it with a dremmel – it also had about 0.5 inch of rifling missing from the muzle area.

 

Mike removed an inch of the barrel and did his magic. - New target crown + threading.

 

Lastly Mike inserted his go gauge in to the action - The bolt would not close - Indicating negitive head space. To say me and my mate are angry would be a understatment.

 

Three rifles built by Rhino Rifles - All handed over in a discracefull condition with serious problems that affected not only the accuracy - but also the users safety.

 

Last weekend the 243 rifle was returned to Chris at Rhino rifles with a verbal report from the inspection done by Mike Norris.

Earlier this evening I went to pick up the rifles – hoping that that Chris had sorted the issues out.

 

Well I suppose he did - He informed me that he had removed the barrels from my 204 and 243 and thrown them in the scrap bin.

Obvious that he did not want me to have them back or have them inspected - I was offered a full refund which I gladly accepted. The stocked actions were returned to me.

 

I am happy with this result , even though I do not have a rifle to use for the time being at least.

 

This story is worth sharing - I would not like any body else to be stung or endangered by the shoddy workmanship of Rhino rifles.

[quiglee 3]

Had work done myself by Mike Norris and he is top notch. He is only ten minutes away too which is ideal.

[The Duncan 802]

Have you got mike norris' contact details?

[Yokel Matt 918]

Ouch! Back to the drawing board then... minus a good few months pissing about. Lucky you had someone reliable to assure you it wasn't just your 'bullet / powder combo' - what a prick

[paulus 26]

Have you got mike norris' contact details?

The Buttery Farm

Kynnersley

Telford

Shropshire

TF6 6EG

Phone: 01952 670198

Fax: 01952 670198

[waidmann 105]

Have you got mike norris' contact details?

The Buttery Farm

Kynnersley

Telford

Shropshire

TF6 6EG

Phone: 01952 670198

Fax: 01952 670198

 

 

Top bloke to deal with, knows his onions.

 

[remi700 99]

Anyone had a gun re-barrelled recently? Just out of interest what kinda money would it take to rebarrel a full bore?

[The Duncan 802]

Have you got mike norris' contact details?

The Buttery Farm

Kynnersley

Telford

Shropshire

TF6 6EG

Phone: 01952 670198

Fax: 01952 670198

Thanks Paul, filed for future use

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Good work news travels as well as bad, and i have to say that dealing with dave from syss has been a great sucess story,

i done my homework were smiths were concerned, and decided to go with him, no problem or question was to much hassle,

 

And the distance meant all was done via e-mails, do the homework guys is all i will say,

 

Mick norris also poped up on my radar as a much skilled gunny, as did neil mc killop, you get what you pay for,

and if one guy cannot do all you ask by himself and himself only then quality control goes out the window,

and the guy should not call himself a genuine rifle smith...

 

check out this guy if your looking for work done, http://www.valkyrierifles.net/

 

 

great heads up btw for guys thinking about building,

 

 

Snap.

[onelesscharlie 0]

Have to agree with Snapshot, Dave at Valkyrie is second to no-one.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Have to agree with Snapshot, Dave at Valkyrie is second to no-one.

 

i couldn't fault the guy mate, and as i could outshoot the accuracy of my standard tikka 595, i was looking for something more upmarket,

i can now shoot 87g v max into .21" at 100 yards on a good day, and at 500 i've shot 5 shot groups into less than 2 inches when conditions

are right, So i'm over the moon,

 

And the rifle was shining when i got it by post, with a few little nice bits thrown in free gratis,

 

Snap.