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Old October 5, 2020, 01:40 PM   #1
Dranrab
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Disappointed in Nosler

I recently bought a new Nosler Liberty that had to go back to the factory. There were 3 issues. The bolt was extraordinarily hard to close on Nosler factory 105 grain ammo. The best 3 shot group I could muster at 100 yards was about 5 inches. The bullets showed pronounced keyholing.

Nosler factory 105 ammo is all I shot. Here are targets that reflect the keyholing and accuracy.





I understand that it happens from time to time that a bad one gets out of the factory. I should know, since the last 3 $1000+ rifles I have bought have had to go back. When I contacted Nosler, I was able to get through to CS quickly with a phone call. I was issued a return authorization. In the e-mail from Daniel Michels that accompanied the RA, it was noted that I would be called when the rifle arrived. "Once the rifle is received, we will either call or email you to verify."

I immediately shipped the gun back.

Tracking showed that it arrived on Sep 2.

As of September 18, I had not heard anything from Nosler. I emailed and got this response back from Daniel: "My apologies that you were not informed. I confirmed with our gunsmith and yes, he has received your rifle. He unfortunately has not yet had an opportunity to evaluate the barrel twist, but is hoping to have an update ready next week. At that point, we should have a better idea on turnaround time as we will know the exact issue."

On September 29, I emailed Daniel asking for an update.

As of today, Oct 5, I had not received a response to the September 29 email question, so I emailed again and have not yet heard back.

If I had been told from the onset that repairs would take 6-8 weeks, I wouldn't be happy with that turnaround time, but I wouldn't have expected to hear anything back either. Remington advised me right up front that repairs would take up to 12 weeks and that's how long it took to get my 5R HS Precision 223 back. My Christensen Arms Mesa was back to me in less than 3 weeks from the date I shipped it.

Am I justified in my disappointment and frustration, or are we just at a point with crappy US manufacturing and customer service that we should expect this even on a higher end product?
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Old October 5, 2020, 10:13 PM   #2
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Old October 7, 2020, 08:28 PM   #3
hounddog409
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That is some run of bad luck.
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Old October 7, 2020, 10:04 PM   #4
Double K
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I could see having to send back a 700 because I've sent a couple back myself but you've gotten a bad Nosler and Christensen Arms? That is bad luck!
Just kidding though, I know someone who had to send a Nosler back last year but he got it back right away in time for hunting season, like 3 weeks.
Lesson here is keep a couple of guns as back-ups in case something goes a wry with a new one, I have two 7-08 700's that are always ready to go hunting.
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Old October 7, 2020, 10:05 PM   #5
BJung
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Nosler needs to be reminded. For every one customer they do not service well, at least 100 will hear about it.
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Old October 8, 2020, 04:55 AM   #6
eastbank
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i don,t need no stinking custom rifles, but i don,t hunt field mice at 100 yards either. i,ll take a solid 1.5-2" rifle that will do that day in day out at 100 yards and it would kill 99 precent of the deer killed in america.
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Old October 8, 2020, 06:12 AM   #7
stagpanther
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It's all due to pandemic apocalypse--or so I'm told. I have a barrel I've been waiting on for almost two months to get replaced (from a different prominent manufacturer); presumably all they have to do is pull one off the shelf (it's a pre-fit) and send it to me but it still hasn't happened after a flurry of e-mail exchanges. I just sorta gave up on it. Sometimes it takes their engineers a while to figure out why the problem is your fault.
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Old October 8, 2020, 11:36 AM   #8
Dranrab
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Monday Daniel said he emailed the gunsmith for an update. I guess the gunsmith is really busy.
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Old October 8, 2020, 11:46 AM   #9
Ridgerunner665
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I sent back a Nosler Custom a few years ago.... it did take some time, but I did get it back, and it was fixed.

Still the most consistent rifle I've ever fired... by far, and I've fired a few.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
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Old October 8, 2020, 04:04 PM   #10
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I guess the gunsmith is really busy.
Yes, especially this time of year custom gunsmiths are busy. But Nosler will get back to you pretty quick, they're a good outfit.
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Old October 8, 2020, 04:45 PM   #11
Dranrab
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I got this update: "Our gunsmith emailed me that your rifle is currently getting re-barreled."
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Old October 9, 2020, 01:38 PM   #12
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"...bullets showed pronounced key holing..." That's far more likely the ammo, but measure the bullet diameter. The only other possible cause is the barrel diameter is too big, but that's highly unlikely.
The chambering matters a bit. 105's can be out of a .243 or 6mm Creedmoor. No$ler uses 1 in 10 for .243, 1 in 7.5 in the Creed. Neither will cause key holing. Even though 1 in 10 is odd for a .243.
They tell you why it's being re-barreled? Just curious.
"...this time of year custom gunsmiths are busy..." Custom guys are really busy all the time. Regular smithies are busy pretty much all the time too.
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Old October 9, 2020, 01:40 PM   #13
Dranrab
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They didn't tell me why the barrel is being replaced.
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Old October 10, 2020, 12:19 PM   #14
T. O'Heir
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Figures. Nobody tells anybody, anything, anywhere or any time.
I wonder who makes rifles for No$ler. Rumour has it they make 'em in their U.S. factory in Bend, Oregon USA though. Having to re-barrel a BNIB rifle doesn't say much for their QC. At least they're fixing it fairly quickly. Unlike some companies that'd still be thinking about it.
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Old October 10, 2020, 02:08 PM   #15
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Quote:

They didn't tell me why the barrel is being replaced.
They're replacing the barrel because it has the wrong twist, keyhole bullet strikes are proof of that. 1:10 twist is the SAAMI standard for the .243 and will not stabalize bullets like the 105 RDF reliably. The SAAMI standard for the 6mm Creedmoor is 1:7.5. Someone grabbed the wrong barrel when they put your rifle together at the factory.
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Old October 10, 2020, 11:16 PM   #16
ndking1126
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That stinks all around. That's bad customer service for sure.

For whatever its worth, my buddy bought one of the wEeatherby rifles with a chassis system. The first barrel couldn't group any better than about 4" so he sent it back. They rebarreled and now it shoots really well. Of course weatherby and Nosler are different organizations, but I'm thinking you'll have a great shooter when it comes back.
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Old October 11, 2020, 08:42 AM   #17
Ricklin
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Bend Or

I lived in Bend for several years. my brother is still over in central Oregon.

Once upon a time I had the Nosler test range below my office. We leased the former Nosler bullets plant. There was a closet door in my office, climb down the ladder and you were at the bench area.
It was a 100 yard tunnel. Kinda weird, but I never fired a shot their.

Have heard that property is on the EPA list for lead contamination. Our old plant in Bend is on that list too, the widow of the owner can't sell due to that.
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Old October 11, 2020, 06:50 PM   #18
Dranrab
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I have a hunch it is a twist issue as well.
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Old October 13, 2020, 10:19 PM   #19
Sure Shot Mc Gee
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Heaviest bullet weight I've ever shot out of my Flat Bolt Ruger was 87 grs. having a 75 gr. bullet charge. My favorite deer bullet weights. 80 gr SP or a 75 gr hornady H.P. _Rolled quite a few over on their backs with said bullet weights. No retrievals. Two jump and "Brown is down" is typical.
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