My experience with Savage customer service

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slowr1der

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I have many reasons I love my Savage rifle, the main one being that it's the most accurate rifle I own or have ever owned. It shoots .8" groups regularly at 100 yards with Federal Power Shok ammo, and similar groups with Winchester Power Points. With handloads it consistently shoots .5" or under groups at 100 yards.

That reason aside for liking this rifle, I have dealt with their customer service a few times and as recently as yesterday, and if the quality and accuracy of the rifle didn't sell me on a Savage, the customer service sure would. Let me give you the back story on this rifle. A friend bought it new 3 years ago, and I bought it second hand from him after 1 year. So I've had it for 2. The rifle had a 1 year warranty on it which had run out by the time I bought it.

Now fast forward to my experience with their CS. When I bought the rifle from a friend he had lost the accu trigger adjustment tool, so I didn't get that with it. I called Savage's customer support and explained what was going on to them and that I'd bought the rifle used without the tool. I asked if I could purchase one. Their response was to ask me what my name and address was. I gave it to them and had my credit card in hand expecting them to ask me for the number next. They then said, "we will get this out to you for no charge." I was just shocked. Sure enough within a week I had the accu trigger tool in my hands free of charge and pretty impressed.

Then fast forward to about 9 months later. I broke the plastic trigger guard when reinstalling it on the stock. Well, didn't break completely, but cracked it. I called their customer support line once more and asked about another trigger guard. You guessed it, "we will send one out to you at no charge". Keep in mind this was almost a year after the warranty had run out.

Then, the next thing I had happen was the recoil pad ripped a month or so later. This rifle has one of the P.A.D. recoil pads on it that is super soft, and I will admit that I'm fairly hard on this rifle. This rifle has done a lot of riding in the truck on the farm, being banged around in the woods, etc. So it's not that this soft recoil pad was bad, just that it didn't jive well with the way I was using it. I called them up once more and told them I knew it was out of warranty and needed to see about getting a replacement. They replied, that they would either fix or replace it if I sent it in. Being that it was the middle of hunting season I asked them if I could wait until the season was over. They told me of course. So after hunting season I paid the $2 in shipping to ship it to them. I received back a brand new recoil pad free of charge in very short order.

I shot the gun quite a bit at the range and in the field for the year during the off season. In fact, this was my go to gun and I just used it quite a bit. I even took it turkey hunting with me. I've probably put 700-800 round through it in the last 2 years, and it's been on some adventures with me through rough terrain.

So fast forward to the hunting season this year. The first day of hunting season I ripped the recoil pad once again. The corner of the pad broke off. I just kept on hunting with it as it's still very usable obviously, and shouldering it I didn't feel a difference. It just didn't look too good with the corner of the recoil bad broken off. So yesterday I got around to giving Savage a call again. I explained the issue to them, I told them I was the second owner and the gun was 2 years out of warranty. Then I explained how they had already taken care of this for me one before which I appreciated. I then asked if they was a way I could get a harder recoil pad for it? A friend has a 30-06 in the same gun and the recoil pad on it is a lot harder, like the traditional ones you'd expect to see. I expected them to tell me that I could get one of these and give me a price. Is that what they said? Nope. Their response was, "don't worry I will take care of this for you. We will get one shipped out to you at no charge."

I was shocked to say the least. They were once again sending replacing it for me, and even letting me change to the one I'd asked for. Keep in mind this was a gun out of warranty by quite a bit, and I'm not even the first owner. So they didn't even get to see a dime from me for this gun. I'm just simply amazed that they would take care of me like this especially for stuff that isn't even their fault. That's truly standing behind your product and in this day and age, this isn't all that common.

It's just hard to find this customer service, and if the accuracy and quality of the rifle hadn't sold me on them, this customer service sure did. When I buy my next rifle, Savage is going to be at the top of my list of ones to consider. I just thought this amazing gesture on their part deserved to be mentioned in public. They really took care of me, and I really appreciate it.
 
Nice. Feels good to get that kind of treatment, huh? That is the kind of experience I have had with S&W, so I have no qualms paying for those guns. Maybe a savage in .243 will be next!
 
Great story!

I only dealt with Savage once after damaging the bolt by my own stupidity. They told me to send the bolt in and repaired it free of charge in very short order. This was on a rifle I bought used. Outstanding!
 
ADD Ruger to the list of great CS for customers,I sent in an old Single Six,1972 if I remember right,that was just plain worn out. They retimed the action,recut the forcing cone and inatalled a new higher front sight,FOR FREE!!!!!!!. It now shoots to point of aim and is as accurate as new. biker
 
i've had excellent service from savage. kimber, colt, and ruger. it's nice when someone cares that you are happy with your purchase and will do what they can to please you. no matter how nice the product, bad customer service will turn me away from another purchase or recommendation every time.
 
I bought a Savage Model 11 in 7mm WSM about 10 months ago from my LGS. The gun was new, but out of production. I decided to put it into a Bell & Carlson tactical A2 stock, which meant converting it from hinged floorplate to blind magazine. I explained this to Savage Customer Service, and was given the info on changing the magazine follower and spring, told I could use the same magazine insert, and was sent (free within a week) a trigger guard. A little later, I discovered I needed a magazine retaining clip, and was also sent that for free.

The service was excellent - no, outstanding - especially by today's standards. As long as there are manufacturers out there who are willing to give this kind of service on their products, then people at Remchester and others who believe in "Cash first, customer later - WAY later!" had better look out. My next rifle will most likely be a new Savage.
 
It's almost like Savage is trying to expand their business and take over some market share from those experiencing problems with other manufacturers...

Quality, accurate, inexpensive, super customer service.... they just may pull it off. :)
 
Go Savage! I had a problem with an ejector spring in my well-used, out-of-warranty Savage 12 FV. I called them, and they said "No problem, a new one is on its way, no charge". I had it in my hands in a couple of days. The new one is running strong.

I've heard that there may have been some issues with that spring. But the way that they quickly, professionally, and politely handled the problem was terrific! Thumbs Up!
 
I like to read about happy endings. It sounds like Savage understands that the sale is merely the beginning of a life-long relationship with the owner.

Geno
 
When I got my Savage model 14, I accidentally broke the stock. I was taking the stock off to adjust the trigger, and I stupidly skipped reading the manual and took out all the screws. One of the screws didn't need to be removed and ripped the wooden threads out on its way out. Sent that stock in and got a new one free of charge.
 
I bought my grandson a Stevens 200 (Savage) last year for his birthday. After getting home he opened up the box and left the rifle on his bed and we went to get a scope for it. When we got home, the rifle was gone. Three days later I was putting the garbage can at the curb and noticed the carton set out with my neighbor's garbage.

I called the sheriff and they recovered the rifle. The kid next door had stolen the rifle and cut the stock off at the pistol grip and a few inches off the forearm.

I called Savage and explained what had happened and asked if a replacement was available. I was told that they were temporarily out of the grey stock but they had a camo stock available.

Savage replaced the stock at no charge.
 
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