Positive story that has some negative in it.....and explains my dislike for Ruger.
Christmas is coming around, and the wife and I decide boy is ready for a rifle of his very own. I want it to be a new in the box rifle....common, and could "grow" with him. Anyone want to guess what that is? Yup good ole 1022.
Go to the store and ask if they have a plastic stock 10-22, yup have one in the back. How much....X sold. I never opened the box, there could be anything in there. I know stupid, but it was a 10-22 seen one seen them all. I pay fill out the form go home and in a closet it goes.
Fast forward to the week before Christmas and the following takes place while the wife is wrapping gifts.
Wife- have you seen boys rifle.
me- Is it missing?.....I will kill the little s.....
wife- now I have it but did you look at it, open the box.
me- no it is a 1022 they are all alike.
wife-not this one.
Me, get up from in front of the TV go in the kitchen to look.....oh hell.
The thing looked like it was run over by a tank, the barrel was that bent. You could see it through the plastic. Well )(*^*&^*)&%&())_^ Ruger. I know I am not going to send this to ruger and get it back before Christmas, but I call anyway. Tell the gal on the other end of the phone the deal, and any guess what her first words are.......You are going to keep the barrel? Well crap. I know you build garbage, but to expect it to need parts before it shoots straight is not asking too much. I get the info and back to the shop....get him to at least send it back for me.
Walk into the little shop......
me- hay I need another 22 automatic.
owner- you just got that 1022, you need another?
me-oh yea, let me tell you about that 1022 can you send it back for me.
owner- I thought it was for your kid, did you shoot it already.
me- nope, open the box.
owner- that ain't right.
me- do you have anything else.
owner- all I have is this.....Winchester 190
Well it is not new, but at least it should shoot straighter then this sorry excuse for a rifle.
Owner tell me, I am not suppose to do this, but I will take that ruger back. Ok, fill out the paperwork and all is good.
Owner is sorry all over the place, I tell him don't be, I am just as much to blame, if I would have opened this box at the get go this would have never happened. We all agree mistakes got made everywhere but we both did what we could to make it right.
Boy got a "new" rifle for christmas, but I wanted it to be really new in box, have him do everything you do with a new rifle out of the box, but that came later.
That is my gun/Christmas story from when my son was roughly 7 years old.....20 years ago.....seems like yesterday.
He just got married in Oct, and is off going down his own road, I could not be more proud of him.
