You know, these PVA threads really sadden me. Two years ago, I knew almost nothing about precison shooting. However, after some research and reading, I was ready to drop $1,000 on a new Tika, Bergerra, or a Howa rifle, my first precision rifle. I just wasn't quite sure of the manufacturer that I wanted, and I just couldn't afford a true custom rifle.
Just about the time I was ready to pull the trigger, Patriot Valley Arms announced a new rifle for under $2,000. It was going to be as good as a custom, but at an off the shelf rifle price. Now I had never heard of PVA, but the praises for them, and their past work, on this site were almost endless. They were talked so good about on here, that I reluctantly doubled my budget, and put down a deposit with an unknown to me company and a new John Hancock Rifle. It was way more money than I had ever spent on a gun before. This was January 29th, of last year, right after SHOT, if I remember correctly. The rifles were supposed to be released in April. I was excited, and couldn't wait for it to be delivered.
In the mean time, I had signed up for a private long range get-together/unknown distance course at the Whittington Center for September, with several forum members on another site. I figured that if I got the rifle in April, I should still have plenty of time to work up a load, and learn enough about long range shooting to get me through the class. April came and went. Then May. I spoke with Jeremy and Josh a couple times. June, July then August went by. I was forced to cancel my trip. I was extremely disappointed. I was seriously concerned, along with several others on here, about maybe not getting a rifle at all, and losing our deposit money, but we were continuously reassured, by members on here, that the rifle would be worth the wait.
Finally, in December, a little over 10 months after I ordered it, I received my rifle. It's a beautiful rifle, to me anyway, and it shoots frikkin lights out...way better than I can. I am extremely pleased with it. Was it worth the wait? I think it was. I was thinking after people, including myself, started getting rifle orders filled, that PVA would soon be caught up, and shipping out new orders just about as soon as they get them.
For some reason however, a year later, they seem to still be having issues getting rifles and components out the door. The mood and the feelings for PVA on here, have turned a complete 180 degrees, and it's truly disappointing to see. It seems they make a fantastic products and frikkin awesome rifles. I know several of the reasons for the delay on the JHR were ATF approvals, moving to a new shop, new CNC equipment, etc. But that's all been worked out. They are now saying parts availability is the reason for the delay.
I don't know what the delays are, and I'm not going to pretend to know, and right now, I have no skin in the game. All I know, is that two years after nothing but praises here on the Hide, it's now just gloom and doom, and it's been sad to watch the change in peoples attitude and feelings toward this company.
I really hope PVA gets their ducks in a row real soon. I would like, one day, to maybe order another rifle from them. I know that eventually, I will at least need a new barrel from them for my rifle. But there is no way I'm waiting a year for an off he shelf rifle or barrel. I would really like to see the confidence in them build back up to what it was before the JHR was released. I know it's going to be a tough uphill battle for them though, at least on here.
For all you people still waiting, some of you over a year, I really hope you receive your rifle real soon. Once it's in your hand, you will not be disappointed in the way it shoots. They really are very nice rifles.
