Bergara Premier Ridgeback 300 Winchester Magnum Bolt Action Rifle - Blue/Black, 24" Barrel, 5+1 Rounds, Camo Stock

After much research and taking time into making a thoughtful decision, I purchased this rifle based upon the reviews I read and the Bergara name. When it came time to pick up the rifle from the FFL dealer, I was shocked when I opened the box and found scratches (down to the metal) in the Cerakote finish on the barrel. The bolt, which sits in a separate styrofoam compartment in the packaging, slipped between to layers of styrofoam during shipping and ended up resting on the barrel. I could have sent it back, but I purchased the gun for an Aoudad hunt I was scheduled to go on in a couple of weeks and didn't have time to send it back and wait on another shipment. Also, due to the poor packaging, there was no guarantee the next rifle wouldn't have the same issue.
This certainly wasn't Bud's Gun Shop's issue. I've always been very happy with their products and service. It baffles me, however, that a company like Bergara, who prides itself and brags about making a quality premium rifle (with an MSRP of $2K), would package their product so poorly. Spending a few dollars more on better packaging practices would have prevented this issue and the huge disappointment I felt when I opened the box to a brand new rifle.