Steve Beaty Ivythorn Sporting

[patjack]

I found Steve Beaty to a great bloke ! Initially... I bought my first centrefire rifle from him in January this year. It arrived at my local gun shop for me to look at. It was a mauser M03 in .243. On examination of the rifle I found the description on guntrader to be inaccurate and the rifle to have several "issues". Firstly the stock was touching the barrel at the fore end (not mentioned in the ad), secondly the three marks on the stock (mentioned in the ad) turned out to be thirteen (after that I lost count) and there were holes in the barrel where open sights had been removed leaving gaping opportunity for rust.
Well after a long discussion with Steve I decided to buy the rifle as Steve persuaded me that the marks would come out with an iron and a damp tea towel, secondly the holes in the barrel would be no problem as he would send me grub screws to fill them, or a set of open sights to put back to fill them, lastly he said I could take a piece of dowel and some glass paper and, after removing the barrel I could rub it down so that it wasn't touching the stock - easy! He also said he would send me a mauser cotton baseball cap in brown.
Well the upshot is he has not sent me the baseball cap or the grub screws ( he sent a pair of Sauer open sights- to see if they fit, they didn't so i sent them back).
Its now June and I would like to go out with my rifle but don't want to get any moisture in the screw holes.
What was agreed has not been honoured. I have written several times. His lack of interest in fulfilling our agreement has soured my whole first rifle experience and I won't be buying a single thing from Ivythorne Sporting or Steve Beaty again.
I await the arrival of those things you promised me Steve, until then, you are a liar and a cheat and doing this to a novice, buying his first rifle is an underhand thing to do as I am now stuck asking other mauser dealers/gunsmiths about how to fill the holes

Andrew

Here we go again... Trial by forum

 

[Cut+Squirt]

I found Steve Beaty to a great bloke ! Initially... I bought my first centrefire rifle from him in January this year. It arrived at my local gun shop for me to look at. It was a mauser M03 in .243. On examination of the rifle I found the description on guntrader to be inaccurate and the rifle to have several "issues". Firstly the stock was touching the barrel at the fore end (not mentioned in the ad), secondly the three marks on the stock (mentioned in the ad) turned out to be thirteen (after that I lost count) and there were holes in the barrel where open sights had been removed leaving gaping opportunity for rust.
Well after a long discussion with Steve I decided to buy the rifle as Steve persuaded me that the marks would come out with an iron and a damp tea towel, secondly the holes in the barrel would be no problem as he would send me grub screws to fill them, or a set of open sights to put back to fill them, lastly he said I could take a piece of dowel and some glass paper and, after removing the barrel I could rub it down so that it wasn't touching the stock - easy! He also said he would send me a mauser cotton baseball cap in brown.
Well the upshot is he has not sent me the baseball cap or the grub screws ( he sent a pair of Sauer open sights- to see if they fit, they didn't so i sent them back).
Its now June and I would like to go out with my rifle but don't want to get any moisture in the screw holes.
What was agreed has not been honoured. I have written several times. His lack of interest in fulfilling our agreement has soured my whole first rifle experience and I won't be buying a single thing from Ivythorne Sporting or Steve Beaty again.
I await the arrival of those things you promised me Steve, until then, you are a liar and a cheat and doing this to a novice, buying his first rifle is an underhand thing to do as I am now stuck asking other mauser dealers/gunsmiths about how to fill the holes

Andrew

I'm not one for airing my grievances on open forum {and much prefer the face to face approach} so will say little other than . . .

Your account sounds very familiar to my experiances of him recently. . . . And I don't say that lightly, as i've held him in very high regard in the past.

 

[snowy]

Here we go again... Trial by forum

Not necessarily and surely if someone is entitled to post a favourable experience then someone who hasn't or feels they haven't had such a favourable experience is entitled to post as long as it's done in a proper manner, people can then draw their own conclusions. I'd just like to add I've no axe to grind either way and both posters are unknown to myself.

 

[paul o']

never meet him but sean a rifle he done say no more
but its like anything who can say their builder is liked buy all and other trades none can be good all the time .
take scotish power my boiler shat it self sunday 920 am hot water 'n' wife suffing down the hall the lot,i called them out and was told we have no plumbers on call out sundays then one turns up monday showed him faulty hydroblock, SP have only today ok'd the work to be done ,so no hot water no cold water for 4 days we have a hose from next door vie window to get water from and buckets to fill loo's with i told them i feel like ferdowsi . i rang agian sixth time and i just been told fri am maybe if part comes in .point is the only one you can trust is yourself to get the job done as you like it done

 

[R8 user]

Steve's a great chap but he needs a secretary and full time staff as he's so busy.

I've no issue with him , he's a trustworthy honest man in my opinion.

 

[tikka22250]

Steve has an open day on 29 June down at Ivythorne Sporting with many rifles/setups to try. All welcome 0900 - 1700

 

[patjack]

Not necessarily and surely if someone is entitled to post a favourable experience then someone who hasn't or feels they haven't had such a favourable experience is entitled to post as long as it's done in a proper manner, people can then draw their own conclusions. I'd just like to add I've no axe to grind either way and both posters are unknown to myself.

I think you knew what i meant by my comments but you chose to interperate it your way, yes of cause everyone has the right to air their opinions its just we seem to only hear 2 sides if we are lucky and somewhere in there the truth is lost and it always seems to go the same way and get blocked.

Is it proper and fair to call someone a Liar & a Cheat or is that the way forums work now.

I know either or have no connection with them it just seems a shame when it transends into this every time.

 

[Hornet 6]

Having read a few of the lets bash Steve threads a few things become clear.
1/ Offroad Gary is in all of them.
2/ The problem guns have been sent to another dealer and not collected in person.

As I have repeatedly said I have had no issues at all and would recommend Ivythorn without a second thought.
I have bought 2 rifles from Steve, and been in the shop 4 times, what I have never done is bought a rifle I have not seen with my own eyes, ever, from anybody, and never would.
As per this one, if a rifle is sold as standard with fixed sights, which then don't show in the pics of a second hand gun it is pretty obvious they have been removed, that will leave either threaded holes, or spots showing where the retaining studs were welded in place.
As for marks on a second hand rifle, maybe there were only 3 when it left Ivythorn ?, but either way if the buyer is not happy with the gun then send it back, and in the case of Ivythorn it will have cost you nothing but the inconvenience of popping in to your local shop.

Neil.

 

[snowy]

I think you knew what i meant by my comments but you chose to interperate it your way, yes of cause everyone has the right to air their opinions its just we seem to only hear 2 sides if we are lucky and somewhere in there the truth is lost and it always seems to go the same way and get blocked.

Is it proper and fair to call someone a Liar & a Cheat or is that the way forums work now.

I know either or have no connection with them it just seems a shame when it transends into this every time.

I agree it is a shame that it usually ends in threads being closed possibly prematurely on occasions in my humble opinion but it wouldn't do for us all to be of the same opinion as life would become very boring very quickly. The trouble with being different / having different views appears to get people removed / deleted just lately.

 

[seprim]

Having read a few of the lets bash Steve threads a few things become clear.
1/ Offroad Gary is in all of them.
2/ The problem guns have been sent to another dealer and not collected in person.

As I have repeatedly said I have had no issues at all and would recommend Ivythorn without a second thought.
I have bought 2 rifles from Steve, and been in the shop 4 times, what I have never done is bought a rifle I have not seen with my own eyes, ever, from anybody, and never would.
As per this one, if a rifle is sold as standard with fixed sights, which then don't show in the pics of a second hand gun it is pretty obvious they have been removed, that will leave either threaded holes, or spots showing where the retaining studs were welded in place.
As for marks on a second hand rifle, maybe there were only 3 when it left Ivythorn ?, but either way if the buyer is not happy with the gun then send it back, and in the case of Ivythorn it will have cost you nothing but the inconvenience of popping in to your local shop.

Neil.

You assume much...
The ad I replied to said new gun - with three marks on the stock - hence to price.
Offroad Gary - I don't know that person, and have had no contact with him whatsoever.
Whether you should expect threaded holes or not, makes no difference - if Steve agreed to send something to fill the holes, if the rifle was purchased, then that is a contract.
You didn't offer an explanation for the stock touching the barrel - care to guess at that as well ?
Re- buying a rifle I hadn't seen - the rifle was shipped for me to look at, I looked at it, made some notes, phoned Steve to query the observations and came to an agreement, the agreement was not honoured.
Doesn't impress me much that you are happy to stand by Steve Beaty having only been in his shop 4 times, this is not a reference of any strength to me as you probably haven't known him for more than 24 consecutive hours.
I expect my customers to hold me to every promise I make, and I expect the same of others.
Andrew

 

[Offroad Gary]

Having read a few of the lets bash Steve threads a few things become clear.
1/ Offroad Gary is in all of them.
2/ The problem guns have been sent to another dealer and not collected in person.

As I have repeatedly said I have had no issues at all and would recommend Ivythorn without a second thought.
I have bought 2 rifles from Steve, and been in the shop 4 times, what I have never done is bought a rifle I have not seen with my own eyes, ever, from anybody, and never would.
As per this one, if a rifle is sold as standard with fixed sights, which then don't show in the pics of a second hand gun it is pretty obvious they have been removed, that will leave either threaded holes, or spots showing where the retaining studs were welded in place.
As for marks on a second hand rifle, maybe there were only 3 when it left Ivythorn ?, but either way if the buyer is not happy with the gun then send it back, and in the case of Ivythorn it will have cost you nothing but the inconvenience of popping in to your local shop.

Neil.

Facts..
i have never started a steve beaty thread.
i paid deposit upfront for a vssf 22-250 he said he had tested with specifically 55gn bullets
I went in person to collect it, tested it for 3 hrs with various factory and homeloaded ammo, at my cost.
It would not shoot
he couldnt return my deposit then
i walked away
next day he tried to sell me it again saying it shot 40gn bullets
My deposit was eventually returned, but he deducted for a moderator bush he said he had bought without my permission.

i would advise anyone to tread carefully where this man is concerned, he is dishonest, one thing that i am not, i dont mind calling a spade a spade though.

a week later i bought a tooley 22-250 from dave ryan without seeing it, he said "you will cream your pants at this rifle", he was right. An absolute pleasure to deal with.

​buyers beware!

 

[Hornet 6]

You assume much...

I assumed nothing, you ordered it, weren't that happy but bought it anyway, because Steve said he would send some screws.
You accepted his reasons or excuses over the barrel touching and various marks on the stock.
So Steve has neglected to send the promised screws, as I said earlier, not good and not excusable.
But the fact remains that this rifle was bought at a distance without viewing it, Ivythorn offer to send it for your approval, you could just as easily have sent it back.
Now we have a trial by forum (again) over a couple of missing screws.

Neil.

PS: Gary I never said you started a thread.

 

[seprim]

I assumed nothing, you ordered it, weren't that happy but bought it anyway, because Steve said he would send some screws.
You accepted his reasons or excuses over the barrel touching and various marks on the stock.
So Steve has neglected to send the promised screws, as I said earlier, not good and not excusable.
But the fact remains that this rifle was bought at a distance without viewing it, Ivythorn offer to send it for your approval, you could just as easily have sent it back.
Now we have a trial by forum (again) over a couple of missing screws.

Neil.

PS: Gary I never said you started a thread.

Neil
It seems you are assuming everything...
firstly I did not order this rifle it was placed on the web for sale - quite a different thing
secondly I viewed the rifle and then discussed the issues I had with Steve Beaty and then we made a contract, which Steve Beaty reneged on (it was screws and a mauser baseball cap in brown that he promised, and didn't deliver)
Neil its not just the screws man its the broken promise - I wouldn't have posted anything on this forum about Ivythorne Sporting if I had received those items weeks down the line, and he had explained that he was busy or had forgotten or whatever. But that didn't happen.
I felt this thread deserved some feedback from a dissatisfied customer is all.

Andrew

 

[Hornet 6]

Neil its not just the screws man its the broken promise -

Andrew

That we do agree on, if somebody promises something it should be carried through, always.
Were I you I would keep on at him until it is sorted.
Steve is a decent bloke to deal with in my experience (but I have always visited), but he is also a little disorganised, which no excuse but I can see how he drops the ball on these things.
But that doesn't make it right or excusable that a promise should be broken, no matter how large or small the promised parts are.
This thread will cost him customers, and if all you say is correct that is only right.
All for a few screws and a cap, total cost to the shop would probably be a tenner, talk about shoot yourself in the foot!

Neil.

 

[Simjim33]

It won't cost Steve my business! I always travel down to see the gentleman in person. Yes it's a long way. But for me it is a day off(getting rare now)!

 

[Offroad Gary]

my last post on this matter, dont want to damage my reputation by harping on...

ivythorne has a lovely gun room, lots of nice, good quality stock which is unlikely to have problems and sells rifles at competaive prices. when issues arise thats when you find out how good their service really is. lots have bought nice rifles with no issues, hence the good reputation.

i say by a rifle from ivythorne if they have what you want, but dont be talked into buying something that is not right for your needs.

 

[Hornet 6]

i say by a rifle from ivythorne if they have what you want, but dont be talked into buying something that is not right for your needs.

My sentiment exactly, and that goes for any seller or shop.
There are many rifles for sale, if the condition of one you are considering is not to your tastes, or is bothering you don't buy it.

Neil.

 

[Neil M]

BUYER BEWARE!!! in all cases!!

 

[siamsteve1968]

Top Fella always professional and a pleasure to deal with

Hi, having purchased a new rifle I thought I'd post my experience of dealing with Steve Beaty from Ivythorn sporting.
I decided to sell my Sako 75 in 6.5x55 in favour of a .30-06 a couple of months back as I needed a more powerful all rounder that could be used on driven Boar in Germany, as well as on the fallow that I shoot here. So, I put the 75 up for sale, here on this site, and sold it to one of the SD's now even happier members last month.
I decided that it would be a good move to buy a rifle with the option of interchangeable barrels and as such decided to look for either a Sauer, Mauser or Blaser etc. I mentioned this to a friend of mine who pointed me in the direction of Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Sporting as this is his one of his specialisms.
I had a good conversation with Steve and felt encouraged by his thorough and proactive attitude towards dealing with my enquiries. Steve is a breath of fresh air, he runs his business in a way which makes him actually worth trading with.
I asked Steve strait questions and he gave me strait answers. So, having almost decided on a Sauer I took a look at his stock on line and found a completely different rifle - a Schultz and Larsen M97-DL. I rang him back and Steve was a superb guide, he offered me a brilliant deal on it, which I happily accepted, and he gave me a 6 month warranty plus a load of extras.
Having now worked out 20 or so home loads, and put them through it, I've found 2 blisteringly accurate loads, both of which plop one bullet on top of the last and the rifle can only be described as unbelievably accurate. Whilst working my way through the powder charges the rifles poorest group was less than 2" and that was during my bore sighting stage !. The rifle has virtually no recoil to it either thanks to the Pes moderator that Steve threw into the deal with the rifle; its extremely quiet too. The rifle shoots so smoothly that upon taking my 1st shots with it I actually thought there must be something wrong with my home loads because it sounded and felt like only the primers had gone off !
I was also given two sets of Apel swing off mounts and a 5 shot and 3 shot magazine which will be very handy when dealing with my friends Boar problem this Autumn.
Unfortunately, I uncovered a small issue with the trigger after my zeroing session, however, I rang Steve who then had it picked up from me and he had it corrected and on its way back to me within 48hrs.
I simply had to write and say that I'm very impressed by Steve and his assistant Shane, they do a good job well and I heartily recommend their services to anyone who is in the market for a decent rifle.
Steve did not put me up to writing this and I rarely would go to the length of writing such an arse kiss report, but, Steve deserves the praise, he has made me a very happy customer and I wish him and Shane and his little son a fantastic future and great success.

Kind regards, Olaf

 

[Olaf]

I had issues with my rifle, as i pointed out in my initial post, the trigger had an issue with its set up. I rang Steve, which did take a few goes to reach him, but, as soon as i spoke to him he had it picked up from me within a matter of hrs, fixed it, and then sent it back to me in lovely working order. Personally id say that he achieved a level of service that id award a 10 out of 10 mark of excellence for.
Its a shame that Steve appears to have forgotten to send that other chap his screws and the Brown hat, maybe he was too busy giving good service to remember to do this nice little couple of good deeds for him. I completely agree, Its a shame, but hardly worth getting upset about surely ?
Steve told me that my rifle would shoot around 1" to 1.5" groups, its a stalking rifle so I was more than happy with this prediction, however upon testing it doesn't do that at all, it shoots 0.5" groups and less. Maybe its just because the rifle fits me well that it shoots better, or maybe its just because I was lucky with my purchase ? Personally i like to think its because Steve sold me a good rifle with loads of extras for a fair price because he is running a business ? Being a self employed person, I personally tend to find that giving a good deal to my clients seems to work out well for everyone.

Kind regards, Olaf