Custom build

[bjsiillinois]

Question for you guys that have had custom rifles built.
What kind of wait would one expect it take to get a complete custom rifle built?

Thanks, Billy

 

[CTK]

1-12+ months. Depends on parts availability and gunsmith. If you have components, some guys can do in a month. My experience:

NULA 4 months
Jim Borden 7 months
Lee Christiansen 3 weeks
Jon Beanland 3 months

 

[Big Mc]

Question for you guys that have had custom rifles built.
What kind of wait would one expect it take to get a complete custom rifle built?

Thanks, Billy

Jim Borden is worth the wait !!!

 

[Gabe22BR]

Question for you guys that have had custom rifles built.
What kind of wait would one expect it take to get a complete custom rifle built?

Thanks, Billy

Greg Taylor--- Borden BR action= less than a week
Chris Mackey (savage guy)---Kreiger barrel= less than a week
Larry Scott (greatscottshooters) Jewell trigger= less than week
Guns Smith to chamber barrel--- 2 days..

Your mileage may vary.....

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

4-6 weeks for my local gunsmith. 4-6 weeks for my stock guy (wood from blank to fit and checkered). So, three months total.

And NO! I am not telling you who they are.

 

[ebb]

What the other guys said, buy all the components and send them to a smith and if he has every thing in hand it can be quick. But get the smith to agree to it first, and seek his input on what works best for him. The guys that build a lot of hunting rifles will be busiest just before hunting season. The guy Ive used builds a lot of benchrest rifles, he is busiest just before the season starts. But having all the pieces is the big wait.

 

[nakneker]

If this is your first build I would suggest going with very reputable gunsmith. I used a local guy the first time I built a custom rifle. The rifle turned out to be very accurate, that was the pro. However here is a few of the cons, the chambering inscription was beat in the side of the barrel with the finesse of a third grader and half of it was below the stock line. The fit of the barrel channel was poor, the crown was poor, the finish was mediocre at best, basically the details of the rifle were finished very rough. When I went to sell it nobody wanted it, the gunsmith was unknown outside our city limits, the rifle wasn't very presentable. The good gunsmiths are talented machinist, they understand how to properly, thread, chamber, bed, their barrels channels are clean, if you ask for a crisp two pound trigger you'll get it. If you use a gunsmith that has a good name and reputation you recover more of your money when you go to sell it. If keep it, you'll be proud of what you have. A few of my favorites are.

Jon Beanland
Gre-tan rifles
Weaver rifles

There's many more. Make a few calls and see what their wait times are, they fluctuate. Don't be shy to ask for their opinions and then make sure you build what you want. Most of them will have a build sheet that will help cover all the details. This forum is rich with information and many of its members are happy to help you, I use the information found here all the time.

 

[bjsiillinois]

Thank you all for your replies. I have been thinking about having one built, and wondered how long to expect? So basically a year or less from what I'm hearing. I've heard of some really long waits, 2 years, and I was wondering.

Thanks, Billy

 

[dwcon]

Bob Lawson Gunsmith has done lots of my work fast turnaround and good work. Dannie Wake

 

[Sniper338]

If i had money i could have one built in a week tops. You just gotta know where to source your parts from. And have a damn good smith as a bud..

 

[Kurz]

Question for you guys that have had custom rifles built.
What kind of wait would one expect it take to get a complete custom rifle built?

Thanks, Billy

Billy,

Asking a gunsmith to procure all the parts necessary for your build will take the longest UNLESS:

It is a bigger builder who maintains a large parts inventory (expensive!).

You specify a stock which is readily available (common specs).

The barrel you need is a more common caliber and contour.

Example and only an example:

GA Precision carries a couple hundred Bartlein barrels in 6mm, 6.5mm and 30 cal. in 3 contours at all times. They usually have several of the most common tactical stocks and several hunter-style stocks on the shelf both McMillan and Manners. They usually have 100-200 of their house actions (Defiance) in various configurations and bolt faces.

The call here is for 2 months when everything is in stock. This is bedded, tuned and painted, ready for shipping. However, based on delivery times for non-stocked barrels and stocks which CAN run up 6 months for the most popular varieties, you could wait 8-9 months depending on the number of builds inhouse already in line.

Now, if you want to do the sourcing of your favorite parts, here are a couple of short cuts:

Call Defiance or any other action maker direct to get the exact action you want but be prepared to wait.

OR

Check the website of a supplier such as Bugholes to see what they have in stock currently. They usually have actions and barrels at retail prices.

Bruno's in Phoenix carries a good selection of the better accuracy brands of actions, barrels and stocks. Check other sources as well.

Both Manners and McMillan have a section on their respective websites for stocks that are currently available. They will be retail priced but ready to ship if they have what you want. McMillan's market site does show slight discounts for some of the stocks that aren't in as high a demand as others. I have saved significantly when a particular stock hung around too long and saved me about 50% just when I needed it. Pure luck, believe me but appreciated none the less.

Don't forget the classified here, either. If you have the time to shop and wait for potential deals, you can save some cash. I have had nothing but great experiences with the sellers on this website.

It also never hurts to ask either. Post a WTB in the Classifieds and see what some of the folks have laying around that might be useful in your build.

Regards.

 

[Tommie]

After hearing stories of disappointing accuracy from custom builds and noting that barrel manufacturers blame gunsmiths and vice versa, I decided to do the one-stop shopping route. If you send your action to a barrel maker who offers installation, chambering and action accurizing then there's only one party who deserves "blame" if the rifle doesn't shoot well.

Then again, my logic could be completely flawed.

 

[bjsiillinois]

Billy,

Asking a gunsmith to procure all the parts necessary for your build will take the longest UNLESS:

It is a bigger builder who maintains a large parts inventory (expensive!).

You specify a stock which is readily available (common specs).

The barrel you need is a more common caliber and contour.

Example and only an example:

GA Precision carries a couple hundred Bartlein barrels in 6mm, 6.5mm and 30 cal. in 3 contours at all times. They usually have several of the most common tactical stocks and several hunter-style stocks on the shelf both McMillan and Manners. They usually have 100-200 of their house actions (Defiance) in various configurations and bolt faces.

The call here is for 2 months when everything is in stock. This is bedded, tuned and painted, ready for shipping. However, based on delivery times for non-stocked barrels and stocks which CAN run up 6 months for the most popular varieties, you could wait 8-9 months depending on the number of builds inhouse already in line.

Now, if you want to do the sourcing of your favorite parts, here are a couple of short cuts:

Call Defiance or any other action maker direct to get the exact action you want but be prepared to wait.

OR

Check the website of a supplier such as Bugholes to see what they have in stock currently. They usually have actions and barrels at retail prices.

Bruno's in Phoenix carries a good selection of the better accuracy brands of actions, barrels and stocks. Check other sources as well.

Both Manners and McMillan have a section on their respective websites for stocks that are currently available. They will be retail priced but ready to ship if they have what you want. McMillan's market site does show slight discounts for some of the stocks that aren't in as high a demand as others. I have saved significantly when a particular stock hung around too long and saved me about 50% just when I needed it. Pure luck, believe me but appreciated none the less.

Don't forget the classified here, either. If you have the time to shop and wait for potential deals, you can save some cash. I have had nothing but great experiences with the sellers on this website.

It also never hurts to ask either. Post a WTB in the Classifieds and see what some of the folks have laying around that might be useful in your build.

Regards.

Kurz,
I have talked to a few Gunsmiths, they told me basically the same as you said. More and more are carrying less inventory, and more are just doing the work, and requiring the person to have the parts, Barrels, Stocks, trigger, sent to them so they are just responsible for the work, and sending it out. That way they are not harassed as to why their rifles are not finished. I can understand that, they can give a better estimate for a finished product.

 

[Kurz]

Kurz,
I have talked to a few Gunsmiths, they told me basically the same as you said. More and more are carrying less inventory, and more are just doing the work, and requiring the person to have the parts, Barrels, Stocks, trigger, sent to them so they are just responsible for the work, and sending it out. That way they are not harassed as to why their rifles are not finished. I can understand that, they can give a better estimate for a finished product.

I don't think that gunsmiths intentionally dodge the potential of carrying stock on hand in order to avoid the potential fallout from a client and his schedule.

What I do know is that if you put numbers to the basic stocking levels above you will come up in the vicinity of $250,000.00 to $300,000.00 on a continuing basis. That's a ton of cash to have sitting on a shelf waiting for a customer to need those items. The smaller shops will avoid this situation like the plague. Way too much overhead. Now in the above example also, the company knows what is ordered most frequently for their two basic specialties and orders in some form of multiples to achieve a better pricing structure.

I know a couple of shops who keep 'flat top stocks' on hand because they feel competent enough to do the inletting as needed rather than ordering in each individual inlet from the stock maker. This saves time and money over the long haul.

I think the smart play is to check the stock and barrel suppliers for 'ready to ship' inventory then search out your trigger, bottom metal, rails, rings, etc. because these are generally more readily available and in stock. Be sure to allocate time for paint if the stock needs it or you want the barreled action/bottom metal to work with some color scheme.

I get a big kick out of opening a shipping case which contains all the parts from a customer, carefully wrapped in bubble wrap, with a complete set of instructions regarding the build. If this is your intent be sure to include your contact information just in case there are questions. And usually there are some.

Good Luck with your project!

Regards.

 

[Hippy]

The BIG issue with Gunsmiths is that they usually give everyone the same answer " 2 Months (Ex)" we all know that if they run a few days late it becomes a domino effect. I have used the same Smith since the early 80's as we all age there are less and less things we prefer to do . His is now Bedding of stocks at one time his specialty the last rifle I had took him longer to bed then all of the other work combined I always supply my own Reamer, Barrel,Trigger and stock.
There are several Small gunsmiths that do excellent work and there turn around time is AWESOME most of them visit this board frequently.

Jim

 

[Kurz]

The BIG issue with Gunsmiths is that they usually give everyone the same answer " 2 Months (Ex)"

Hippy,

I CAN guarantee you that the larger, reputable gunsmiths WILL stick to the 2 month delivery time schedule IF everything is in place to complete the build.

Now, I CANNOT say the same for every one man shop or small organization. They have their own crosses to bear. In essence you cannot castigate every gunsmith for the failings of a few or however many you choose to cast in a bad light.

Please be aware also that small or one man shops have the additional burden of answering the phone and e-mails because these are their lines of communication with clients. Every minute you (a potential client or actual client) keep a gunsmith off of a machine or away from his bench costs another client time in getting their project finished. This calls the original Golden Rule into play.

Regards.

 

[bjsiillinois]

Thanks everyone for your experience.

Billy

 

[snakepit]

Question for you guys that have had custom rifles built.
What kind of wait would one expect it take to get a complete custom rifle built?

Thanks, Billy

What kind of custom build are you wanting to do? Is it for hunting, tactical, benchrest, F class etc?

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Buy all of the parts yourself, and save the 11% excise tax.

 

[bjsiillinois]

What kind of custom build are you wanting to do? Is it for hunting, tactical, benchrest, F class etc?

Snakepit,
I had been throwing around the idea of having a heavy benchrest rifle for varmint hunting. Something with a muzzle brake, so I could spot my hits in the scope. Hadnt really decided yet.