• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Gunsmith or purchase factory

Well I may be jumping the gun by one day I should have about $2,000 for a custom gun tomorrow. I know I want the following:
1-bolt-action repeater
2-synthetic adjustable stock to fit my 6'4"frame 3-medium Contour Barrel 26" ish with a threaded muzzle.
This rifle will be used mostly to shoot 600 yards or less with the once in a blue moon thousand yard shoot. May carry hunting once or twice if right situation comes up.
4-. It will also be in 308. Thats my choice. I know is not everyone's preference but it's mine. Where I need help is finding agunsmith to build or something pre-built. I've attached a few pictures of builds I liked.
Your thoughts please on where to look and accuracy expectation. My hope was 3/8" 5 shot but I may be overy reaching.

I looked at the big names like GAP etc but those are all 4k whicH is to much. I also already have the scope.

I should also note I don't want used. I have this money as a used rifle I bought last month blew up on factory match ammo and has me oug of the used game for the foreseeable future
 

Attachments

  • Capture.JPG
    Capture.JPG
    42.1 KB · Views: 125
First off $2,000 for a custom rifle isnt enough money unless you find a used gun to by somewhere for a good deal.

A custom action is $850-$1400
Barrel is $320-340
Stock - mcmillan stocks are what you like in your picture, manners you would like too... $500-1000
Trigger $210-450
Bottom metal and ai mag - $250-$350
Good scope rings $120-$250
Pic rail $50-120

Gunsmith:
Chamber/thread barrel $250-$300
Thread muzzle -$50-100
Bedding $150-200



And your wasting your money if you buy a rem 700 action and get it trued because for the price you end up paying you could have just about bought a custom action... plus its still only worth the cost of a regular 700 action. Doesnt hold its value like a custom action would.

And ill add the name "Gap, GA Precision" is paying for the name... Ive built several of the same kind of rifles if not better like they build $1000 cheaper than they sell them...

You about $1000 short... custom rifles average $3000 to build.
 
Last edited:
I would just buy a savage hunting gun if your going to do all those things you say , The model 10 fp or something similar , then later rebarrel it with a custom barrel and chamber. What scope do you have to shoot 600 and 1000 yds ?
 
First off $2,000 for a custom rifle isnt enough money ...

+1

However, if you are very patient and don't mind doing some of the work yourself (e.g., bedding), you might be able to make it happen for close to $2K.

Action: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/spf.3909523/ (although you missed this fantastic deal)
Barrel: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/308-kreiger-rem-varmint-threaded-for-rem-700.3909938/ (might work if set up for the correct recoil lug thickness)
Stock: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/f-s-hs-remington-varmit-chanel-sa-stock.3909627/
 
If you've got a 700SA to start with, depending on your taste in stocks, your in the ball park.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CJ6
Buy a Savage action in the style and size you prefer, whether long action/short action (standard bolt face, of course, for .308 class cartridge) or stainless/blued. If it already has a barrel and stock, sell those or throw them away, and buy an adjustable Bell & Carlson stock from Stocky's Stocks, a barrel, from whoever you want to make your Savage prefit, and put it together yourself. If you are going to shoot 1,000 yards, or heavier bullets, get a 10-twist barrel, which will stabilize everything up to the Berger 215 hybrid, which really needs a faster twist, but I just won't do that. 215's may shoot fine in 10 twist, but it is not optimal per the twist rate calculator. The new Berger 200.20X stabilizes fine in 1:10.
I did that very thing, only I started with a stainless Model 12 (large-shank) and kept the 26" 1:10 barrel from the factory. It shot a .25" 5-shot group with Berger 215 hybrids, and several .4" groups with Sierra 180 gr MatchKings. I haven't shot groups since I started shooting matches with it. The old Savage triggers are just fine, and the new triggers are even better. Don't mess with them. Get a Ken Farrell scope base of the proper slope to get you out to 1,000 yards. I've seen a shooter win the Bayou Rifles F/O match with a setup just like I'm describing, and there are multiple High Masters at matches here. She beat everybody.
For a custom, I have used Precision Barrel Work.com (Pete Pieper, in Hempstead, TX), and there's no better rifle than what he puts together. He has an internet offer under $3,000 for a custom.) I would trust several others to build one, and these are people I've gotten work from, including Barney at Shooter's Station in Conroe, TX, Omar Alonzo in Pasadena, TX, and of course guys like Larry P. Racine back East and Doan Trevor in New Mexico. Every one of those is an excellent person to work with. Closer to you, I do not have any contacts. You will be very lucky to find a real good custom, that doesn't have "issues" for under $3,000. Pete Pieper or Barney at Shooter's Station will come close, and Barney actually has one for sale, already put together with a modular stock, and muzzle break, and I presume the brake can be removed for competition, like F-class. Check those two websites.
 
Buy a Savage action in the style and size you prefer, whether long action/short action (standard bolt face, of course, for .308 class cartridge) or stainless/blued. If it already has a barrel and stock, sell those or throw them away, and buy an adjustable Bell & Carlson stock from Stocky's Stocks, a barrel, from whoever you want to make your Savage prefit, and put it together yourself. If you are going to shoot 1,000 yards, or heavier bullets, get a 10-twist barrel, which will stabilize everything up to the Berger 215 hybrid, which really needs a faster twist, but I just won't do that. 215's may shoot fine in 10 twist, but it is not optimal per the twist rate calculator. The new Berger 200.20X stabilizes fine in 1:10.
I did that very thing, only I started with a stainless Model 12 (large-shank) and kept the 26" 1:10 barrel from the factory. It shot a .25" 5-shot group with Berger 215 hybrids, and several .4" groups with Sierra 180 gr MatchKings. I haven't shot groups since I started shooting matches with it. The old Savage triggers are just fine, and the new triggers are even better. Don't mess with them. Get a Ken Farrell scope base of the proper slope to get you out to 1,000 yards. I've seen a shooter win the Bayou Rifles F/O match with a setup just like I'm describing, and there are multiple High Masters at matches here. She beat everybody.
For a custom, I have used Precision Barrel Work.com (Pete Pieper, in Hempstead, TX), and there's no better rifle than what he puts together. He has an internet offer under $3,000 for a custom.) I would trust several others to build one, and these are people I've gotten work from, including Barney at Shooter's Station in Conroe, TX, Omar Alonzo in Pasadena, TX, and of course guys like Larry P. Racine back East and Doan Trevor in New Mexico. Every one of those is an excellent person to work with. Closer to you, I do not have any contacts. You will be very lucky to find a real good custom, that doesn't have "issues" for under $3,000. Pete Pieper or Barney at Shooter's Station will come close, and Barney actually has one for sale, already put together with a modular stock, and muzzle break, and I presume the brake can be removed for competition, like F-class. Check those two websites.
This, Very easy to do and they will shoot. You can have PacNor install the barrel if you don't want to. Buy an aluminum bedding block stock and you are good to go. I think with most customs you are getting a good chamber, preferred twist, and nice trigger. All those things can be had in a Savage for much less than 3K.
 

Yup. Kmartin: You picked well for barrel life with the 308. A lightly used one is a good gun to get. With a little patience your next gun may come up in the classifieds. The one here now could be it. That's a nice set up. I recently picked up a nice gun here. Custom action, Jewell trigger and 2 barrels for $2000. 30br and 6.5 Lapua. They come along.
Well, my bad. I reread your post. What "blew up"? Then this: About 4 years ago, I started shooting my hunting guns. I wanted something "better" , took a friends advice and bought a Remington 700 10th Anniversary 5r. The gun shot so well, I bought 3 more. I have a few customs now, but I still shoot my 5r. Mine is very accurate with the right load. They run about $1100. That leaves you some money for a Jewel trigger and bedding.
29mlzth.jpg
 
Last edited:
Glad to hear your ok. What kind of BLOW UP ? What rifle blew up ?
Sorry to hear your turned off buying used , it's a great place to find customs , always have any new , used rifle checked by a real smith .
Good luck , Gary

No custom is going to be as good as it can be unless you get into reloading . Factory ammo will never allow you to benefit from a custom as you should .
Walk don't run in this game .
 
Last edited:
Well I may be jumping the gun by one day I should have about $2,000 for a custom gun tomorrow. I know I want the following:
1-bolt-action repeater
2-synthetic adjustable stock to fit my 6'4"frame 3-medium Contour Barrel 26" ish with a threaded muzzle.
This rifle will be used mostly to shoot 600 yards or less with the once in a blue moon thousand yard shoot. May carry hunting once or twice if right situation comes up.
4-. It will also be in 308. Thats my choice. I know is not everyone's preference but it's mine. Where I need help is finding agunsmith to build or something pre-built. I've attached a few pictures of builds I liked.
Your thoughts please on where to look and accuracy expectation. My hope was 3/8" 5 shot but I may be overy reaching.

I looked at the big names like GAP etc but those are all 4k whicH is to much. I also already have the scope.

I should also note I don't want used. I have this money as a used rifle I bought last month blew up on factory match ammo and has me oug of the used game for the foreseeable future
Shilen DGR $1500. A place to start. Just call Jen.. Just my two cents Tommy Mc..
 
Thanks. Lots of new smith's and options to look at. May pm several of you to ask questions over next bit.

The rifle was a 3 year old remington 40x tactical I bought thru cabelas. I gave a 223 and it shoots bug holes. It just didn't do well at 600 yards due to the high north Dakota winds. Hence the step to 308.

I had silver state armory match 168 ammo and the remington put the first 3 in the same hole. 4th was off a bit and bolt was tight to open. 5tH shot all I remember I'd a blast of shrapnel hitting my face and eyes. I wasn't wearing dedicated shooting glasses but do were eye glasses that are safety glass but didn't have side shields in. Was like getting handful of hot dust thrown in my face and eyes were sore and bloodshot next day or 2.
I tried opening bolt and the handle tore off.
So I called Cabelas immediately and they offered to refund my money.
I love the Remington 40 x and considered keeping it but it took two weeks to make arrangements 4 the return and 2 more weeks to get the return so I decided to just walk away. I will resize the only pics I have and try and attach.
 
Ive built several of the same kind of rifles if not better like they build $1000 cheaper than they sell them...

Really?

You built these yourself or someone else built them for you? If you did all the work yourself then I can suggest that you need to do one of two things immediately:

- Call George Gardner at GA Precision and tell him your story to convince him that he has to hire you because you are the best gunsmith he's ever seen. He will reward your abilities handsomely.

OR

- Start your own gunsmith business and put George and all the other precision rifle builders out of business. You can be the best and richest gunsmith ever. :D

...if not better like they build...

Again, Really?

The GA Precision accuracy guarantees are for 1/2 MOA and 3/8 MOA depending on the model, and you can do better than this when building several hundred of the same type of rifles a year? :eek:

And ill add the name "Gap, GA Precision" is paying for the name...

Again, Really?

Obviously you haven't been to the GA Precision shop and spoken with the staff and owner. There are 15 employees who work for George in the 4500 sq.ft. building. The shop area is filled with manual and CNC machines, then there are the finish areas and offices of course. You can't run an operation this big without a bookkeeper, sales staff and production manager who is also a gunsmith. This is a tremendous amount of overhead which largely negates the concept of 'paying for the name'.

This doesn't include the cost of operations either, like the huge cost of insurance, components purchasing, administration and the high cost of utilities. Did you buy and pay for liability insurance when you figured your cost? How about maintaining a supply of components? George keeps about 100 custom actions in the vault on any given day, about 200 custom Bartleins on the rack and 2-3 dozen McMillan and Manners stocks on a rack. Add those costs up and then tell me that you're 'paying for the name'.

I added up the suggested prices in your list at the top of the post with a couple of minor downward adjustments and I came up with $4100.00 per your pricing.

Regards.
 
Glad to hear your ok. What kind of BLOW UP ? What rifle blew up ?
Sorry to hear your turned off buying used , it's a great place to find customs , always have any new , used rifle checked by a real smith .
Good luck , Gary

No custom is going to be as good as it can be unless you get into reloading . Factory ammo will never allow you to benefit from a custom as you should .
Walk don't run in this game .

I actually do typically reload and hadnt bough factory ammo in almost 20 years. Unfortunately a move, new job, new house and new baby have me at a time and place where all my presses etc are still boxed up. This winter is likely when I will set up but I have one more closet and some trim to Finnish first.
 
If your looking to reach out past 600 , the rifle I'm selling is a perfect candidate. I am offering it with a 260 Remington barrel which offers excellent ballistics with 6.5 bullets and I also have a new 26" 308 barrel that can reach out also!
 
Here are the pics promissed. Excluding it not having an adjustable stock to fit me (didn't matter as it fit real good), this was the gun I always wanted.

I should comment that a dedicated gun for hunting, one for 600 yards, one for close is nice and the best way to go, but I believe it's possible to get one that can shoot across the coarse and will Excell at most. My choice will be weakest at benchrest. I have done very well with less than perfect equipment even winning some 1000 yards competition's years ago. This is kind if my one chance to get the best I can.
 

Attachments

  • 20160901_175829.jpg
    20160901_175829.jpg
    115.4 KB · Views: 91
  • 20160901_204028.jpg
    20160901_204028.jpg
    246.8 KB · Views: 93
  • 20160901_175838.jpg
    20160901_175838.jpg
    82.5 KB · Views: 89
  • 01.jpg
    01.jpg
    31.1 KB · Views: 80

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,802
Messages
2,203,315
Members
79,110
Latest member
miles813
Back
Top