Is your favorite rifle custom made or factory made ? I have a close tie

txaggie1 said:
My favorites to collect will forever be mark v's (specifically southpaw versions for me but collect both R and L hand for me and the boys). While I have almost all calibers from 224-378 my forever favorite is the 257. Ruger 1's will be my closest in line for runner up.

Model 70 featherweight was a close runner up till i realized how much i love the single shots - especially in 257 wby! :)
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When I first read this @txaggie1 I thought you had a 224-378, not rifles ranging from 224 cal to 378 cal. My jaw dropped a little and was like good lord! How fast does that bad boy shoot?!??

As for me favorite is hard to quantify. If we're saying favorite its the first gun you grab to run out hunting currently it'd have to be my grandpas old M70 I inherited. I had it rebored to 35 Whelen, barrel chopped down to 16.5" and threaded. Perfect for the swamps of Florida. But, before moving back to Florida from out west I'd say it was my custom 25SST. If I travel back to hunt out west it's the first gun I grab.
 
My rifles are sort of semi custom made. I scrounge up used rifles & have a gunsmith re-barrel them, true up receiver ring face & lap bolt lugs. After that I install trigger, and stock. I get stocks from Richards, sometimes I install recoil pads. I use JB Weld steel epoxy to bed. I don't do enough gun work to justify the cost of a lathe or even a drill press so a gunsmith gets the work.
 
Recon$$ said:
Unpopular opinion here, but there's enough turnkey options out there I'll just buy a nice 2k-3k rifle and skip the wait. Anything I carry into the field shoots .5 moa or better with handloads. I'm talking hunting rifles.
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You know, I can see the draw of higher end factory rifles that are half the price of full customs for a lot of guys who want a nice rifle but don't want to go all-in on a full custom. But, I have seen quite a few $2-3k+ factory rifles that are very hit or miss. Christensen, Fierce, Seekins, Bergara, Weatherby, etc. Most have been returned and had work done to them and sent back, only to barely get better. A 1 MOA "guarentee" is definitely subject to interpretation. If the manufacturer tests it and gets a single 3 shot group into 1 MOA, that meets their specs.

Honestly, most full custom rifle builders don't give an accuracy guarentee. But, I have only seen one (that I can remember) full custom that just wouldn't shoot well CONSISTENTLY. It turned out to be a bad barrel. It was replaced and instantly was a quarter MOA rifle.
 
I guess one would have to define "favorite", as I have several custom and factory that shoot great groups, handle well, enjoy their furniture and I like for various reasons and purposes.
 
lancetkenyon said:
You know, I can see the draw of higher end factory rifles that are half the price of full customs for a lot of guys who want a nice rifle but don't want to go all-in on a full custom. But, I have seen quite a few $2-3k+ factory rifles that are very hit or miss. Christensen, Fierce, Seekins, Bergara, Weatherby, etc. Most have been returned and had work done to them and sent back, only to barely get better. A 1 MOA "guarentee" is definitely subject to interpretation. If the manufacturer tests it and gets a single 3 shot group into 1 MOA, that meets their specs.

Honestly, most full custom rifle builders don't give an accuracy guarentee. But, I have only seen one (that I can remember) full custom that just wouldn't shoot well CONSISTENTLY. It turned out to be a bad barrel. It was replaced and instantly was a quarter MOA rifle.
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I hear ya. Like I said, unpopular opinion. Maybe I've been lucky to not catch a true lemon but I'm also ok moving on from a piece of equipment if it's not up to my standards. Being a competent handloader definitely gives this option a little more leeway. I did own a custom that was very finicky. I slaved over finding a good load and moved it along with the data so my conscious was clear. Eliminating time and money, I'd go custom everytime. But plenty of nice out the box options available as well. A debate that has no definitive answer for sure.
 
Ross1147 said:
When I first read this @txaggie1 I thought you had a 224-378, not rifles ranging from 224 cal to 378 cal. My jaw dropped a little and was like good lord! How fast does that bad boy shoot?!??

As for me favorite is hard to quantify. If we're saying favorite its the first gun you grab to run out hunting currently it'd have to be my grandpas old M70 I inherited. I had it rebored to 35 Whelen, barrel chopped down to 16.5" and threaded. Perfect for the swamps of Florida. But, before moving back to Florida from out west I'd say it was my custom 25SST. If I travel back to hunt out west it's the first gun I grab.
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lol - ya i can see that, how fast would a 224-378 be, barrel life 25 rounds??? ;)

if it's the first gun i grab it would be a 257 ruger 1, lipseys model is my trusty goto here in central texas for most medium game put a new trigger on it and it's an absolute tack driver with 100 grain scirocco's. But my LH models have a special place so i force myself to rotate out!
 
Being just. Poor Boy, Rem 700 BDL, with a custom stock Laminate wood and shoots 1/2" if I do my job. The other is a newer HMR-PRO Bargara in300 WM a for sure 1/4"
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txaggie1 said:
My favorites to collect will forever be mark v's (specifically southpaw versions for me but collect both R and L hand for me and the boys). While I have almost all calibers from 224-378 my forever favorite is the 257. Ruger 1's will be my closest in line for runner up.

Model 70 featherweight was a close runner up till i realized how much i love the single shots - especially in 257 wby! :)
Click to expand...
Interestingly enough, same here...I'm also a lefty and 3 son's right handed .....I'm told I ordered the First left handed .460 Weatherby Mark 5 Custom Weatherby built....love our Weatherby's.
 
Recon$$ said:
Unpopular opinion here, but there's enough turnkey options out there I'll just buy a nice 2k-3k rifle and skip the wait. Anything I carry into the field shoots .5 moa or better with handloads. I'm talking hunting rifles.
Click to expand...
txaggie1 said:
My favorites to collect will forever be mark v's (specifically southpaw versions for me but collect both R and L hand for me and the boys). While I have almost all calibers from 224-378 my forever favorite is the 257. Ruger 1's will be my closest in line for runner up.

Model 70 featherweight was a close runner up till i realized how much i love the single shots - especially in 257 wby! :)
Click to expand...
Weatherby and old ruger 77 rifles are the smoothest actions
 
I am putting together a semicustom ruger 77 in 338 win mag .It's the tang safety ruger 77 and the guy I got it from cromed the barrel and action it was a total mess when I got it .He looked like he tried to bed the barrel with a chainsaw.I put it in a plastic stock for years but at 6 3/4 pounds it kicked way too much .I just put it in a Boyd's presentation checkered laminated stock .I al having a Winchester boss system put on it for recoil reduction and accuracy. ITS one of the best looking ruger 77 I have seen .
 

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