"Custom" rifles

I've been thinking about the answer to this question for some time now...

My first "real" rifle was a custom 7mm RM where the barrel was cut down from a barrel blank, mounted with an iron sight and muzzle brake machined in. The action was a Mauser action blue printed to the barrel and finally, a stock was pillared and bedded and textured. Shoots like a dream! This was all created by a friend of mine who has his own shop at his home and we discussed the build at length many times over. I wish I knew then what I know now but that rifle is truly a work of art.

However, what I see lately, are "custom" rifle builders taking the cream of the crop (or not) parts and putting them together and calling it "custom." I recently visited a few LGS's and one said that it would cost me $1500 to install a new barrel... I asked what that $1500 would include and he said that blueprinting etc would be included but when I then advised that I can get a first responder discount on Proof barrels, a barrel company his business works with extensively, he then advised that Proof barrels do not require much actual work other than ensuring accurate torque applied and blue printing wasn't necessary... so, the question remains: what is included in the "custom" rifle build if something as important as ensuring appropriate fitment of the barrel to action is essentially not needed? It would seem, in my perhaps uneducated mind, that if I purchase all of the appropriate parts that I could potentially make a "custom" gun all by my lonesome. Am I missing something? I see all of these companies/businesses offering "custom" gun services but as mentioned above, the juice doesn't seem to be worth the squeeze.

Erik
 
Language is kind of a fluid thing, and I think you have a handle on the meta - @lancetkenyon certainly cleared up any grey areas!

...but I am sensing something deeper here. Have you ever considered a 'bespoke' rifle, Adam?

A hand made action, just for you. A one of a kind stock made of cellulose via the 'stock removal' method, finished with an exotic lipid?

If you are on a spiritual quest for a rifle with a soul, consider a Hagn, perhaps;


The mini action is especially nifty!
I missed out on a Hagn at auction and checked into getting an action from Canada; real pain, had to go through a broker, and then if something was wrong, getting it back there.
 
1-Get a bore scope and compare mass produced to a quality barrel maker's work.
2-look at lug engagement wear patterns on a mass produced action vs a reputable company, or a competent gunsmith after truing.
3-watch a feeler/finger gauge on a factory type gun stock when action screws are tweaked compared to a high quality stock with correct bedding.

For starters! There are several other areas of concern but these are sort of basic.

When it takes several several hours of mill, lathe and bedding work to ensure everything fits together properly you are in possession of a custom rifle.
And hopefully it's made with components you choose, and that are suitable for your application.
 
Custom is when you paint flames on your rifle. While semi-custom means you've running your rig with primer on it.


Hot Rod Car GIF by MotorTrend
 

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