build or buy

Looking for a light, but not necessarily ultralight, 300WM. In looking at the upper end of factory and lower end of custom I am trying to decide if I build or buy. So far it seems like you can get a very nice off the shelf rifle for just under $3K and build a lower end custom for not much over.

How hard is it to buy receiver, barrel, stock, bottom metal, trigger and put it together or have someone do it (and true it)?

I have built a bunch of AR's but never a bolt rifle, really not sure of the pro's and con's.

A nicer Fierce, Cooper, Christiansen, Bergara or a parts buy and put it together. Just wondering what vendors I should look at (or just shut up and buy an off the shelf stick).

When you buy factory, you settle for what it is.
When you build, even a semi custom with a factory action, you put it together how you want it. I'll probably never buy a factory rifle again after doing this recent semi custom Remington 700. It wasn't much more than a common upper end factory rifle. The next build will be with a custom action though.

https://aprifles.com/collections/ready-to-ship-rifles/products/apr-full-custom-carbon-300-win-mag

Buying an entire rifle from a custom builder is a good option. It saves some of the headaches that come with bringing a pile of parts to a smith, things not fitting right, in letting issues, something has a defect etc.

If you do want to build there are good options, and some that you ca. Build yourself quite easily depending on what you're looking for. Are you willing to bed stocks, or would you prefer a drop in solution. Chassis vs stock etc.

gohring3006 said:

When you buy factory, you settle for what it is.
When you build, even a semi custom with a factory action, you put it together how you want it. I'll probably never buy a factory rifle again after doing this recent semi custom Remington 700. It wasn't much more than a common upper end factory rifle. The next build will be with a custom action though.

Click to expand...

Exactly what I am thinking. I own a bunch of AR's from factory to upper and lower kits to full builds and the full builds are the ones I enjoy the most. Looking to have this in a hunting rifle.

jmcmath said:

https://aprifles.com/collections/ready-to-ship-rifles/products/apr-full-custom-carbon-300-win-mag

Buying an entire rifle from a custom builder is a good option. It saves some of the headaches that come with bringing a pile of parts to a smith, things not fitting right, in letting issues, something has a defect etc.

If you do want to build there are good options, and some that you ca. Build yourself quite easily depending on what you're looking for. Are you willing to bed stocks, or would you prefer a drop in solution. Chassis vs stock etc.

Click to expand...

that is actually a really nice rifle for the price!

I have never bedded a stock so probably do not want to eff it up on this, drop in probably. Not sure I want a chassis for hunting.

I dont know that I will ever buy another rifle off of the shelf, assuming that I want good quality and accuracy. I dont mind a little work, but litterally, procuring a.d assembling your rifle is simple. My first stop.would be northland shooters supply. If you want high end, buy a big horn action. From there, Jim can set you up with a high quality pre chambered barrel in Shilen. Grab a triggertech trigger, recoil lug, and barrel nut, and a go gauge from jim and you are all set. Pick up.your action from a local FFL of your choice, and you can have the whole thing assembled in under an hour. Shop for a stock with a bedding block or at least pillars, and drop it in.....done! If you want to squeeze more accuracy out of it, bed the lug, or the whole action, or pay someone $150 to do it. I've done this 6 or 8 times now, and all are sub 1/2 moa shooters, and none have had complications that required intervention by a gunsmith.
I am not saying that a gunsmith or professional rifle builder is a bad option. But I am at a point now where I only go that route when there is a need for machinery. Lathe, mill, or whatever. Try it, I doubt you will regret it.

gjk5 said:

Looking for a light, but not necessarily ultralight, 300WM. In looking at the upper end of factory and lower end of custom I am trying to decide if I build or buy. So far it seems like you can get a very nice off the shelf rifle for just under $3K and build a lower end custom for not much over.

How hard is it to buy receiver, barrel, stock, bottom metal, trigger and put it together or have someone do it (and true it)?

I have built a bunch of AR's but never a bolt rifle, really not sure of the pro's and con's.

A nicer Fierce, Cooper, Christiansen, Bergara or a parts buy and put it together. Just wondering what vendors I should look at (or just shut up and buy an off the shelf stick).

Click to expand...

Buying the components isn't hard, finding a good smith to do your build in under a year is hard to do.

As good as my Remington Gen2 Milspec has proven to be I'd say see if you can find one in .300wm and save yourself the wait and the extra cost of a custom as it will probably shoot as well as anything you can build at any price. At worst you have a great action and a decent stock to build off of if it's too heavy or you are otherwise unhappy with it.

I have an Alamo rifle it was a custom build. I have looked at their ready to ship rifles
and wouldn't worry about buying one! I had some issues with Alamo but not about the
quality of the rifle! And everything got worked out and I'm happy. If you want to gather your parts and call B. Stevens here in KY he is very good!
http://www.stevensaccuracy.com/

I just got a browning x bolt hells canyon long range in .300Wm last month. It's shooting sub .5 MOA with 181 hammer hunters. It came from the factory with a good trigger (got a $12 mcarbo aftermarket spring to drop the pull to a crisp 2.25lbs.), glass bedded action, all metal parts cereakoted, a threaded barrel with muzzle break. At $1200 I felt I got a lot for my money. It weighs 10.5lbs completely dressed to kill with a Zeiss conquest scope, tally rings, a full mag, and five extra rounds on the butt.

My point is you probably don't have to spend a bunch of $ on a solid hunting rifle. This leaves you with more $ for glass which I'm finding out is just as important as the rifle.

Just my opinion.

You could always just buy a rifle that you can customize if it doesnt shoot. Rem 700, howa 1500, savage 111. Timney triggers and aftermarket stocks are readily available for them. You can rebarrel them yourself if need be. Stocks are readily available. Savage long action stocks aren't as available. But buy one for $500. Dont like it. Timney $100, stock $150-250 used, Barrel $300-500. Custom barrel will typically be a 10-12 week wait.

gjk5 said:

Looking for a light, but not necessarily ultralight, 300WM. In looking at the upper end of factory and lower end of custom I am trying to decide if I build or buy. So far it seems like you can get a very nice off the shelf rifle for just under $3K and build a lower end custom for not much over.

How hard is it to buy receiver, barrel, stock, bottom metal, trigger and put it together or have someone do it (and true it)?

I have built a bunch of AR's but never a bolt rifle, really not sure of the pro's and con's.

A nicer Fierce, Cooper, Christiansen, Bergara or a parts buy and put it together. Just wondering what vendors I should look at (or just shut up and buy an off the shelf stick).

Click to expand...

I go back and forth on this exact same question everytime I want a new rifle. The determining factor for me in the end is resell value. In my opinion, you will never be able to sell a custom rifle for anywhere close to what you have invested. Just go to the classified section - they will say I have X amount of dollars into this, with an asking price substantially lower. I tend to go through rifles, if I don't absolutely love them, I kick them down the road. With a factory, even a high end, I might take a slight loss, maybe a couple hundo... if I got a good deal on it I might break even or even make a little money.

Also, it isn't as hard as it once was to find a 1/2 moa or better factory rifle.

When I have one built it is like a shopping list..This action ..This chassis/stock ..This barrel twist and length and couture..This break ..This trigger..This color..Down to the bolt knob!
I have never found a factory rifle that checks all the boxes on my list?
And no I will never get back my money but I don't really care? If I did I would send it to Vanguard or Raymond James...Not buy a rifle I don't need?

KyCarl said:

When I have one built it is like a shopping list..This action ..This chassis/stock ..This barrel twist and length and couture..This break ..This trigger..This color..Down to the bolt knob!
I have never found a factory rifle that checks all the boxes on my list?
And no I will never get back my money but I don't really care? If I did I would send it to Vanguard or Raymond James...Not buy a rifle I don't need?

Click to expand...

But what fun is that? Most of the rifles for sell in the classifieds on this site are custom or semi-custom, so obviously people aren't just buying rifles they need.

Custom rifle snobs will always downplay the quality of factory rifles. A lot of them are stuck in the past when factory rifles weren't near as accurate as they are now. A lot of factory rifles come with an MOA guarantee. I am not saying customs are bad, but they just don't offer as much over a factory rifle as they used to. So, I can go spend $3500 on a custom rifle that shoots 1/4-1/2 moa, or I can go spend $600 to $800 on a Tikka or Xbolt or savage, or heaven forbid even less than that and shoot 1/4-1/2 moa. You can even get real wild and buy a factory semi-custom Browning Long Range McMillan for $1800 and it will shoot 1/4-1/2 moa.

Also, its not like a custom rifle is guaranteed to shoot well. I have some buddies who are custom gun snobs and they have had more poor shooters than they care to admit - in fact therein lies the problem, most guys don't have the marbles to admit they spent $3500 or more on a poor shooting custom rifle - and then who do they go to to get that fixed? Is it the smiths fault or the barrel maker's fault?

Also, it isn't hard to turn a factory rifle into a semi-custom with a trigger and a new stock and some cerekote if you want it to look different. And you are still a lot less into the rifle.

Build over buy...99% of the time.