What constitutes a "FULL" custom rifle build? ...

Seems like "custom" comes from "customize", which means to change or alter to one's personal tastes. If that's true, even a factory action can be customized. A full custom to me would be a rifle that every part was replaced or altered, regardless of what the quality coming off or going on was.

There is a reason most smiths will not build a 338 Lapua imp on a factory anything but will on a "clone" Remington. That to me is one of the differences between a full custom and a semi custom.

ndking1126 said:

Seems like "custom" comes from "customize", which means to change or alter to one's personal tastes. If that's true, even a factory action can be customized. A full custom to me would be a rifle that every part was replaced or altered, regardless of what the quality coming off or going on was.

Click to expand...

I don't think every part needs to be replaced or altered to be considered customized. But for the most part I agree with your statement. Here is a rifle I'd consider custom that I had built.

You guys have left out some other fun facts. Full Custom = Delays ..problems ..Never done when you expect or plan for it? I have decided my next one I'm gathering up
all the parts..Everything..Then paying someone to assemble it.

Definition of customize


transitive verb

: to build, fit, or alter according to individual specifications

This is from Webster.

1.
made or done to order for a particular customer.
"a custom guitar"

This is Webster definition of custom.

If you want to call anything you changed to be better for you call it what you like. The definitions are very clear and concise. I really don't think it matters who does the work. Any body can piece up an ar with what ever goodies he or she wants. To me, a professional gunsmith for 30 years that is a custom rifle. Take any action and use a barrel nut to install the barrel and put on a new stock and it's custom to the person who did it. Anybody that thinks otherwise probably has bought in their eyes a full custom for big bucks. I believe a 500 dollar rifle can be custom if you build it and think it's so. Webster doesn't define full custom. And neither should we. Anybody on this site or the many other sights that have built a Remage enjoy your custom rifle. Those who cobbled up an AR with tons of different parts enjoy your custom rifle. This thread has gotten ridiculous. No such thing as full custom. If you changed it for yourself it's custom. Shep out.

My 2 cents.. It either needs to be a Custom Action or a Blueprinted Action, either way I then say that the barrel needs to be chambered by whomever installed it (i.e. it can't be a pre-fit barrel/RemAge etc.).

25WSM said:

Definition of customize


transitive verb

: to build, fit, or alter according to individual specifications

This is from Webster.

Click to expand...

Dang !!!!
Now I am confused. I thought that Transitive was someone that had a sex change .

Sorry 25 WSM I couldn't resist .

J E CUSTOM

Most all my LR rifles range from modified factory to semi-custom, as seems to be the consensus of this thread. Be very utilitarian and often subjected to harsh conditions. They shoot all shoot exceptionally well and, while quite boring, get the job done. Probably being Odd-man out, my dream of a full custom rifle would be an all hand finished traditional sporter, blued metalwork with a classic walnut stock, and using a pre-64 Model 70 action, balanced and fitted to me as if it were a fine double shotgun.

25WSM said:

1.
made or done to order for a particular customer.
"a custom guitar"

This is Webster definition of custom.

If you want to call anything you changed to be better for you call it what you like. The definitions are very clear and concise. I really don't think it matters who does the work. Any body can piece up an ar with what ever goodies he or she wants. To me, a professional gunsmith for 30 years that is a custom rifle. Take any action and use a barrel nut to install the barrel and put on a new stock and it's custom to the person who did it. Anybody that thinks otherwise probably has bought in their eyes a full custom for big bucks. I believe a 500 dollar rifle can be custom if you build it and think it's so. Webster doesn't define full custom. And neither should we. Anybody on this site or the many other sights that have built a Remage enjoy your custom rifle. Those who cobbled up an AR with tons of different parts enjoy your custom rifle. This thread has gotten ridiculous. No such thing as full custom. If you changed it for yourself it's custom. Shep out.

Click to expand...

Here are some beatifulfull full custom rifles that Kirby built, perhaps you can convince him there is no such thing as a full custom rifle.

http://apsrifles.com/Full_Custom_Rifle_Photos.html

and custom factory rifles ...

http://apsrifles.com/Photo_Gallery.html

Mind you, I have few customized rifles built to my specs but they are no full custom rifles.

JJMoody said:

^^^customized factory rifle

Click to expand...

So, if I take a complete rifle and throw away every single part except the action and bolt, its still a rifle in your eyes ? I know that to the ATF it is, but that's just for serialization purposes. To a gun guy, an action is just an action, just a couple pieces of a rifle. How can it not be a full custom rifle if every part on it is chosen with a purpose for the end user ? If you were to buy a Remington action alone, wouldn't it be just one component of a build ?

Think everyone is making it way more complicated. It's actually pretty simple.

Factory: buy off the shelf/mass produced, firearm has a name. This can be a Remington/Savage or Christensen Arms/Cooper

Everything else (custom, semi-custom or full custom): this will require someone to put the firearm together.

Pretty simple in my mind!

Steve

BoomFlop said:

Think everyone is making it way more complicated. It's actually pretty simple.

Factory: buy off the shelf/mass produced, firearm has a name. This can be a Remington/Savage or Christensen Arms/Cooper

Everything else (custom, semi-custom or full custom): this will require someone to put the firearm together.

Pretty simple in my mind!

Steve

Click to expand...

This is how I see it as well. The guys that buy custom actions are wanting differentiate themselves from those that use a M700, Tikka, or Savage, which is where the division seems to lie. I think everybody agrees that a full custom rifle needs an aftermarket barrel, stock, trigger etc. this whole thread comes down to the action....

J E Custom said:

All components can be chosen buy the owner to hopefully have a one of a kind rifle, but in truth there is no such thing unless you do a special Chamber and build your own stock. All other components are available to anyone and the odds of someone else choosing the same combination are very possible.

Cost doesn't make it a true custom, only the uniqueness of it.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

Click to expand...

I'd tend to agree with this. There are a lot of "custom" guns out there which are really just a collection of parts from a "menu" assembled together into option 1, 2 or 3. How many more 300 Norma Improved rifles need to be built using the same action, stock, trigger and barrel combo before they have to stop being called customs. Every time I hear about a "custom" gun being built with parts picked off the menu like it was ordered from a fast food joint, I just get annoyed. They're all just too "vanilla". Then every once in a while folks go all crazy and add a little fluting to throw some "sprinkles" on their vanilla just to mix it up.

I'm up to about 17 guns that I've had built over the last 10 years. Of those, 13 have been built on custom actions and are creeping into what I'd consider "custom-ish rifle" territory. But even those used pretty common stocks or chassis and were just "vanilla with sprinkles". The only gun that's truly a one of a kind, nothing else quite like it, what the heck is that kind of build was the 338 BigBaer (338/408 Improved) specialty pistol. It was the kind of project where I actually interviewed gunsmiths to do the work and it took 6 different smiths before I found the right one (thank you Alex Wheeler!). It's unique, very specialized, unconventional and makes folks stop and take notice.


What I'm learning on this thread though is the folks get really hung up and defensive about the use of the word custom. If you want to order off the menu from from a boutique gun builder and call it custom, go for it! If you want to throw a new prefit barrel on a Savage/Tikka/Howa/Remington action you've got sitting around and call it a custom, knock yourself out!

The only thing that will never count as a custom gun is anything based on the AR platform. ARs are assembled, not built! LOL