greenejc
Well-Known Member
Very nice. Let me know how it shoots.
Cost of full custom rifle but on budget?
- Thread starter Bigeclipse
- Start date
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Don A Parsons
Well-Known Member
A person can buy a pretty nice new factory rifle for $10 to $1200 Usd,,, $16 to $1800 Cnd funds,,, the used factory rifle market is the place to shop...
I bought a Left Hand Remmy BDL for $595 Cnd / $416 Usd,,, a top quality stainless steel barrel at $465,,, budget trigger tech since its soul purpose is hunting rifle,,, and I zero stressed bedded the action into the factory wood stocks since emaculant condition...
The most expensive part was my long time gun Smith friend,,, He's on par with the skilled gun smiths and he has a wall full of trophies from building some pretty spook'em long range rigs,,, Bench Rest from long ago,,, and many years in F Class...
If you can put 100's of trophies on your wall as a shooter gun Machinist,,, then I'm more than willing to use your services...
$2230 Cnd funds / $1561 Usd...
And this new hunting rifle will reach out there easy at 12 lbs.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RV4YBWyT6WxdH69U7
I bought a Left Hand Remmy BDL for $595 Cnd / $416 Usd,,, a top quality stainless steel barrel at $465,,, budget trigger tech since its soul purpose is hunting rifle,,, and I zero stressed bedded the action into the factory wood stocks since emaculant condition...
The most expensive part was my long time gun Smith friend,,, He's on par with the skilled gun smiths and he has a wall full of trophies from building some pretty spook'em long range rigs,,, Bench Rest from long ago,,, and many years in F Class...
If you can put 100's of trophies on your wall as a shooter gun Machinist,,, then I'm more than willing to use your services...
$2230 Cnd funds / $1561 Usd...
And this new hunting rifle will reach out there easy at 12 lbs.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RV4YBWyT6WxdH69U7
Turnbolt53
Well-Known Member
How much more if you want a bolt? 
Litehiker
Well-Known Member
What Don Parsons said, "a person can buy a pretty nice new factory rifle..."
I once researched building a custom 3 lug bolt action rifle from various vendors' parts bins but the cost was just not acceptable given my champagne tastes. An example of my expensive choice would be the GA Precision 3 lug short action.
My "build" was found in the 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro which had everything I wanted in that custom rifle but at half the cost. I am very pleased with my X-Bolt Pro's many "semi-custom" features and accuracy.
I did consider the SAKO 85 Carbonlite but Browning X-Bolt Pro just had more of what I wanted (like a 24" barrel) and at at around $1,000. less.
Eric B.
Browning X-Bolt Pro features:
1. stainless barrel, action and bolt
2. fluted barrel, bolt and bolt handle
3. carbon fiber 360 deg. wrap stock
4. burnt bronze Cerakote on all metal and stock
5. factory lapped barrel
6. fully glass bedded action from tang to recoil lug
I once researched building a custom 3 lug bolt action rifle from various vendors' parts bins but the cost was just not acceptable given my champagne tastes. An example of my expensive choice would be the GA Precision 3 lug short action.
My "build" was found in the 6.5 PRC Browning X-Bolt Pro which had everything I wanted in that custom rifle but at half the cost. I am very pleased with my X-Bolt Pro's many "semi-custom" features and accuracy.
I did consider the SAKO 85 Carbonlite but Browning X-Bolt Pro just had more of what I wanted (like a 24" barrel) and at at around $1,000. less.
Eric B.
Browning X-Bolt Pro features:
1. stainless barrel, action and bolt
2. fluted barrel, bolt and bolt handle
3. carbon fiber 360 deg. wrap stock
4. burnt bronze Cerakote on all metal and stock
5. factory lapped barrel
6. fully glass bedded action from tang to recoil lug
Last edited:
10 pages and counting ... did Elvis leave the building?
Bigeclipse
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2012
- Messages
- 1,967
By elvis, do you mean me? the OP? I have been reading all the advice here and im still weighing my decisions!10 pages and counting ... did Elvis leave the building?
Glad you responded and you're weighing in what is being presented but none of us know if you have changed direction or something ...
Droppndrakes
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2017
- Messages
- 44
I was in the same boat as you 2.5 years ago. I bought a Christensen carbon barrel. Gun shot pretty good and I killed some game but overall I just didn't really care for it like the custom I really wanted. I have been dreaming of that custom rifle for 2.5 years and have spent oodles of time on the webs picking all the parts I wanted. I just sold the Christensen and went all in on the custom build ;mind you not a budget custom but the moral is if you don't get what you really want it might eat at you for a couple years until you do.
2BrownDogs
Member
I've studied in the Shaw website and some reviews in other places myself. Have you or anyone you know followed through on it? I've spoken to a few smiths who say they are junk, but no clear reason why? Seems like the price is almost too good to be true though.
Craveman85
Well-Known Member
My rifle started out as a 300$ Remington 700 243 I bought years ago. I sold the old Remington trigger for 120 on eBay and paid 115 for a timney. I paid hart barrels 700$ for a new 26" 1:8" 260 Remington barrel. They true up the action while they're in there. I paid 100 for the vls stock which is my favorite stock ever. I pillar and glass bedded it myself. For about a grand less optics I'm shooting Barnes lrx bullets in about a half inch.
Attachments
I am diving into my first customish build now. I am on a budget like you and want to get a good value for my dollar.
I have a weatherby vanguard in 257 weatherby with a shot out barrel, so I am using that action. It already has a timney trigger. I recently ordered a Bell and Carlson stock stock for the rifle and a new barrel from Oregon Mountain rifles. It is a pre-fit carbon wrapped barrel Chambered in 257 weatherby. It is also pre-threaded for a brake. The barrel was about $700 which is less then a proof blank. The barrel is 26" 1:8 twist.
I already have a scope, seekins rings, and EGW base for it. I am hoping to be all in under $1800 on the rebuild. I am $1000 dollars in now on stock and barrel, and hope to keep it under $800 at the Smith to get it all assembled, braked, cerakoted, etc.
I have a weatherby vanguard in 257 weatherby with a shot out barrel, so I am using that action. It already has a timney trigger. I recently ordered a Bell and Carlson stock stock for the rifle and a new barrel from Oregon Mountain rifles. It is a pre-fit carbon wrapped barrel Chambered in 257 weatherby. It is also pre-threaded for a brake. The barrel was about $700 which is less then a proof blank. The barrel is 26" 1:8 twist.
I already have a scope, seekins rings, and EGW base for it. I am hoping to be all in under $1800 on the rebuild. I am $1000 dollars in now on stock and barrel, and hope to keep it under $800 at the Smith to get it all assembled, braked, cerakoted, etc.
I believe u are doing yourself a real disservice if u dont contact benchmark barrels about your project. They are building what i and many others believe are THE premium barrels . Competition shows it. They dont advertize so their prices are very reasonable. I would also recomment a tikka action. Gr8 bunch of people, all shooters and hunters. They tell me that i am their number one client in numbers of rifles /barrels they have built for me. I have never been dissapointed. Good luck, good hunting!
Amen, cant go wrong this way, even benchmark owner ron has built his lightweight rig this way!Ive built about 40 rifles and the most cost effective way to build a poor mans Custom rifle is grab an used Kimber Montana in your desired action length, 84M, 84L or 8400wsm or 8400 Long Action,
They have an excellent adjustable trigger, and all stainless action and a Kevlar/Carbon Fibre stock so it has all the components in one package other than a barrel,
buy your self a #2 Contour Bartlein, Benchmark or HawkHill barrel and have your Gunsmith.......
True,Square and bed the Action
Lighten the trigger to 2.5lbs
Chamber barrel to your desired caliber and your all set with an excellent all stainless lightweight custom hunting rifle.
Probably no more than 1400-1500 dollars all in depending on the price of the donor rifle, barrel and labour
Ive built several with the Montana as a donor and they are 2nd to none as a hunting rifle, here's my latest 300 PRC on a Montana 8400 LA I just picked up this morning
You can also use a Tikka T3x or Sako A7 which is a good platform but there stocks aren't the best, other than that they are a great donor.
Hers a 6.5 PRC built on a Montana 8400 WSM donor
Heres my first 300 PRC built on a Montana 8400 LA
Heres a pair of 6.5-284s built on Montana 84L actions
Here's my sheep hunting rig 6.5-284 built on a Montana 84M short action
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the barrel - I recently came across their site and for the money, I'm definitely tempted to try out a Tikka Pre-fit. Just haven't been able to find much in terms of reviews.
