1 full custom or 4-5 factory guns????

[dgarrett]

In the last few years I have acquired 8-10 different rifles... I could of gotten a full custom rifle each year for what I have spent. I like fooling with them. Putting aftermarket parts and screw on parts. I have a few semi-customs but nothing even close to a full custom. The best of these guns will shoot 1/2 inch and better the worse over 1moa... I think allot of people end up with a gun collection like mine just from buying what they find and think are good buys vs. saving for a year or two and getting a full custom. I am not completely happy with any gun I own... I have the feeling that I am really missing something special by not having a full custom. The biggest problem I have is finding new and used rifles that I think are a great buy and not having the discretion to pass them up and keep saving for that one custom rifle. Usually I have already found my next purchase before I have the one I bought before it completed . Leaving glass aside, What is your thought on owning one custom rifle verse 4-5 factory rifles that you can dribble money into and get them to shoot pretty well?...dgarrett

 

[No Fear in Accuracy]

Well..well... 1 full custom can have 200 different cartridges if you want.

Buy a good action and you can always buy 2 to 5 switchable barrels for different caliber/cartridge.

You have to buy two bolts or two bolt heads, one is standard bolt, .473 and magnum bolt, .535
with only one custom gun.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

It all depends on what you want to do with them and what level of precision you want.

First off, I would never have just one rifle.

I don't own a full custom yet but it is in my plans to get 1 or 2 or more. I've got 3 semi customs, with match grade barrels, quality bedded stocks and blue printed factory actions. These are my long range rifles.

I also have a factory Vanguard in 223 and an M70 in 22-250. The M-70 is going to get a semi-custom upgrade before too long with new match barrel and stock as it's current barrel is starting wear out. The 223 is less than a year old and shoots great out of the box and I don't anticipate doing much with it for a while.

A few years back I bought a couple of used Senderos which I did a lot of precision and some long range learning on. I since sold them to help finance my semi custom projects.

For me a combination of factory, semi custom, and full custom rifles works. That said, I probably won't be buying anymore factory rifles again.

In general, you get what you pay for and if you want a good precision long range rifle a full custom is usually the best way to get there although a well built semi custom can run neck and neck with a full custom.

 

[sp6x6]

I have 2 full blown customs that I love,and one is packer and one rig type. I shot 98 % of my stuff Before wolf intro.Factory 340 wby 20+ years took alot of game with that rifle,first 6x6 was over 500 back when, before Lrf

 

[royinidaho]

Depends on whether you prefer tons of dinkin' around and shooting a lot or

Seriously hunting.

Serious hunting takes way more time with way fewer shots and, seems to me, more enjoyable and rewarding.

 

[MudRunner2005]

In the last few years I have acquired 8-10 different rifles... I could of gotten a full custom rifle each year for what I have spent. I like fooling with them. Putting aftermarket parts and screw on parts. I have a few semi-customs but nothing even close to a full custom. The best of these guns will shoot 1/2 inch and better the worse over 1moa... I think allot of people end up with a gun collection like mine just from buying what they find and think are good buys vs. saving for a year or two and getting a full custom. I am not completely happy with any gun I own... I have the feeling that I am really missing something special by not having a full custom. The biggest problem I have is finding new and used rifles that I think are a great buy and not having the discretion to pass them up and keep saving for that one custom rifle. Usually I have already found my next purchase before I have the one I bought before it completed . Leaving glass aside, What is your thought on owning one custom rifle verse 4-5 factory rifles that you can dribble money into and get them to shoot pretty well?...dgarrett

I do the same thing. I buy something I want that is already assembled how I want it. Then I also pick up some guns simply because I see potential in their future, or need the action for a semi-custom, like I did when I bought my 700 .338 WM. I didn't want the caliber, just the stainless jeweled action, B&C stock and the DNZ scope mount. I wasn't worried about what caliber the barrel was or what cheap scope was on top of it. I was planning a lightweight deer rifle build, since almost all of my rifles are heavy barrels, and this was a good cheap option and a good starting point, since all I would need would be a new barrel and a different scope to make it how I want it.

 

[BrentM]

Tough call. If part of your hobby is messing with gun set up and the enjoyment of the process then stick with tinkering.

If you have the funds to pay for a full custom and still tinker with other guns then this is the route to go. There is just something magical about the full custom. Usually they are more consistent and easier to work up an accurate load. It does not mean they will out shoot a factory or semi custom rifle though. They just have the garuntee behind them that eliminates high volume manufacturing defects that occasionally slip through and drive people crazy.

I don't have a full custom but I have shot several made by Ed Sweet and also Gunwerks. I am not currently planning to buy one either. I am building a couple of my own now. I like the challenge and if they work well, the pride that comes along with it. I like to tinker. I have a factory rifle that I have ton of confidence in and it is my go to for LR hunting.

 

[Hunter2678]

FWIW. A handful of years ago I had about 8-10 rifles of various calibers I thought at the time were or would be at some point, fun & cool niche guns to own. Prices were "right" and I had the means so Id get punch drunk on buying more and more guns. All were factory. Then one day it dawned on me how little I shot them & how much I needed to proactively supply them with ammo. None of them held any real soft spot in my heart, none of them gave me the "wow" factor I was looking for. Sure they were decent rifles, most were moa or a tad better. I figured I had about 5-6k wrapped up in them and the philosophy quickly turned from notion of "quantity" above all else to "quality". I sold them off over the course of 6 months and I reinvested the $ into full customs. Best move I ever did. I absolutely love shooting my customs and I dont see that satisfaction ever going away as long as Im alive and walking on this planet. It can happen before you realize it, that is having thousands tied up in many rifles/handguns. And you may find more often than not, that you only shoot a few of them on a regular basis. If that ever starts happening its probably time to sell off a few. (unless they were bought soley for collection/investments).

 

[Broz]

I have been fortunate enough to own many of both. I went through the stage where if I seen it and the price was right it went home with me. At one time I had a built in gun cabinet that held 70 rifles. It was full and more were stashed through out the house. Then I sold off and starting building long range customs. My taste changed from the beautiful collection of 5 panel LazerMarks I had to a composite stocked long range rig that I shot more and was more accurate. Today I still have a couple factory rifles that hold some memories. But if I was forced to clean the safe and only keep one to hunt with it would be my full custom 300 win with a cabinet full of H-1000 and 215 Bergers. It will, and has done everything I need to do from antelope past 1000, to large bulls just under 1000. And my confidence in this rifle is very good. So that would be my rifle of choice for under 1000. But then I would hate to give up the LRKM for work past a mile. Not as practical but it keeps me busy working to be better at the ELR stuff.

I like the tinkering too working with a rifle I got a "deal" on. But I feel now my time is better spent trying different things with a custom until I get it worked into a 100% confident combo like my 300 win.

Jeff

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I'm in the fiddle with it phase.

1 'custom' purchased from a different forum.

The rest are old factory, DIY Semi custom, or actions for projects.

How 'custom' is a rifle when the only factory part left is the steel the S/N is stamped on? IE: Built with a 700 action or a boutique 700 foot print action.

There are some newer 'used' rifles on the way. 'Customization' was started by previous owners and will continue will change over time.

 

[Tikkamike]

sometimes I envy the guy with 1 rifle... I bet its always ready unlike my safe full of never ending projects

 

[MudRunner2005]

sometimes I envy the guy with 1 rifle... I bet its always ready unlike my safe full of never ending projects

A wise man once said, "Beware of the man who only has 1 gun...There's a good chance he knows how to use it..."

However, I'm a fan of the "buy as many as you can" theory, myself.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

sometimes I envy the guy with 1 rifle... I bet its always ready unlike my safe full of never ending projects

Well it may not always be ready and that's a good reason to have a back up, but there is something to be said for simplicity. Don't think I would ever want less than 3 and a half dozen or more is better...lol

 

[MontanaRifleman]

A wise man once said, "Beware of the man who only has 1 gun...There's a good chance he knows how to use it..."

However, I'm a fan of the "buy as many as you can" theory, myself.

Yeah, I have heard that saying but don't subscribe to it. The with multiple rifle is more likely to have a lot more trigger time.

There was a time I only had one rifle and didn't shoot more than a box a year through it. I wasn't a bad shot, but my proficiency is better shooting multiple rifles.