Bolt Action Build Process

[unclefish]

Did a search and nothing comes up. Please take me through a build process for most bolt action guns. I know some basics but maybe I or anybody else wanting to build a custom gun may not. Please explain the order which a gun should be assembled and parts being bought. with the least amount of shipping involved. Here are some of my questions.

Ordering an action or having 1 blueprinted. (personally I would like a custom action)

Ordering a barrel and what can be done at barrel supplier. ( fluting, threading, chambering, coating.) or does the gunsmith do this when assembling. am I missing anything.

Stock. do u order a drop in I see they offer it in different stages of being finished, will the barrel supplier tell you what size barrel for the particular caliber. making sure barrel will fit stock correct. Sling studs do they come normally with stock? and I am assuming the three studs listing is for sling and bipod

Trigger seams pretty basic . Does it come with safety or something else you need to order.

Bottom metal. Does this come complete with hinged floor plate, spring, trigger guard, metal box.

At what point if you want your action and barrel hinged floor plate trigger guard to be finished with some type of coating. (before assembly or after all machining)

I guess some other things I should be thinking about tight chamber or not. barrel contour. and how the action and barrel should be bedded. what else am I missing. besides mount, rings and scope. or should some these things be considered when ordering any of the parts.

I know some of my questions might be personal but maybe keep the build process going for this thread and Private message me on anything that you may think is personal to me.

Thanks MJ Beebe

 

[Packrat 6]

MJ
You might need to define the search a little clearer. I know you are looking for a sequence of events, but define it down a little more. Want to start a war on here?, Just ask about what caliber is the best for your application.

You want to build a custom rifle, for what use? Hunting, Targets, Long Range shooting or Hunting, Extreme long range shooting or hunting, shooting fish in a barrel, etc. maybe for all of them or none of them, but some applications and parts just seem to go together better than others for what you want to build.

Where do you start? Define the end product and it's use. The keep your eyes open for parts or order what you want through one of the custom Rifle builders that frequent this site, including our host, There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this site and most of them are more than willing to help as they can, but also remember that most of them have to earn a living, are raising a family, and a few of them even have a life to live, and can't commit the time to an extensive answer without at least an idea of where you want to go. And those of us that have the time, don't often have the training.

I will tell you this, though, back when I was a young whippersnapper, Yeah, I've got more miles on me than a used tire, I used to build hotrods (1950's and early 60's) and by time that I finished building the car because I absolutely had to have the best parts, Paint job, etc I could have bought a new Cadillac for what I spent. Sometimes is's just better to turn it over to the experts to build it for you and save the learning experience and indirectly lots of $$$$ and heartaches when you have to sell it for half of what it cost to build. There is the satisfaction of having done it yourself, but realistically, there is not much in a custom rifle that you are going to be able to do yourself if you want it as accurate as I imagine you do.

Not trying to discourage you, just be aware that putting it together piecemeal may cost more than just saving up and ordering it. Anyway, define the use, Caliber, etc, and try again.

Packrat
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[Packrat 6]

Help!

Where's his Ear?

 

[unclefish]

Thanks packrat. After nobody answered I called a smith and he walked me through it. Just wanted to learn the basics. Understand the hotrod deal,I gave up building and racing cars 3 years ago. Still have a Bridgeport and lathe but no time to even play with them. You now the deal when u are a racer competive edge always helps. also just didn't want blow extra money on shipping stuff to one place then shipping to another if one company can do a lot of the build for me. The great thing about these forums you can save time and money and learning from people that already have done it. Yes you have to sort through some replays but it helps me keep thinking out of the box.