Christenson Arms reviews wanted
- Thread starter houston49
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I am looking at fully custom rifle in 300 RUM. Timmney trigger, shilen select match grade barrel, action is Remmington 700 and is completely accurized. the barrel is machined and wrapped in carbon fiber. Scope is Leupold from Greybull Precision with custom turret and reticle. I plan on hunting elk,deer (whitetail and muley) and black bear.
Here are links to older posts about them:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/hope-i-didnt-make-mistake-37263/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f23/carbon-wrapped-barrels-27064/index4.html
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/hope-i-didnt-make-mistake-37263/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f23/carbon-wrapped-barrels-27064/index4.html
tjonh2001
Well-Known Member
i would send a caution about the chrisenson arms barrels. i have done alot of resurch on carbon barrels and i have read alot of bad about christensons buisness practises. i am curently haveing a carbon gun built by 308nate. that is in 300RUM. the barrel will be a ABS carbon barrel. they wrap there barrels differently then CHrist arms. ABS doesnt seem to have the problems of over heating quickly, accuracy, and they use quality barrel blanks. just my .02.
ss7mm
Well-Known Member
If you use the search feature you will find that the general feeling or our members is that, for the money spent, you'd probably be better off contacting one of the well known smiths that advertise here and talk to them about what you are looking for.
I'd venture a well educated guess that you could, and would, end up with a better product for less money by going through one of the above mentioned smiths. When it came time for me to plunk down my own personal bucks this is what I did, and it's what I'll do next time. These guys can give you as little, or as much as you want and it'll be something that you'll be happy with.
I'd venture a well educated guess that you could, and would, end up with a better product for less money by going through one of the above mentioned smiths. When it came time for me to plunk down my own personal bucks this is what I did, and it's what I'll do next time. These guys can give you as little, or as much as you want and it'll be something that you'll be happy with.
huntinfool18
Well-Known Member
im am one of the gunsmiths at Christensen arms so i thought id say something that might help you out. if you are looking for a light weight hunting rifle you will have a hard time beating one of our rifles. you are getting a light weight barrel with the accuracy of a and profile of a heavy bull barrel. my personal long range set up is one of these rifles in 338 ultra. it weighs under 9 pounds all set up with a mark 4 scope, ammo, and bipod. i can go out to 2000 yards with this set up. they will shoot just as good as any of the other great rifles built by any of the great gunsmiths on this site. but you will have a hard time beating on of these rifle if you are looking for a light weight shot after shot accurate rifle. if you would like any other info or have any other questions you can pm me or give us a call at the shop. 435-528-7999. oh and i know justin richens of the hunting company has a few of these rifles so maybe he could chime in and say a few things.
Coues Sniper
Well-Known Member
The big thing you are paying for with a Christensen is the weight. If weight is a big concern, and money isn't, then fire away. As others have mentioned you can get a rig that shoots just as well for less money, but it will weigh more. I've shot one in 300 RUM extensively, and it's a nice rig.
ingotoutdoors
Well-Known Member
I have 3 rifles with christensen barrels, and have personaly delt with 5, and know of 4 more localy. One was a wrapped factory sendero barrel (not mine), and after shooting and loading for it I would definatly avoid this as I saw almost no benifit for the $600 expence(ouch, might as well just give the money to some one who needs it). One of my rifles is in 300RUM, after rebedding it in a different stock it shoots 1/2 moa all day(usualy better). This rifle is super light and shoots as good as any custom I've ever seen. I have also delt with a 300WSM, this rifle aslo shoots extreemly well. One of my friends shoots a christensen 308 Warbird and it also shoots very well. Now for the not so good, I have one in 270WSM with the sporter contour, and one 7mm with a bull contour. both of these rifles shoot ok, but not what you would expect for the money. As for the other rifles i know of, they are having the same results. The 30 cals seem to all be shooters, but the others (22,6mm,25,270,7mm) all seem to be very finiky and not what you would expect for the money. As for my opinion, I personaly am stearing away from any more christesens(shilen). I feel ABS is a superior product all the way around, and am recomending them to who ever I know that wants a carbon wrapped barrel. I will be get'n rid of my 270 barrel and replacing it with a abs/satern barrel because I'm not happy with its performance. I sould how ever incude I have taken 4 animals over 500 yards and 2 over 600 , it typicaly keeps em in 4"@500yards(my 300rum keeps em in under 2" in good conditions when i do my part) . I have one friend who just purchased a Magnum Research blank in .224 bull 1 in 14 twist for a 22-250 project, I will let you know how it works out.
As for my opinion, I personaly will not use any more christensen barrels for a couple reasons.
1-only the 30 cals I have delt with shot well.
2-The customer service at christensen sucks, they sent my last barrel back with out the brake!
3-The one stock of thiers I used that they bedded had to be rebedded by my self.
I am a big fan of the carbon barrels, but would recomend using a ABS and a smith who was concerned with doing a quality job over high production.
Ingotoutdoors
As for my opinion, I personaly will not use any more christensen barrels for a couple reasons.
1-only the 30 cals I have delt with shot well.
2-The customer service at christensen sucks, they sent my last barrel back with out the brake!
3-The one stock of thiers I used that they bedded had to be rebedded by my self.
I am a big fan of the carbon barrels, but would recomend using a ABS and a smith who was concerned with doing a quality job over high production.
Ingotoutdoors
I have to agree with the last post, except that I have a 300 WSM and it is very fincky. It is their full blown custom model and it will not meet their supposed gurantee. It will shoot MOA with reloads, but with the factory loads that it was supposed to have been tested with, shot 4 MOA at 100 yards and that was for 3 different people. It has also had two different scopes on it, just to make sure that was not the issue. Do as Ingotoutdoors suggested and go another route as you will most likely not be happy. Good Luck in your search.
IMO, Don't waste your money!!!!!!! I have personally seen one of these rifles taken apart and broken down by my local gunsmith. It was a joke for the amount the guy paid for it. Once again, I highly recommend NOT buying a Christenson Arms. Be smart, buy the following parts and have the rifle bulit by one of the smiths on this sit;
1. Stiller Predator Action
2. Bartlien Barrel
3. Jewel Trigger
4. Manners or McMillan stock
5. Stiller 20 MOA Rail
6. Vais or Holland muzzle brake
After you buy all of these parts and pay the smith to put the rifle togather, I bet you'll have saved money. Plus, your rifle will be ten times better and more ten times more accurate than any Christenson Arms rifle.
After what I saw in my ginsmiths shop that night, I felt really bad for the guy who spent all the money for that rifle. After the smith showed him what was wrong with the rifle, he was pretty ****ed about spending that much money. He decided to take a loss, sell it and bought parts to have a real custom rifle.
Remember this is MY OPINION, and I am basing it on what I saw that night. Maybe that was just one bad rifle, however, it was really bad. Please, correct me if I am wrong, but I have read many negitive things about Christenson Arms customer service and their product.
Once again, buy the parts above, or similar parts, and have a gunsmith like 308NATE or Fiftydriver put it togather.
1. Stiller Predator Action
2. Bartlien Barrel
3. Jewel Trigger
4. Manners or McMillan stock
5. Stiller 20 MOA Rail
6. Vais or Holland muzzle brake
After you buy all of these parts and pay the smith to put the rifle togather, I bet you'll have saved money. Plus, your rifle will be ten times better and more ten times more accurate than any Christenson Arms rifle.
After what I saw in my ginsmiths shop that night, I felt really bad for the guy who spent all the money for that rifle. After the smith showed him what was wrong with the rifle, he was pretty ****ed about spending that much money. He decided to take a loss, sell it and bought parts to have a real custom rifle.
Remember this is MY OPINION, and I am basing it on what I saw that night. Maybe that was just one bad rifle, however, it was really bad. Please, correct me if I am wrong, but I have read many negitive things about Christenson Arms customer service and their product.
Once again, buy the parts above, or similar parts, and have a gunsmith like 308NATE or Fiftydriver put it togather.
new shooter
Well-Known Member
I guess either you did not read all these post our you did not believe them? Get a smith on this site that will give a 1/2 '' moa guaranteed. kirby allen- mate 308- shawn carlock. I have never heard off a rifle that these smith built that people did not get there 1/2 or better moa.Listening to the smith that works for christenson arms you really don't think he going to say something megative? Why would you take that kind of chance after this many people said not a good rifle? Going to there shop is not going to prove anything.Why bother to ask the men here then do not believe there actual experience with christenson arms?
