Looking for a Unicorn- in KY, TN or close by.

Bang4theBuck

Bang4theBuck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
Messages
967
Location
Tennessee
I have been a very loyal customer of Northland Shooter's supply and the Rem/Age set-ups, for dozen's of builds between myself and those we built with shooting buddies. However, they don't stock what I am looking for for my next build. I am thinking of hiring a gunsmith to chamber in my specific cartridge, but I have not found anyone reputable and extremely skilled in chambering a precision rifle barrel, since relocating to the Nashville. The 'unicorn part' comes in with my next statement. I've got a little bit of issue with ADD when it comes to long wait times. If I bring a blank and a reamer to a 'smith, I am not willing to wait months and months to have the work done. I'm sure I'll get beat up by guys telling me that good guys are in high demand and all of that, but it doesn't change my opinion. Waiting forever for services like this takes all of the fun out of it for me. Anyone have a smith that they could recommend that does quality work and turn around in under a month?
 
Bang4theBuck said:
I have been a very loyal customer of Northland Shooter's supply and the Rem/Age set-ups, for dozen's of builds between myself and those we built with shooting buddies. However, they don't stock what I am looking for for my next build. I am thinking of hiring a gunsmith to chamber in my specific cartridge, but I have not found anyone reputable and extremely skilled in chambering a precision rifle barrel, since relocating to the Nashville. The 'unicorn part' comes in with my next statement. I've got a little bit of issue with ADD when it comes to long wait times. If I bring a blank and a reamer to a 'smith, I am not willing to wait months and months to have the work done. I'm sure I'll get beat up by guys telling me that good guys are in high demand and all of that, but it doesn't change my opinion. Waiting forever for services like this takes all of the fun out of it for me. Anyone have a smith that they could recommend that does quality work and turn around in under a month?
Click to expand...

good luck, even if a smith did agree to prioritize you, figure at least 50% markup and that's if they'll even entertain the idea.
 
Mark37082 said:
Good luck finding a competent GS with a short wait time. I understand the desire for instant gratification, but I would be very hesitant to use a GS that was not covered up in business.
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That's always been my thoughts in contracting. Any sub that can fit you in tomorrow is probably worth running the other way from!
 
I had SPR do a remage style for me last year and it was only about a 2 week turnaround? They had the reamer, I sent in the barrel and had it back in no time. They're out of Cookeville, TN. If you want the barrel shouldered it's going to take longer. But the remage cut was fast. Greg makes some dang good rifles, I'd give them a call.
 
Check out Deep South tactical. Not sure if they offer remage, but they did a shouldered prefit for a terminus Zeus in about 2 weeks. Shipping to them is easy.

Oh yeah - they only charge $300 for chambering and muzzle threading. Heck of a deal!

DF84E8FF-A334-496E-B17A-949A510C53C5.jpeg
 
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Bang4theBuck said:
I have been a very loyal customer of Northland Shooter's supply and the Rem/Age set-ups, for dozen's of builds between myself and those we built with shooting buddies. However, they don't stock what I am looking for for my next build. I am thinking of hiring a gunsmith to chamber in my specific cartridge, but I have not found anyone reputable and extremely skilled in chambering a precision rifle barrel, since relocating to the Nashville. The 'unicorn part' comes in with my next statement. I've got a little bit of issue with ADD when it comes to long wait times. If I bring a blank and a reamer to a 'smith, I am not willing to wait months and months to have the work done. I'm sure I'll get beat up by guys telling me that good guys are in high demand and all of that, but it doesn't change my opinion. Waiting forever for services like this takes all of the fun out of it for me. Anyone have a smith that they could recommend that does quality work and turn around in under a month?
Click to expand...
I feel your pain.
I have been working on firearms for well over 50 years and was mentored by a comp shooter that chambered his own barrels since 60 years ago. I learned on older but great lathes. I had a lathe with another machinist (he had 60 years) and when he passed, his daughter sold the lathe that was half mine without telling me. Well last year Jill and I invested $$$$ in all new machines and equipment. We now have some of the best State of the ART Machines, Tooling and Equipment to chamber rifles and cerakote. We are about 80% finished with our new shop.
One thing I will say is that it takes many hours building a custom rifle. If you are dealing with a reputable GS he or she is not only chambering barrels, which could take a day to complete, but also building the rifle. The stock could take several days to complete. So if you are having your rifle chambered by a GS that is a "One Man Shop" and good-you are going to wait a while to get your rifle chambered. If you have your own Reamer, Action and Barrel it will save a lot of time. If you don't have any components, you can wait up to 4-5 + months. Custom Reamers take up to 6 months, SAAMI Reamers 2 months, renting a Reamer -weeks. Barrels up to one year depending on what you want.
Jill and I have 1/2 dozen complete BUILDS waiting in line and a dozen just for chambering.
Thats why we have not aggressively advertised, and we don't want to take any business in until the Cerakote side of the operation is finished.
We plan on Jill leaving her current position in the medical field to stay home with me and then operating the Cerakote side of the business (this year). We will only do High Quality Custom (and SAAMI) Chambering and Cerakoting.
God Bless
Len & Jill
 
I thought that Southern Precision was going to be a slam dunk, as they have a great reputation, and only an hour away. His website says that he is like 12 weeks out on prefits and 6 months on shouldered barrels. Those findings were the reason for me writing this note. As I said in my opening statement, I knew that I was going to get comments about the good being worth the wait. I am well aware. I am not after 'instant gratification', I am after a reasonable timeframe. 6 months is not reasonable to me. I would have the barrel in hand, the reamer in hand and the action in hand. We're talking about 3 to 4 hours worth of work. Anyway, I could rant all day, and I won't, but sure hope these high demand gunsmiths are making a killing, as it sure seems that they are leaving a lot of work on the table with folks like myself that won't wait that long, and go another direction.
 
Yup…
SPR has done 5 Bartlien BugNut barrels for me.
Definitely worth the wait.

Don't tell me you plan on installing new garage doors or windows on short notice…good luck with that.
 
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Justice1327 said:
To be honest, but not trying to be a jerk, sounds like you need to plan ahead a bit more. That would take the rush service to a more manageable level.
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Congratulations Justice, you win the award for the least valued thing I've heard all day. If what you heard from this dialog was that I lacked the ability to plan ahead, its time for a hearing aid. I'm no sheep. This forum is rich with folks that are steeped in experience and know who and how to get things done. I've manged to draw out a few value added responses from those quality people, and I'm thankful for that.
 

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