memtb
Well-Known Member
I've grown a"custom" to the term! 
memtb
memtb
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I will comment on bolt actions, since that is my wheelhouse.
Factory: maybe has an upgraded trigger, a brake, or an upgraded stock that might come on a factory rifle like B&C Medalist or HS Precision, "custom" paint. Would even consider high end rifles like Gunwerks, Seekins, Christensen, Cooper, Nosler, etc. as "factory", albeit high end factory.
Upgraded factory: Factory rifle with an upgraded stock like McM, Manners, AG Comp, or aftermarket barrel.
Semi-custom: Factory action, action worked over, with as many upgrades as you want. Top end CF stock, aftermarket barrel, trigger, bolt work, bottom metal, Cerakote, etc.
Custom: Custom action! Since it never came as a factory built rifle, all parts will be aftermarket. Could be a $2k to $10k+ build.
Factory: maybe has an upgraded trigger, a brake, or an upgraded stock that might come on a factory rifle like B&C Medalist or HS Precision, "custom" paint. Would even consider high end rifles like Gunwerks, Seekins, Christensen, Cooper, Nosler, etc. as "factory", albeit high end factory.
Upgraded factory: Factory rifle with an upgraded stock like McM, Manners, AG Comp, or aftermarket barrel.
Semi-custom: Factory action, action worked over, with as many upgrades as you want. Top end CF stock, aftermarket barrel, trigger, bolt work, bottom metal, Cerakote, etc.
Custom: Custom action! Since it never came as a factory built rifle, all parts will be aftermarket. Could be a $2k to $10k+ build.
Last edited:
Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
Add "billet" to this. No one made anything from a billet.
Maybe a custom billet bench rest accuracy gun thing.
Drives me nuts.
Maybe a custom billet bench rest accuracy gun thing.
Drives me nuts.
D
Deleted member 103481
Guest
If I can stop caring so much what other people do, I find it makes my life much more enjoyable.
No an AR someone built in their garage likely isn't very custom. But it could be. I used to get worked up about people saying they "built" an AR when they took a complete upper and lower and popped them together, or even built the lower themselves. I also do not care about that anymore.
to me, for bolt rifles I follow lancetkenyons directions for my personal classifications, with the one asterisk being some older custom Mauser rifles. Some of them are such works of true master smithing/art I consider them full customs.
No an AR someone built in their garage likely isn't very custom. But it could be. I used to get worked up about people saying they "built" an AR when they took a complete upper and lower and popped them together, or even built the lower themselves. I also do not care about that anymore.
to me, for bolt rifles I follow lancetkenyons directions for my personal classifications, with the one asterisk being some older custom Mauser rifles. Some of them are such works of true master smithing/art I consider them full customs.
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 3,200
Next we need to talk about "match". Match barrels, match reamers, match rifles, etc. Match seems to mean different, not better as many folks interpret it. It might be better for one thing, but not another.
Custom is tricky...if I put a prefit match barrel on an origin action, put it in a chassis...Then the whole thing shoots 0.2" @100 yd groups with boring accuracy, is it custom?
Then, there is bespoke where someone take a 1/2 finished action, hunk of wood and a pretty good barrel.....then with many hours of woodwork, metalwork, machining, and finishing, a work of art with practical capability is built in Is completed.
I think the challenge is that people associate custom with better than factory....Many times custom is a slower process with similar results. A slower process always costs more.....it doesn't have to be better. That is what I see with tons of custom AR15's. Cool forearm, cool small parts, overly complex BCG, $80 barrel and $100 trigger. Fine custom rifle, I guess, but performance is likely worse than factory.
What do you want "custom" to mean? Handwork? Machining by builder? Accurate? Pretty? Something you cannot do on your own? I think many people apply one or more of these things.
I am having a "custom" rifle built. It will have some handwork, some machining, pretty,.....I cannot do the work well enough. It will probably be very accurate. Is it custom? To me, yes. To some, it will be a Win 70 in a B&C stock with a decent barrel and wildcat chamber. Custom is really a clue that you need to better understand what you are buying/receiving....there is no spec, except what you and the builders work out.
Custom is tricky...if I put a prefit match barrel on an origin action, put it in a chassis...Then the whole thing shoots 0.2" @100 yd groups with boring accuracy, is it custom?
Then, there is bespoke where someone take a 1/2 finished action, hunk of wood and a pretty good barrel.....then with many hours of woodwork, metalwork, machining, and finishing, a work of art with practical capability is built in Is completed.
I think the challenge is that people associate custom with better than factory....Many times custom is a slower process with similar results. A slower process always costs more.....it doesn't have to be better. That is what I see with tons of custom AR15's. Cool forearm, cool small parts, overly complex BCG, $80 barrel and $100 trigger. Fine custom rifle, I guess, but performance is likely worse than factory.
What do you want "custom" to mean? Handwork? Machining by builder? Accurate? Pretty? Something you cannot do on your own? I think many people apply one or more of these things.
I am having a "custom" rifle built. It will have some handwork, some machining, pretty,.....I cannot do the work well enough. It will probably be very accurate. Is it custom? To me, yes. To some, it will be a Win 70 in a B&C stock with a decent barrel and wildcat chamber. Custom is really a clue that you need to better understand what you are buying/receiving....there is no spec, except what you and the builders work out.
memtb
Well-Known Member
I consider my rifle a semi-custom. A Win. Model 70 action trued, Douglas Match SS in .375 AI, sights with 2 leaf folding rear, fully bedded in a McMillan stock. If it were an action from one of the premier builders....I'd then refer to my rifle as a "custom"! memtb
WanderingGoatie
Well-Known Member
I've accumulated several guns over the years and never thought about it til now.
-Tac30, carbon6, timney, A5
-Deviant, Shilen, Timney, Manners
-ShilenDGR, Carbon6, Timney, Gamescout
Chambered by competent "no name" smiths, but bedded and assembled by me.
Customs or no?
-Tac30, carbon6, timney, A5
-Deviant, Shilen, Timney, Manners
-ShilenDGR, Carbon6, Timney, Gamescout
Chambered by competent "no name" smiths, but bedded and assembled by me.
Customs or no?
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2015
- Messages
- 1,527
Was a similar thread awhile back concerning "blue printing". Everyone has their own opinion and most dont care to actually get together and properly define it for a market.
Yes, I remember that thread. Some people are stuck with the labeling instead of the "actual" process involved. Regardless of what they call it, I always ask for what was "actually" done with it, a list of components and who (gunsmith) did the work as starters.
Last edited:
"Customized": "Modified to fit a particular individual or task."
So I would say that on my new build: I purchased a stock in a shape, color and size I want. I had a barrel turned to my contour preference, chambered to my spec in the cartridge I want, and finished to my liking. I put my preference of trigger in the build, my scope rings of preference, and optics I prefer for my hunting style. I purchased a "custom" Lone Peak action in the length and bolt size needed.
Well, I think I may have a custom rifle by definition.
So I would say that on my new build: I purchased a stock in a shape, color and size I want. I had a barrel turned to my contour preference, chambered to my spec in the cartridge I want, and finished to my liking. I put my preference of trigger in the build, my scope rings of preference, and optics I prefer for my hunting style. I purchased a "custom" Lone Peak action in the length and bolt size needed.
Well, I think I may have a custom rifle by definition.
Kind of like the hundreds... probably thousands of "gunsmiths" out there. Folks bring them the components of an AR and they screw the barrel on and slap a forend on it: Wa-La... a professional gunsmith!
To me, a gunsmith can crown and chamber a barrel, bed an action, set back a barrel, re-barrel a rifle, thread an action for scope mounts, etc.
To me, a gunsmith can crown and chamber a barrel, bed an action, set back a barrel, re-barrel a rifle, thread an action for scope mounts, etc.
Txhillbilly
Well-Known Member
There's a big difference between actually building something from the ground up, or just assembling parts that you bought together.
I've Assembled almost every Centerfire rifle that set in my safe's. They are all built with "custom" aftermarket parts. Some with factory action's, some with custom actions.
Do I have Custom rifle's? IMO, Yes. Because you can't go to a store and buy what I have off a rack.
Am I a custom rifle builder? Hell No! But, I've assembled some pretty nice custom rifles.
I've Assembled almost every Centerfire rifle that set in my safe's. They are all built with "custom" aftermarket parts. Some with factory action's, some with custom actions.
Do I have Custom rifle's? IMO, Yes. Because you can't go to a store and buy what I have off a rack.
Am I a custom rifle builder? Hell No! But, I've assembled some pretty nice custom rifles.
blackbrush1
Well-Known Member
If you have a few minutes...
www.rimfirecentral.com
Rimfire Central Firearm Forum
A family friendly forum community dedicated to rimfire firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion of all manner of rimfire pistols, rifles, optics, ammo, gunsmithing, customization, reviews, hunting, accessories, classifieds, and more!
