Hey guys, im just starting out in this long range stuff. Im thinking about either buying a pre assembled long range gun like a HART, Best of the west in a 7mm rem mag or 300 win mag. These guns are very expensive and i dont want to get taken advantage of. Is it better to buy a gun already put together and comes with load data? or is it best to have a gun smith build you a custom gun with all new parts and do the load development yourself? I see alot of the Harts and Best of the best of the west guns cost up to or even more than $6,000 , how much would it cost to have a gun smith build you a gun to the same quality with new parts? any advice would be great,. I am reloading my own ammo and able to do the load development... I want a left handed long range carry gun for western hunts...
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NEW Custom gun versus Building new gun
- Thread starter magedon44
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Look at the Kelby Atlas guns for half that. Top notch systems.
WyoElk2Hunt
Well-Known Member
Check out Extreme Outer Limits guns. Extremeouterlimitstv.com MOArifles.com
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C.O. Shooter
Well-Known Member
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
Have you looked at Len's supply of long range rifles? The icon long range rifles will get you there. Short delivery times, and guaranteed accuracy. Worth a look.
To answer your question, a good gun smith can build you an awesome gun at less than the big name builders out there. The big name builders are awesome and they will stand behind their guns; if not they wouldn't be able to charge 6k or more for a rifle. Some of the big name guys are just truing up a Remington 700, bedding a good stock and putting a good barrel on it. A local gunsmith can do that for less money. If you have a gunsmith you can trust I would go that route. I like doing my own load development too. It gives me more trigger/practice time and I am getting things set the way I like them and can recreate them. A good gunsmith should be able to build you a rifle with superb accuracy for around 2k or so (maybe less), depending on what exactly you want. Buying a custom action is the best place to start for supper accuracy and sometimes you aren't in it much more than having an average action trued.
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squirrelduster
Well-Known Member
Find a good smith and have him build you exactly what you want.
I had Hart tune up an old Remington 722 action and put a 6BR barrel on it for squirrel shooting and I did the trigger and bedding. It's a solid sub half MOA rifle out to 500. It an awesome gun to shoot. They also trued up a 700 action and put a fluted Hart barrel on it in 300 win mag. I did the trigger and bedding and it shoots right around 3/4 MOA to 1k. Some times a little more sometimes less.
My point is you can do some of the work yourself and save a fair bit of money. Let them do the metal work and take care of the easier stuff yourself if money is tight.
I had Hart tune up an old Remington 722 action and put a 6BR barrel on it for squirrel shooting and I did the trigger and bedding. It's a solid sub half MOA rifle out to 500. It an awesome gun to shoot. They also trued up a 700 action and put a fluted Hart barrel on it in 300 win mag. I did the trigger and bedding and it shoots right around 3/4 MOA to 1k. Some times a little more sometimes less.
My point is you can do some of the work yourself and save a fair bit of money. Let them do the metal work and take care of the easier stuff yourself if money is tight.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
There are several advantages to doing what you are considering beginning with the ability to get your hands on one months and months quicker and to be ready to shoot the next day since they've done all the work up and break in for you.
Take a look at the McWhorter and Snowy Mountain Rifles rifles while you're looking too.
Don't forget to look at our host's longrangehuntingstore.com as well. Len carries a line of very nice custom long range rigs put together by some of the best gunsmiths in the business who are also our sponsors here.
The advantage to going with a full custom is that you will get exactly what you want options wise but there's a substantial wait on getting them usually.
If you are just starting out the first option is probably the better one and might actually put you money ahead in the long run. I hate to think what some of us end up spending in terms of hours and dollars breaking in a new rifle and working up a load that really hits the sweet spot just right.
I think if you add up the total cost of what you are getting from the turnkey makers like Gunwerks and BOTW, the base rifle, labor, case ammo, scope, etc. is very close to the same cost as using a custom gunsmith. You are paying roughly $1000-$1500 for the labor and materials of a turnkey system that has all the load development, and rifle set up guaranteed to shoot long distance right out of the box. I don't believe this premium is without merit. It is a question of how much value you place on having this development work done for you vs. doing it yourself. IMO.
etisll40
Well-Known Member
If this is the first time, I'd get one of Len's guns here, ask for some load development with a box loaded to start. About the only thing you will change after that might be the stock if it doesn't suit you, and you or any gunsmith can put a different stock on it done the road. You can sell the old stock here. You will have the custom action and the rest to ship to a gunsmith if you decide to change calibers. Don't get a rem 700 action, go custom, get a custom action first time around. Len's guns seem to be priced about right for the extreme quality of parts and such in them. Go 6.5x284, or 300 win mag would be my recommendation. I think the 7 rem mag is a dead caliber, not sure why Len started offering it. The 7 stw flat outshoots it and with the 195 grain eol coming out, the 7 stw will rain king soon again. But I'd go 6.5x284 or 300 win mag hands down if it were my first or last gun.
shortgrass
Well-Known Member
As part of your requirement for your new rifle is left handed , be prepared for a bit of a wait no matter what you decide. As I don't have the inclination to search all the mentioned makers web sites, my comment may not be worth anything, but, I'd be surprised if any had left handed models, in your caliber or configuration, "in stock". There's more left handed available than ever before, but they never will be as plentiful as right handed is. This is where I would start my search, I'd be looking for either a custom action maker who makes a left handed model or I'd have my eyes open for a left handed model 700. Left handed changes the whole senario. Left handed actions aren't just sitting around on the shelf most of the time. When I needed one for a build, I looked for several weeks before I found what I wanted.
406precision
Well-Known Member
Check out snowy mtn rifles they can get you hooked up left handed and you'll have a heck of a rifle for the money with enough left over for good optics and shooting accessories.
Or you can get it all in one shot with a 406 Precision Long Range Shooting System everything you need to get started in the long range game.
"406 PRECISION LONG RANGE SHOOTING SCHOOLS" "CUSTOM LONG RANGE RIFLES"
Or you can get it all in one shot with a 406 Precision Long Range Shooting System everything you need to get started in the long range game.
"406 PRECISION LONG RANGE SHOOTING SCHOOLS" "CUSTOM LONG RANGE RIFLES"
etisll40
Well-Known Member
Browning makes them.
