Sacrifice For Quality or The Case For Custom

[ADMIN]

I've been feature hunting for my entire rifle buying life. Buying features means that - in order to satisfy the desire for a more desirable feature, you have to buy a whole new rifle.

The justification for a new rifle purchase was always that this new one has these nifty new features. You have to have them to accomplish - whatever. Mostly it's a flashing nuance that fades into the back of the safe, rack, closet or corner.
Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Sacrifice For Quality or The Case For Custom, By Les Voth. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[Don A Parsons]

Thanks for the nice write up Les, I ain't no where near that for consistency as most of all my shooting at game here in Western Canada is about 40 to 140 ish yards,,, "archery trained me well."

As for paper and silhouette shooting I enjoy the free hand stuff out too 500 yards max now days. I too am ageing as I scale back in rifles but not optics as they always will be on the ready when needed.

I have a few rifles that go into the hand me down category then thin out the rest as I keep my 22, a 30/06, and a old 12 gauge shot gun.

I like less is more since it gives me more time too plink with one rifle. We get to learn it like a well worn set of boots, and it becomes a good friend that we can rely on.

We learn after a few shoots how much trigger is needed, exactly where to rest our heads and where our hands best fit the stock in many positions.

The rifle sling is one we liked on the other rifle as it found a new home on the pride and joy we like best, same for the old Harrison byepoles.

Yuppers, simple custom made too fit our needs is for those that truly like a rifle that fits our needs.

Pal Don from Western Canada

 

[gunmunkey]

When I read your article I believed you were writing about me personally. I have been going through rifles like wildfire for almost ten years, trying to find that quintessential "one".

I only just recently stopped and did the math on my problem. I had always avoided building a custom because I told myself they were vain and expensive. But having ten rifles in the cabinet that I wasn't using cost me twice more than going the proper route.

Currently, I am talking with a smith and determining what is right for my needs and doing lots of reading on this site from experienced shooters. The museum collection of fine factory rifles is dwindling and my coffee can is filling with $ for that rifle that may finally fill that void. A lesson ten years too late.

 

[redhaven85]

I'm in the same boat. I have gone through several factory rifles, and swap them out all the time. (I do have a few hand-me-down rifles from my dad that I don't shoot much, but could never sell.) I've recently decided to sell the majority of my factory rifles and get one rifle that I will get to shoot a lot. Seems the more rifles I've acquired, the less l shoot any of them. Doesn't make much sense to have them all and not use them. I'm not really a collector at this stage in my life.

I do have one custom rifle, a NULA Model 20 .22LR that I saved up and bought a few years ago. Love that gun and shoot it all the time. Thinking of maybe getting a big brother for it.

 

[tankgijohn72]

Definitely agree with author that accurate rifles set up the way you want are the way to go. One thing I would throw out there is to build a custom rifle yourself. I have built two, one on a savage and one on a Remington using a remage barrel. Both do require action wrench, barrel vise, and headspace gages but still much cheaper then using a gunsmith. Both rifles are well under MOA with 10 shot groups. Plus you have a rifle that you built with hand-loads you built. Used the 300 WM to connect with Mulies in Idaho last year and the 35 whelen for my biggest deer ever in CO this year. Mine may not be quite as pretty as some of the custom rifles, but I think they look pretty good and will hold their own in the accuracy dept as well. $1200 for one build and $700 for the whelen.

 

[gunmunkey]

Yeah I could build it myself cheaper. But to save time and avoid trial and error I'll gladly pay a pro. Had a similar conversation with another fellow about my truck. Sure I could have changed the differentials myself but I'd rather spend the time driving it than working on it. I'd rather be out shooting than sitting at my workbench. Later in life when I have more time maybe I'll appreciate the rifle assembled by yours truly but for now I'll hire a pro.

 

[lesvoth]

Thanks for the great comments.

I should have been watching for this before but missed these discussions after the articles. I appreciate your replies to my article!