Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,745
- 5,809
Re the custom rifles - I only have a couple that are "custom" the rest are just production models, a couple of which have been mildly improved. Sometimes there are reasons why a shooter wants a "custom" - some unique features desired.
Stock configuration is one - sometimes the off-the-rack rifle just doesn't fit well. Could be the shooter is particularly tall & lanky, or perhaps built like fireplug. Either way, the standard stock might not be all that comfortable.
Then there's just making it purty. Maybe this is a "special" rifle, and a terrific piece of wood is desired. A gift for someone, or marking a special occasion or accomplishment in life.
When we modify a factory rifle... When does it become a "custom" rifle? It's fairly routine to adjust the trigger or replace the trigger on some rifles. How about if we pillar and/or glass bed it? How about if we chop a couple inches off the barrel? What if we replace the stock? Remove the sights? Coat the metal in some kind of high-tech stuff? When does it go from "production" to "custom" ? I don't know...
Could easily argue that all those military rifles, those Springfields, 1917's, Mausers, that were "sporterized" in decades past were all "custom" to an extent.
My Model 70 375 H&H is what I'd call a true custom. I was told it started life as a 7mm Rem mag, Model 70:
Action was worked over.
Barrel is by Douglas, and lighter contour than the hefty barrel Winchester uses for their 375's.
Sights and quarter rib were made by the builder.
Scope bases were made by the builder, to take Talley QD rings.
Stock is beautiful. Straight grain in the forearm and through the wrist, then pretty fancy in the buttstock. Forend cap is Australian Leatherwood.
So - there's not much on the rifle as built by Winchester!
Most of my other rifles are pretty much as built. Interestingly our old 257 Wby on the Mauser action, and the 30-06 Model of 1917, are almost as modified as that full custom Model 70 375 H&H. Different stocks, a different barrel on the Mauser, chopped the barrel on the 30-06, different triggers than production. Etc...
Take a look at the beautiful & functional lever action Marlins that Richard Mann is using in Africa now... From the "Remington Custom Shop" aka "Dakota Arms." Good grief they're beautiful firearms!
Ya, there are a LOT of different production rifles out there now. We can go buy pretty much anything we want, but I'd say yes, people still want, and buy, custom rifles.
Guy
Stock configuration is one - sometimes the off-the-rack rifle just doesn't fit well. Could be the shooter is particularly tall & lanky, or perhaps built like fireplug. Either way, the standard stock might not be all that comfortable.
Then there's just making it purty. Maybe this is a "special" rifle, and a terrific piece of wood is desired. A gift for someone, or marking a special occasion or accomplishment in life.
When we modify a factory rifle... When does it become a "custom" rifle? It's fairly routine to adjust the trigger or replace the trigger on some rifles. How about if we pillar and/or glass bed it? How about if we chop a couple inches off the barrel? What if we replace the stock? Remove the sights? Coat the metal in some kind of high-tech stuff? When does it go from "production" to "custom" ? I don't know...
Could easily argue that all those military rifles, those Springfields, 1917's, Mausers, that were "sporterized" in decades past were all "custom" to an extent.
My Model 70 375 H&H is what I'd call a true custom. I was told it started life as a 7mm Rem mag, Model 70:
Action was worked over.
Barrel is by Douglas, and lighter contour than the hefty barrel Winchester uses for their 375's.
Sights and quarter rib were made by the builder.
Scope bases were made by the builder, to take Talley QD rings.
Stock is beautiful. Straight grain in the forearm and through the wrist, then pretty fancy in the buttstock. Forend cap is Australian Leatherwood.
So - there's not much on the rifle as built by Winchester!
Most of my other rifles are pretty much as built. Interestingly our old 257 Wby on the Mauser action, and the 30-06 Model of 1917, are almost as modified as that full custom Model 70 375 H&H. Different stocks, a different barrel on the Mauser, chopped the barrel on the 30-06, different triggers than production. Etc...
Take a look at the beautiful & functional lever action Marlins that Richard Mann is using in Africa now... From the "Remington Custom Shop" aka "Dakota Arms." Good grief they're beautiful firearms!
Ya, there are a LOT of different production rifles out there now. We can go buy pretty much anything we want, but I'd say yes, people still want, and buy, custom rifles.
Guy
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,745
- 5,809
Some years ago I was contemplating having a custom sporter-weight hunting rifle made. Was thinking through what I wanted, and who was going to do the work. And how much it was going to cost...
Wandered into my local gun shop. I'd never seen, or even heard of, Remington's then-new 700 CDL. Well, there was one on the rack in 270 Win. I looked at it... I swear it winked and smiled at me! Hefted it, snapped it to my shoulder. The fit was great! Just a tiny tad short in the stock, but I'm used to that. The walnut looked nice, I liked the matte-finish on the steel.
Dropped all intent at having a sporter rifle custom built right then, ordered one in 25-06 and a few weeks later it arrived. My rifle didn't feature the beautiful wood I'd seen on that 270 though. But... Honestly, it was everything I wanted in a sporter rifle. Since then I got another, in 30-06, and then took them both to a friend of mine, a skilled gunsmith. He pillar bedded them both, tuned the triggers to 3# each, and free-floated the barrels. I can't say that they shoot much better now, but he needed the work and I got back two pretty doggone good rifles.
They're not custom, but dang, they sure work well for me!
After years of hanging out here on the Nosler forum, I know our members here have a nice variety of factory and custom rifles. I enjoy seeing them and reading about them.
Regards, Guy
Wandered into my local gun shop. I'd never seen, or even heard of, Remington's then-new 700 CDL. Well, there was one on the rack in 270 Win. I looked at it... I swear it winked and smiled at me! Hefted it, snapped it to my shoulder. The fit was great! Just a tiny tad short in the stock, but I'm used to that. The walnut looked nice, I liked the matte-finish on the steel.
Dropped all intent at having a sporter rifle custom built right then, ordered one in 25-06 and a few weeks later it arrived. My rifle didn't feature the beautiful wood I'd seen on that 270 though. But... Honestly, it was everything I wanted in a sporter rifle. Since then I got another, in 30-06, and then took them both to a friend of mine, a skilled gunsmith. He pillar bedded them both, tuned the triggers to 3# each, and free-floated the barrels. I can't say that they shoot much better now, but he needed the work and I got back two pretty doggone good rifles.
They're not custom, but dang, they sure work well for me!
After years of hanging out here on the Nosler forum, I know our members here have a nice variety of factory and custom rifles. I enjoy seeing them and reading about them.
Regards, Guy
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Anonymous
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There's a lot of interesting response in this thread.
For what it's worth-
The line between "factory" and "custom" is getting pretty blurry these days. My favorite rifle is a model named "M48 Custom Sporter"... it has "custom" in the name and while it is made up of top shelf stuff components., it is in no way a "custom" gun built to my specs. It's a very, very nice "factory" gun.
The same could be said of the Christiansen I talked about earlier...it has features that 15 years ago would have been the product of a custom shop but now you can buy it off the rack.
Comparing guns from the large factories- like the Remington 700CDL. That's a pretty swanky rifle compared to what Big Green was rolling out in the 80s.
Interesting days for the shooter, and good ones.
For what it's worth-
The line between "factory" and "custom" is getting pretty blurry these days. My favorite rifle is a model named "M48 Custom Sporter"... it has "custom" in the name and while it is made up of top shelf stuff components., it is in no way a "custom" gun built to my specs. It's a very, very nice "factory" gun.
The same could be said of the Christiansen I talked about earlier...it has features that 15 years ago would have been the product of a custom shop but now you can buy it off the rack.
Comparing guns from the large factories- like the Remington 700CDL. That's a pretty swanky rifle compared to what Big Green was rolling out in the 80s.
Interesting days for the shooter, and good ones.
IdahoCTD":gy4ueas7 said:
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
I have one of the M50’s, the $199 model. It’s a lot of stock for the money. Very rigid like the old Ram Lines, not the noodle poly the manufacturers use now. Very heavy though. Not super impressed with the bedding block, but that concept escapes me anyway on a factory action. Never had one fit yet.
I have a real affinity for McMillan also. I’ve got a few of the old BDL copies, a Game Scout, and a Hunters Edge for my next project on order. I’ve had nothing but good CS and products from them.
Manners told me to call a gunsmith when I had a question for them. Hahahaha, probably should do that, it would save me a lot of money in tooling.
Being a left handed shooter with an affinity for cartridges that are not run-of-the-mill, and nice wood or laminated stocks requires the need for custom rifle builders to get what I am looking for.
The rifles of many commercial makers, and semi-custom, are very accurate with factory ammo, and I have owned a few over the years. But today's trend to plastic and non-traditional lines and high capacity magazines (which are not legal for us to hunt with) takes something away from the look, feel and handiness of the firearm that just isn't the same when carrying and using in the field.
I have 10 custom rifles and am having another done as we speak. Another rechambering job to be performed as soon as I can after that.
There is just something about owning, shooting and hunting with a firearm that you have had built to your specifications, developed a pet load for, and then harvested game to feed your family with!
That is priceless!
The rifles of many commercial makers, and semi-custom, are very accurate with factory ammo, and I have owned a few over the years. But today's trend to plastic and non-traditional lines and high capacity magazines (which are not legal for us to hunt with) takes something away from the look, feel and handiness of the firearm that just isn't the same when carrying and using in the field.
I have 10 custom rifles and am having another done as we speak. Another rechambering job to be performed as soon as I can after that.
There is just something about owning, shooting and hunting with a firearm that you have had built to your specifications, developed a pet load for, and then harvested game to feed your family with!
That is priceless!
I had this conversation with a few folks about this very thought.
The equation has changed substantially. Just about any quality factory rifle now will hunt anything and everything and you won't be limited by the firearm. It's the golden age of factory rifles. Any factory can turn out a lemon, but by and large, they are outstanding.
I've had a half dozen custom's built in the last couple of years. I'm honest enough with myself that I can argue that none of them were necessary, just a build I fancied and wanted to play with.
They were usually pretty specific for a singular purpose, not focused on hunting. Primarily PRS competition rifles. (Primary, Backup, 223 trainer). About the only custom hunting rifle I'm having built is a fast twist 22-250 to shoot up the mountain of 69g Sierra's I'm sitting on.
And every damn one of those could be done with a factory rifle if I wanted to. But what fun is that?
The equation has changed substantially. Just about any quality factory rifle now will hunt anything and everything and you won't be limited by the firearm. It's the golden age of factory rifles. Any factory can turn out a lemon, but by and large, they are outstanding.
I've had a half dozen custom's built in the last couple of years. I'm honest enough with myself that I can argue that none of them were necessary, just a build I fancied and wanted to play with.
They were usually pretty specific for a singular purpose, not focused on hunting. Primarily PRS competition rifles. (Primary, Backup, 223 trainer). About the only custom hunting rifle I'm having built is a fast twist 22-250 to shoot up the mountain of 69g Sierra's I'm sitting on.
And every damn one of those could be done with a factory rifle if I wanted to. But what fun is that?
Lately I have been considering another build. I have a very pristine Husqvarna M640 barreled 98 action that is slicker'n snot on a doorknob. It's a 22" barreled 30-06. I have a very nice piece of walnut that would look very nice coupled with that Husky. The only questions are, do I rebarrel to something else more exotic? Should I keep it a 30-06 with a 24" barrel which I prefer? Husky's came with a 1 in 12" twist in the 06 and one I had years ago would shoot 180 gr. bullets worth spit. Currently I have a custom Mauser that was specifically built to primarily shoot cast and has a 24" barrel. Great with 165 gr. Accubonds but more shotgun pattern like with 180's.
Maybe I'm getting a bit too old. Seems like most factory rifles and handguns are getting more and more ugly every day.
Paul B.
Maybe I'm getting a bit too old. Seems like most factory rifles and handguns are getting more and more ugly every day.
Paul B.
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,090
- 836
Sounds like it would make a dandy 9.3x62
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,311
- 5,974
Thebear_78":27sssc7w said:
That would be a dandy choice for a build.
I still bother. I like odd cartridges and until someone starts chambering the 35 Newton or the 7mm Mashburn Super I am stuck with having a craftsmen put the guns together! I don't mind and typically factory stocks are a little short for me. Being as I am a 14" LOP I am sorta spoiled with having guns that fit me. I have put longer stocks on otherwise factory stock rifles, but still, it is a custom add on of sorts.
And yup, who doesn't need a 9.3x62... Jeeze... No brainer right there!
And yup, who doesn't need a 9.3x62... Jeeze... No brainer right there!
I am of the same persuasion as Gil but older so I can remember when there were not many left handed factory rifles made available.
I have 2 custom rifles made to the specifications that I asked for :wink:.
I was fortunate enough to have some expert help from DrMike who gave me a lot of input. The one thing I can tell you if you have a custom done with top of the line products you will never be disappointed :mrgreen:.
One thing I have done to my factory rifles even before my customs was to have Timney triggers installed. I just find this trigger to be exactly what suits me.
I am now going to get my CDL glass bedded as I have decided that I am going to keep it for 1 of my 2 grandsons as well.
I have 2 custom rifles made to the specifications that I asked for :wink:.
I was fortunate enough to have some expert help from DrMike who gave me a lot of input. The one thing I can tell you if you have a custom done with top of the line products you will never be disappointed :mrgreen:.
One thing I have done to my factory rifles even before my customs was to have Timney triggers installed. I just find this trigger to be exactly what suits me
.I am now going to get my CDL glass bedded as I have decided that I am going to keep it for 1 of my 2 grandsons as well.
