Acceptable Custom Rifle Timelines when you are providing every part vice not

[Mojave]

If you provide everything to a gunsmith, how long do you think it should take before you get your new rifle back?

This is a situation where yo do not do the following:

1. Change the caliber, cartridge or stock
2. Change the color 10 times
3. Provide the components for a build and then bring more stuff or change it for other stuff.

Smith is doing the following:
1. Chamber and fit provided barrel to a custom action
2. Thread muzzle for barrel device
3. Bed barreled action correctly
4. Cerakote
5. Install and adjust trigger and sear engagement to ensure they function safely and correctly

 

[wapitibob]

2 moths

 

[Eagle]

Well, I would generally think a couple months would be sufficient, but after dealing with my current smith on two builds for the last two years (guns are finally arriving at my house tomorrow) I really don't know anymore.

Like you I provided the stock/components/action to the smith over two years ago, he provided the barrel, chambered, threaded, bedded in stock, cerakoted rifle and machined sheep ports onto the actions (tikka) and I'm getting the rifles in hand for the first time tomorrow. Fingers crossed they are in perfect condition and I don't have to ship them back for anything. I still have to paint the stocks to get them to my liking, so he didn't have to finish them beyond installing a recoil pad and bedding. Not sure how much time painting the stocks could have potentially added to my builds, but I wasn't about to find out either.

 

[Nine Banger]

I feel like I know a guy that could do that list in 5 weeks.

However my builds this year have been so dysfunctional I now own an internal and external action wrench, sight
pushers, and some other expensive tools that keep me self reliant.

The only trade off is I scratch stuff, ruin parts and say damnit when springs and detents fly across the room while I figure out how to do all this stuff for real next time.

 

[T_Widdy]

Most of the smiths I know don’t like it when you “bring your own popcorn” They will put you on the back burner. It’s hard to make a living on labor alone.

 

[Formidilosus]

If you provide everything to a gunsmith, how long do you think it should take before you get your new rifle back?

This is a situation where yo do not do the following:

1. Change the caliber, cartridge or stock
2. Change the color 10 times
3. Provide the components for a build and then bring more stuff or change it for other stuff.

Smith is doing the following:
1. Chamber and fit provided barrel to a custom action
2. Thread muzzle for barrel device
3. Bed barreled action correctly
4. Cerakote
5. Install and adjust trigger and sear engagement to ensure they function safely and correctly

It has nothing to do with how long someone “thinks” it should take; and everything to do with how long it actually takes. There are gunsmiths that have 15+ year backlogs- you want a gun by then, you wait. Most gunsmiths are in the 6 mouths to 2 years time frame.

 

[Mojave]

It has nothing to do with how long someone “thinks” it should take; and everything to do with how long it actually takes. There are gunsmiths that have 15+ year backlogs- you want a gun by then, you wait. Most gunsmiths are in the 6 mouths to 2 years time frame.

Perhaps it does.

More in the lines of how long are you willing to wait?

There are lots of reasons that there is a backlog.

1. The smith works alone and has no good system of first in first out. Or paid work first.
2. The smith only works on their friends work or big clients first.
3. The smith(s) are very popular and have a big back log
4. The smith has an illness
5. The smith has a family issue (more common than not)
6. The smith has financial issues and has a pyramid scheme going on parts with no intention to finish anything.

Backlog is an understandable problem. The Darcy E'chols and Todd Ramirez's of the word have huge backlogs. Years even more years.

Most of these problems are the issue of the stock and barrel manufacturing companies. That isn't what I am talking about here.

15 years is insane. Not sure why anyone would stand for that as a customer. I could have been married and divorced multiple times in that period.

Here are my own personal gun work times. On my experience as a military armorer, and when I was chambering 3-4 F-class barrels a week in Australia.
1. Cut Chamber and fit provided barrel to a custom action. 4-12 hours depending on much luck I have on finding dead nuts centers indexed off the inside of the barrel.
2. Thread muzzle for barrel device 2-3 more hours (again sometimes you get lucky and find zero).
3. Bed barreled action correctly 2-3 hours one day and 2 hours clean up if it goes well a few days later
4. Cerakote (I have zero idea, as I have no experience with this. Based on my knowledge of Krylon and painters tape, bead blasting and so on. I think this could be 3-4 hours or 8 depending on what kind of a day you are having.
5. Install and adjust trigger and sear engagement to ensure they function safely and correctly (less than 2 hours)

13-20 hours per rifle job.

 

[SDHNTR]

I have this exact scenario occurring right now with a well known smith. I was quoted 8-10 weeks. I’m only 3 weeks in so we shall see.

This is after I called LRI and and was quoted 2 freaking years! When I gasped and inquired further, I was told that was specifically due to backlogged stock work. They could do all the barreling, metal and paint work in 2-3 months, but the stock was gonna take years. I was about to say OK and just send them the parts for the barreled action and then do the stock work myself, until I called the aforementioned smith above and he said he could do it all in the same timeframe.

 

[Nine Banger]

Todd Ramirez's of the word have huge backlogs.

I like this guys stuff, thanks for putting the name up on here. He has a cool website.

 

[HuntHarder]

100% gunsmith backlog dependent. Stick to the quoted timeline. If you agree to wait up to 2 years, then no bitching until after 2 years. FWIW, I do not think there is a gunsmith out there, that is assembling your parts together, that is worth more than a 6 month wait.

 

[rbaney]

Well the 3-6 months has been the time line I have had most. But it would really be dependent on the barrel and stock. As I just ordered a barrel and while looking saw that Bartlien is 6- 12 Months and Krieger is longer than that. I went with Hart for a 2.5-3 month wait. I already have the stock and most everything else needed. So my wait is Barrel and Reamer that the Smith ordered. Working time will most likely be 1-2 months after he gets everything in his possession.

 

[2buffalo]

8-12 weeks.

 

[waspocrew]

8-12 weeks.

This seems about right if I’m supplying all the parts. I had two rifles built (supplied everything) and they took longer than I wanted. One said he dropped the reamer and it broke, so had to wait several weeks for a replacement. In the end, it worked out and both rifles shoot well.

 

[TaperPin]

I’ve seen too many reliable, well established small business tradesmen go bonkers, to trust them farther than a midget toss. Lol

For me 6 months tops and I’m not leaving my property to sit on a shelf unless there’s no way around it - if there’s a break in or a big fire your life just got 5x more stressful for the next year and odds are good you will get screwed, you just don’t know how hard until it’s all said and done.

There is a 1 in 7 chance the guy will get divorced this year. There’s a 1 in 7 chance he will move from one house to another this year. Teenagers can be overwhelming for some parents. Spouses can drive a guy nuts. It’s safe to assume guys with bad habits aren’t going to live past 60. The absolute best guy I ever knew let his company go to hell when his wife ended up with cancer. I’ve known too many guys who for what ever reason hit the bottle or get into pills. My good buddy was at the top of his game, stopped accepting new clients by the time he was 40, on track to retire before 50, dated a gal full of drama and he felt he couldn’t take it and ended it all.

Money talks. More money gets jobs done sooner - every person in here would prioritize jobs that produce twice or 3x the profit. Supply your own parts and want it done at Walmart price, don’t expect it quick.

I also don’t believe every guy with a big backlog is worth a hoot. When a bunch of work falls onto a mediocre guy’s lap, his price for new work and lead times just went up. When it rains it pours.