Custom Rifle build, with help

[khmplus]

Proof makes excellent barrels; they are especially known for their carbon fiber wrapped barrels, but there are many others: Kreiger, Brux, Benchmark, Bartlein, McGowan etc. You will want pillars and glass bedding for the stock.

If you are going to assemble yourself you will also need an action wrench, barrel vise, and go and no-go gauges. Some actions/barrels offer cerakote finishing as an option while others don't. What kind of finish do you want? What cartridge are you thinking?

I love shopping for tools! 6.5 PRC, probably blued or similar classic look

 

[eamyrick]

For your first one I’d get a nice classic series Winchester. CRF/Blued metal. Can be had for 7-800. They shoot great and the factory triggers can be smithed down to 2.5lbs. For a classic rifle I don’t think you can get much better than a model 70 action.

 

[MeatMissile]

For your first one I’d get a nice classic series Winchester. CRF/Blued metal. Can be had for 7-800. They shoot great and the factory triggers can be smithed down to 2.5lbs. For a classic rifle I don’t think you can get much better than a model 70 action.

That, and you can have a 3 inch short action box without having to spend any extra money.

 

[Decker9]

Definitely a cool idea! My hats off to anyone jumping into walnut stock building. Currently stocking my defiance/benchmark 6.5prc

 

[Zappaman]

I'd love to refinish wood, and I limit myself to restoring old guns from time-to-time.

I once "rebuilt" and old Baker Batavia SxS stock (as in cleaning oil out of the (several) broken pieces, re-glued them each back into place using stained glue, and "bedded" the stock to the back of the receiver). There was a complete break in the pistol grip area I couldn't get back to original (just missing too much of the original wood)... so I braided a thinner leather "grip" around that broken part. It came out nice and this 1913 built gun shoots good with it's two full choke barrels (origionally a goose gun sold in Sear's catelogs during WW1-- thankfully with 2 3/4" chambers). I load reduced rounds for it to meet closer to the original pressures back then and use it with upland lead (and some bismuth too for ducks).

There are a lot of guys (myself included) that would buy decent, simple, lightweight replacements for their plastic stocks if you ever do the more popular actions. I put a custom maple on my Savage Axis II (about $400 from Boyds) that kept the weight down and looks (and shoots) super with the stainless action and custom barrel. Setting head space is EASY... Savage guys like me have been doing it with once shot brass (filled with epoxy if you like).

But as I'm usually replacing an existing Savage "stock" barrel, I mark it, take off the nut, turn the barrel tighter with a shot round in the receiver (I can already tell you it's between a 1/8 and 1/4 turn on any Savage small shank receiver). Have to take the ejector out so you can "feel" it touch the spend case. Then just pull the old barrel and screw on the new one until you (lightly) "touch" the SAME spent case again... then back it out the same amount of turn you measured off the old barrel- easy. Just need the barrel vice (about $100).

I hope you find whatever you choose to use and make some great custom stocks!

 

[bradb]

This is who checkered mine.

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[QuackAttack]

Chad Dixon at Longrifles Inc will gladly barrel an action for you and bottom metal is an off the shelf purchase from Sunny Hill.

Your issue will likely be finishing. As I understand it, the hardest part of a build is final fit and finish…metal polish, blue, screws fitted and tightened, bedding, and so on.


Finishing smiths are generally the most experienced.