Group buy for custom chamber “factory” rifles

[hereinaz]

We are getting our FFL, and I think there is a niche to sell a factory rifle in niche chambers. Custom chamber without the price of a custom rifle.

Say, 22 creed, 6–284, 6–6.5 PRC, etc…

We would either sell a barreled action or rifle as from the factory, but swap out the factory barrel with a prefit.

So, you could pick your action, like a Tikka/Howa/Savage or whatever and we would swap the barrel for you. The cost of a whole rifle is less than the cost of many actions. And, it saves the hassle and cost of tools for barrel swaps.

Any interest in that?

Or, send in your rifle and we swap out your barrel you buy from us?

 

[wind gypsy]

interesting concept for sure.

 

[The Harbor Master]

I would be interested, if this can be offered for sub-custom rifle prices you'd probably do pretty well.

 

[hereinaz]

interesting concept for sure.

I figure it’s a simple way for those who don’t want to mess with going all Lego on their gun.

For less than or the same cost as buying the parts themselves, we could assemble the rifle. Barrel companies already offer the rebarreling service, so that isn’t new.

I will ultimately have the barrels for the niche cartridges.

 

[wnelson14]

Yes interested, tikka barreled action.
20”ish threaded barrel, 6creed, and 25creed.

 

[hereinaz]

I would be interested, if this can be offered for sub-custom rifle prices you'd probably do pretty well.

I could sell the rifle and barrel for their street prices and do the swap for nothing or minimal charge. Basically, giving a service to customers who buy the rifle and barrel.

My idea is to just make the regular profit, without charging a premium for the service, especially if we kept the factory barrel to sell.

Once set up, the process to swap barrels and check headspace is simple. I have the tools for it already.

 

[hereinaz]

Yes interested, tikka barreled action.
20”ish threaded barrel, 6creed, and 25creed.

I am even thinking about putting wrench flats or cutting for a box end wrench like ARC did on barrels.

If you bought multiple barrels, would make switch barrel easier.

 

[wnelson14]

Or, send in your rifle and we swap out your barrel you buy from us?

Personally I would rather buy the rifle and it ship to my FFL one time. Dealing with shipping barreled actions is not difficult, but the back and forth with a chance of getting lost or messed up seems to be getting worse.

 

[elkhunter505]

We are getting our FFL, and I think there is a niche to sell a factory rifle in niche chambers. Custom chamber without the price of a custom rifle.

Say, 22 creed, 6–284, 6–6.5 PRC, etc…

We would either sell a barreled action or rifle as from the factory, but swap out the factory barrel with a prefit.

So, you could pick your action, like a Tikka/Howa/Savage or whatever and we would swap the barrel for you. The cost of a whole rifle is less than the cost of many actions. And, it saves the hassle and cost of tools for barrel swaps.

Any interest in that?

Or, send in your rifle and we swap out your barrel you buy from us?

Would love to see 22 creed, 6 creed (LH) and some of the more niche cartridges available for some of us that are not as big on gun building or at the very least are lacking money for it.

 

[Skerhunter]

I think the key selling point would be turn around time - limited specific options.

Thinking out loud:
A prefit barrel runs what $800+ now threaded and ready to go, plus cost of factory rifle is going to be $1500 min for tikka? maybe I’m way off on price but that’s getting pretty pricey for the guys who are stuck between factory and custom guns. If you can keep the costs down below what the “semi customs” cost you would sell the snot out of the creeds and prcs.

 

[hereinaz]

Personally I would rather buy the rifle and it ship to my FFL one time. Dealing with shipping barreled actions is not difficult, but the back and forth with a chance of getting lost or messed up seems to be getting worse.

Agree, for that, the shipping costs and hassle barreled action isn’t worth it for many people. You can buy the tools for the cost of one.

But, if you ship it to an FFL the FFL can return it directly to you. It needs to go to an FFL when there is a transfer of ownership.

Would love to see 22 creed, 6 creed (LH) and some of the more niche cartridges available for some of us that are not as big on gun building or at the very least are lacking money for it.

This is exactly the sort of niche I am thinking.

A easy button that is more budget friendly for a one off rifle. Give an “custom” option without the need excessive cost or hassle for someone who isn’t constantly messing with their files like me.

Most of my friends don’t want the hassle but want the “custom” cartridge.

Especially for lefties who don’t have as many options.

 

[hereinaz]

I think the key selling point would be turn around time - limited specific options.

Thinking out loud:
A prefit barrel runs what $800+ now threaded and ready to go, plus cost of factory rifle is going to be $1500 min for tikka? maybe I’m way off on price but that’s getting pretty pricey for the guys who are stuck between factory and custom guns. If you can keep the costs down below what the “semi customs” cost you would sell the snot out of the creeds and prcs.

The cost is what it is. A semi custom based on a basic Rem 700 clone is gonna be $800, $150, $500, $550 for action, trigger, stock, and barrel. Plus tax and separate shipping for them. I personally know how the costs run, lol.

Basic Tikka won’t be $1500 will they?

There are lots of people who buy the parts themselves to make the swap. I imagine the number of people that would hit the easy button is significant enough.

I really wanna buy all the Tikka on clearance…

As for costs:

I can sell basic PBB threaded prefits for $550. Fluted for under $800.

Shipping costs are rolled into one for the customer.

Swapping barrels puts the customer into the whole rifle for the cost of some actions.

It will be the least expensive way into a “custom” caliber.

I can keep the barrel to resell to keep costs down,

A Howa Superlite barreled action and barrel would be about $1000. Add the stock of choice and it’s a sweet rifle.

 

[SloppyJ]

I think it's an interesting idea for sure. I'm the kind of guy that enjoys working on my own stuff so it's nonnegotiable that I'll have the tools to do it. I guess I don't like relying on anyone else.

However, there could be a market for people who don't feel that way. Additionally, if the cost isn't more than doing it yourself and you can still make money, I don't know why someone wouldn't just order exactly what they want from you at the beginning. There's gotta be a market for 22cm and 6cm tikkas.

 

[Skerhunter]

The cost is what it is. A semi custom based on a basic Rem 700 clone is gonna be $800, $150, $500, $550 for action, trigger, stock, and barrel. Plus tax and separate shipping for them. I personally know how the costs run, lol.

Basic Tikka won’t be $1500 will they?

There are lots of people who buy the parts themselves to make the swap. I imagine the number of people that would hit the easy button is significant enough.

I really wanna buy all the Tikka on clearance…

As for costs:

I can sell basic PBB threaded prefits for $550. Fluted for under $800.

Shipping costs are rolled into one for the customer.

Swapping barrels puts the customer into the whole rifle for the cost of some actions.

It will be the least expensive way into a “custom” caliber.

I can keep the barrel to resell to keep costs down,

A Howa Superlite barreled action and barrel would be about $1000. Add the stock of choice and it’s a sweet rifle.

If prefits are $550 that would be a good deal! I was thinking $600-$700 factory tikka and $800 for barrel swap is how I got the $1500.

I would stick with tikka and avoid rem/savage/ruger (no experience with howa). I’ve seen too many factory guns that have issues that require extra work/tweaking out if the box. Save yourself some headaches!

 

[deerhunter628]

I would be interested. I have a couple 308 and a couple 6.5 cm and i think i want one to be either a 6 cm or 22 cm.

 

[hereinaz]

If prefits are $550 that would be a good deal! I was thinking $600-$700 factory tikka and $800 for barrel swap is how I got the $1500.

I would stick with tikka and avoid rem/savage/ruger (no experience with howa). I’ve seen too many factory guns that have issues that require extra work/tweaking out if the box. Save yourself some headaches!

Ahhh, yeah, right on. I am on the same page.

I think it's an interesting idea for sure. I'm the kind of guy that enjoys working on my own stuff so it's nonnegotiable that I'll have the tools to do it. I guess I don't like relying on anyone else.

However, there could be a market for people who don't feel that way. Additionally, if the cost isn't more than doing it yourself and you can still make money, I don't know why someone wouldn't just order exactly what they want from you at the beginning. There's gotta be a market for 22cm and 6cm tikkas.

i am like you, so I understand where you are at. And, I think there are those who don’t do the work but would appreciate a fair deal to get a custom cartridge.

It will be a while, if ever that 22 and 25 creed hit the market, but, if his would be the cheapest way into one.

 

[elkhunter505]

.This is exactly the sort of niche I am thinking.

A easy button that is more budget friendly for a one off rifle. Give an “custom” option without the need excessive cost or hassle for someone who isn’t constantly messing with their files like me.

Most of my friends don’t want the hassle but want the “custom” cartridge.

Especially for lefties who don’t have as many options.

Yeah it’s really nice to see some amount of budget options because regardless of what precision shooters say, cheap guns straight shoot with the right load. I have a REM 700 7mm that my dad bought at a pawn shop for 400 bucks back in like 2011 and that thing will shoot clovers with factory hornady 150 CX. It’s also great to see for lefties because we can find Tikkas in the main cartridges but for the fun of the new stuff or the performance of the new stuff, it kind of gets put on the backburner. I would have bought a 6creed instead of a 6.5 PRC last fall if I could have found a lefty bolt gun that wasn’t a savage competition gun.

 

[hereinaz]

I would be interested. I have a couple 308 and a couple 6.5 cm and i think i want one to be either a 6 cm or 22 cm.

Keep watching, as soon as I have my FFL, I will be able to get access to rifles. I have the barrels now.

 

[hereinaz]

Yeah it’s really nice to see some amount of budget options because regardless of what precision shooters say, cheap guns straight shoot with the right load. I have a REM 700 7mm that my dad bought at a pawn shop for 400 bucks back in like 2011 and that thing will shoot clovers with factory hornady 150 CX. It’s also great to see for lefties because we can find Tikkas in the main cartridges but for the fun of the new stuff or the performance of the new stuff, it kind of gets put on the backburner. I would have bought a 6creed instead of a 6.5 PRC last fall if I could have found a lefty bolt gun that wasn’t a savage competition gun.

100% every Savage I have messed with shoots, but is sloppy. Most other rifles do too, but I have seen a couple dogs.

But, every after market prefit has shot as good or better, as in sub moa.

I would even test shoot a group for the cost of ammo and 20 minutes of time to proof out a rifle if someone wanted to see the guarantee rather than take the risk.

 

[wind gypsy]

I you could sell a factory stainless lite but with a pbb in non standard but desired cartridges for $1400 I’d think you’d be on to something. Maybe $1500 still too.

That said.. nobody wants my TS Customs chambered krieger 7 SAUM tikka for about that much, but it’s not brand new and a little on the heavy side.