How do you choose a custom rifle builder?

[LightFoot]

What makes you choose one rifle builder over the over? There are so many great big and small builders like Gunwerks, Allterra, MOA, McWhorter, LRI, LPR, Jarrett, Spartan Precision Rifles…

What would be your dream build, and by who?

Edit:

Considering a new custom with fancy walnut stock. Thinking modern custom action, steel sporter barrel, BDL, in .270 Win.


>>>——JAKE——>

 

[StupidLightweight]

Like most things in life, go with the lowest bidder. What could go wrong? Just playing around.

Finding a good 'smith is hard. The safest option is going with a well-known outfit. That said, local gunsmiths often do excellent work as well, but unless you have firsthand knowledge of quality, it can also be a gamble.

What are you planning on? The type of rifle will help others narrow the list down.

 

[handwerk]

I've mainly built on pre 64 Model 70's and have had great results with folks that know that action.
If you're wanting to build on a Tikka or Rem 700 Clone I think the list gets even longer.
PM me if you're looking for suggestions for a model 70 or Kimber.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I have more than one off your list and a few more over the years. For me it comes down to how the customer service is honestly followed by quality of product. The short answer is there is no one right answer for everyone.

LRIs ability to update customers on the build process with pictures is freaking awesome but their build times can be long depending on what you’re having done.

GA Precision, Alamo Precision and Blue Mountain precision are some worth looking at as well, ya know, cause you didn’t have enough to consider already.

 

[huntnful]

Good communication, proven prior builds and someone that is familiar building the type of rifle you’re envisioning.

I’ve stopped using two gunsmiths just due to poor communication. That shit is annoying when you already sent them a check for the price of components.

 

[wind gypsy]

Easy communication, short lead times, market rate costs, good results without hiccups, don’t partner with people like muley freak.. Not always easy to line all those things up.

Some of the big shops lose out on communication and you don’t talk to the person doing the work.

 

[eoperator]

Find a shop within driving distance (if possible) with experience building similar to what you want. A smith will think hard about pulling the "rug" out from underneath you knowing he will be talking to you face to face.

 

[snipe10]

I try to research it pretty hard by talking to actual owners. I also look at the PRB website which at least tells me if pro shooters use and trust certain guys, and sometimes I just take a flyer on a guy. I have a bunch of GAP rifles, they're always solid and do what they're supposed to. One from D'Arcy Echols, my grail, a few Hill Country rifles and have a 300PRC from Joe Walls coming in this week. Next June my Lane Precision Rifle arrives. So I'm sort of all over the place as I have rifle ADD.

 

[JollyRoger]

Call or email the first 5 builders you’d like to use. Then give up after they quote you several years to screw on a barrel. After that go with the guy that has a reasonable turn around time

I look at cost, quality, reviews, and turn around time.

 

[B23]

Find a shop within driving distance (if possible) with experience building similar to what you want.

In the past twenty years I've had gunsmiths across the country as far east as PA build me rifles. All except one was a good experience but there is a lot to be said about having a good quality gunsmith or in my case gunsmiths that are local to you. Defensive Edge Rifles and Kampfeld Customs are both local to me and I've used both on numerous occasions with excellent results. The one bad experience I had with a builder I largely blame myself because I knew going in his communication was email only but I proceeded anyway so shame on me for being that stupid.

Being able to talk face to face about a build or dropping your stuff off in person is not only convenient but also opens up a whole new level of communication. Having used only those two, local to me builders, the last ten plus years I couldn't imagine starting a new build any other way but face to face.

 

[eoperator]

In the past twenty years I've had gunsmiths across the country as far east as PA build me rifles. All except one was a good experience but there is a lot to be said about having a good quality gunsmith or in my case gunsmiths that are local to you. Defensive Edge Rifles and Kampfeld Customs are both local to me and I've used both on numerous occasions with excellent results. The one bad experience I had with a builder I largely blame myself because I knew going in his communication was email only but I proceeded anyway so shame on me for being that stupid.

Being able to talk face to face about a build or dropping your stuff off in person is not only convenient but also opens up a whole new level of communication. Having used only those two, local to me builders, the last ten plus years I couldn't imagine starting a new build any other way but face to face.

Face to face communication will likely avoid situations such as; Why is my build taking 18mo when you quoted me 5? "My reamer got lost in the mail" or Why is it taking a year when you told me 3mo tops everything is in stock? "Still waiting on a stock for your build" or Why will the bolt not close on new peterson brass or hornady ammo? What ammo did you use to shoot the pretty little group on the target included with the rifle if factory ammo will not fit in rifle? Or why did you cut 1/2" thread on my barrel when I asked for 5/8 on this varmint contour?

These are not exaggerations by the way and I have more.

 

[sdupontjr]

Find a shop within driving distance (if possible) with experience building similar to what you want. A smith will think hard about pulling the "rug" out from underneath you knowing he will be talking to you face to face.

Correct, I actually lived 2 houses down from a smith and didn't know it until we started talking about guns. And I've been knowing him for a long time. He's a state trooper but has been building guns for well over 20 years. Doesn't advertise and only builds for people he knows. Had a few guns built by him. When its all said and done, it's basically a box of legos. They buy stuff and put it together, jack up the price on you and label it a "custom" gun.

 

[JohnJohnson]

LRIs ability to update customers on the build process with pictures is freaking awesome but their build times can be long depending on what you’re having done.

GA Precision, Alamo Precision and Blue Mountain precision are some worth looking at as well, ya know, cause you didn’t have enough to consider already.

If LRI's build times are long, GAP's build times are glacial.

Considering a new custom with fancy walnut stock. Thinking modern custom action, steel sporter barrel, BDL, in .270 Win.

Of the ones you mentioned, LRI would probably be suited very well to a modern action in a wood stock. I have builds from LRI, TS Customs, and RW Snyder.

On the face of it though, how much gunsmithing does your build require? It seems like the main thing is stock inlet and fit. Otherwise with a modern action you're just torquing a prefit barrel (already threaded if you want) onto the action, installing a trigger which takes all of 5 minutes, and you're set.

This is a list of the most popular PRS gunsmiths, for whatever that's worth to you. A lot of it revolves around prefits though.

Top Rifle Gunsmiths: What the Pros Use

Choosing the gunsmith that you’ll trust to chamber your rifle is critical. This article will share ...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[sierracharlie338]

If LRI's build times are long, GAP's build times are glacial.

Never said GAP was fast! LRI is only “long” if you are having inletting work done. I was quoted a year on just the inletting. Everything else from them is fairly quick compared to the rest of the industry as a while.

 

[HuntnPack]

After sourcing a few custom builds with various well knowns, I’ve learned some to most of the work may be done by less skilled people in the shop.

I’d recommend finding someone close to you & ask who does the actual work on your build, everything from chambering, bedding, coatings, etc. only go with them if you are comfortable.

Be careful, Lots of gun plumbers out there & few of them actually do the important stuff.
Portraying as “Custom Builds”

Very few actual GunSmiths.

Or…. do it yourself.
Then you know who’s actually doing the plumbing.

 

[DavidReed]

What makes you choose one rifle builder over the over? There are so many great big and small builders like Gunwerks, Allterra, MOA, McWhorter, LRI, LPR, Jarrett, Spartan Precision Rifles…

What would be your dream build, and by who?

Edit:

Considering a new custom with fancy walnut stock. Thinking modern custom action, steel sporter barrel, BDL, in .270 Win.


>>>——JAKE——>

Define fancy.. for yourself not me or the forum. Your initial list of makers don't come to mind when I think of wood stocks. Are you thinking of someone to finish out a semi inlet or create a stock from a blank? Both have merit but that question is going to give good first direction to your decision.

Do you have a budget, a Budget, or a BUDGET? You need to reconcile that with your expectation for the execution quality of the stock and how much you want to spend on the wood? One can quickly spend a $3,000 bill on a piece of wood and have it lost to miscommunication between the maker and the customer, misaligned expectations or incompetence. Don't buy wood until you've spoken with a few stocktakers and are comfortable to retain one for your project and let them be a guide through that process.

If there is a guild member(s) in your region it would be time well spent to see if you can schedule a discussion with a few of them regarding what you want and the associated cost to realize your vision.

American Custom Gunmakers Guild Members

 

[Trogon]

Smiths that do fancy walnut will shorten your list substantially. If I wanted that I would call Kevin weaver. He is easy to deal with. The gun makers guild will also steer you towards classic gun makers. Custom walnut is a different league than the gun plumbers that screw together what you could do yourself.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Smiths that do fancy walnut will shorten your list substantially. If I wanted that I would call Kevin weaver. He is easy to deal with. The gun makers guild will also steer you towards classic gun makers. Custom walnut is a different league than the gun plumbers that screw together what you could do yourself.

I'm not saying it's on par with who you're referencing but Chad at LRI does have some experience working with partners on wood stocks. And what he does is not really screwing stuff together when it comes to inletting. LRI's inlet methods have been cutting edge for awhile.

Stunning Hand-Crafted Walnut Tactical Stock for the ‘Hide « Daily Bulletin

Walnut tactical stock crafted by Black Hills Gunstocks and Engraving will be used as Snipers Hide Trophy Rifle. Smithing by Long Rifles Inc. LRI (Chad Dixon).

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[jimh406]

I don't have a custom rifle, but if I was going to buy one I'd want the following.

Sighted in with a scope of my choice with a load worked up with details on the load with a bullet that I agree with. That's probably going to mean that it's a gunsmith with significant experience and not just someone who can bolt parts together. Probably not going to be inexpensive.

 

[Shortschaf]

I went local both times and am happy with the results. Barrel quality is utmost importance. Chambering isn't terribly difficult, and any/all BASIC stock work is pretty simple with the right tools.

Fancy stock work?... shorter list