How long would you wait on a new rifle?

[Go West Old Man]

It’s off season and I imagine lots of folks are buying or planning for a new rifle for 2022-23 hunting seasons. Good time to ponder important questions on such an important issue ….your much anticipated prized new rifle.

How much patience would you have in waiting on a new custom or semi custom rifle that you had committed to buying? You may already have put a deposit on it with your friendly dealer, or maybe you just verbally committed to it. It may have been a month ago or a year ago, but how willing are you to continue being patient for a long awaited new rifle? The caveat hypothetical here is that you were told in advance that it would take at least “x” months or more with no guaranteed date, and that was fine with you. I’m patiently waiting myself and curious as to what others think.

 

[evergreenethos]

I am just finishing up a build that has taken well over a year. A lot of that time was research, but the biggest waits were getting the stock (Grayboe lead time was 4+ months) and of course the gunsmithing to chamber/fit barrel etc (also 4 months). I ended up not liking the first stock (Grayboe Trekker), so I swapped that out which took another 4 months. Still haven't put a round through it, been talking to Unknown Munitions over in ID to do some load dev for it. Sure hope she's a shooter.

• Grayboe Phoenix stock
• Terminus Kratos Lite action
• HS Precision bottom metal + DBM
• Proof Sendero Light 24" 1:8.4
• APA Gen 3 Little Bastard brake
• Leupold VX6-HD 4-24x52
• Leupold Mark 4 rings
• Spartan Precision bipod

Fortunately I have several other serviceable rifles so I didn't mind waiting. But I am definitely getting antsy.

 

[SDHNTR]

6 months, give or take, depending on communication.

 

[Oregonmuley]

I have one full custom that I waited 2 1/2 years for and I would do it again if the end result was as good as the first one. It wasn't fun to wait that long but so it goes. Its the rifle in moniker picture. Recently have had 2 full customs built where I first collected all the parts and then shipped them off to the smith for the build. The 1st one I had back in something like a month, the 2nd one was maybe a month and a half but that was due to it being coated by an outside coating service.

 

[MallardSX2]

Never went semi-custom so I would say I am willing to wait the 10 minutes until my background clears....Or in my case immediately because I have a CC permit.

 

[Go West Old Man]

I’ll add one more point or hypothetical. It’s important to you that you deal with your friendly, likely more local, and trustworthy dealer or gunsmith and you want to support their small business. You believe that you have built a good customer relationship with them, and even though you know you could get it faster elsewhere you’re going to stick with them.

 

[JPeters218]

As long as I get it in time to have it ready for hunting season, I’m happy. I started ordering pieces for a semi custom Tikka 300 wsm in January. The barrel is what’s taking the longest. Should end up being about a 4-5 month wait. All said and done it should be about 6 months start to finish. Which I’m happy with. Too cold to shoot here in MN during the winter anyways

 

[XLR]

If you are not too picky, you can typically piece together a rifle in a month or two. If you have a specific configuration you want with a specific look then you should expect a year and just order it all at the same time! Had a buddy of mine who ordered everything last year after hunting season and he received his action, barrel, chassis, and can all around the same time. But he had one look he wanted to achieve! Kind of just depends on your personality and how picky you are.

 

[Go West Old Man]

The full custom “get all the components for a build and build it” folks are speaking up. How about the folks that have chosen to buy one from a semi custom gun maker? You’re decisions were: pick one of their offered models, pick the caliber, pick the stock color, chose any options or accessories, and wait.

 

[Sgtusmc14]

A year on a full custom and the smith sources everything. 3-4 months if you provide everything and you are just waiting on your spot in line, maybe 6 months if you wait until right after hunting season to start it since that is when everyone decides they need a new rifle

 

[Tourguide]

It’s off season and I imagine lots of folks are buying or planning for a new rifle for 2022-23 hunting seasons. Good time to ponder important questions on such an important issue ….your much anticipated prized new rifle.

How much patience would you have in waiting on a new custom or semi custom rifle that you had committed to buying? You may already have put a deposit on it with your friendly dealer, or maybe you just verbally committed to it. It may have been a month ago or a year ago, but how willing are you to continue being patient for a long awaited new rifle? The caveat hypothetical here is that you were told in advance that it would take at least “x” months or more with no guaranteed date, and that was fine with you. I’m patiently waiting myself and curious as to what others think.

 

[Tourguide]

Sorry, here's the reply to that, I ordered 2 weatherby custom shop rifles in January 2022, they told me 9 months, I was ok with that. I just picked up the second rifle last weekend, so I got them in half the expected time

 

[5MilesBack]

I'd probably be willing to wait a couple years if I was going to go the full custom route.

 

[SDHNTR]

Some of you guys are crazy. I understand waiting a reasonable amount of time, but “reasonable" is not measured in years. The time for Covid related excuses is long over. There are manufacturers who has their act together and are producing products if you look hard enough. No one should have to wait that long.

 

[5MilesBack]

No one should have to wait that long.

Ya, but if you don't need it right now, then what's the big deal? I'm still waiting for my 2020 ram back from the taxidermist. I know he had a ton of bulls come in that year before my ram, so I expected to wait longer anyway. I'm sure there are taxidermists that could have gotten it done sooner, but this has been my "go to" guy. No big deal to wait my place in line........as long as I don't have to actually sit or stand in that line.

 

[Go West Old Man]

Some of you guys are crazy. I understand waiting a reasonable amount of time, but “reasonable” is not measured in years.

SDHNTR, I think you make a very valid point here but to each his own. I’m at that approaching 1 year stage, and for now am optimistically hoping for reasonably soon. No guarantees though, and I’m sure sooner or later I’ll have to consider stand up and say “enough”.

 

[hereinaz]

I wouldn’t move forward with a build that had no end in sight. Not with the options available today. Earlier this year, I bought a ruckus, proof prefit, and 1,000 rounds of ammo within a couple days of each other. Including shipping and transfer, call it 10 days of “wait time”. The mechanical precision is about 1/2 MOA for 5-shot groups with factory ammo that wasn’t “tuned” or “tested” in advance. We’re in the golden age.

If a smith has all the components, a few months should be enough time. Anything beyond that and I’m not too interested in doing business with them.

Truly a golden age.

 

[FLS]

4-6 months if I buy all the components and deliver them. Who knows if the smith has to source the components.

 

[EvanG17]

I wouldn’t move forward with a build that had no end in sight. Not with the options available today. Earlier this year, I bought a ruckus, proof prefit, and 1,000 rounds of ammo within a couple days of each other. Including shipping and transfer, call it 10 days of “wait time”. The mechanical precision is about 1/2 MOA for 5-shot groups with factory ammo that wasn’t “tuned” or “tested” in advance. We’re in the golden age.

If a smith has all the components, a few months should be enough time. Anything beyond that and I’m not too interested in doing business with them.

This right here^^^... I 100% agree with. If i had to wait anything more than 6 months i dont think i could go through with it. Just seems unreasonably long and not worth it

 

[galamb]

I waited 22 months for a custom O/U shotgun "before covid".

It sucked waiting but was getting it build by a smaller operation in Italy so understand that things take time because there was probably a couple/few dozen in line in front of me plus I'm certain they also work on their semi-custom stuff which is their bread/butter.