UM Custom Rifles - Reviews

[JM151]

Looking for feedback on UM built rifles.

- Details on build?
- How do they shoot?
- How long did you have to wait?
- Fit and Finish?

 

[Bad Apple]

Am in the process of looking for a builder as well and would love any feedback on UM?

 

[swavescatter]

Some info in this thread. Good luck in your search.

 

[Gadjet]

I recently received my UM built 7PRC. It took right at a year., I believe mainly because of the RokStok backlog. I’ve read a fair amount of negative remarks about UM and the RokStok quality control. This had me a little concerned about what kind of a build I was going to get. Well, I couldn’t be happier with this particular build. The fit and finish is great! I only have a couple of boxes of factory ammo through it so far, but it looks like it’s going to be a great shooting rifle.
The build consists of a Tikka action that’s nitride coated with a slow spiral fluting on the bolt. A 20 inch Bartlein carbon fiber barrel, a full pattern cerakote RokStok, UM rings with an NX8 NiteForce scope. Chambered in 7PRC.

 

[JM151]

Bumping this with comment….

 

[JM151]

Lack of responsive has me worried. Where are all the positive feedbacks? Are the comments made about lack of quality labor force a real thing? Do I really want a gunsmith that is hiring people off the street?

Further more I have a build in with UM and what drives me crazy is that all my components were in stock…..an influencer by name of papwinkle received his rifle before me and I put my order in months before him. Just saying that doesn’t seem right. Stop telling me for the past 3 months my rifle is in bedding!!!

Another issue I have is that I have to pay in full before the build starts. I have a lot of custom rifles and nobody and I mean nobody does that.

 

[JM151]

Am in the process of looking for a builder as well and would love any feedback on UM?

Proceed with caution. Do not and I mean do not pay in full. I have done countless custom Rifle builds with some big names and nobody makes you pay in full.

 

[huntnful]

Unfortunate circumstances for sure. I'm sure the build will end up being fine. And they do have good customer service after orders are fulfilled if you have issues. I've bought thousands of dollars worth of shit from them, but never a gun.

BUT you did not order a gun from a gunsmith. UM is a marketing (influencer getting his gun before you) and sales company at this point, which is totally fine of course once you realize that. But rifle builds are just a branch of the business. You have no idea who is even working on your rifle... besides maybe Blaine, which seems like a standup badass dude. But I doubt he is doing every aspect of every build that comes through the shop.

 

[JM151]

Unfortunate circumstances for sure. I'm sure the build will end up being fine. And they do have good customer service after orders are fulfilled if you have issues. I've bought thousands of dollars worth of shit from them, but never a gun.

BUT you did not order a gun from a gunsmith. UM is a marketing (influencer getting his gun before you) and sales company at this point, which is totally fine of course once you realize that. But rifle builds are just a branch of the business. You have no idea who is even working on your rifle... besides maybe Blaine, which seems like a standup badass dude. But I doubt he is doing every aspect of every build that comes through the shop.

I’m sure it will be built fine and I’ve heard they will make things right but god damn tell me the truth….stop telling me it’s in bedding for 3 months. Tell me hey we got an influencer that needs to jump you. Sad thing is I was planning on building several rifles with UM.

I think early on when Blaine was the one man show it was the tits……but they have grown and now facing issues that can be detrimental. Probably not the time to build a suppressor, action, or scope.

 

[Gadjet]

Lack of responsive has me worried. Where are all the positive feedbacks? Are the comments made about lack of quality labor force a real thing? Do I really want a gunsmith that is hiring people off the street?

Further more I have a build in with UM and what drives me crazy is that all my components were in stock…..an influencer by name of papwinkle received his rifle before me and I put my order in months before him. Just saying that doesn’t seem right. Stop telling me for the past 3 months my rifle is in bedding!!!

Another issue I have is that I have to pay in full before the build starts. I have a lot of custom rifles and nobody and I mean nobody does that.

Even though I had a good outcome with my particular build, I will say that I’ve seen a fair amount of negatives towards UM. Mostly quality control and order delay issues.
I think they are a good company. But they are definitely having some growing pains.
Blaine is a great guy to deal with.

 

[ndlawrence]

I just put in a build order with them in January. This is my 5th custom build. So far communication is superb - only second to Boswell’s.

 

[JM151]

I just put in a build order with them in January. This is my 5th custom build. So far communication is superb - only second to Boswell’s.

Great. Assuming they have all been shooters so that’s good. How long was your wait?

 

[ndlawrence]

Great. Assuming that have all been shooters so that’s good. How long was your wait?

To clarify, this is my first build with them, 5th overall. I didn’t even ask on the timeline - as I’ve never had a smith deliver on schedule.

 

[JM151]

To clarify, this is my first build with them, 5th overall. I didn’t even ask on the timeline - as I’ve never had a smith deliver on schedule.

Gotcha. Maybe I’m just butt hurt cuz I went with them because they had all my parts in stock and at max I thought it would be 4 months. My normal gunsmith takes about 2 years but I know that and I know the quality of work he does so I have no issues with the timeline.

 

[HuntHarder]

2 years? Wtf? Some smiths act like putting a rifle together is like building a Rolex.

 

[ndlawrence]

2 years? Wtf? Some smiths act like putting a rifle together is like building a Rolex.

Some - but most of the time it’s backlog at a small shop that doesn’t or can’t scale. Not a lot of time spent working on your rifle, just a bunch of builds in front of yours.

 

[JM151]

2 years? Wtf? Some smiths act like putting a rifle together is like building a Rolex.

It’s a long time but I’m good with it cuz the work is absolutely amazing.

 

[JM151]

Some - but most of the time it’s backlog at a small shop that doesn’t or can’t scale. Not a lot of time spent working on your rifle, just a bunch of builds in front of yours.

Yep.

 

[WI-Carcosa]

I put in a build with UM in July, I put down the final deposit this week as they are chambering this week or next. So far they have been awesome to work with and provide feedback and have been flexible with some changes I requested along the way.

 

[Ucsdryder]

These threads always make me appreciate my gunsmith. 2 years is insane. Lack of communication is unacceptable. Not hitting deadlines is unacceptable.