What Am I missing? Custom Gun build VS Pre Fit.

[cjaviator]

Thinking about building a 7PRC with a Lone Peak Arms Fusion TI and a Proof Pre fit 22". Does anyone have a similar build with good results accuracy wise? Is this a recipe for a 1/2 MOA rifle? It seems there is significant savings compared to some of the offerings of custom built guns with the same components. Sure a good gunsmith will probably build a more accurate rifle. Would love any input!

 

[eric1115]

I think it depends partly on what you consider a half MOA rifle. Regular 3 or 5 shot groups at .5 CtC should be very doable, but every shot less than .25 away from POA is a very different thing that probably only the very best benchrest rifles will do.

No experience with those components, but plenty of experience trying to quantify expectations and getting terms defined so everyone is speaking the same language.

 

[cjaviator]

I think it depends partly on what you consider a half MOA rifle. Regular 3 or 5 shot groups at .5 CtC should be very doable, but every shot less than .25 away from POA is a very different thing that probably only the very best benchrest rifles will do.

No experience with those components, but plenty of experience trying to quantify expectations and getting terms defined so everyone is speaking the same language.

Yeah .25" away from POA is a high mark to achieve. Im looking for 3 to 5 groups under 1/2" regardless of Point of Aim.

 

[Mag_7s]

I have a Lone Peak Fuzion Ti and I love it. I would argue it is smoother than my Defiant antiX. I would suggest buying a Proof blank over a pre fit. I like to have more control in my chamber. I can load a dummy round of where I want the bullet in relation to the neck shoulder junction and send that in and have the smith throat my chamber to that.

 

[cjaviator]

I have a Lone Peak Fuzion Ti and I love it. I would argue it is smoother than my Defiant antiX. I would suggest buying a Proof blank over a pre fit. I like to have more control in my chamber. I can load a dummy round of where I want the bullet in relation to the neck shoulder junction and send that in and have the smith throat my chamber to that.

Thats awesome i'm glad you like the action, I just put my deposit down for one! Im very stoked. I'm not planning on reloading for this rifle short term as while I have access to my dads reloading setup it isn't feasible with a 4month old at home. So essentially Im thinking a pre fit might be plenty accurate for me with factory ammo, and that hopefully be my limiting factory for now... And If I get serious about reloading later I could re-barrel it or just load for the barrel I have.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I look at like this: The guy chambering prefits at XXX MFG probably makes $20 hr and his name will never be placed on anything he makes. As long as he can pass a piss test his paycheck isn't going anywhere.

Excellent gunsmith XXX charges $200 hr, puts his name on everything he touches and is betting his livelihood on everything he does.

Which one do you trust?

 

[cjaviator]

I look at like this: The guy chambering prefits at XXX MFG probably makes $20 hr and his name will never be placed on anything he makes. As long as he can pass a piss test his paycheck isn't going anywhere.

Excellent gunsmith XXX charges $200 hr, puts his name on everything he touches and is betting his livelihood on everything he does.

Which one do you trust?

No argument there. The good gunsmiths of this world have forgotten more than I will ever know about gunsmithing, that I can guarantee.

As someone just beginning their first custom rifle journey, what are the going rates for a gunsmith to chamber a blank, bed the action and assemble the gun? For some its somewhat standard practice to order all the parts and bring it to the gunsmith of their choice for the works right?

 

[WeiserBucks]

No argument there. The good gunsmiths of this world have forgotten more than I will ever know about gunsmithing, that I can guarantee.

As someone just beginning their first custom rifle journey, what are the going rates for a gunsmith to chamber a blank, bed the action and assemble the gun? For some its somewhat standard practice to order all the parts and bring it to the gunsmith of their choice for the works right?

There's no straight answer to this question, phone calls and detailed discussions would need to take place.

 

[cjaviator]

There's no straight answer to this question, phone calls and detailed discussions would need to take place.

That's fair. Appreciate your input!

 

[WeiserBucks]

Good luck man

 

[Kurts86]

I look at like this: The guy chambering prefits at XXX MFG probably makes $20 hr and his name will never be placed on anything he makes. As long as he can pass a piss test his paycheck isn't going anywhere.

Excellent gunsmith XXX charges $200 hr, puts his name on everything he touches and is betting his livelihood on everything he does.

Which one do you trust?

The guy making $20/hour is loading parts into a fixture that is virtually idiot proof and the G-code program was written but someone likely more skilled than a 1 guy shop gunsmith. It then is getting QC’ed by a separate person. There is no reason why mass produced parts are going to be worse and they likely pull it off at a fraction of the cost. Off the shelf prefits are cheaper and available to ship today. Economies of scale in manufacturing are mind blowing and do not require cutting corners in precision.

If you are shooting factory ammo in a modern cartridge there is zero reason to tweak chamber geometry or change twist rates. That is the stuff you had to 20 years ago for a precision rifle with cartridges designed in the 1960’s hot rodded for heavy for caliber bullets.

I honestly think the value in a gunsmith on a custom rifle has to do with feeding reliability more than accuracy. It’s a one stop warranty solution instead of sorting out issues that combined 3 or more companies components. The money saved by putting it together yourself will buy a 2nd barrel if the first one won’t shoot for some reason.

 

[SloppyJ]

I just posted a build that I completed in the guns forum. I rolled the dice with a proof prefit. Frankly I didn't have the budget to get a blank and then pay an extra 400+ to have it chambered, fluted, and threaded. I got my action and the barrel for around 1800. If the barrel is no Bueno then I'll grab a Bartlein and get it chambered and learn my lesson. It's all a little bit of a roll of the dice. I had never built a semi custom bolt gun so I wanted to check that box. If you do, you will likely need to bed it if you don't get a chassis. So brush up on those skills.

 

[WeiserBucks]

The guy making $20/hour is loading parts into a fixture that is virtually idiot proof and the G-code program was written but someone likely more skilled than a 1 guy shop gunsmith. It then is getting QC’ed by a separate person.

You're 100% correct, but prefits regularly get shipped with a crooked chamber. That means 3 people didn't give enough of a shit to get it right. Material monkey, programmer and QC guy. They get it right "enough" often enough that the company still makes a profit.

 

[cjaviator]

I just posted a build that I completed in the guns forum. I rolled the dice with a proof prefit. Frankly I didn't have the budget to get a blank and then pay an extra 400+ to have it chambered, fluted, and threaded. I got my action and the barrel for around 1800. If the barrel is no Bueno then I'll grab a Bartlein and get it chambered and learn my lesson. It's all a little bit of a roll of the dice. I had never built a semi custom bolt gun so I wanted to check that box. If you do, you will likely need to bed it if you don't get a chassis. So brush up on those skills.

Its going in an MCS stock and I'll probably have my gunsmith or a friend bed it. I'm not that confident in my abilities. lol

 

[Kurts86]

Its going in an MCS stock and I'll probably have my gunsmith or a friend bed it. I'm not that confident in my abilities. lol

Why not just get a mini chassis stock and don’t bed it at all if you are going the manners route.

 

[Kurts86]

You're 100% correct, but prefits regularly get shipped with a crooked chamber. That means 3 people didn't give enough of a shit to get it right. Material monkey, programmer and QC guy. They get it right "enough" often enough that the company still makes a profit.

And plenty of small gunsmiths have profit and lead time problems

 

[WeiserBucks]

And plenty of small gunsmiths have profit and lead time problems

You're correct about this also, that's why it pays to do a little research. There is seldom a "best" answer every single time.

 

[wapitibob]

My next one will be a 7prc prefit, Bartlein and snowy mt doing the chambering.

 

[cjaviator]

Why not just get a mini chassis stock and don’t bed it at all if you are going the manners route.

I thought about that, but I already have the Hawkins hunter bottom metal ordered.


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[WeiserBucks]

I thought about that, but I already have the Hawkins hunter bottom metal ordered.


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Have you already ordered the stock? If not just order one with mini chassis and M5 bottom metal inlet. Super easy.