best custom built rifle

[fisher_hunt]

I'm looking to buy a new custom built rifle. I want it to have all the good features such as free floating barrel, glass embedding, light trigger pull, good looks, light weight and extreme accuracy. Which brand is the best in your opinions? kimber? sako? tikka? any others? thanks

[ultramag]

I would rather have a chevy than a ford. Its all personal preferance. What would you be hunting with it or is this a target gun? I love the rem 700 action. I guess there really is no anwser to your question. Get what you like and chances are if your like me you'll want something else. not trying to sound like a smart butt but good luck I would like to see the end result.

[crazy4COUES]

The word "BEST" brings to mind christensen arms. They build some very awesome custom rifles. Here is the web page BEST CUSTOMS Just depends on how much money you want to spend!

 

I'm looking to buy a new custom built rifle. I want it to have all the good features such as free floating barrel, glass embedding, light trigger pull, good looks, light weight and extreme accuracy. Which brand is the best in your opinions? kimber? sako? tikka? any others? thanks

[Red Rabbit]

A lot depends on your budget.

D'Arcy Echols' Legend rifle is towards the top of the list.

 

Others that come to mind are:

Lex Webernick/Rifles Inc

http://www.riflesinc.com/index.htm

 

Mel Forbes' NULA

http://www.newultralight.com/

 

Borden Rifles

http://www.longshotriflesllc.com/index.html

 

Hill Country Rifles

http://www.hillcountryrifles.com/

 

GA Precision

http://www.gaprecision.net/

 

You can secure a donor action and have a smith true it,and put one together with a quality barrel and stock. Or base it on a trued action like the Stiller Predator, Surgeon or Borden.

 

I just had Kirby Allen in Montana put together my 6.5WSM. I believe Coues7 is doing lots of research for his rifle.

 

Greg Tannel in CO has a good rep as a gunsmith. Lots of good smiths to choose from.

http://www.gretanrifles.com/index.asp

 

Chris Matthews of Longshot Rifles

http://www.longshotriflesllc.com/index.html

 

Mickey Coleman

http://www.colemanrifles.com/

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Years ago I sent my "right out of the box" 300 Wby mag to a place in Michigan called Answer Products had them go through it top to bottom.....they did work to the action, trigger, barrel, pillars & bedded the stock, and the pad & break (The Answer System). Their break adds 1 3/4" to the barrel length and looks like it grew there...... It is one of the nicest breaks I have ever seen and it kicks less than a .243!!! Anyhow, I think I gave them about $900.00 bucks for all that they did and that gun shoots tighter groups than any other gun I own. I would love to have a Christensen Arms 300 Wby mag.... but to have it build the way I would want it is about $4,400.00..... ..... sooo when I do get another 300 Wby I think I will do it in similar fashion. Unless my wife Forces me to buy that Christensen Arms one that I want......... ...... Ok I'll stop dreaming now..... ........ hey... it could happen!

[DesertBull]

Buy a Winchester or Remington and send it to Hill Country Rifles. They can do all the things you described in your description to the "stock" rifle. Then spend your savings on a better scope and mounts.

[Couesdeer]

If you have a really big wad of cash burning holes in your pockets, take a look at David Miller's work. He's in Tucson.

[Diamondbackaz]

If you have a really big wad of cash burning holes in your pockets, take a look at David Miller's work. He's in Tucson.

 

I think his riles start at $17,000 or something like that. What really makes a rifle and its accuracy is the barrel such as a lilja or douglas. You can take a remington action and mount it in a Mickey stock and have Joe at Lawsons put on a hand lapped barrel as mentioned above and you would have a good shooting rifle.

[blaserman]

Kirby Allen can build a nice Rifle around $ 2200 -2500 On a remington action. less if you have one.

He also makes his own cartridges The Allen Magnums. They are serious Long range Cartridges using a 28" t0 30" barrel.

When the cash flow is right he will build me a 257 STW using a Lawson action, Also I have a 7 mm Dakota XP 100 in the works. Go to LongRangeHunting .com and read about Kirby and his work and Magnums.

[fisher_hunt]

thanks for all the info and links. i was impressed with Hill Country Rifles, it seems like they do good work at reasonable prices. I got two more questions though...first i love the look of wood stocks but it seems that most custom rifles are built on synthetic stocks. Wood stocks are prone to warp so accuracy could decline if exposed to extreme weather but synthetic stocks would stay accurate longer. Am I right in this thinking? Lastly, i want a rifle that i can shoot a lot and be accurate with out to 500 yards for deer size game. I'm thinking .243, for its low recoil and price of ammo?? any thoughts, thanks.

[luckysob]

I have a Rifles Inc. in 270 wsm. I bought a remington action and sent it to Lex. For 2250.00 he completely redid the entire gun. With a 4.5x 14 leoupold this gun wieghs about 6 lbs. He will send you a traget and ask you what bullet you would like to shoot. I chose nosler accubond and barnes both 140 grain. The accubond shot under 1/2 inch. He will also send you the load info.Great gun and fun to carry in coues country. I also have an HS precision in 300wsm. This gun shoots anything great but it is heavy.Good luck in your search.

[DesertBull]

thanks for all the info and links. i was impressed with Hill Country Rifles, it seems like they do good work at reasonable prices. I got two more questions though...first i love the look of wood stocks but it seems that most custom rifles are built on synthetic stocks. Wood stocks are prone to warp so accuracy could decline if exposed to extreme weather but synthetic stocks would stay accurate longer. Am I right in this thinking? Lastly, i want a rifle that i can shoot a lot and be accurate with out to 500 yards for deer size game. I'm thinking .243, for its low recoil and price of ammo?? any thoughts, thanks.

 

 

If looks are really that important, a laminate stock will fit your needs. Looks great and doesn't warp.

[Red Rabbit]

James,

If you want a short action, I would choose the 7mm-08 or 308 instead of the 243 for better performance at 500 yards. I think a better choice would be a 25-06 or 270 on a long action, if you do not want the recoil of a magnum and will only shoot factory ammo.

 

Do you handload? I think this would be the way to get the most accuracy out of a custom rifle, rather than hoping the factory ammo happens to like your gun.

 

If you like wood, you can pillar and glass bed the action, free float the barrel, and seal the entire stock well. Or you can get a stock with an aluminum bedding block by Accurate Innovations.

http://www.accurateinnovations.com/index.html

 

 

RR

[peloncillo]

You should not overlook Mark Bansner. Caters more to the sheep hunters but awesome rifles. Bansnersrifle.com

 

Keven

[COOSEFAN]

Dang.....there is some awesome info in this thread! I'm jealous of you guys and your passion for custom/precision rifles! I wish I had the time, money, and knowledge..............when I do, I know where to look! For now, my little, "plain Jane" .270 has been whackin' and stackin' flawlessly in the two years I've owned it....... 7 Coues and 1 Muley in less than 1 year and 3 months, not one has gotten away! Best of luck to you Fisher, JIM>