Are there any GOOD custom rifles say under $1200?

[superlite17]

Hello all, I know very little about custom rifles... but would love one... in the $1200 range?

Thank You ALL for your time! Rod

 

[devildoc]

Depends on what you consider "custom", You can sure pick up say a savage and have a smith put a custom barrel on it, true up the action with professional bedding and trigger work for well under that. If you're talking a 100% custom build, maybe if you're real good buddies with the smith and he's willin' to do it without charging labor, and you're not wanting a whole lot of gucci features.

 

[Boss Hoss]

A true custom will set you back considerably more than that --- just figure the barrel blank--285, chamber 195, stock, 200 to 6000 depending on material and who is building it, pillar bed and fit 150-250, trigger 90 to 200, action 0 (if you have an old one but refinish if applicable) to 1300, bottom metal and magazine 100 to 400, brake 125 to 200, flute the barrel 90-120). Those are just ballpark figures from some of mine (not competition rifles but sporters)

 

[Mikecr]

Then add 1200-1500 in scope, bases/rings, and 1000-2000 in reloading tools, and ammo components, chrono, quickLoad, and 500-1000 in rest/bags..

That is, if you plan to shoot better with it too.

Much also depends on your intended use.

 

[Dead Beat]

up in the article section there a good one on long range on a budget worth your time to read

JIM

 

[BountyHunter]

I would recommend building on the savage or watching for a used one for sale on the following sites in the classifieds..

www.6mmbr.com

benchrestcentral.com

Savage Shooters


and here. Just saw a custom savage with two barrels go for $850

You can buy/build a lot less than the top prices being quoted for both rifles and scopes IF you do a little homework.

BH

 

[RockZ]

you can pick up a donor rifle or Savage action for about $300.
a Shilen select match barrel from accuracyarms.com for $269
a very good stock from stockade stocks for about $200
get it put together and bedded and for less than $100 or you could do it yourself.

You will have one awsome rifle!

Mine shoots sub 1/2" 5 shot , 100yd groups with great consistency.

 

[Mikecr]

Sounds like alot of black holes Rock..
Was that Shilen finished(chambered, threaded, contoured, cut&crowned, coated)? 2 barrel blanks(at ~$280ea) I just had finshed, came to $700 for -for the service. So each was 280+350, $630.
How bout the stock finishing? $100 to finish a stock for a custom? Last one I had done was $700 for the service. That included some inletting, but great bedding, fit & finish(not good, -great) cost money.
And the bases, rings, scope? They have to be considered in the price right up front.
What ammo are you shooting? where did it come from?

 

[AJ Peacock]

Sounds like alot of black holes Rock..
Was that Shilen finished(chambered, threaded, contoured, cut&crowned, coated)? 2 barrel blanks(at ~$280ea) I just had finshed, came to $700 for -for the service. So each was 280+350, $630.
...

According to Accuracyarms.com, finished (polished or Blued)/chambered/target crowned and ready to install Savage drop in barrels are $269. They are $380 direct from Shilen.

AJ

 

[keithcatfish]

Here is what I did: Savage LPV (in 223) for $650 with a Nikon 6-18 Buckmaster scope for for $300 and $ 50 for a 1 piece mount machined from soild aluminum stock and a $ 30 recoil lug. Comes with a decent, laminated, pillar bedded stock but I bedded it any way. Shoots sub 1/2 MOA all day, no exception with several loads, .3 all day, no exceptions with a few loads all with the factory barrel. (I know, it sounds like B.S. but it isn't. I'm just as surprised as you are). I have a Shilen 7WSM barrel on the way, it should get here any month now.......Total cost, not including reloading stuff, $1300.

 

[1kstr]

Superlite:

What caliber of custom rifle are you talking about doing?
1kstr

 

[meeither]

Just give the folks at H-S Precision a call. Go ahead and spend a little more ($2,500, that is what you are going to spend anyway when it is all said and done if you want it right) and have a rifle that is 1. guaranteed for life 2. Hyper accurate 3. Very good weight 4. Good looking rifle 5. MOA down to .20 if your good.

You will still have to buy rings and bases (Wame $100) and a decent scope (for the money a Pentax Lightseeker XL 3 x 10 X 50 - about $500 or less) and never have to ever buy another gun, period.

 

[BountyHunter]

Keep in mind that if you buy a used custom rifle that even IF the barrel is near gone or gone it will cost right at $500 for a new match grade chambered and installed on a non savage. IMO that still is a great deal getting a custom rifle used for half price or less in many cases if you do not go savage.

I bought a used savage action recently for $150 shipped, you heard the prices on chambered barrels and stocks new and used for even less like the Savage LPV stock for $125 now on savage shooters. Still normally get 1/2" groups or less and that is all semi custom guns like HS will do will do.

1/2" is readily attainable in most savages and custom rifles.

If you are getting started, this is really a good user friendly, economical and attainable way to go.

Really not a need to spend $3k to get a decent LR gun.

Lot of already tricked out 700s in 300 Win Mag and Rum on Sniper's Hide - For the Serious Tactical Marksman also.

BH

 

[robbor]

factory guns

the last two factory guns I put togather, new gun scope bases rings, slings, swivels, brass bullets, dies powder ammo boxes were $1000 each and the gun alone were only $500 each at most.