Cost of a Custom Rifle with Glass

[WYO300RUM]

We'll have to look into that, though I hope you can live with company….my wife won't let me go to a "firearms atmosphere" without her! She likes to look at (not purchase though) nice firearms! Plus, we don't get out much….a little road trip over the hill and the sights of the "big city" may be good for her! memtb

I have no problem with that ! 3's company

 

[Rick79]

Len your stock price seems a little high but everything else looks about right. I absolutely refuse to spend more than $200 on a bipod because I rarely get the chance to use the cheapo's that i already own. Spending more money doesn't give you a fast pass to the top..... but it usually doesn't hurt.

I think 4k for a custom rifle is average w/o glass.
I think that if you want to spend $8k on a full custom rifle then have at it! I think that for 90% of the shooting public the nuances of a fine tuned rifle would be lost on them, much like feeding 20yo scotch to a college kid. I think that out of 50 firearm owners at the big box store gun counter 2 might be 1/4 MOA shooters with a 1/4 MOA rifle. I think that a rifle no matter the cost can only live up to the accuracy potential of the ammunition it's being fed! I've personally made cheap rifles shoot well above their price range with handloads. I've seen custom rifles from Alamo precision and the like eat garbage ammo and spit it out into tiny groups also. I've seen guys with great vision see things with cheap Bushnell spotting scopes that more experienced hunters with bad eyesight have missed with $5k spotting scopes. Guys who don't shoot over 200yds who spend more than a grand on optics are comical to me.

The most expensive component to any rifle is bullets! Not optics or powder or actions or stocks. Say your rifle has a barrel life of 2,500 rounds and those yellow box berger's cost $.75 each. It will cost you $1,875 to burn out that $800 barrel which could be set back and technically reused whereas the bullets are 1 time use.

I've seen a guy at a range in Dallas YEARS ago throw a "custom" rifle like a spear because his buddies $300 savage was shooting 1 hole groups and his rifle would barely hold half MOA. The adult temper tantrum was hilarious. The thrower also pulled up in a yellow corvette and white sunglasses just to add some context.

I agree that shooters ability can play into how much they are willing to spend when funds are limited. I've also seen guys with almost unlimited funds, and the rifles that go with it, that were happy with 2" groupings at 100 yards. If it makes them happy, I'm not one to argue with them about it. It's their money and they can spend it how they want!

My father and father in law are both guys that will never buy/build a high end rifle or scope since their vision limits their accuracy at this point. A $600-800 rifle and $200 scope with factory ammo will be as accurate or more than they can be. That doesn't mean they won't happily slide in behind one of mine and send some lead down range!

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

@Coyote Shadow Tracker are those viper rests specifically made for each rifle? Or can multiple platforms be used on a single rest?

Yes you can use different rifles. Not sure what you mean by multiple platforms.

The Front Rest was the LAST to be made by the "VIPER".
Bob custom made this one for Jill and I before he sold his business.

My New "F" Class, BR. ELR Viper rest

I wanted to share the custom "VIPER" shooting rest for "F" Class, BR, & ELR that was made for Jill & I. It can be used in prone on ground with the special feet to plant into the ground. It can also be use off a bench by changing the feet. A good friend of ours - Mr. Bob Pastor made this special...

www.longrangehunting.com

The new owner may be making a front rest, but you would have to contact him.

Viper Bench Rest

Viper machine vises

www.viperbenchrest.com

 

[DUCKMAN11]

What I was getting at is one rest for multiple rifles. It's a one and done purchase.

 

[nksmfamjp]

What would you spend or have spent?

What is your budget (costs) for a complete custom rifle with glass if you were having someone build for you or you building?
Since today I finally finished our Taxes and had a lot of receipts to go over.

I was tabulating some costs of our rifles from last year with glass including purchase price shipping & taxes. We have (5) builds like this.
$1,500 - Stock with inlet & bedding or Chassis
$500.00 to $2,000.00 for BiPod or Front Rest
$1,500 - $2,000.00 - Action
$550.00 for SS Barrel
$800.00 for CF Barrel
Buy (2) Same Barrels at the same time. First barrel to Dial in and or Fire Form and Second for having an accurate rifle.
$300.00 to 400.00 Trigger
$300.00 - $400.00 for Scope Mount
$200.00- Brake
$3,000.00 to $4,000.00 + for Glass
$300.00 ++++ for Gunsmith to Chamber Fit & Finish
$300.00 - $400.00 for Dies - Only component for reloading, all the other reloading components $$$$.

Glass is the most expensive component.

$8,500.00+ mid range cost.

I must be a cheapo, although I like your 2 barrels up front idea!

My stocks are normally under $700 bedded, but I agree up to $1200 is somewhat normal with pillar bedding.

My current front rests are all under $200. I can see the value in a $500 tripod.

I bought a Zermatt for $900. Im sure there are more expensive actions, but I'm not sure how much better they are.

My SS blanks have all been under $400 for the top names.

I cannot name a $400 trigger without guessing, but Jewell and Triggertech at $250 ish seem fine.

I did buy an EC Tuner Brake for $200+, but my normal brakes are around $125.

I've looked through $3000-$4000 glass. I'm still not sold. My Tract did well against a Nightforce ATACR to my eye, but obviously some are not happy without a ZCO.

I find top gunsmiths vary widely in chambering. I'm willing to pay up to $400, if I'm confident the chamber will be straight.

I think I paid $300ish for 300 Sherman dies, but I'm only out like $100-250 when it is a more common round.

Taxes, shipping, etc add up. I struggle with the idea that a great custom rifle cannot be had under $5000. That's just me….cheap Charlie….no offense to Charlie.

What do I get paying so much more for similar parts?

 

[MW204]

I would love to meet up with someone who has a scope that cost 5K and let me shoot their rifle. I'm trying to wrap my head around how they can be that much better than a Leupold (1200-1500 range) to justify the extra expense. I'm not saying they're not worth every penny because I've never even looked through one, much less ranged one out at 500 yds or beyond. A Leupold is as good as it has ever gotten for me at long range. I've shot my Leupold Mark 4 Long Range Tactical M1 at 1000 yds and hit what I was shooting at, if the 5K scopes make it that much easier to hit at that range I'd like to see it.

I just did a quick put together of a Rem 700 action w factory trigger, 26" threaded and chamber heavy Douglas XX SS barrel, a brake, buying a custom woodstock (no in-letting or finishing added yet), and the total was already $2350.00 without any smith work added into that cost. Everything I just priced is on the lower side of the price range, so when people are buying the premium components I can see where just the cost of those parts can cost 4-5, without the glass, then add the smith work and it really starts to add up.

What's nice about our hobby is that if you have the want to you can spend a ton of money to get what you want and you don't owe an explanation to anyone else why you're doing it. I'm not the 1000+ yd serious shooter some of you guys are, yet I tip my hat to y'all because it takes good equipment and skill to do that and to do it good consistently, but I have enjoyed shooting out to 500 yds more than I used to.
Shooting is fun, if it's 100 yds enjoy it, if it's a mile or two enjoy it, but most of all we all need to stick together and support each other.

I don't have a lot of pics of the rifles I've made nor of the one I had made in1980 but I ran across an old pic today that shows not only a young me, but a true trophy buck for the region I was hunting, Lampasas, TX. Those bucks racks then were normally described as pencil racks and maybe10-12" wide. The game warden told me the buck I shot was the best he had seen in about 5 years. I took it with the only custom rifle I ever had made, which was around $1200.00 in 1980. Idk what that would be in today's money, (I looked it up this morning-Thursday-and today's value would be around $4,643.00) but I could have bought a lot of rifles in 1980 for $1200.00, but it's what I wanted and I got it from a man who used to build rifles from a company called Ranger Arms if any of your are familiar with that company.
Wished I still had that pickup, some of that hair, that's my only bought custom rifle, and it'd be nice if I had a few of those years back, but being blessed as I am, I'm still here, I have the buck on the wall, my daughter has the rifle that she always called my zebra rifle, so 3 out 4 ain't bad.

PS: dang I wished I could bend my knees like that again too.

 

[MW204]

I must be a cheapo, although I like your 2 barrels up front idea!

My stocks are normally under $700 bedded, but I agree up to $1200 is somewhat normal with pillar bedding.

My current front rests are all under $200. I can see the value in a $500 tripod.

I bought a Zermatt for $900. Im sure there are more expensive actions, but I'm not sure how much better they are.

My SS blanks have all been under $400 for the top names.

I cannot name a $400 trigger without guessing, but Jewell and Triggertech at $250 ish seem fine.

I did buy an EC Tuner Brake for $200+, but my normal brakes are around $125.

I've looked through $3000-$4000 glass. I'm still not sold. My Tract did well against a Nightforce ATACR to my eye, but obviously some are not happy without a ZCO.

I find top gunsmiths vary widely in chambering. I'm willing to pay up to $400, if I'm confident the chamber will be straight.

I think I paid $300ish for 300 Sherman dies, but I'm only out like $100-250 when it is a more common round.

Taxes, shipping, etc add up. I struggle with the idea that a great custom rifle cannot be had under $5000. That's just me….cheap Charlie….no offense to Charlie.

What do I get paying so much more for similar parts?

It all depends on what a smith charges, I added up a bare bones deal and it came up to $2350.00 I believe without glass or a smith. There was nothing on that list that was high dollar except for the Rem 700 donor rifle/action being new, which was half the above cost.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I am in the process of building a "semi-custom". Here is my build spec

Tikka T3 SS in 270WSM for the action = $625 (bought used for $600, and $25 transfer fee)
Bolt fluting = $87 (including the return shipping)
Mountain Tactical Outdoorsman bolt handle - $74.99
Mountain Tactical Raptor Mount = $149.99
Oregon Mountain Bottom Metal = $145.00
Oregon Mountain Bolt Shroud = $40.00
Oregon Mountain long action bolt stop = $45.00
Manners EH1 stock = $850.00
Preferred Barrel Blank shouldered prefit = $700.00 (includes an extra $100 for the reamer rental)
Mountain Tactical long action billet mag = $69.99
Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50mm = $1700.00

Total = $4487

This doesn't include the $450 for the dies and brass for this build or the discount if I can sell the barrel and factory barrel (not much in that).

 

[Buck Fever]

I like nice things but I'm cheap. I wanted something like a 338 Lapua Magnum but the action I had in mind was limited to a standard Magnum bolt face and CIP length magazine.

The action was an American Rifle Company Archimedes long action, bought on a pre-order for $1,120 (instead of the regular price of $1,400). The chassis is an American Rifle Company Xylo, bought on a pre-order for $800 (instead of the regular price of $1,000). The barrel is a Lothar Walther prefit in .338 Remington Ultra Magnum for around $700. The brake is an Area419 Sidewinder for around $200. The trigger is a Triggertech Diamond for around $240 (on sale). Two CIP length magazines were around $150. The scope rings are cheap Vortex but reamed in place so they make a zero stress mounting for my scope for around $30 (on sale). My scope is a placeholder because I spent all my budget on the rifle. I did add a case with a custom Kaizen foam interior for around $160. I have a Skye pod that was around $500 and a bag rider that was around $60.

I think that adds up to around $4,000 for everything minus scope. I spent a few hundred more on some Norma brass, dies and some 338 specific reloading tools.

If I went top tier and spent $3,500 on a scope, I'm in the $7,500-8,000 range total.

I customized a Savage Axis II XP for around $2,000 including glass. It's nice but American Rifle Company stuff is nicer.

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

The bottom two are a touch under 10k but over 40% of that is optic cost. Top is a defiance deviant action, proof barrel, manners EH1, bix and Andy pro, wearing a tt315m in NF ultralight rings chambered in 6.5 saum. Bottom is a surgeon 591 with bartlein m24 with a jewel trigger chambered in 6.5 lapua wearing a ZCO 527 in a sphur. When I first started my first three rifles were CZ 527/550 wearing Burris fullfields which I still have a special place on the wall that they live. All good times and all do their job. Get the best you can and go enjoy them!

 

[GAHunterJim]

I must be a cheapo, although I like your 2 barrels up front idea!

My stocks are normally under $700 bedded, but I agree up to $1200 is somewhat normal with pillar bedding.

My current front rests are all under $200. I can see the value in a $500 tripod.

I bought a Zermatt for $900. Im sure there are more expensive actions, but I'm not sure how much better they are.

My SS blanks have all been under $400 for the top names.

I cannot name a $400 trigger without guessing, but Jewell and Triggertech at $250 ish seem fine.

I did buy an EC Tuner Brake for $200+, but my normal brakes are around $125.

I've looked through $3000-$4000 glass. I'm still not sold. My Tract did well against a Nightforce ATACR to my eye, but obviously some are not happy without a ZCO.

I find top gunsmiths vary widely in chambering. I'm willing to pay up to $400, if I'm confident the chamber will be straight.

I think I paid $300ish for 300 Sherman dies, but I'm only out like $100-250 when it is a more common round.

Taxes, shipping, etc add up. I struggle with the idea that a great custom rifle cannot be had under $5000. That's just me….cheap Charlie….no offense to Charlie.

What do I get paying so much more for similar parts?

I've purchased several McMillan stocks over the last couple of years, custom ordered but nothing special and all drop-in. I have several rifles fully bedded but these are all drop-in and accuracy is good (under an 1" at 100 yards and better). I do see the benefit of bedding the recoil lug but beyond that, not so much for a hunting rifle unless it won't shoot, then all bets are off. I do find it takes a few shots for the rifle to settle after removing the stock but once set, they're good to go.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Have you tried March?

Apples to crabapples.
I have shot behind several March. I even owned a March F 3-24×52 for a couple years. I sold it and bought another Tangent Theta TT315M to replace it.

March does not compare to TT or ZCO in anything except weight and magnification range.
The 8X erector is a great idea, but until they improve the shortcomings, I would take a 5x or 6x erector. Even the new FX 4.5-27 has gotten away from 8X and dropped it to a 6x erector. And added 6oz over the 3-24×52. Which weight was one of the older F's big draws. Who wouldn't want a 24oz 3-24? Too bad optically it is lacking for the price compared to a TT315M or ZCO420.

 

[QuietTexan]

What would you spend or have spent?

For the record I didn't just go out and buy this all at once. Things were bought and sold along the way. Many many things...


The ELR:
BAT Action - $2050
Barrel - $750
McMillian stock with finishing - $1450
Trigger - $400
Bottom Metal - $35
Metal work - $1050
Stock work - $550
Dies and tooling - $750
$7,035 rifle cost

March Genesis - $7400
Digital Level - $250
$7,650 scope cost

Wiebad stock pad - $55
Accu-Tac bipod - $450
Armageddon Gear Rifle case - $575
$1,080 soft gear cost
$15,765 total cost


The Bench Rester:
BAT Action - $1650
Barrel - $550
McMillian stock (finished) - $1100
Trigger - $400
Bottom Metal - $35
Metal Work - $950
Stock Work - $550
Dies and tooling - $350
$5,585 rifle cost

March Majesta (when it gets here, rocking a Vortex Golden Eagle in the mean time) - $4500
Rings - $250
$4,750 scope cost

Machine Rest and parts - $1750
Rear Bag - $350
Hard Case - $350
$2,450 soft gear cvost
$12,785 total cost (funny that this one shoots the best out of all three, and is the 'cheapest' )


The Hunter aka the The PRS aka the Steel Ringer aka The "Good Rifle":
Defiance Action - $1550
Barrel - $950
Foundation Stock - $1550
Trigger - $350
Bottom Metal and Mag - $350
Metal work - $650
Stock Work - $150
Reamer and gauges - $750
Dies and tooling - $350
$6,650 Rifle Cost

Tangent Theta TT525P- $5900
Spuhr Mount - $550
$6,450 scope cost

TBAC 338 Ultra - $1350
Brake (they really get you on these) - $150
$1,500 suppressor cost

Wiebad stock pad - $55
EVO bipod - $375
Armageddon Gear Rifle case - $575
$1,005 soft gear cost
$15,605 total cost


40-50% of cost is in the glass on each of these. I can line up rifles and set these things side by side and see the differences along the way. The TT is far and away my favorite scope. But the Genesis let me avoid buying a Charlie and getting all the elevation in one unit.

Man it looks really depressing that actually add it all up like that. Let's do one last rifle:


The Rifle I Actually Killed Three Deer with Last Year Because I didn't need my "Good Rifle":
Bergara B-14 - $750
Nikon Buckmaster in rings - $250
Box of Hornady SP ammo - $35
Sock with wood stove pellets in it - $1.75
No case, it rode in the backseat of the truck - $0
$1,036 and seventy-five cents total cost



I wonder if this is why my wife makes me sleep in my 17 year old pickup truck so often. My 15 year old Anderson Bean boots that are on their fifth set of soles smell pretty ripe so they have to sit in the bed overnight. At least my 4 year old Wranglers are soft enough to lay down in while I darn the holes in my 7 year old Cabelas wool socks and watch a movie on my iPhone 4s. I don't even buy shoes to mow the yard in, I walk barefoot behind a 20 year old mower. I drink Shiner Bock because **** it I deserve something nice now and again, but never drink out at restaurants. Not like Waffle House serves beer anyways!

We all pay where we want to and we ALL get cheap or stingy somewheres. (I'm looking at you Mr-Picks-Up-A-Penny on the Sidewalk Guy ) My rifles all-in cost less than any of the 3 brand new Jeeps, 2 trucks, and one Charger my brother-in-law has bought and sold since I've had my one truck. And they're all paid for, I'm not stroking $2k a month in (upside-down) car payments like him either.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

For the record I didn't just go out and buy this all at once. Things were bought and sold along the way. Many many things...


The ELR:
BAT Action - $2050
Barrel - $750
McMillian stock with finishing - $1450
Trigger - $400
Bottom Metal - $35
Metal work - $1050
Stock work - $550
Dies and tooling - $750
$7,035 rifle cost

March Genesis - $7400
Digital Level - $250
$7,650 scope cost

Wiebad stock pad - $55
Accu-Tac bipod - $450
Armageddon Gear Rifle case - $575
$1,080 soft gear cost
$15,765 total cost


The Bench Rester:
BAT Action - $1650
Barrel - $550
McMillian stock (finished) - $1100
Trigger - $400
Bottom Metal - $35
Metal Work - $950
Stock Work - $550
Dies and tooling - $350
$5,585 rifle cost

March Majesta (when it gets here, rocking a Vortex Golden Eagle in the mean time) - $4500
Rings - $250
$4,750 scope cost

Machine Rest and parts - $1750
Rear Bag - $350
Hard Case - $350
$2,450 soft gear cvost
$12,785 total cost (funny that this one shoots the best out of all three, and is the 'cheapest' )


The Hunter aka the The PRS aka the Steel Ringer aka The "Good Rifle":
Defiance Action - $1550
Barrel - $950
Foundation Stock - $1550
Trigger - $350
Bottom Metal and Mag - $350
Metal work - $650
Stock Work - $150
Reamer and gauges - $750
Dies and tooling - $350
$6,650 Rifle Cost

Tangent Theta TT525P- $5900
Spuhr Mount - $550
$6,450 scope cost

TBAC 338 Ultra - $1350
Brake (they really get you on these) - $150
$1,500 suppressor cost

Wiebad stock pad - $55
EVO bipod - $375
Armageddon Gear Rifle case - $575
$1,005 soft gear cost
$15,605 total cost


40-50% of cost is in the glass on each of these. I can line up rifles and set these things side by side and see the differences along the way. The TT is far and away my favorite scope. But the Genesis let me avoid buying a Charlie and getting all the elevation in one unit.

Man it looks really depressing that actually add it all up like that. Let's do one last rifle:


The Rifle I Actually Killed Three Deer with Last Year Because I didn't need my "Good Rifle":
Bergara B-14 - $750
Nikon Buckmaster in rings - $250
Box of Hornady SP ammo - $35
Sock with wood stove pellets in it - $1.75
No case, it rode in the backseat of the truck - $0
$1,036 and seventy-five cents total cost



I wonder if this is why my wife makes me sleep in my 17 year old pickup truck so often. My 15 year old Anderson Bean boots that are on their fifth set of soles smell pretty ripe so they have to sit in the bed overnight. At least my 4 year old Wranglers are soft enough to lay down in while I darn the holes in my 7 year old Cabelas wool socks and watch a movie on my iPhone 4s. I don't even buy shoes to mow the yard in, I walk barefoot behind a 20 year old mower. I drink Shiner Bock because **** it I deserve something nice now and again, but never drink out at restaurants. Not like Waffle House serves beer anyways!

We all pay where we want to and we ALL get cheap or stingy somewheres. (I'm looking at you Mr-Picks-Up-A-Penny on the Sidewalk Guy ) My rifles all-in cost less than any of the 3 brand new Jeeps, 2 trucks, and one Charger my brother-in-law has bought and sold since I've had my one truck. And they're all paid for, I'm not stroking $2k a month in (upside-down) car payments like him either.

Big difference in and "ELR" "BR" "F" Class and PRS from a hunting rig.
Great builds!!!!!!!!!!!!