Custom Builds - How are You Building Them?
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comfisherman
Well-Known Member
I'll throw a little different tack in the sail and cross current.
I buy custom more for ergonomics than performance.
My height is a bit over normal but have orangutan arms, prefer mid length barrels with g rated magnums (wsm, saum etc) and think the modern ve resin carbon shell stocks are the greatest thing to grace my check bones in the cold. My neuropathy dictates a heavier than average single stage trigger. A hueber trigger at its highest weight is still better for me than other solutions. In February I thwacked my cold fimger on the hump of a vx5 between the bolt and occular... and spent 5 minutes with -22 hands fully appreciating 60deg both throws while my frozen thumb throbbed.
Truth be told most modern production rifles are shockingly accurate from the factory, the Tikka revolution that spread across the industry (cnc optimized designs like the rar and the rest) make it diminishing returns accuracy wise. But man o man the furniture and ergos are so much better on the full custom. My ranges aren't as long as they were when inhabiting sage brush, from a field position in the 5-700 yard range wind read error will make me miss way more profoundly than the difference between my rar truck gun and full custom with rings that cost what the rar did....
It's the lack of Rattle, the perfect stock fitment, the trigger and bottom metal that I prefer, and the barrel contour and balance that sell me on the custom side.
I buy custom more for ergonomics than performance.
My height is a bit over normal but have orangutan arms, prefer mid length barrels with g rated magnums (wsm, saum etc) and think the modern ve resin carbon shell stocks are the greatest thing to grace my check bones in the cold. My neuropathy dictates a heavier than average single stage trigger. A hueber trigger at its highest weight is still better for me than other solutions. In February I thwacked my cold fimger on the hump of a vx5 between the bolt and occular... and spent 5 minutes with -22 hands fully appreciating 60deg both throws while my frozen thumb throbbed.
Truth be told most modern production rifles are shockingly accurate from the factory, the Tikka revolution that spread across the industry (cnc optimized designs like the rar and the rest) make it diminishing returns accuracy wise. But man o man the furniture and ergos are so much better on the full custom. My ranges aren't as long as they were when inhabiting sage brush, from a field position in the 5-700 yard range wind read error will make me miss way more profoundly than the difference between my rar truck gun and full custom with rings that cost what the rar did....
It's the lack of Rattle, the perfect stock fitment, the trigger and bottom metal that I prefer, and the barrel contour and balance that sell me on the custom side.
Working on one now as a matter of fact for my son in law. Friend of mine cut the chamber and cerakoted for me. Now I'm bedding and doing final fitting. This is a 308 with a 20" barrel. Plain Jane 700 action with upgraded lug and faces squared. PBB .750 straight taper. In a Stockys CF stock. timney trigger and a HS Precision bottom metal conversion kits. 2nd picture was a mockup and just bedded about 2.5 hours ago. Waiting for Marine Tex to set up.
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ObiWanKannoli
Well-Known Member
Buying all components, working with pre fit, diy assembly.
Options like the Terminus Zeus make this a breeze. Torque and shoot. This assumes you have the tools and know how, of course.
Options like the Terminus Zeus make this a breeze. Torque and shoot. This assumes you have the tools and know how, of course.
Mike Matteson
Well-Known Member
Presently above my pay grade.
I purchase everything then ship barrel and action to smith of choice. Sometimes I just have action and barrel shipped directly to smith but there's usually a time delay between receiving both so I like to keep everything in my safe till ready to ship both parts.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
Loan them out to buddies when they see how badass your rifles are and want to try and duplicate it.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I build them by sourcing my own components. It usually starts by getting something for a good price like a barrel or action, maybe a stock, then running with it.
My latest, I got a Kelbly Nanook LA mag bolt face from a buddy who needed to sell it for an unexpected bill.
So I planned out a whole new elk rifle on it.
I ordered a TriggerTech Diamond right away and installed it when it came in.
I also ordered a build to spec Manners LRH in Tac Moss beginning of October. They said 8-9 months, so I put the action in the safe and tried to ignore it. I figured I would be hearing from Manners in June/July timeline.
I got a call in March that the scope was in final inletting amd would ship in 2 weeks.
Time to order a barrel! Went online and found the exact one I wanted. Bartlein 26" 1:9" 5R #13 Carbon Fiber. Had it in hand in a week.
Ordered a TBAC CB I found here on the site.
Called up my buddy to use his .300WM RM reamer. We talked, and I swapped to the .300PRC AW2 reamer he had too.
Picked up 100pcs Lapua .300PRC brass.
I already have about 2500 of the Berger 215 Hybs on hand.
I have about 30# of H1000
I have 8K of both Fed GM215M and CCI 250s.
Pulled the ZCO 420 4-20×50 off my 7SS and bought a March FX 4.5-28×52 to replace it...probably. I did mount a TT315M on it already, so we will see where it ends up.
Got the stock in, and added some love to it to make it pop.
Dropped all my parts off at the gunsmith last week when I was finally in town, and they had a Hawkins M5 Oberndorf BDL in stock, so I am now all set for the complete build.
Here it is with parts sitting together.
After the love
My latest, I got a Kelbly Nanook LA mag bolt face from a buddy who needed to sell it for an unexpected bill.
So I planned out a whole new elk rifle on it.
I ordered a TriggerTech Diamond right away and installed it when it came in.
I also ordered a build to spec Manners LRH in Tac Moss beginning of October. They said 8-9 months, so I put the action in the safe and tried to ignore it. I figured I would be hearing from Manners in June/July timeline.
I got a call in March that the scope was in final inletting amd would ship in 2 weeks.
Time to order a barrel! Went online and found the exact one I wanted. Bartlein 26" 1:9" 5R #13 Carbon Fiber. Had it in hand in a week.
Ordered a TBAC CB I found here on the site.
Called up my buddy to use his .300WM RM reamer. We talked, and I swapped to the .300PRC AW2 reamer he had too.
Picked up 100pcs Lapua .300PRC brass.
I already have about 2500 of the Berger 215 Hybs on hand.
I have about 30# of H1000
I have 8K of both Fed GM215M and CCI 250s.
Pulled the ZCO 420 4-20×50 off my 7SS and bought a March FX 4.5-28×52 to replace it...probably. I did mount a TT315M on it already, so we will see where it ends up.
Got the stock in, and added some love to it to make it pop.
Dropped all my parts off at the gunsmith last week when I was finally in town, and they had a Hawkins M5 Oberndorf BDL in stock, so I am now all set for the complete build.
Here it is with parts sitting together.
After the love
Lance what is your method for the additional paint? I have a Manners EH1 that is lacking some character.
comfisherman
Well-Known Member
It's best to view this as charity, or as a good way to eliminate surplus reamers. It's my favorite way to scrap a reamer... let the buddy whose super stoked about my latest whiz bang cartridge take my reamer to his other brother Darryl the cross-eyed machinist turned gunsmith chatter up a chamber to a wallered out Ackley....
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I have a few different paints I use. If going with the sponge method, the model paints work very well, like Testers or Tamiya. Then hit the whole stock with a matte clear. Really makes the carbon fiber pop and deepens/enriches the colors.
This is my 6.5PRC/SI stock. Started as Manners "Tommy Bahama" and added the same orange to it.
Before:
After:
This started out as a Manners TAC GAP, but it had way too much black empty spaces. So I got some darker tan to compliment the cream, and lighter sage green to go with the olive.
As for camo, I use spary paint. Then matte clear over top. The matte I use dries fast and hard. I have had some of mine painted for years and has ridden miles in packs and trucks with me.
Here is a "Multicam" I did a while ago. Started out life as Manners "High Plains". I left the black spots in the Multicam as the carbon fiber.
Before:
After:
I am getting prepped to do a "Multicam Arid" stock, but adding some bright orange in it for some pop. Tested using the orange as a bottom coat and a top coat. I thought I want it as a top coat, but after doing a couple test samples, I think the bottom coat looked better.
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lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
No way. I only loan my reamers out to a very select few gunsmiths.
