Custom rifle cost going to the moon , when does it end ?

[Almondgrower]

No idea what you're talking about at this point.

you pay for load development when you buy a kit rifle. Load development at any insured company at distance is well over a grand. I said the hours you spend doing ladders and developing load don't count as practice like field practice hours do, now you're talking about varmint hunting.

I agree with what you say about field practice, all my point was is that I practice all I can while load work up and also get as much field time to practice varmint hunting setting up for the big game season also

 

[Mram10us]

Our run of the mill turn key rifles are more like $8k, the rifle that started this discussion is a full-on fancy build-out with engraving, special stock materials, metal finishes, $3500 Swarovski scope, etc.

A couple of years ago we released a component action for $800 bucks. It's nice! It pushed every other manufacturer of actions to respond, now there are dozens of options for a similar price point. Don't beat us up as overpriced hype. Some stuff is expensive, and some is more budget. We try hard to control the price, but sometimes we just want to build it to the 9s!

As I said, I'm all for guys building a business. Definitely fills a niche. If you work a lot and only have time to hunt, by all means, buy a turn key. Some don't enjoy the load development. Many of my friends are great examples of this

 

[Almondgrower]

To be fair and I think I covered this in the OP , that rifle is BEAUTIFUL! I'll chock it up to those fancy big game guns or fancy trap guns for sure, it's loaded ! The stocks they build in house are amazing and I'm not rich in any way but I ........could...... buy one but I personally won't simply because I do enjoy the entire process from start all way to putting it in a case on the way to hunting season ! What is also VERY attractive is the ( on the shelf presence they have to offer ) of that quality especially at their lower end ! Do you buy the 80k loaded truck or do you buy it with rubber floor mats and manual locks and windows ......maybe I'll buy one of their bare bones rifles and do the rest my self

 

[Allen Kitts]

I always find that old saw funny. "more money than sense" All the customers that I know are really successful and intelligent people. I've learned a lot from the association. I aspire to their levels of intelligence and success. The hard working self made successful person that buys a Gunwerks rifle, whether he's a landscaper or a land developer isn't a stupid person. I don't mind when people beat up our brand, because I understand it mostly comes from a lack of visibility or complete knowledge. But I will stick up for our customers. They are smart cats! They are successful for a reason.

Thanks for sticking up for us "stupid customers", Not sure why people have to come on these forums and bash people or products and can't just be happy with the fact that every person taste and desires are different. I guess if your different you just don't have any sense. Have a great day and looking forward to seeing the new facility this year.

 

[Buck Fever]

I think that the home built gun will be the norm within 3 years.

I have to agree.

It's already my norm.

Pre-order from American Rifle Company: Archimedes long action $1,120, Xylo long action chassis $800

From Area419: Triggertech Diamond trigger $216, Sidewinder muzzle brake $195

From Lothar Walther: 30" 338 RUM prefit $670 shipped

From Accurate Mags: 2x 3.85" 300 RUM magazines $160

That's $3,161, I had to wait a long time for ARC and I'm currently waiting on my barrel but my action, chassis, trigger and magazine work beautifully together. I hope and expect that my barrel will just screw on and be ready to go.

My case is about another $200 and I'm probably $800+ in to brass, bullets, dies and powder, then there is optics and some other stuff.

If I get a Tract 34mm scope, I'm going to be around $6,000 all in which is a big number but less than buying an equivalent high end rifle off the shelf or having an equivalent custom built by a decent gunsmith.

All I have to do is put it together and the hard part about that is torquing on the barrel and pressing in the trigger pins. Everything else is easy to do with Allen wrenches and torx drivers. The barrel does require a barrel vise and a rear entry action wrench, that's about $200 in tools.

If I didn't get preorder deals or my trigger on sale, the total would increase by about $850.

I'll have to do my own ammo development and generate DOPE and that is a big expense because my "local" 1,000 yard range is a 3 hour drive. It's also a training issue because practice is expensive and infrequent too.

I'm sure building and making my own ammo works out cheaper but not by as much as it seems upfront. I could probably justify the cost to avoid the time required for load development and DOPE generation but then I couldn't justify going to the range so I DIY.

If I was on a tighter budget, there are less expensive actions that would work fine and I could put it in a KRG Bravo chassis or budget stock. My spare trigger is a Triggertech Special that I bought on sale for $140 so money could be saved there. Using a 26" plain Savage style prefit barrel with a barrel nut would cut the barrel cost in half. I could have reduced the cost about $1,200 if I wanted to. If I used a less expensive scope my all in cost could be around $4,000.

The way I did it, I bought everything over a pretty long time so the extra I spent hasn't hurt yet.

I don't know what the $12,500 rifle is but if it has lots of hand engraving and custom ammo with DOPE, that changes the value equation. I still wouldn't buy one on my budget but it makes more sense.

I'm just going to try to enjoy my savings when I'm shooting a rifle that cost less than half and might be better in a few ways.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Where do I here that?

i get what they are selling, but they are not selling what The David Miller Company, D'Arcy Echols, etc are selling. They are not selling what Rigby, H&H, etc are selling.

I guess my point is $12500 is 3x what GAP is. GAP builds a great rifle. They have a big name. They use known premium components. GAP guarantees 0.25 moa @100 yds with factory ammo. I'm not even sure that is possible in what they build! IMO, a rail gun would have a hard time shooting factory fodder into 0.25".

i do still want to hear what they say.

Sorry I missed this earlier. Remember the podcast that got brought into this is not the original topic but here it is.

Podcast: EP 48 - Custom Rifle vs 1,000 Yards Out Of The Box

www.gunwerks.com

 

[bigngreen]

Gunwerks makes it very easy to purchase a great quality rifle. I tried to supply the following components to 4 gunsmiths on this site and there was little to no interest. my goal was to have two identical rifles, just a small and large caliber. after more research, turns out a lot of gunsmiths make most of their money on the components and not the labor. i wish i had know that before buying:

2 AG alpine hunters inlet for DBM and sendero profile
2 proof carbon
2 TT Special
2 BO M5's
2 AP gen 3 little bas**ds

I would like to figure out how to make money on components as a small gunsmith, frankly at my level I loose money on components by the time I figure the time in sourcing then tracking these parts all for a dealer pricing that basically covers shipping. To make even 10% on parts would be good, to make a little more you need volume which takes you into another bracket of costs.
The best reason to supply all the parts for a small Smith is you control what parts go together, as great as customer can be to work with until you put all these parts together it's hard to understand how to order them.

 

[Ranger Rick]

I probably should hold my 2cents because I build guns and no not ARs. In my opinion the cost of all the products have gotten out of control to build a gun, and it was not that long ago when everything was a lot cheaper to buy, barrels, actions, triggers, bottom metal, stocks and scopes were way less making it a lot easier to build and sale a good product at a lower price to the normal person that could afford a custom build.

I agree with you Sgt on costs getting out of hand. I believe more than demand being a factor, it is easy, big money for a lot of people. Pro athletes getting $20+million a year, start ups, IPOs, $50M a film for an actor or actress. Look at the price of tickets and a beer at a Major League Baseball game. Guided elk hunts for $20k. $75k pickups. The money is out there, but not in my bank account. I'm fine with two prefit customs and a 1976 Remington 700 BDL 7 mag that has dropped 20+ Elk (all under 75 yards). When I see a high priced ticket or car or gun, I think "WHOA." Good for him or her and the American economy. I don't dwell on it, I just go back to enjoying a cold beer or
PS there are also folks who spend more than they should, and now is not a good time to learn a lesson.

 

[.30cal fanatic]

I think some people are missing the point. That rifle in question the S....L is full of engraving and other custom bits such as woodwork over carbon etc.
a lot of dangerous game rifles go for double that asking price.

The same Company does offer custom rifles for the 4-5 k Mark aswell. So the comparisons people are flying out are total horse sht. Your not comparing apples with apples.

I have custom tikkas and they are nice but very different to my def/stil/gwks customs, and that's ok coz the action cost was less then half. But custom tikkas add up once you chuck a proof on em and fancy carbon stock also

company in question has done a fair bit for the sport and I enjoy the media they put out. Would rather have them then not so not afraid to support em.

 

[Bruce Treloar]

If you want to hunt game animals at at extra long distances and make humane killing shots then you need a .3"MOA rifle. Plus all the knowledge to judge distance and watch every leaf and long grass all the way to the animal. If you don't have these skills then shoot targets until you do.
It's an odd rather than usual factory rifle that will go close to a custom built accuracy

 

[Paper boy]

It's not a new story. A Ford or Chevy will get you there as well as a Roll Royce or Bentley. It' all about "look at ME" if you can tote the note, go for it. But remember, my bullet is going to get there as fast or maybe faster than yours. At the target nobody sees the rifle, only the results! Keep shootin.

 

[Oldtime Shooter13]

Gun makers are taking a page out of Harley Davidsons book! Build it, put a big price tag on it and someone will buy it!

 

[zog]

Gun makers are taking a page out of Harley Davidsons book! Build it, put a big price tag on it and someone will buy it!

The American way!

 

[adam32]

I personally probably wouldn't buy a turn key Gunwerks rifle just because I can build or have built something very similar for a lot less.

But, one thing everyone needs to realize is Gunwerks and BOTW have done more for the advancement of long range hunting than EVERY other company COMBINED, hands down!! The research and development that they have done that nobody even knows about costs money, their many employees cost money, their equipment costs money etc etc etc...

Aaron still needs to lose the creeper stash, but other than that they are actually a good bunch of guys.