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

[25WSM]

It's only the few, the proud, not the Marines. Thanks
Shep

 

[CTK]

I don't know how Tikka gets there bolts so freaking smooth right out of the box. And every one I've loaded for shot great.
Shep

If a rifle is measured by what it can do dollar for dollar, the Tikka is probably the champion. I want to dislike the stock and flimsy little recoil lug thing but the rifles shoot great. The triggers are super simple but perform amazingly well. I even find the plastic magazines well made and handy. My 10 year old thinks his Tikka is the greatest thing ever.

 

[25WSM]

But for a few bucks more a metal floor plate from the factory would be nice. Since when was a plastic trigger guard a good idea. I really like the ones in the grey laminate.
Shep

 

[Deleted member 103481]

 

[citabria]

I paid off my equipment piece by piece. And 400 bucks is just an example of a chamber job and bedding. Do you really want me telling everybody how much we pay for barrels and stocks. You know what I mean. And I never claimed to get rich just that I sleep good at night knowing I charged for the work I did. Not some upcharge because it was a custom. If you bought all the parts and told the smith to do a chamber job for me. Then came back and said bed this stock. You would have one total. Go back to the same guy and have an exact duplicate custom made you pay 1000 dollars more. That's the crap I'm talking about. First of all if I buy all the parts I make alot more money already. Why would I then charge even more for the same work. I'll put barrels on all day for 250 bucks. That's about 80 bucks an hour for me. If I sell the barrel that's put on I make over 100 bucks an hour. I don't know too many people that wouldn't work for that kind of money. Same money doing a bedding job. And I never once felt cheated in any way doing work for veterans for half off. I still made money. And I paid my taxes just like everybody else. The reason my shop is in my out building next to my home is because I'm a 100% disabled veteran and part of me using the gi bill I paid for I had to work from home. I went in the military in 1986 and yes you paid for your gi bill for 12 months. You guys can dis me all you want but I'm not sorry for one dang minute of how I ran my business. I never one time ask anybody on this site for business. I've been on this site for 9 yrs and I defy you find me advertising one time. The only time you will see me telling someone to send me something was to fix their gunsmiths mistakes. For free. So yes I sleep just fine and feel good about all the work I did. I do own a retail store that is 25 yrs old. 6500 sq ft brick and mortar with 18 employees. I have empoloyees that have worked for me since the day we opened for 25 yrs and now their kids work for me too. I know how to run a business. I don't lose sleep on that one either.
Shep

The problem is that long range shooting has become an elitist sport for many. Sort of like the old Lords and Earls in England. The peasants need not apply. Fair fees is one thing, but a lot of stuff out there is overpriced for the snob appeal of having it. I am happy with my 200 yard half inch groups with my 20 year old never worked on 700. I don't see the value in $2k scopes.

 

[bigngreen]

I don't know how Tikka gets there bolts so freaking smooth right out of the box. And every one I've loaded for shot great.
Shep

It's the steel, heat treat and machining strategy, they are straight and materials play nice. Very elegantly but simply designed. Firing pin assembly is guided perfectly with no extra parts.

 

[Buck Fever]

The problem is that long range shooting has become an elitist sport for many. Sort of like the old Lords and Earls in England. The peasants need not apply. Fair fees is one thing, but a lot of stuff out there is overpriced for the snob appeal of having it. I am happy with my 200 yard half inch groups with my 20 year old never worked on 700. I don't see the value in $2k scopes.

Some businesses go this way but I think it is mostly because it's easier to find a few people with deep pockets to drink your koolaid than to find many people willing to pay reasonable rates for quality work.

I don't think there is any classist motive, it's just hard to keep your pipe full of work so people pad their labor rates so that their monthly/weekly take home meets their expectations.

I remember after the .com bubble burst, my boss was having trouble finding work. The solution was to raise prices. If you bid jobs low, some times people wonder how you can do it and they assume that more expensive bids are worth it somehow. Charging fair rates can hurt you. They actually got more work after raising prices.

Individual people don't all work that way but on average you have to use the strategy that has the best outcome.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

The problem is that long range shooting has become an elitist sport for many. Sort of like the old Lords and Earls in England. The peasants need not apply. Fair fees is one thing, but a lot of stuff out there is overpriced for the snob appeal of having it. I am happy with my 200 yard half inch groups with my 20 year old never worked on 700. I don't see the value in $2k scopes.

scopes in that price range are diminishing returns since the next big jump in price is for something smaller in feature. This is my opinion, when you pay those big prices you're paying for piece of mind in reliability and glass quality. Now, while not always the case, a lot of those big name scope companies have excellent track records and do deliver. Do you need a $2000 scope to perform? No of course not. But they do have their benefits.

 

[DJ Fergus]

It is getting to the point where you can spend as much as you want to. A company sells $5000 rifles with no problems, then they say to themselves: let's build a $7000 rifle and see how it sells. If it sells good why not try to build a $9000 rifle, there's somebody who's got a $7000 dollar rifle and wants even more. When a fellow really figures out what he's doing, he can put together something on a budget that will get him in the .2s and .3 fairly easy. Now, .2s and .3s may not be good enough for some folks and that's understandable but this is where folks are going to dump all the cash they can into it chasing for more and may still end up with .2s and .3s. For some people there is no end to it. Once they get the end all ultimate accuracy rifle, then the thrill and adventure deflates and they must find something else to chase after.

 

[adam32]

I remember reading when Kenny Jarrett first started his business that he only wanted to build 100 rifles a year...so he started prices fairly low to create a demand and then raised them to the point that he only had demand for 100 rifles a year.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

That kind of money won't touch what your talking, 30k + for what your talking.

if you spend that kind of cash, it better be the finest American walnut, with lots of flame and color, the very best checkering anyone has seen, engraving, and gold. And in a caliber fit for that style, like 257 Roberts. That will get something started. No black gun can compeat with that....

i giggled a little at that this one too! A guy can have that into a piece of wood before any work starts! then you throw engraving and gold in the mix by a known engraver that can cost over 15K

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

I'm not sure how anybody could speak badly about Jeff? He's probably the nicest guy I've ever talked to in the LRH community.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

I will second that I got along fine with Jeff until we disagreed on where to zero a rifle. Long story, but I understand why you would have a problem. Maybe I caught him on a bad day ....

it wasn't a bad day !!!!!

 

[bigngreen]

I remember reading when Kenny Jarrett first started his business that he only wanted to build 100 rifles a year...so he started prices fairly low to create a demand and then raised them to the point that he only had demand for 100 rifles a year.

That's foundational business principals there!!