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

[JJMoody]

Wow. 22 pages so far. A company puts out an upper-tier product, engraved, totally badass one-off type stock, fancy for days and purpose built for the task of harvesting large (fairly expensive) animals, halfway across the world..... completely set up, guaranteed and fully supported by a very reputable company offering complete systems and training as well as RnD work to bring technology and innovation to the forefront of the industry.....,,, and we get 22 pages of "My Tikka/ Savage/ Rem-age can shoot just as good"....??!!
GW doesn't claim to be the cheapest out there, doesn't claim to be for everyone, doesn't claim to ....fill in the blanks. I got the email about that setup too. I was a bit sticker shocked too. I read about it, gave an interested, eyebrow raise and shoulder shrug and deleted the email. I also listened to the podcast with Jeff Brozovitch. It kinda forced me to examine how much of my time is spent researching, thinking, tinkering, driving, components, reading, second-guessing what I should or shouldn't use and coming to the conclusion that if I include my time, it's cheaper to just buy something that's done. I'm a DIY guy. If you saw my daily, you'd wonder "what the hell-o?!!!" , but now I'm realizing, sometimes you're money ahead to pay someone to do what you're not good at. "VALUE" .... seriously think about paying yourself to do all the stuff they do, then comment. If you're doing something as a hobby, you can't really compare that to guys who do this stuff to eat and put a little away for the future. I'm sure if there were a bazillion dollars up for grabs building rifles, every one of us would be all over building rifles. Also, if I'm not mistaken, GW offers re-barrels for a flat $500 on their rifles. More added value. Sure, they're about 500-1000 more than most builders, but they're a long ways from snob-pricing. As far as guys with "more dollars than sense", sure they're out there, but the vast majority of folks in a position to buy rifles like that, have worked their tails off, made sacrifices and now, TIME is the premium, not money. I also know working Cowboys who spend $2000 on a custom beaver-mink hat. They save up pennies to buy what they believe to be the best..... once.....I know long-winded and probably didn't say everything I wanted to , but there it is.... tough to make an articulate statement on a cell phone

 

[DJ Fergus]

I

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.

I used to do most of my own work on my vehicles. I started using a mechanic that Ive known for years. He's good and used to be affordable. He was getting swammped with work. He also went up on his prices. I can't blame him for that.

 

[DJ Fergus]

O K Shooters I agree with all above you are great. ?m would you but a rifle made in China- hell no and their rifle scopes a trash.. and all the clothing that is sold in wal-mart-Cosco - dillards is just trash.. people let us get a movement-- buy only Made in USA clothing- now Rifles from Europe are well Made and many of the Mausers are the best in the world- I saw an add on T V for k fit blue jeans for 79.00 looked up made in China . the American customers can stop this nonsense.

The trouble is corporate greed. They are the middle man making all the money. Same thing in the cattle buisness. The cattle farmer doesn't make jack unless he was born into 500-1000 acres and has 300-500 cows. The middle man makes most of the money in that buisness as well.

 

[Blackhawk]

Load development is the most fun part for me... but I think everyone is different in that regard!

Load development and everything that accompanies it is very therapeutic not to mention relaxing for me!
It's culmination is with the completion of a successful Ladder Test resulting in the smallest ES, & SD numbers.
That in itself is enough soul satisfaction for me !

 

[sw282]

First of all, l am not going to shoot ANYTHING @800yds unless its shooting at me... l have a half inch group shooting Custom built by 'ME' Prairie Dog Rifle... Priced as follows--Remington 700 Varmint barreled action@$163. A REM700 SA bolt@$150. Both ltems were new. Used 700Remington BDL/SA by HS Precision aluminum pillar bed fiberglass stock for$130 New 700BDL SA bottom metal with spring, mag box, and follower for a BEN.. Scope is a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20X50 w/30mm tube, Varmint Hunter reticle ''USED'' @$490... New Warne rings and bi-pod were $150... Total expense was app$1200.. Biggest investment was time spent working up accouple loads for 40&55gr boolits…

 

[shortgrass]

Custom firearms are not about how cheaply it can be put together, it's about getting that 'one of a kind' that you want. A barrel nut and pre-fit don't require much. There are many that can put out and put on a shouldered barrel these days. Glass bedding a B&C/H-S/Mc isn't 'magic'. "One on one" hand work is getting rarer to find these days, but then there are truely no 2 that are alike!

 

[Eddie in Va]

I hope guys like that are few and far between. I am one of those $6K folks, but that doesn't make me anything special. It only makes me a guy who wrote a big check.

Maybe from being raised with very little and taking a lot of pride in doing more with less, I'm frankly a little sheepish about pulling out my champagne setup, and I never display logos. I don't want anybody to notice that my rifle cost as much as a decent used car.

I hope you LOL - out loud! - at anybody who talks trash about your setup. Most of us $5K -$10K folks wouldn't think of trashing anyone's setup.

that was a long time ago, I sure enjoyed it back then but will admit I have some more expensive set ups now myself.

Im a true believer that the man makes the shot, but a decent rifle and GREAT optics sure make it easier.

 

[25WSM]

Once you shoot a well tuned custom rifle it's hard to not want one. It does make it a bunch easier.
Shep

 

[CTK]

I just bought a Sako A7 Stainless Big Game Hunter in 270 Win on Saturday at a Beretta store inside Bass Pro's second Flagship store in Memphis. It was on final clearance for 599.00. I didn't even want it but could not in good conscience leave that kind of deal on a shelf. Someone please try to tell me that I did not just buy the best bang for the buck new rifle ever? . I briefly tried to trade it for a scope or some binoculars on this site. Decided tonight that I am going to give the rifle to a close friend's son.

 

[CTK]

Once you shoot a well tuned custom rifle it's hard to not want one. It does make it a bunch easier.
Shep

I completely agree. This said, there Is no way to justify the purchase as anything other than a want. The level of accuracy that we / I require from a hunting rifle would be considered obsessive by most veteran big game hunters.

 

[zog]

that was a long time ago, I sure enjoyed it back then but will admit I have some more expensive set ups now myself.

Im a true believer that the man makes the shot, but a decent rifle and GREAT optics sure make it easier.

Happened just now . . . I just got back from the range with my $6k setup. Got out-shot on the 300 yd gongs by a guy with his pre-64 blued walnut Winchester 270. Mind you, he did have a nice higher end modern scope, not the old Redfield that would have come on it. But he knew his rifle and his handloads, and knew his shooting habits. He asked me about the strange looking carbon weave stuff on my fat barrel, he must have thought I had about a 20 lb rifle. I said "oh yeah, it's OK - I'll learn to shoot it with more practice".

 

[Pro2A]

I just saw a new release of a highbred big game rifle from probably THE big boys in the industry . The cost including a 2500.00$ optic is 12500.00$ . I have done my fair share of buying things that I knew were a bit out of the ( practical or common sense range ) because I just wanted it but not to the tune of 12500.00 lol !! To be clear I'm sure it comes with 100 rounds of custom ( tuned ) Ammo for it and we all know the work that goes into that although the load development is the steepest on the first ( set up ) then after that it's probably a little more cookie cutter . I'll be the first to admit these are some of the baddest rifles to ever hit the planet and the detail and designs are AMAZING for sure! I feel a custom build with a premium barrel , stock , trigger , action and optic around 5-6 k is ( fair ) but I also have some factory rifles with a proper tuned load that shot at .250 or better . One in particular I have is a .093 5 shot group at 100 yard and it holds that moa pretty close to 800 so far , I knew they shot well but I'm still on cloud 9 with that one and I promise, that's not the norm for me on factory guns !!
I know these factory rifles most likely will walk significantly more threw a 20 shot string then these premium guns will of course but for most hunting rifles that's not necessarily going to be needed . I have set up several rifles for friends that just want a hunting gun with factory Ammo . I set one rem 700 up with a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14 and found THE factory Ammo that it liked ! On most of these projects I'm able to find Ammo that will shoot .500 or better all for 1800.00$ and it just about holds that all the way to 800. I'm not poking at custom builders ,it is a true art , I'm just asking what your feelings are towards these 10-12000.00$ guns and where the future is headed ( and I'm not talking about 50 bmg or 375 cheytac type guns) With all the modern machining practices, factory rifles have came a long way for sure ! I think we are going to see a swing in the market for gun builders to produce a gun that is a (budget) version . I think these are selling now because of the craze we are in now kinda like in 2008 when desil pickups were grocery getters during that craze that blew up , then desil hit 5.00$ gallon in Comifornia and they were dumped quick ! Is it just me or are these prices crazy ..... but soooo bad a** of a rifle !!

What's that old saying...."A fool and their money are soon parted." Everyone's definition of a fool is "the other guy." Worked hard for 50 years to be able to be my kinda foolish. Enjoying my gun fetish.

 

[Pro2A]

This is true. The best way to feel better about gun prices is to get a race car.

Uh..want expensive?? Get a wife....or even more expensive....an ex-wife!!!!! I'll stay with guns, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Uh..want expensive?? Get a wife....or even more expensive....an ex-wife!!!!! I'll stay with guns, thanks.

My wife is an accountant ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I dodged that bullet. She would argue she didn't