Favorite bottom metal

[Hicks]

So what do you guys think it your consensus?

 

[shortgrass]

I think a guy needs to make up his own mind and decide how much he wants to spend. I do agree with Grayfox about the Williams bottom metal. It is nice. I decided to try the Sunny Hill when they came out with their 'lower priced' bottom metal because I could go straight to the maker and by-pass the 'marketer' (Brownells/Midway). If I can buy for the same price from the maker as I could from Brownells, it tells me Brownells is 'beating down' the maker on his pricing. Small, niche business can be tough enough let alone have some bigger business beat you down on your price. About the only way these small, niche business (that actually make things like bottom metal) are getting ahead is by their hard work, not by charging high prices for little work.

 

[sable tireur]

Most would find it very surprising to sit through an evaluation meeting at Brownells. You need to be extremely well prepared to defend your value and price point in front of the committee. All of the numbers work on your part has to be done ahead of time or you will go home in the same condition as when you arrived, empty handed. Brownells does not negotiate pricing, they want their 35% one way or another or you just go home.

If they believe that your product is valuable to their branding but you can't come to an agreement on price, they will either try to buy it outright or do a work around on any protection you think you have on the product. Many of their most valuable products were purchased outright from the original maker.

Sunny Hill simply placed themselves at the top of the pricing pyramid and stays there. This is not a value judgement but a statement of fact. They charge the most money, gathering the clients who believe that the most expensive components are the best. Reasonable logic but not true in all cases.

 

[therifleman556]

Several hours of hand shaping and fitting of the floorplates and latches goes into each of Sunny Hill's pieces, so there is that. The Mauser boxes are even more hand work intensive.

 

[sable tireur]

Several hours of hand shaping and fitting of the floorplates and latches goes into each of Sunny Hill's pieces, so there is that.

If there was 'several hours of hand shaping in each', they would be charging a heck of a lot more than what they are now. That's unless they're using really cheap labor to to do the hand work.

I've made custom bottom metal, trigger guards, boxes, etc. for true custom rifles. I know the amount of machine time and the hand work which goes into the final finishing.

 

[FURMAN]

You would not be disappointed in Hawkins.

 

[therifleman556]

If there was 'several hours of hand shaping in each'

I wasn't speculating.

 

[shortgrass]

You would not be disappointed in Hawkins.

yes I am. they're made of aluminum

 

[sable tireur]

I wasn't speculating.

Well then, congratulations. You've got a good source of inexpensive labor.

 

[therifleman556]

Well then, congratulations. You've got a good source of inexpensive labor.

I'm confused; I was simply informing you that there is a good amount of hand work involved. Which, by the way of your earlier remark you didn't think was so. I'm not sure you would call it inexpensive labor. Given the knowledge that there is a good deal of hand fitting and shaping involved can I assume you would consider their pieces a decent value now?

 

[FURMAN]

yes I am. they're made of aluminum

That is not disappointing. You know that before purchasing. That would be like me saying I bought a steel bottom metal and being disappointed it was steel. Sadly that most likely will not be the dumbest thing I read today. I can tell you unless you are throwing your rifle off cliffs(in which case the bottom metal will be the least of your concerns) the steel bottom metal offers zero advantages over an aluminum but does offer a disadvantage in extra weight. I can also tell you having a hand fit bottom metal offers zero practical advantage over a CNC cut bottom metal.

 

[Hicks]

And that's exactly what I needed to hear.

 

[shortgrass]

That is not disappointing. You know that before purchasing. That would be like me saying I bought a steel bottom metal and being disappointed it was steel. Sadly that most likely will not be the dumbest thing I read today. I can tell you unless you are throwing your rifle off cliffs(in which case the bottom metal will be the least of your concerns) the steel bottom metal offers zero advantages over an aluminum but does offer a disadvantage in extra weight. I can also tell you having a hand fit bottom metal offers zero practical advantage over a CNC cut bottom metal.

I KNOW they're made of aluminum. Why? Because I emailed Hawkins and ask! You can't blue aluminum, but milled steel blues beautifully! The milled steel floor plates that come with Sunny Hill bottom metal color case harden beautifully, as well. I think a 'smart' guy like you, should try color case hardening an aluminum floor plate from your beloved Hawkins. By the way, the Sunny Hill bottom metal I mentioned earlier will 'drop right into' Rem 700 BDL inletting. So will Williams bottom metal. And, that Hawkins you're so proud of is about the same price as Sunny Hills' milled steel (part #517/526). Sadly, your post may be the dumbest thing I've read today!