How do you spend $$$$ if you never touched it?

[BallisticsGuy]

You start by racing paper for fun and profit, then you find out later that you always lose that particular race and in the end if you're smart you'll go to a match or gun show or some such place where you can lay hands on the thing. I shoot competitively so there's no shortage of things to ogle and fondle. The former is how I got my Mossberg MVP and then slowly replaced virtually every single part of it. The latter is how I ended up with a Desert Tech M2.

 

[Hoss Smith]

I order the action and barrel based upon research for best accuracy combination. Send the barrel and action to a gunsmith to true or whatever that guy calls it and fit barrel. I order the stock I want and fit it together - usually a drop in that need some inletting and maybe some filler.

 

[284ackley]

How do you guys order custom rifles if you have never seen or held the stock, worked the action or shouldered a similar rifle? Several years ago I commissioned a 4K rifle. Received it and immediately didn't like it. Sold it for what I had in it. I have been able to get my hands on HS Precision, Cooper and Dakota. So I have a few of each. But when I look at all the stocks and different actions and I want to order a 7 Saum I can't be sure I'll like it. So I keep going back to my known rifle brands. How do you guys do it?

I visited the Smith, check his shop and representative work, discuss all variables. Then visited McMillans snd picked out stock. Had it sent to Smith. Can't do it online. As you found out

 

[Sending156s]

Wish I was. …. Stuck in West Virginia

On my 1st I went with a one man shop & was disappointed. Next 2 were by GAP. Thier salesman have a lot of technical knowledge & helped with my decision. The result was 2 tack driver that I was very happy with. With more experience if Impact Precision has everything you need you order from them. They will make sure everything mates properly and put it together yourself.
Manners will send you sample stocks to hold to see if you like. If weight isn't a factor check out the Foundation stocks. Cut so precise no bedding required.
As someone who has made a lot of mistakes ordering I would say the 1st & most important thing is to know the goals and intended use of your rifle and build from there. Also, make sure you use a company that does it as a full time occupation.
Also, check out Alamo. They have rifles ready to ship & pics of previous builds with all the build details listed.

Good luck & best wishes

 

[ntsqd]

I don't have the skills to be highly critical of stock fit, most will work for me. Perhaps as my skills improve stock fit will become more important and maybe it won't. Some highly skilled people need to have their equipment meticulously set-up exactly how they need it to be for them to perform at their best and without htat set-up they're an "also ran" at best. Others can take any quality equipment and perform just as well regardless of how that equipment is set-up. There's a famous 70's era Stock Car driver who was well known for being just as fast in a well set-up car as he was in a car that was poorly set-up. Skill can overcome equipment, when there's enough of it.
If stock fit is important, and I would suggest that it is to more of us than not, then hands-on is going to be the only way to chose.

RE: a guy's interest buying a rifle until finding out the owner built it: I find it interesting that how well it shoots is second in the minds of some guys than who built it. If it doesn't have a big name behind it, how it shoots is of no interest.
I get that there are a lot of hacks out there, both with and without a good reputation, and it is wise to be careful with an unknown builder. I have a desert chase/pre-run vehicle that supposedly has some parts on it from a well known fabricator that I'm having to replace because they are flat wrong. I bought the vehicle giving no credence to that fabricator claim, so I'm disappointed, but not hurt. I would buy a custom rifle with the same mental approach. Even with builder documentation until the rifle is thoroughly examined and proven to be correct and shoot well I consider it to be no better than if some hack in his garage assembled it.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

I think it just takes time and experience. I have a real nice shooter in my 338wsm. Its heavy and long though. So the 7 mag I had built was lighter and shorter. The next rifle I have built will be with what I learn from this 7mag. I really like the stock on my 7mm so will get another one. The barrel is just a touch heavy so probably a light palma contour instead of a heavy. As you spend money try to be honest with yourself about what works for you. Just cause a trigger was $250 and lots of people online like em doesn't mean you have to.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

How do you guys order custom rifles if you have never seen or held the stock, worked the action or shouldered a similar rifle? Several years ago I commissioned a 4K rifle. Received it and immediately didn't like it. Sold it for what I had in it. I have been able to get my hands on HS Precision, Cooper and Dakota. So I have a few of each. But when I look at all the stocks and different actions and I want to order a 7 Saum I can't be sure I'll like it. So I keep going back to my known rifle brands. How do you guys do it?

I do not I custom build switch barrels each part from cal to stock to trigger is just what I want

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I get to shoot lots of different custom and factory rifles. I think the only time I am disappointed in customs is if they shoot poorly. So pretty much like them all. Hard for me to understand how someone can hate any custom rifle that shoots well. Guess I am not very picky.

A few things that can turn me off in a rifle. Too short of magazine. Poor trigger. Tight or short throat. After that lop and scope height. The last two are simply fitment. Hard to hate a rifle for any of these since they can all be fixed.

 

[Sending156s]

I get to shoot lots of different custom and factory rifles. I think the only time I am disappointed in customs is if they shoot poorly. So pretty much like them all. Hard for me to understand how someone can hate any custom rifle that shoots well. Guess I am not very picky.

A few things that can turn me off in a rifle. Too short of magazine. Poor trigger. Tight or short throat. After that lop and scope height. The last two are simply fitment. Hard to hate a rifle for any of these since they can all be fixed.

You said you don't like a short throat. Can a smith re-enter a chamber & lengthen throat without a significant possibility of something going wrong. Is it something easy to fix?

Thanks for advice on loading hammer bullets on a few months ago!

 

[Rflshootr]

You said you don't like a short throat. Can a smith re-enter a chamber & lengthen throat without a significant possibility of something going wrong. Is it something easy to fix?

Thanks for advice on loading hammer bullets on a few months ago!

The short answer is Yes.

 

[vancewalker007]

How do you guys order custom rifles if you have never seen or held the stock, worked the action or shouldered a similar rifle? Several years ago I commissioned a 4K rifle. Received it and immediately didn't like it. Sold it for what I had in it. I have been able to get my hands on HS Precision, Cooper and Dakota. So I have a few of each. But when I look at all the stocks and different actions and I want to order a 7 Saum I can't be sure I'll like it. So I keep going back to my known rifle brands. How do you guys do it?

One way is to use a local gunsmith that can show you version of their work in person. Go to some of the bigger hunting shows where you can handle rifles from lots of different custom makers. I have been lucky on my customs because I live near McMillan and go to their shop and shoulder all their stocks before deciding on one. Also, I have been able to go to Timney and try triggers before buying since they are 3 miles from McMillan.

 

[Grumpy old man]

Agreed. Before I build again I will go to Shot show or similar, put my hands on everything. Or I can just order a HS Precision. I have 3 of their models and love them. I just feel like I'm missing all the goodies I see on the forum and YouTube.

Me first I but an action relatively cheap mauser winchester then get a barrel custom McGowan precision 26" or better ,I shoot bench and like chassis guns but nice wood moves me!I just built a mauser 98 chassie with a 6.5 creedmoor 5 r stainless fluted breaker custom brought job in for 2000.00

 

[Grumpy old man]

Me first I but an action relatively cheap mauser winchester then get a barrel custom McGowan precision 26" or better ,I shoot bench and like chassis guns but nice wood moves me!I just built a mauser 98 chassie with a 6.5 creedmoor 5 r stainless fluted breaker custom brought job in for 2000.00 See if you build like you shoot(finesse always be patient )I know what I want and spend time putting it together!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

You said you don't like a short throat. Can a smith re-enter a chamber & lengthen throat without a significant possibility of something going wrong. Is it something easy to fix?

Thanks for advice on loading hammer bullets on a few months ago!

Yes you can. Some smiths won't. I have never had it done badly.