Looking for a custom rifle maker - high quality

Drjones65 said:
For all of you with experience in having custom long range hunting rifles built, who in this country is at the top of their game? High quality, meticulous in detail AND will use a brand new reamer?

I am looking at two new long range hunting rifles: a 300 WM and a 300 PRC.
Composite stock. Bolt action. Tack driver.
NOT looking for a heavy bench rest Gun not an MSR.

I'd consider another Cooper but their wait is wait too long. I need these by next hunting season Oct 2022).
I have looked too at Fierce.
I have looked too at Seekins.

REALLY sour on Browning… quality has died and they are resting on their laurels and their name. John Browning would remove his name from that organization! (This coming from a former member of the Browning Collectors Association and owner of over 20 Browning rifles).

I have talked to several people that have gone the custom route and they all insist that a key piece is using a brand new reamer.

I am not looking for some guy that can throw together a rifle in his garage but someone that prides themselves on their quality and their reputation.

Recommendations???
Click to expand...
Ryan Pierce, Piercision Rifles, Wacoma, IA.
 
Drjones65 said:
For all of you with experience in having custom long range hunting rifles built, who in this country is at the top of their game? High quality, meticulous in detail AND will use a brand new reamer?

I am looking at two new long range hunting rifles: a 300 WM and a 300 PRC.
Composite stock. Bolt action. Tack driver.
NOT looking for a heavy bench rest Gun not an MSR.

I'd consider another Cooper but their wait is wait too long. I need these by next hunting season Oct 2022).
I have looked too at Fierce.
I have looked too at Seekins.

REALLY sour on Browning… quality has died and they are resting on their laurels and their name. John Browning would remove his name from that organization! (This coming from a former member of the Browning Collectors Association and owner of over 20 Browning rifles).

I have talked to several people that have gone the custom route and they all insist that a key piece is using a brand new reamer.

I am not looking for some guy that can throw together a rifle in his garage but someone that prides themselves on their quality and their reputation.

Recommendations???
Click to expand...
Randy Selby (The Real Gunsmith) Wapiti Wyoming does fantastic work.
 
Drjones65 said:
For all of you with experience in having custom long range hunting rifles built, who in this country is at the top of their game? High quality, meticulous in detail AND will use a brand new reamer?

I am looking at two new long range hunting rifles: a 300 WM and a 300 PRC.
Composite stock. Bolt action. Tack driver.
NOT looking for a heavy bench rest Gun not an MSR.

I'd consider another Cooper but their wait is wait too long. I need these by next hunting season Oct 2022).
I have looked too at Fierce.
I have looked too at Seekins.

REALLY sour on Browning… quality has died and they are resting on their laurels and their name. John Browning would remove his name from that organization! (This coming from a former member of the Browning Collectors Association and owner of over 20 Browning rifles).

I have talked to several people that have gone the custom route and they all insist that a key piece is using a brand new reamer.

I am not looking for some guy that can throw together a rifle in his garage but someone that prides themselves on their quality and their reputation.

Recommendations???
Click to expand...
Don't overlook McWhorter Custom rifles in Doerun, GA!
 
Last edited:
Travis Stevens at TS Customs in Miller SD 605-870-1567 has built 2 for me and does outstanding work and he is a long range competitor
 
I've used McWhorter many times and they are top shelf. If you want a turn key process, they will send you the rifle, with your optics mounted, and some hand loads developed and generally shooting .25-.35 MOA.
I've also used a more low profile builder out of southern Illinois.....I met him through a friend who shot for Team USA F-class. This builder, Jay Cutright, had built several rifles for my friend and a few others on the team.
He built one for me not long ago, and it was perfection. His cost was very reasonable. And time frame was very quick.....he builds when he wants to and for who he wants to build for.
PM me and I'll connect you. He's finishing up one for me right now.
 
I have three Brown Precision Inc rifles, 284 win, 300 WSM and 338 WM. All shoot very well and are about 1 lb lighter than what started out in the factory form. I usually just order a new barrel, a trigger, a firing pin, and a new stock and Mark puts it all together. The 284 is in need of a new barrel as the 5 shot groups have increased in size to 1 MOA. That Browning A-bolt had 6000 rounds thru the factory original barrel and the Shillen Mark installed almost 20 years ago now has nearly 5000 thru it. Simply, their workmanship is superb.
 
I have several Mcwhorters, a half dozen coopers, a handful of Jarrett's, a couple Gunwerks, a proof, a horizon, a few tumbleweeds(mark Pharr), a quartet of bansners and a handful from other custom smiths. I've owed brown precision, rifles inc,, mcmillans and a handful of others that found new homes… I like them all and could recommend them all… I would be a little concerned that Tim Mcwhorter recently left. Allan R is a sales guy and Hunter… Kyle is his kid… I'm sure they learned a lot from Tim but it does add some uncertainty and concern… at least for the short term

I wouldn't put Cooper in the same category… it's a production rifle and 99% shoot but you'll have to put some work into tuning and they'll not likely shoot like the others mentioned without lots more effort.

My favorite builder is Mark Bansner. Fit and finish, attention to detail is best in the business IMHO. His stocks have always been incredible but his new ones are freak'n bomb proof... something like 10% lighter and 80% stronger. He's been the goto smith for Ovis for 30 years for good reason

That said there are tons of great builders listed on this post and you probably can't go wrong with any of them… getting a new one built is pretty addictive
 
sbruni said:
I have several Mcwhorters, a half dozen coopers, a handful of Jarrett's, a couple Gunwerks, a proof, a horizon, a few tumbleweeds(mark Pharr), a quartet of bansners and a handful from other custom smiths. I've owed brown precision, rifles inc,, mcmillans and a handful of others that found new homes… I like them all and could recommend them all… I would be a little concerned that Tim Mcwhorter recently left. Allan R is a sales guy and Hunter… Kyle is his kid… I'm sure they learned a lot from Tim but it does add some uncertainty and concern… at least for the short term

I wouldn't put Cooper in the same category… it's a production rifle and 99% shoot but you'll have to put some work into tuning and they'll not likely shoot like the others mentioned without lots more effort.

My favorite builder is Mark Bansner. Fit and finish, attention to detail is best in the business IMHO. His stocks have always been incredible but his new ones are freak'n bomb proof... something like 10% lighter and 80% stronger. He's been the goto smith for Ovis for 30 years for good reason

That said there are tons of great builders listed on this post and you probably can't go wrong with any of them… getting a new one built is pretty addictive
Click to expand...
Do you know where Tim went? Or did he just retire?
 
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