Why does it feel like everyone has too much money?

[KSB209]

I had the same experience a couple years ago. I wanted a GA Precision and it was impossible to talk to anyone. Finally after a few emails I got an order form sent to me. No one to talk to just a generic piece of paper to mark what I wanted. I deceived against it. I waited another year to order one from LP and happy with my decision. It is not a special caliber (just an old standard 308) and the builder didn't try and talk me out of it. I want what I want. After almost 10 months waiting I expect the rifle in the next 30 days or so.

 

[Will Gray]

I build, shoot and hunt for fun (and meat). I have found that if a gun does not shoot well with a floating barrel and tight screws, put a new good barrel on and make sure the stock is firm and solid. If you can distort the stock with your hand, it is trash. Shoot a lot: amazing how much better guns shoot if you are proficient.

 

[19elkhunter51]

I can appreciate your pain. A year ago I started looking for someone to put a Wyatt box in an existing rifle. NOT ONE answer. Not a "No we can't do it" or "We are really busy and not taking any new work" or "You are nuts and it can't be done". My belief is that unless you are willing to or want to spend the most outrageous amount of money on your firearm, most smiths won't give you the time of day.

 

[Will Gray]

I can appreciate your pain. A year ago I started looking for someone to put a Wyatt box in an existing rifle. NOT ONE answer. Not a "No we can't do it" or "We are really busy and not taking any new work" or "You are nuts and it can't be done". My belief is that unless you are willing to or want to spend the most outrageous amount of money on your firearm, most smiths won't give you the time of day.

Good gunsmithing takes all the right tools in a good shop environment, access to the materials, parts and a LOT of man-hours. It's like oats, you can guy good oats at a good price or you can get them cheap if they have already been through the horse.

 

[19elkhunter51]

Good gunsmithing takes all the right tools in a good shop environment, access to the materials, parts and a LOT of man-hours. It's like oats, you can guy good oats at a good price or you can get them cheap if they have already been through the horse.

I didn't ask for anything inexpensive. I didn't or wouldn't have minded paying whatever the going rate would have been for the work. I don't have the expertise nor the mechanical tools to complete the task. Although this particular rifle was not nearly as expensive as most of the rifles I see built on this forum, at $4000.00+ and another $1500.00+, it was a TON of money for me. I made a mistake when ask by my smith as to whether or not I wanted a Wyatt extended box and I said no. Big mistake on my part. If my smith was still working I would pay whatever it would take for the Wyatt box. He is retired now.
By the way, I wasn't looking for used oats!

 

[IA1865]

Echoing the sentiment about Alamo Precision over in North Richland Hills. Have used them for a couple of builds now and have had an amazing experience each time. Sounds like you have an interim solution, but would highly recommend walking into the shop next time you have the itch, they will take care of you.

 

[redleg1013]

I want a full turnkey custom hunting rifle built, titanium receiver, carbon barrel, threaded with full load development, custom hard case, using a new Swarovski Z6 I have as the optic. I am not expecting 2 weeks, 2 months or even 6-8 months turnaround, I know these guys are busy and it will take however long it takes. I want it built to between 7lbs and 8lbs with 4rds, mount, optic ready to hunt.

I can't get no one to call me back, act interested, give me a contact number so we can discuss details or even remotely discuss/answer questions in a timely manner. I am willing to pay cash up front and even drive to their shop, give them the optic and pay them cash, regardless of the distance from my house.

FTR: I have never inquired about a build with any of these shops I have contacted, but I have had several do significant work on existing rifles, over $500 in some cases and over $200 the majority of the time.

PS: I am a horrible long range shooter, let's say over 500yds, realistically I mean 300...., but I want a full on custom rifle when a sub $500 rig would probably better than I ever will.

So, why is it so **** hard to give away money?

I have seen rifles from those that I have contacted/inquired about begin at the low $4ks and go upwards of $7k without optics

Just **** frustrated, especially after I just wiped out my entire secret rat hole money to pay the hospital after being released.

Give John a call at 913-787-1731
He won't disappoint.

 

[montana7mmhunter]

Not knocking down the custom builds, can afford any rifle I desire but the practical side of me keeps me grounded. I've hunted 40 years with a savage 110 and a 3X9 Bushnell scope in 30-06 and than had to finally retire the savage because of the stock and difficult to find a stock for that particular left hand rifle. Bought a Tikka T3 in 30-06 with a Sightron scope for hunting.

Ten years ago I was checking the zero at 200 yards for my new Tikka getting it ready for deer season, when this young man sets up next to me, taking out this beautiful rifle with a carbon barrel and it was not the manufacturer most people might think it is and a rifle scope more expensive than my spotting scope, a Nikon Fieldscope 25-75X82 with ED glass.

I shot than he did and compared group size. My group measured about .820 @ 200 and his measured about .628 at 200. When I asked how much his set up was he proudly stated $9000 "6 for the rifle and 3 for the scope". I proudly state $900, 5 for the rifle and 4 for the scope and rings.

For me one day I may consider a custom but for now the temperature in hell has not dipped below freezing. My days are numbered and after putting deer and elk on the table over a 55 year span of hunting I wonder how much more accuracy I could get out of a $6000 rifle

I could not agree more. While I think it's great for those that want to choose the custom option, as a deer, antelope and elk hunter for 50+ years, off the rack has worked extremely well for me. My 22-250, 223. 270, 7mm, are 300WM factory rifles and I handload for each. All 5 rifles shoot less than 1" MOA at 100 yards. I could not agree more with you. I can purchase any rifle at any price point I want, but I figured out some time ago that I did not need to do so to be very successful and enjoy hunting and shooting. At my age now I recognize that "there is more of my tail behind me than I have left ahead of me, so hopefully I will continue to make wiser choices than decade ago and place value in it's proper prospective!

 

[SDPlinker]

In the climate we are in, business short handed, certain people with extra money and time. The business owner has limited time and help, he has 2 people wanting something done, 1 who has a few thousand to spend and 1 who doesn't, the work the 1 who doesn't wants, usually takes longer and more headaches, which one do you choose? The shops that do great work learn they can charge more and get the people with $$ and let the rest go wherever. So then the mediocre shops get all the piddly work and they are then backed up, again no qualified help no parts etc. The expensive shop gets the parts and the big $$ and works less, the mediocre shop usually works harder makes less and on and on. One day they will all be screaming and whining for work! Do it yourself, get the enjoyment and satisfaction!! I was at the Harley dealer yesterday picking up some special ordered parts, 45 days to put a tire on! LOL I had this same discussion with the sales manager at the dealer yesterday. When demand is high and stock is low, prices are up. The guy who wants to dicker etc. is out the door. I do mostly everything myself and set things up that way. It always comes around, just don't forget!!!!

 

[Philward]

It is hunting season....maybe they are out in the field chasing game? I know when I am hunting, I don't answer my phone or call customers back.

I just took a rifle into a local gunsmith for a quick item and I heard him say to someone else who was talking on the phone to tell them he wasn't taking any big jobs till after hunting season was over. Seems reasonable...

 

[JustMe2]

Buying a rifle is no different than buying a car. You can buy a Hugo, Hemi or Ferrari. Which one does your neighbor want? Answer: it doesn't matter. It's your car not his car.
Since 1952, I've taken many large deer, rabbits, coyotes, etc. with a Savage 110 .243. However, I recently purchased a custom 6.5 Ceedmore to just shoot long distance steel. Did I need it? No!!! Did I want it? YES!!! That's all that matters. Whether you want it for how it looks, how it shoots, to experiment with a different cartridge, try a different shooting venue, have money you don't care to leave to the kids, etc., it's your business and no one elses. You can't take your money with you when you die.

 

[goodkid1111]

Not knocking down the custom builds, can afford any rifle I desire but the practical side of me keeps me grounded. I've hunted 40 years with a savage 110 and a 3X9 Bushnell scope in 30-06 and than had to finally retire the savage because of the stock and difficult to find a stock for that particular left hand rifle. Bought a Tikka T3 in 30-06 with a Sightron scope for hunting.

Ten years ago I was checking the zero at 200 yards for my new Tikka getting it ready for deer season, when this young man sets up next to me, taking out this beautiful rifle with a carbon barrel and it was not the manufacturer most people might think it is and a rifle scope more expensive than my spotting scope, a Nikon Fieldscope 25-75X82 with ED glass.

I shot than he did and compared group size. My group measured about .820 @ 200 and his measured about .628 at 200. When I asked how much his set up was he proudly stated $9000 "6 for the rifle and 3 for the scope". I proudly state $900, 5 for the rifle and 4 for the scope and rings.

For me one day I may consider a custom but for now the temperature in hell has not dipped below freezing. My days are numbered and after putting deer and elk on the table over a 55 year span of hunting I wonder how much more accuracy I could get out of a $6000 rifle

I understand your sentiments, and have often thought about them myself, me also being a hunter. But there are other endeavors out there for a rifle beyond hunting. After retiring my Savage .243, I now use a $600.00 Savage 6.5 Creedmoor "light hunter" for putting meat on the table. But I also love the long shot...ELR extended long range shooting (I hate the use of the word "extreme" these days...lol.) I just happily bought an H.S. Precision recently in 300 PRC. My .750 MOA Creedmoor shoots to an effective 11 inch circle at 1000 yards. Could that caliber reach 2000 yards, that accuracy would translate to only to a real world group of, let's say...25 inches, even on a windless day. But after a lot of bench work, I can now usually coax my H.S. Precision rifle (.375 MOA) into an effective (circa) 10 inch group at 2000 yards when I do my part. That difference makes ALL the difference for the "Long Ranger" type shooter. While a very rare factory rifle could theoretically shoot very accurately out of the box, let's face it, the chances of that are somewhat remote. So it just comes down to what you want to do with your rifle.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

As a former Gunsmith ( 28 years, worth ), I noticed that, a LOT of Hunters wanted their Guns Fixed, a Week or, Two before, the season opener,.. YIKES !
Being a Hunter myself, I felt bad that, some of them, weren't going to,.. get fixed !
But, POOR Planning on your part,.. DOESN'T make IT, an Emergency,.. for Me !
As, I was headed outta Town for,.. Wyoming, Colorado or, Idaho for, 2 Weeks of Hunting, about,.. THEN !
Having built, many "Custom" Rifles and over the Years, HAD, a couple, myself,..
I CAN afford, a "Custom", but I Hunt with, 2 Tikka's that, cost about, $1,100. each ( scoped) that are, VERY accurate and NOW think of, Rifles AS,.. "Tools" !
I CAN afford, a $10,000 Dollar Guided Arizona Elk Hunt, too,.. BUT,.. Elk are just, good tasting, Meat to me ( now ! ).
Funny how my "Thinking" has changed,.. as I get Older and hopefully,.. Wiser.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Not knocking down the custom builds, can afford any rifle I desire but the practical side of me keeps me grounded. I've hunted 40 years with a savage 110 and a 3X9 Bushnell scope in 30-06 and than had to finally retire the savage because of the stock and difficult to find a stock for that particular left hand rifle. Bought a Tikka T3 in 30-06 with a Sightron scope for hunting.

Ten years ago I was checking the zero at 200 yards for my new Tikka getting it ready for deer season, when this young man sets up next to me, taking out this beautiful rifle with a carbon barrel and it was not the manufacturer most people might think it is and a rifle scope more expensive than my spotting scope, a Nikon Fieldscope 25-75X82 with ED glass.

I shot than he did and compared group size. My group measured about .820 @ 200 and his measured about .628 at 200. When I asked how much his set up was he proudly stated $9000 "6 for the rifle and 3 for the scope". I proudly state $900, 5 for the rifle and 4 for the scope and rings.

For me one day I may consider a custom but for now the temperature in hell has not dipped below freezing. My days are numbered and after putting deer and elk on the table over a 55 year span of hunting I wonder how much more accuracy I could get out of a $6000 rifle

WELL,. "said" ^^^ and I totally, AGREE !