Why Your Custom Builder

[TXAoudadKlr]

One has a very solid reputation with guns for PRS with many of the winners using their guns.

The other specializes in building guns for long range big game hunting so it was a no brainer as some smiths don't always understand your needs!

 

[livetohunt]

If I was building guns for people other than myself and friends I would greatly prefer to have everything dropped off at once. Then you can give them a reasonable lead time.

Working in a machine shop, There aren't many customers that will put up with being anything more than 2 weeks late. But, its dependent upon the demand. Currently there is high demand and lower capacity for machine work in the states. I think its the same for gunsmithing. Its just driven by the economy.

When we have an economic downturn lead times will obviously drop as demand drops and capacity is freed up. Gunsmiths will have less work and be able to provide faster services.

As someone who does a lot of machine scheduling and planning, I'm sure a lot of shops within the gunsmithing community, mainly larger suppliers have a lot of improvement that could be made as far as providing more definite lead times. Where this falls off is when a manufacturer is focused on getting jobs out by a certain deadline, like weekly or monthly. It might look good for the sales for that quarter or month, but your now further behind as a whole.

 

[gusd]

Knowledge thats what my builder provides for me. Plus the owner and all the guys there are great!
As for building a rifle myself it's not my thing.
The way I look at it is I am really good at what I do for a living. Thats because I have been doing it for 20+ years.
The cumulative years of experience, and skills the guys have at the shop that builds my rifles is nothing I could ever compete with.

 

[sable tireur]

A normal custom build should take less than 4 months. 3 months for part delivery and 1 month or less for the build/labor.

Most of the time it is much less that 4 months unless it is something exotic.

J E CUSTOM

McMillan is quoting 5-6 months for general stocks, not exotics or specials. (new 10% increase going in the first of the year.)

Bartlein is quoting 'at least 6 months' for barrels, nothing exotic or special.

Proof research is quoting 5 months as a standard right now.

Manners is 7 - 12 months depending on where you fall in the manufacturing schedule.

What's worse is everyone (clients) wants something different, which I like but it makes it nearly impossible to order stock to try to stay ahead of the orders. Instead the extras stay on the shelf costing money when they don't sell. So you wait for the call then order the parts.

 

[J E Custom]

McMillan is quoting 5-6 months for general stocks, not exotics or specials. (new 10% increase going in the first of the year.)

Bartlein is quoting 'at least 6 months' for barrels, nothing exotic or special.

Proof research is quoting 5 months as a standard right now.

Manners is 7 - 12 months depending on where you fall in the manufacturing schedule.

What's worse is everyone (clients) wants something different, which I like but it makes it nearly impossible to order stock to try to stay ahead of the orders. Instead the extras stay on the shelf costing money when they don't sell. So you wait for the call then order the parts.

When a friend wants something that has a long delivery, this is when I prefer that He buys all of these parts/components and when he has got everything we need then I will give him the completion date. In the past long delivery items has only cause problems for the smith even though he has no control over there delivery time. In other words, I let him make the decision if he wants or can wait for those items, and will deal with the supplier so I can concentrate on the build schedule.

J E CUSTOM

 

[LDHunter]

My builder holds several 1000yd competition first place trophies and is very personable and his shop is only 2 hours from me and only once ever did he keep one of my rifles over 5 weeks after parts arrive and he usually has barrels I like in stock..... and.... and.... and....

 

[philipbrousseau]

the peace of mind that it will be perfect.

 

[Canhunter35]

I spent a year considering how I wanted it built, I'm more concerned with how the completed rifle comes out than the time it took. I'm wanting it perfect after all. Which is why I chose the gunsmith I did, he seemed like a perfectionist

 

[Terry Balding]

For the past many years is was because they had the equipment and expertise.

Now I build my own. I get exactly what I want, when I want it, and have fun doing it.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

@Caleb85

 

[yobuck]

It can take a long time to get the parts, some stocks take months to get.
Some guys are your only choice, I'm building a 375 am, only one guy does that, and he does everything himself. Once all the parts are here, it'll take a couple more months to get it built.
Point is, it's not usually waiting on the smith, it's him waiting on your parts.

All that, plus if he is good at what he does, he wont be waiting by the phone for his next customer to call.
But in some cases a home brew is best for everybody.

 

[Lab rat]

My builder brings 35 years of experience and is on a first name basis with everyone at lilja barrel company he also builds a lot of long range guns for team Hornady and accuracy is his game
Here is my elk gun group he built this is a 3 shot group with 154 interbonds and RL-26 from my 7mm

 

[shooter7]

If I provide parts, build times are often only 6-8 weeks. He specializes in long range precision 700 style builds and that's what I usually need.

 

[sturner]

The two I use were recommended by a friend that owns a gun shop of the two one no longer builds and the other take 6 to 9 months and I don't know anyone else local
I have two that I want to build now just gather parts