Semi-Custom rifle build...am I nuts?

[Hooked Now]

Hi AH crowd,
I am soliciting some advice. Im thinking of getting a semi-custom rifle built. Advantages would be I can pick my caliber, wood, features, etc. Downside is I don't know what I am potentially getting into. So what Im hoping you can assist on is what features you really like, what you wish you'd done differently, what aspects of the process were important to you when you picked a gunsmith to do thr work, etc.

Any guidance you can share would be really helpful. I just want to know what Im getting into. New rifles in fun calibers are hard to come by, so this seems like a cool option.

Thanks for the assist.

 

[SCHUNTER73]

I built a custom .280AI a few years ago and loved the process. Tons of interesting research and options to consider. I had a gunsmith chamber, cut and mount my barrel to my action but did the rest myself.

Happy to help with any questions.

 

[Hooked Now]

Did you build it out of interest or were there things you wanted on it that just didn't come off the shelf? Some of the guys Im chatting with are talking quarter ribs, case hardening, engraved bottom plates, drop bellies, etc. An almost overwhelming number of ways to spend money. And the wood...good gracious. Just trying to think of where the $ spend really matters vs where Im just getting gaudy. Thanks for the response.

 

[SCHUNTER73]

I had a buddy that has built a few and I had a few bucks to spare and I wanted a one off. It’s nothing special, but it is a dead laser. Mine was built to be a (nice) tool, not a museum piece.

 

[Hooked Now]

Makes sense. Most all of my guns except my Garand are fairly dead ugly. My thought on this one was to go for pretty, but I dont have safe queens. This one would hunt. Wear and tear happens. But like you I want it functionally perfect and dead accurate. Its just awfully challenging today to really get exactly what you want. Few manufacturers in the game and when they are the calibers are limited to the same old same old. Unless you go crazy money. Looking for something in between, but still deciding on features.

 

[SCHUNTER73]

Caliber, action type and manufacturer, barrel brand/type/length, stock, trigger, scope, magazine type, etc. I relished in each and every decision to be made. Will be doing it again soon with a donor action.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

How much do you have to spend? I built my 404 Jeffery on a military Czech Mauser receiver. Did most of the work myself (except opening bolt face, bluing, and reaming, threading, and mounting the barrel). I have less than $3K invested (not counting my labor). I don't think a gunsmith would have done it for twice that amount.

 

[steve white]

If you are nuts, you have come to the right place!

 

[Mekaniks]

Hi AH crowd,
I am soliciting some advice. Im thinking of getting a semi-custom rifle built. Advantages would be I can pick my caliber, wood, features, etc. Downside is I don't know what I am potentially getting into. So what Im hoping you can assist on is what features you really like, what you wish you'd done differently, what aspects of the process were important to you when you picked a gunsmith to do thr work, etc.

Any guidance you can share would be really helpful. I just want to know what Im getting into. New rifles in fun calibers are hard to come by, so this seems like a cool option.

Thanks for the assist.

You're in the right place. We encourage customs builds

Decide what caliber you want....

Decide what bullet weight you want to shoot...

Decide what action you want (this depends on caliber)

Decide on what barrel twist (bullet diameter squared times 150 and then divided bullet length equals optimum twist in inches) if you are adding a custom barrel....

Decide on a metal coating (Blue, Ceracote, Nitride, etc...)

Then decide on wood or stock material (this depends on action length and manufacturer availability)

All that said.... I decided on bullet size, caliber and barrel twist first, which was based on an action that I already had. Then I figured out a stock and coating that fit my application.....

Have fun!