kamloops67
Member
i would look at ballard rifles- a case hardened high wall(beautiful) .might need a little more scratch though..
Cost of a custom rifle
- Thread starter jkmo
- Start date
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I do have a fine old custom rifle. Its a mauser supreme commercial action in 270 with a K-10 weaver. Its a heavy rifle with very high workmanship.
Fishinfool
Member
The Cooper is a good choice in his price range. I don't own one, but a shooting buddy of mine has two - a .223, and a 6mm something? I have shot both, and watched him as well. They are about as accurate as you are going to get without going to a full bench rest custom rifle, and are very well made, with the .223 having beautiful wood.
Personally, I like Kimbers, and own a fair number. Half the price, about, as the Coopers, they are also nice, and accurate as well. I would think a custom shop Kimber would be about as nice as a Cooper, and probably in the same price ball park.
Does the Remington custom shop still offer the 40X? That is a hell of a nice rifle also, and noted for its extreme accuracy.
Another option would be to find a used Remington model 700, and have the action trued, a better trigger installed, a replacement barrel from one of the top makers, and a Mcmillan stock. It would run about the same as the options listed above, and be a very accurate rifle. A nice wood stock would increase the price though..
Larry
Personally, I like Kimbers, and own a fair number. Half the price, about, as the Coopers, they are also nice, and accurate as well. I would think a custom shop Kimber would be about as nice as a Cooper, and probably in the same price ball park.
Does the Remington custom shop still offer the 40X? That is a hell of a nice rifle also, and noted for its extreme accuracy.
Another option would be to find a used Remington model 700, and have the action trued, a better trigger installed, a replacement barrel from one of the top makers, and a Mcmillan stock. It would run about the same as the options listed above, and be a very accurate rifle. A nice wood stock would increase the price though..
Larry
I'd look into locating an Oregon-made Kimber Custom Classic model. They're around and generally have great wood.
What kind of glass for the ocassional hunt, low level target shooting? I'm thinking 4-12.
There is a young guy named Nate Heineke who works in my town and does a lot of very high end custom rifle building. He's a young guy, but his work has appeared in Gun Digest and quite a few others. He does beautiful, one-of-a-kind work, usually on old Mauser actions and built in the style of the 1930's custom rifles. He worked for Griffin & Howe for several years, and a lot of his guns are in that style.
Anyway, I asked him one time what I could expect re cost and time if I just told him to build me something nice in a caliber of his choice and then turned him loose on it. He said it would be about 1 year+ and $20,000, give or take. Needless to say, that rifle never got built!
Anyway, I asked him one time what I could expect re cost and time if I just told him to build me something nice in a caliber of his choice and then turned him loose on it. He said it would be about 1 year+ and $20,000, give or take. Needless to say, that rifle never got built!
hangnoose
Member
YOU ARE ASKING AN AWFUL LOT FOR 2500$ IMO
- A "good" scope (European) could go for 2500$ easily so if you want to stay in that price range you are going to have to settle for less. As stated, some may call the addition of a recoil pad customized. For me I like older Remington 700 bolts and the Remington custom shop made the Remington 40x, 40xb, 40xbr & likely a few more variants in the app 1960's - 1970's. I found a 1978 40x varmint model in 223 unfired with an older used Leupold fixed power 24x scope for 1,000$ in a ftf sale (after negotiations) & it is nowhere in the class of a true custom H&H, but it shoots much better than I do. I wouldn't expect those kind of deals to happen often. I would decide on a used bolt action platform of your preference, you did mention accuracy. Be it Remington, Winchester, Mauser, even Savage makes a very accurate butt ugly but cheap & easy to work on & modify action, then buy a custom barrel, aftermarket stock, aftermarket trigger? if your smith can't improve the one you have, and pay A REPUTABLE smith to assemble it. Obtaining all the parts yourself & shipping them to a smith should save some $. Jim Fuller built my AK (all parts supplied by me) in app 2006 for app 400$. Who would I consider a good/reputable smith/builder? I won't touch that ? good luck & keep us informed.
- A "good" scope (European) could go for 2500$ easily so if you want to stay in that price range you are going to have to settle for less. As stated, some may call the addition of a recoil pad customized. For me I like older Remington 700 bolts and the Remington custom shop made the Remington 40x, 40xb, 40xbr & likely a few more variants in the app 1960's - 1970's. I found a 1978 40x varmint model in 223 unfired with an older used Leupold fixed power 24x scope for 1,000$ in a ftf sale (after negotiations) & it is nowhere in the class of a true custom H&H, but it shoots much better than I do. I wouldn't expect those kind of deals to happen often. I would decide on a used bolt action platform of your preference, you did mention accuracy. Be it Remington, Winchester, Mauser, even Savage makes a very accurate butt ugly but cheap & easy to work on & modify action, then buy a custom barrel, aftermarket stock, aftermarket trigger? if your smith can't improve the one you have, and pay A REPUTABLE smith to assemble it. Obtaining all the parts yourself & shipping them to a smith should save some $. Jim Fuller built my AK (all parts supplied by me) in app 2006 for app 400$. Who would I consider a good/reputable smith/builder? I won't touch that ? good luck & keep us informed.
"What kind of glass for the ocassional hunt, low level target shooting? I'm thinking 4-12."
Leupold (pronouced "Loopold").
Leupold (pronouced "Loopold").
hangnoose
Member
THAT'S LEW-POLED, FOR YOU REDNECKS,LOL
What scope power range is gonna be up to you. Long range benchrest shooters kinda start at 24x & can go much higher, which would be useless for hunting. Where do you hunt? expected range?, thick/brushy or wide open? In the brushy/close eastern US I prefer an open sight, or a low powered variable 1-4, 1.5x5, 2x7, out west a 3x9, 4x12, 6.5x20 sounds good. Any of these powered scopes would do fine for 100+ yard target.
What scope power range is gonna be up to you. Long range benchrest shooters kinda start at 24x & can go much higher, which would be useless for hunting. Where do you hunt? expected range?, thick/brushy or wide open? In the brushy/close eastern US I prefer an open sight, or a low powered variable 1-4, 1.5x5, 2x7, out west a 3x9, 4x12, 6.5x20 sounds good. Any of these powered scopes would do fine for 100+ yard target.
ky wonder
US Veteran
I have owned some nice rifles from premium builders that start in the $2500 range years ago, and they now belong to someone else
I along with my son shoot long range scoped competition at the Rockcastle range here in KY and shoot up to 1000 yds. in the sniper challenge, and I am now shooting savage 110fp tacticals's and have yet to feel under gunned
I have a 223,308,and 7rem mag, in the savage tactical rifles and I still have a 1963 model 70 target in 30-06
I am a firm believer in the savage rifles and the Winchester target does not get much range time anymore
I would buy a savage and stock it to your specs and save the other money for target grade ammo
now there are going to be some here who frown on my glass selection but my 7mm and 223 are set up with 6x24x44 BSA platinum target scopes
the Winchester 30-06 has a 6x24x44 tasco world class,
and my 110fp 308 is glassed with a 6x18x50 Bushnell banner,
all these scopes have given great service and are a lot cheaper than the premium scopes
I have a Leopold VX2 4x9x40 on my Remington 700 ,270 hunting rifle and the Bushnell banner is every bit as good in low light as the Leopold, and I am talking about a 125 dollar scope
we shoot these guns regularly on our farm where we are set up to shoot at ranges up to 1500 yds. 2x2 foot gong
my 223 savage shoots .5 moa at 300 yds. with handloads
I along with my son shoot long range scoped competition at the Rockcastle range here in KY and shoot up to 1000 yds. in the sniper challenge, and I am now shooting savage 110fp tacticals's and have yet to feel under gunned
I have a 223,308,and 7rem mag, in the savage tactical rifles and I still have a 1963 model 70 target in 30-06
I am a firm believer in the savage rifles and the Winchester target does not get much range time anymore
I would buy a savage and stock it to your specs and save the other money for target grade ammo
now there are going to be some here who frown on my glass selection but my 7mm and 223 are set up with 6x24x44 BSA platinum target scopes
the Winchester 30-06 has a 6x24x44 tasco world class,
and my 110fp 308 is glassed with a 6x18x50 Bushnell banner,
all these scopes have given great service and are a lot cheaper than the premium scopes
I have a Leopold VX2 4x9x40 on my Remington 700 ,270 hunting rifle and the Bushnell banner is every bit as good in low light as the Leopold, and I am talking about a 125 dollar scope
we shoot these guns regularly on our farm where we are set up to shoot at ranges up to 1500 yds. 2x2 foot gong
my 223 savage shoots .5 moa at 300 yds. with handloads
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???? News to me! I haven't seen him around town in a while but his website is still up. N.L. Heineke - Official Website. I'll check out his place and see what's up.
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