Are custom rifles worth it if you don't reload?

[TxAg]

This is a fun read. Thanks guys.

[mrc]

Barrel quality wins every time. My semi custom PacNor in 308 Norma is truly a 1/4" gun i have tried 3 different bullets and all of them shoot almost bugholes.

[bphillips]

Yes because you can send it to someone like Chad at Custom Reloads Dallas to do all the load development and sighting for you and have 100rds custom ammo loaded for your custom gun ready to go. I could care less about reloading and spending time to develop a load but want a custom gun and the accuracy they're capable of.

[captainsling]

My 260 shoots good quality factory ammo in one hole groups all day long. Because of that I have not started reloading for it yet. I am keeping all my brass though. To me custom is well worth it. I know there is not another like it!

[chrisk]

This is all you should ask yourself,"Does anyone on my block have one?" Really for me the answer is no, but it doesn't stop me from using that to stop me from buying something I don't really need.

[retrieverman]

Instead of custom, I have a Blaser R93 with 270 and 9.3x62 barrels, and both will shoot sub MOA with every ammo I've tried.

[Lungbustr]

My favorite thing about custom rifles is the accuracy claim of their owners. You always see a pic of a cherry picked 3 round group. Then they use that one group to say what their rifle will shoot. All the sudden everyone has rifles the shoot less than .5 moa.

When did a group become 3 rounds? Will it consistently shoot those groups? If not it really isn't up to the accuracy claim. So shoot 10, 5 round groups, now what is the repeatable group size of your rifle?

[gusman]

The last thing I want to do is to start being practical about my toys.

X2

[Mike D]

Are custom rifles worth it if you don't reload?

My first custom rifle is a 257 Weatherby that I picked all of the parts for and sent to my gunsmith. I honestly didn't know what to expect.

I spent a LOT more than $1800 on it especially when optics are thrown in.

Talk about nervous on that first trip to the range. The things that go through your mind. "What if it blows up", "what if it doesn't shoot any better than my factory R700"?

After 2 fouler and zero in shots, it promptly put the next 5 in a
.289" group, with factory Weatherby ammo and nothing more than a Harris bipod and a rear bag.

Talk about relieved.

And then there's the part about making it exactly what you want. I doubt there are many/any out there like it.

[Throwin Darts]

I know that it can be all over the board but for someone who wanted their first custom gun and didn't need it to have all the bells and whistles that someone who had a dozen custom guns may get, what kind of price range should you expect to have someone like APR build one for ya?

[LWD]

If you just want a custom gun, no.

If you just want an accurate gun, no.

If you want left-handed, stainless 8mm Rem Mag with a 28" barrel in a Manners MSC-EH6, then yes.

You've got to want or need something more than just not stock or standard to justify it.

LWD

[hardtner]

I know that it can be all over the board but for someone who wanted their first custom gun and didn't need it to have all the bells and whistles that someone who had a dozen custom guns may get, what kind of price range should you expect to have someone like APR build one for ya?

I don't know anything about APR prices, but I know this. If you shop around for parts and deliver all your parts to good gunsmith, you can have a tack driving Custom Rem 700 in the $1,200-1300 range. Naturally, bells and whistles go up from there.

[Cajun Blake]

I know that it can be all over the board but for someone who wanted their first custom gun and didn't need it to have all the bells and whistles that someone who had a dozen custom guns may get, what kind of price range should you expect to have someone like APR build one for ya?

you need to call Robert at APR , and discuss the following :

- your budget
- purpose of rifle
- expectations

he will work with you and build what you want

you can spend from $1300 - $5000+ building a custom rifle based on options

[Cajun Blake]

$1300 rifle



a lot of $$$$ rife

[muddydog]

Really it's all about choices and what you intend to do with it. My experience is that even the manufacturer's entry level guns are capable of sub moa with preferred ammo. This is why I can't seem to bring myself to dump a bunch of cash on a gun.