Global market for custom hunting rifles (annual production) ??

Best Gun Maker in the US (living individual or brand) ??

Best Gun Maker in the World (living individual or brand) ??

Question:
Does the world really need another high end custom gun maker (not gunsmith)

Choices:
Yes - market needs capacity
Yes - niches need filling
No - the market is crowded
No - plenty of inventory exists

Question:
A proper custom rifle is:

Choices:
Scratch built
Built on an existing new production action
Built on an existing used/surplus action

 

I'd like to see more moderate priced single shot actions in a few styles.
Also a decent traditional Magnum Mauser double square bridge, GMA or MRC size and style action at around the 1,500 mark suitable for a custom gun platform base.

I must be the only guy out there who thinks a medium length push feed action would actually be a good thing. Dang thing should be super easy to build and get right...and for long-loading the mediums, it would be a helluva thing. 7x57, .350 RMag, even the SAUM's and WSM's...

Heck, imagine a .375 WSM in a medium length push feeder?

(*Yeah, hate me for suggesting a cheap pusher could be made...)

We don't hate you Robert...

Rich
DRSS
CRF

I am a firm believer in competition.

The market does not need capacity, it needs competition. INHO. Any market. I dont see the [] more competition check box?

I think [] all the above should have been an option for what is a custom gun.

Like the guy on TV says: Free market capitalism is the road to prosperity (or in this case happy gun owners).

Until Sabatti came along there was no option for a $5k double in 400,450,470NE even 500! Do we need another Sabbati? YES! There is still opportunity to build a better double at a lower price. And, most important - too keep Sabatti honest.

With out competition AHR (my favorite shop) 'might' or 'could' start to raise prices. Or plant burns down, death, famine, plague,.... So what ever your fetish, competition will always be a good thing for the consumer. Not so good for the gun maker. Monopoly is the key to happiness for the builders.

I wonder what % of the more active members of this forum, primarily, fall in the builder camp as opposed to the buyer camp?

There certainly seems to be room for more high quality custom work but I'm not sure how many people are willing to pay what it's worth.

Maybe we need AHR to franchise out?

Seriously, in "high end" customs maybe a few more guys doing it would level out the field cost wise. we have quality the same at both ends of the pay scale. not to say that some aren't overpriced for their quality, or some underpriced, just saying that there are guys that just as good as each other that charge differently.

I think where we're hurting as gun consumers is the in between, the features added or "minor" to the major smiths items. Too many gunshops that do smithing do pads and drill and tap and some basic work with chambering, installation and so on. But when it gets to the soldering on of parts, custom stock work and so on it starts to get more difficult to find them close to home.

I didn't see a poll choice I felt 100% with so would say this:

We need more gunsmiths (I'd love to see a show like Discovery Channels Biker Build Off but with custom rifles instead) and I think there is no wrong answer to the platform to build off of be it original or modern. Of course a satterlee is awesome, but some guys don't have that money or have sentimental/whimsical reasons for going with a classic like a Brazilian mauser.

Red

The number of quality gunsmiths in the US must not be too high, because I keep hearing that it takes from 2 weeks to several months to get a smith to do non-warranty work.
A friend was just quoted 6 months to get a rear sight mounted on a smokepole barrel.

I have found that when you finally find a quality craftsman so often they do not have/want a quality business partner to compliment their craft resulting in so many sorry endings to an otherwise wonderful rifle and happy customer.

I think David Miller needs more competition in the $40,000.00+ range. Still beating Holland&Holland prices, tough.

I regret to reveal that this is not a big problem for me.

OK, I am going to ,. I do not care about HIGH end makers (for myself). A/few working rifles will do for me.(w/ perfect feeding, etc.)

High end only means pretty, that will NOT kill them any deader.

World class rifles only mean that you have deep pockets. They are pretty to look at though.

Keith

Bailey Bradshaw is making a fine falling block single shot action for $1,500
He said he could do up to 50 BMG!!!! but I don't know the cost of the larger action. He is also doing a double falling block.

quote:

Originally posted by fourbore:
I am a firm believer in competition.

The market does not need capacity, it needs competition. INHO. Any market. I dont see the [] more competition check box?

I think [] all the above should have been an option for what is a custom gun.

Like the guy on TV says: Free market capitalism is the road to prosperity (or in this case happy gun owners).

Until Sabatti came along there was no option for a $5k double in 400,450,470NE even 500! Do we need another Sabbati? YES! There is still opportunity to build a better double at a lower price. And, most important - too keep Sabatti honest.

With out competition AHR (my favorite shop) 'might' or 'could' start to raise prices. Or plant burns down, death, famine, plague,.... So what ever your fetish, competition will always be a good thing for the consumer. Not so good for the gun maker. Monopoly is the key to happiness for the builders.

I wonder what % of the more active members of this forum, primarily, fall in the builder camp as opposed to the buyer camp?

fourbore

If there is nothing in it for the builders, then people won't put in the R&D
to do it.

What do you mean by "Keep Sabatti honest" ?

Hell, are you never happy ?


I bet the shoe would be on the other foot if someone came along
and said they would do your job for half your price and you
were fired because of it. Puts a different perspective on it ?

.

quote:

someone came along
and said they would do your job for half your price and you
were fired because of it.

Happening in a lot of industries now.

A good example of how competition can beniefit the customer is Hornady DG ammo. You better believe Norma and others feel the pressure. Two things can happen, others follow suit and drop prices or Hornady corners the market and slowly raise prices. If prices get high enough and volume is there someone will jump back in with lower prices.

I had the shoe on the other foot. It is tough. You pick you self up and get back in the game. I never said capitalism was pretty, only that it works.