For me it was necessity. Three years ago when I came home with a new rifle I got a good tongue lashing. That was the deciding factor that started me into the custom world. So instead of buying one rifle I get an action here a barrel there, spread it out over a length of time so the wife doesn’t find out and voila! New rifle. Just completed my Mountianlite rifle a few months back.

Lone wolf stock, Stiller predator action, Hart Barrel, and Jewell trigger. all just a hair under 5lbs.

I'm kind of the same way... have a left handed MRC 1999 (30.06 length)with a standard bolt face. Trying to decide what caliber to barrel it in. Bought a decent chunk of walnut that needs to shaped... little here, a little there. No major expenditures and I'll bring it home when she's at work!

More confirmation that being single is a Plus

For me it was a dissatisfaction for factory offerings as they were. i always had to do something to them to "make them better" or more correctly more suited to me. They only way to get them the way I wanted was to do it myself with components I desired. Mind you that is my nature and I am inclined to make what I can in many areas. Comes from being bought up by parents who had been through the depression and the 2nd WW where self sufficiency was a way of life.

Von Gruff.

Following a nearly fatal malfunction of an OU Double rifle (.375 H&H) hunting buff in Western Africa I (re-)discovered the Mauser action and got my first Hartmann and Weiss rifle in 1985.

From that day I lost my soul.

My first custom gun dates back to the late '50's, when I was in undergraduate school and on an allowance. My friend and gunsmith, Harry Creighton, had convinced me that the way to go with a varmint rifle was with a single shot, and the most affordable single shot then available was a Winchester High Wall.

An ad in Shotgun News provided the action for about $25.00 and after saving for a while I was able to have the block bushed and the lower tang reshaped to pistol grip configuration. More saving, plus Christmas and birthday money, provided the funds for a barrel and a Fajan stock. After about a year of shooting with the crude wood, I was ready to send it off to Hal Hartley to have it stocked.

First I had to come up with the cash for a nice walnut blank from Flaig's in Millvale, PA, and a Niedner grip cap and buttplate, but finally I was ready to ship it off. (Harry did no stockwork and Hal no metal work, so they simply referred their customers to each other.)

The result was a heavy barrelled High Wall, in caliber .219 Ackley Improved Zipper, with a Hartley stock and a Unertl Vulture scope (from Gander Mountain, then only a discount mail order outlet). It is probably the last rifle I will ever get rid of.

I got into them out of neccesity.

Yrs ago, when I got my 1st LH (shot RH rifles for awhille), it was a Rem 700 270 Win. I've never really been too fond of the 270 Win, so had it re-barelled to 280 Rem....and since then have never looked back.
I now have over 10 Custom to semi-custom rifles and can see a few more still coming my way.

I just wish the gun manufacturers would get a little more away from the "plain vanilla" chamberings, and offer some of the "cool stuff"...I wouldnt likely need to spend so much on the customs then

Bought my first project rifle in early 1961 when I had just turned 14, prior to that time I had made wooden ones for us boys to play 'Army' with. It was a 1917 Eddystone Enfield and I ended up putting a Bishop semi-inlet on it that summer and then used the rest of my summer grass-cutting money to have the local gun butcher hack off the ears and install a Redfield JR mount with M84 sniper scope.

I thought I was really uptown....(VBG)
Regards, Joe

As I don't hunt much anymore and have a "few" rifles ready to go - I like the chase. A part here a part there, sometimes a complete "junker" just to get a part or parts. For instance I bought a 21H Brno receiver with everything including DSTs but minus a bolt, found a 98 military bolt and will alter it to suit myself. Ran across a brand new Douglas Sr. barrel in 7x57 likely will install it onto this action. Have a couple nice stocks purchased from Herters many years ago and so on, just about ready to assemble and finish. --- John303.

I had the wonderful luck of meeting Dean Zolinger while I was in college just as he was making the transition to full time rifle building. It opened my eyes to the possibilities available and spoiled me for run of the mill guns. This was in 1984 and I will always apreciate his time and the education he shared with me.

It was in the 90's and during one conversation a colleague had told me about Kleinguenther rifles and the 1/2" accuracy guarantee.

Well I had an obsession with them and wind up buying up all those I could get my hands on. Had about 20 at one time.

My first custom rifle was built on a Voere Titan II action- the last of the ones Mr. Kleinguenther used before he passed. Unfortunately the guild guys just didn't know how to put these together (prolly cause it's not a mauser) as it wouldn't pick up a cartridge from the magazine. That then started my next obsession with Pre War Mod 70s.

Has nothing to do with the topic but check this out. I know that it must have taken forever to make but it sure is ugly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...18027550#description

My first was fueled by my want for a 6.5x55 in LH. Had a LH Win M70 in 270 Win. Found a McMillan stock on ebay and sent it oug to Randy Selby in Wyoming for a stainless Shilen fluted barrel. My reloads run 130 gr bullets at 2950 with no pressure signs. Shoots far better than I can, getting under 1 MOA almost every time.

Makes me want to get another done...

. . . that bastard Forrest Bruch. My kids are working with a plaintiff's lawyer now on a lawsuit against Forrest for his role as an accessory in my squandering their inheritance. [Hey, if the tobacco companies can be forced to pay billions for encouraging someone with no self control to endulge themselves, it might just work for my kids.]

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
. . . that bastard Forrest Bruch. My kids are working with a plaintiff's lawyer now on a lawsuit against Forrest for his role as an accessory in my squandering their inheritance. [Hey, if the tobacco companies can be forced to pay billions for encouraging someone with no self control to endulge themselves, it might just work for my kids.]

Can I join in and make it a class action lawsuit? Forrest is definitely a bad influence when it comes to custom rifles. He mentored me through my first custom rifle which was built by Dean Zollinger and James Anderson. Now I am hooked and jumping off the deep end with a little Mannlicher 7x57 on a mex mauser inspired by Forrest's Wiebe fullstock 7x57.

. . . I see a class action lawsuit in the making. Hell, I may represent myself and the class pro se!

i blame M1Tanker for my affliction. my looking at his rifles has caused my wife to tell me that if i spend any more money on "gunny" stuff, i won't have enough left to pay for the divorce.

The easy answer; marry a woman who makes just a little more than you do. That "WE" word never gets uttered. Just a simple "Here is your half of the monthly bills, pony up boy."

I got her hooked on fine walnut and rust blued steel before we ever got married. Her engagement present was a mint M37.

You build a woman a new house, and pay it off fast; and the world is yours...

Rich

I wanted a 404 Jeffery magazine rifle to go with my 450/400 3 inch (400 Jeffery) double rifle.

Just wait until the two best smiths in the land have a client go South on them with the last payment with a 7x64 which just happens to be built on a blueprinted VZ-24 action, nice trigger, M70 safety, BREATHTAKING stock which just happens to fit you and a top-grade barrel...

Add in a Leupold scope already fitted, custom bottom metal and, well, just FABULOUS good looks and superb accuracy (the first red hartebeest at 200 metres just folded after the 139-grain Interbond smacked home) and it's a recipe for future financial ill health.

I just loving paying to have my gunmakers's daughter's crooked teath fixed!

my first? i wanted a 358 winchester, on a springfield, with a heavy barrel (THE GUN WRITERS HAD ME SCAIRT) and a walnut stock... now, 20 years later.....

Hunting and guns were with me as a kid.I think I was 12 when I called up the same gun store I buy my guns at today,spoke to the same person and asked him if he had a Winchester model 70 in 458WM for sale.I was a dreamer and still are.Long days at work and limited funds made hunting and shooting a way to pass the time somewhat economically.As time went on things started getting a little more sophisticated and expensive-I desired a nicer rifle and africa.

im a newbee to custom guns but i am loving it

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
The easy answer; marry a woman who makes just a little more than you do. That "WE" word never gets uttered. Just a simple "Here is your half of the monthly bills, pony up boy."

I got her hooked on fine walnut and rust blued steel before we ever got married. Her engagement present was a mint M37.

You build a woman a new house, and pay it off fast; and the world is yours...

Rich

How does that old J Geils song go "First I look at the purse"

I blame First Parker Ackley for making me want a 17 Ackley Bee and second Bevan King for making it happen.I first put it in a plastic stock but my how times have changed.

And Then

When plastic replacement parts for a now obsolete factory rifle started to cost more than the rifle did, it was a no brainer.
I thought 'there will always be parts for Rem 700 based rifles', so my custom deer rifle has a Stiller Predator action, Jewell trigger, McMillan stock and Lothar Walther match grade barrel.
Should last me a lifetime with the odd new barrel and maybe the odd spring now and again!
When every single component is designed to be the best it can be, you can't help but love it and I'm already planning the next 'project'

My path started on eBay. Frank Wells was liquidating a bunch of old inventory and had a threaded, chambered 505 Gibbs barrel with integral rib, banded sling stud and banded ramp front sight with a "Buy it now" price of $257.00. So I did.

I sudder to think how much money that $257.00 barrel has cost me since I got bit by the bug. I'm actually afraid to do the math.

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:

I sudder to think how much money that $257.00 barrel has cost me since I got bit by the bug. I'm actually afraid to do the math.

in my case, later in the addiction -- i buy stuff to "Save" money -- which turns into costing me MORE ...

speaking of which, i am trying to buy a northstar now!

quote:

Originally posted by RR:
I blame First Parker Ackley

ditto!

Reading Jeff Copper's book, "Fireworks", and about his heavey rifle "Baby".

That is what led me to my Lott............then my 375 H&H.

Keith

I was introduced to a fine custom M98 at a shooting range about 25 years ago and I've been hooked ever since.

No justification needed.

Terry

A number of factors.

1) I wanted a 'do it all' rifle for Africa with the usual features, CRF, barrel band sling swivel, Q/D scope and express sights. This also had to be versatile enough for the limited amount of big game hunting I do and BG rifle comps.
2) No one made a reasonably priced 9.3x62 at the time so after a little research the 'cheapest' way was to re-barrel a 30-06 action.
3) My local gunshop had a good supply of ex-mil FN Mauser 98's and shot-out commercial '98 rifles eg Parker Hales.
4) A small windfall made (only) the first project affordable.

For me it was all my father-in-laws fault. When I first met him he showed me his custom Arisaka in 6.5-257 Roberts improved. He had got the rifle from his brother during WWII. The brother must have known what he was doing cause he picked out a low numbered pre-war specimen. Anyways, when he got out of college in the early 1950's he was in Mass. and found a gunsmith to screw on an 18" douglas barrel with a muzle brake in this "red hot" chambering. From the day I met him he was telling me how this thing with 120 gr bullt and 50 gr of 4831 was getting 3000 fps. I didn't believe him and set out to prove it to him that the best he could get out of that combination was about 2850 fps. So I proceeded to have a 6.5-284 built on a 03-A3 action with 26" barrel just to show him what it takes to get 3000 fps from a 6.5 bullet. It's not that the cartridge won't do it but the barrel length is what crippled his rifle. It took me 10 nyears to get him to shhot that thing over my chronograph. Even after the 1850 fps results read out on my chrony he refused to believe me or admit his baby would not do as advertized. Well, since that first project I have had five more rifles built. it's like tattoos, they are addictive.

1967
two old gunbuilders
(one German, one Scot; (Oh, and P.O.)
they fought all the time, if you couldn't guess)
a 98 action and
an impressionable kid.

Over the years alot of other talented craftsmen
and a lot of awe of their talent.

And
the personal quest to improve as a hobbyist builder
(as well as owner of a gun shop
and a firearms manufacturing concern)

It is a truly addictive process--

I am still struggling to quit--
anyone know a twelve step program for this--

quote:

i am trying to buy a northstar now!

Good on ya--

I lost a GREAT pantograph in THE divorce--

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
. . . I see a class action lawsuit in the making. Hell, I may represent myself and the class pro se!

I know I have standing if you're putting together the paperwork. I talked to Duane today and he said not to listen to Forrest.

Be careful, I think Duane is a co-consiprator with Forrest.

I have gone full circle. I started with Winchesters, Remingtons and Sakos. Shot them a lot. Collection was stolen twice.

Tried custom and semi custom. Shot them a lot. Got similar accuracy to the factory guns. Went to Africa. Saw the PH's shooting a mixed bag of CZ's, Remington's, old mausers, and a Ruger or two. Nothing custom.

Came back and decided that customs are nice to look at and nice to shoot but don't add the experience but add a "worry" factor from thieves at home and at airports.

I now shoot new Model 70's and abuse them and use them and if they break, I go get another one. They are as accurate as any custom I had and as reliable.

In the end, I shoot nearly every animal at less than 200 yards so I do not need a sniper/custom rifle.

I was very proud of my customs, but I did not truly love using them as I do the current "tool". I am blessed to be able to buy whatever I want and I choose simplicity and efficiency.

No insult to you custom guys - just my experience.

quote:

Originally posted by M1Tanker:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
. . . that bastard Forrest Bruch. My kids are working with a plaintiff's lawyer now on a lawsuit against Forrest for his role as an accessory in my squandering their inheritance. [Hey, if the tobacco companies can be forced to pay billions for encouraging someone with no self control to endulge themselves, it might just work for my kids.]

Can I join in and make it a class action lawsuit? Forrest is definitely a bad influence when it comes to custom rifles. He mentored me through my first custom rifle which was built by Dean Zollinger and James Anderson. Now I am hooked and jumping off the deep end with a little Mannlicher 7x57 on a mex mauser inspired by Forrest's Wiebe fullstock 7x57.

Drug addicts are allways blaming the dealer for their problem.

Custom rifle makers should give away their products and buy ownership interests in component and ammuntion companies.