While at the Dallas show this past weekend we stopped by the booths of Hill Country Rifles, Rifles Inc and Bansner. How does the quality and accuracy of these rifles compare?

I really liked some of the light weight rifles.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

You might want to talk to Brett Adam Barringer...he's got a sweet bansner rifle, shot a nice dall sheep with it while I was with him....He had researched pretty much all makers of lightweight customs and settled on a Bansners.

I have used the HCR guys for over 14 years for repairs, accurizing factory guns, accurizing custom rifles from other makers and have also had them build me up several complete customs. Only experience with Bansner is a couple conversations with him at shows, and one of his stocks. So I'll give you one side of the question. I highly recommend HCR. Matt, Dave and the guys there have the accuracy angle figured out. They are also very conscious of looks, handling, balance and practical functionality. One of the best elements of their work, to me, is that their accuracy work uses factory ammo. I've had several custom rifles that shot well with the gunmaker's handload, but (a) I don't handload and (b) when I get the recipe and send it to Superior Ammunition or have a friend load for me, somehow the accuracy achieved by the maker does not translate. Another thing I think HCR does well (which might not be among your options) is their "Harvester" series, where they accurize a Remington or Winchester factory gun, or bed it into a McMillan stock, for an incredibly reasonable price. If you haven't already, look at their website for the guns in production and guns ready for sale. Good luck.

+1 for Hill Country...

I have a .224 TTH, .280, .300 Weatherby and a .404 Jeffery that are full production rifles and they all shoot accurately, feed flawlessly and perform as expected. If weight was the MOST important criteria, then Bansner or Rifles Inc. might edge HCR out.

But all three are superb gun builders and you can't really go wrong with any of them. It boils down to weight and your sense of aesthetics.

I can only comment of Rifles Inc as I own one a 300 Win Mag. Mine is what Lex calls his Master Series Rifle, not one of the lighter weight Strata's. I really like the rifle and it shoots quite well. The target Lex sent with the gun is under a half inch at 100 yards with factory ammo. One of the main reasons I picked Rifles Inc is because Lex does all the work on the rifles hiself and if you call him he is more than happy to talk about what you want and the best way to achive it. I also did alot of emailing which was typically answered by his wife, who is also a pleasure to deal with, very quickly and prefesionaly. I know there are a few others that post here that have some of his rifles, and maybe they will chime in also; as for me I am completely satisfied with my rifle and plan to purchase others from him in the future.

I forgot to mention in my orginal post Craig Boddington also own's a master series in 300 Wby. It appears he has owned this rifle for quite some time as it is mentioned in several articles over the years. The last one I can recall was a month or so ago and I belive it was in Peterson's. An internet serch could probably find a few of them.

I had Lex built me one of his ltwt's when he living in Utah about 2 hours north of Las Vegas. Very light, a joy to carry and easy to shoot when I was rested, well-fed, didn't have a head-ache etc but in the real world while hunting in the wind and weather, up and down hills it's lightness worked against it for me.

I like the metal work Mark does but there is something about his stocks that I don't like. Not sure what it is, maybe I'm just to used to McMillan's. The Hill Country rifles seem like a lot of value for the money - especially the Harvester series.

I've heard only good things about HCR. I handled one of their rifles in ol' Mexico back in '06, nice rifle, but not my cup of tea stock wise.

Don't forget about another Texan- Charlie Sisk out of Dayton. He builds one helluva rifle- accurate, reliable and uses McMillan stocks.

i also have had both and several other and Hill country rifles are awesome. are they better? thats a question i can not answer but they are top notch service and they do it right. I will buy more rifles from Matt at HCR and I know it will be perfect

I came into an HCR bedded and stocked MRC M1999 factory barreled rifle in .270 WSM. Shoots very well.

Bansner stocked another MRC M1999 for me, and did a very nice job.

Sorry, can't comment on Webernick's (sp?) rifles. Never used one of those.

- mike

Matt at HCR built a 6.5 x 55 for me on a Turkish Walnut stock. He sent targets with two different factory loads--both half inch. If I only knew how to download pictures on here, you could be the judge.
Sorry I don't know about the Rifles, Inc.

TBD

I've got a Rifles Inc and a Bansner, I very much like both of them; I bought the Bansner from a dealer but it was as new, I had the Rifles Inc (Strata) built directly from Lex ... As posted above, Lex and Lina are great to deal with, lead times are good and pricing is reasonable in this market, in fact I'll likely have them build another rifle here very soon.

I'd feel very comfortable with either of them, and based upon what I've heard/read HCR is the equal of the other 2 ...

Best Regards,
Craig Nolan

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:
...Hill Country Rifles, Rifles Inc and Bansner......Any feedback would be appreciated.

AKsheephunter made me aware of this thread, so I thought I'd put in my 2 cents.

I can't speak intelligently about HCR or Rifles Inc......so I won't. I have a Bansner rifle and it has shot well for me. I had some trouble developing a load for it, but that was mostly due to me choosing high BC bullets known for occasionally being finicky....and they were! It shoots very well with the AccuBonds I've settled on. I've had many conversation before, during, and after with Mark and he's a great guy to deal with. His rifles are first class and I'm anally retentive and picky to the extreme. His custom stocks are fabulous and I know quite a few people who use them on barreled actions of various makes. His machining is first rate as the action is smooth as silk. His triggers are superb and leave nothing to be desired. Delivery time was slightly longer and I do mean SLIGHTLY longer than expected, but such is life....so what! I would recommend Mark any day of the week and twice on Sunday! Actually he just kindly donated a ultimate ovis/ultimate one (winner's choice) rifle to our Alaska chapter of SCI of which I am VERY grateful. If it's going at a good price I just may buy it and have him build me a second rifle!

Some unsolicited advice/recommendations about custom light weight sheep rifles:

Accuracy of rifle is indirectly proportional to rifle weight...........or better said......ABILITY to shoot a rifle accurately is indirectly related to rifle weight. As weight diminishes practical accuracy suffers! So with that said lighter isn't always better. I think it is important to do some critical appraisal. Who are you and what kind of hunting do you do? This is really important practically speaking when considering a light weight rifle. Chuck (AKsheephunter) and I are resident Alaskans and have the opportunity to DIY hunt Dall sheep and mountain goats every year. We take everything in on our backs.......and then everything out on our backs including the animal! We have no guides, packers, or sherpas. This year I had +50lbs going in and +110lbs going out! For me an extra 1-2lbs of rifle weight just isn't worth an extra .25-75" of accuracy at 100 yards. I want a light weight rifle, but one that is reasonably accurate under field shooting conditions. After speaking to Mark he advocated that 5.5lbs is about as light as a rifle should be or ability to shoot it well suffers. Mine comes in at about 6.75lbs. scoped and loaded. Mine is also a WSM cartridge on a standard action, so I'm loosing about .5lbs with the standard as opposed to a magnum action. I chose a 7mm WSM because I could get the rifle in at 5.5lbs. for a magnum action I'd figure 6lbs. if weight is a huge concern. If super accuracy and weight are concerns and you go on guided hunts you might get a slightly heavier rifle like 6.5lbs in a magnum action. Honestly I'm thinking a second rifle would be good for me. I have plans to hunt mountain game quite a bit on guided hunts around Asia, Europe, and N. America. I'm booked for Marco polo and mid-Asian ibex in Kyrgyzstan this year, so I'm not going to be carrying much on the hunt. I think a 7mm or .30 magnum on a slightly heavier rifle would be perfect for those guided hunts. I'm thinking a 7mm RUM, 7mm STW, or .30-378 WTHBY at 7.5lbs scoped would be about right for a serious mountain hunter who goes on guided hunts. For a serious DIY mountain hunter.....6.5mm WSM, 7mm WSM, .30 WSM, 8mm WSM, or any of the other standard action cartridges at 6.5-7lbs. scoped is about right.

This is my 2 cents......

Brett

I have a HCR custom on a remington action and a Bansner 7 wby on a sako action.

HCR is a more common sense maker that more than likely won't let you make too many wonky choices about a build that you won't like down the road. Matt gives good solid advice. They are accurate (mine is an honest 1/2" moa) and reliable. The mcmillian stocks add the magic IMO to the feel and balance of what they do. I like the balance and weights of finished rifles. I would buy another.

Bansner. His stocks make him different. They effect the "feel" in the hands and when you throw up. I enjoy carrying my Bansner on long hikes more than any other rifle - because it's light enough but steady when I get on the pack or sticks. Accuracy has been under 1/2 moa also.

I really like bansers stock - there is some magic going on there I don't fully understand, but have appreciated greatly in the field.

I'm eyeballing their howa actioned rifle closely for another project. I think it's a heck of a rifle.

Mr. Barringer -

This is the first time I have seen/read your signature line.

"But at home one is bound with petty regulations and irksome restraints.....People do not understand that a wanderer returned views things from a different standpoint.....He feels lost even in great crowds, for nothing and no one seem in sympathy. The people he knows may be good fellows, but they do not understand him, and he does not understand them. Environment.....is at fault, because it has become foreign to him, and he longs to get back to the bush, the hills, and the plains, where he spent some of the happiest days of his life, for there he felt an exaltation that no civilized land can possibly supply." -Denis D. Lyell

It is a fabulous, very deep truth. Thank you greatly for posting it.

Going just a little deeper, it applies to everyone no matter how little or how far they have traveled.

Every man is shaped by his life and experiences (and their sequence). No one else can fully understand that series. All we can do is appreciate that it is fact, and perhaps occasionally be able to leartn from each other's happenstances.

Thanks again. You obviously are a wise person to appreciate Denis's lines enough to adopt them as your own signature.

Lex from Rifles Inc built me a 300 WinMag titanium strata a few years ago. It is very light, 5 1/2 pounds with a 4-12 Swaro scope on it. Lex and his wife were a pleasure to deal with from start to finish, he builds the rifles with very fine detail, and mine is very accurate with 180 accubonds and TSX. His stocks are slimmer, and lighter than Bansners - some may not like this.

I highly recommend Rifles Inc

http://i841.photobucket.com/al...tai1977/DSCN1483.jpg

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Mr. Barringer -

This is the first time I have seen/read your signature line.

"But at home one is bound with petty regulations and irksome restraints.....People do not understand that a wanderer returned views things from a different standpoint.....He feels lost even in great crowds, for nothing and no one seem in sympathy. The people he knows may be good fellows, but they do not understand him, and he does not understand them. Environment.....is at fault, because it has become foreign to him, and he longs to get back to the bush, the hills, and the plains, where he spent some of the happiest days of his life, for there he felt an exaltation that no civilized land can possibly supply." -Denis D. Lyell

It is a fabulous, very deep truth. Thank you greatly for posting it.

Going just a little deeper, it applies to everyone no matter how little or how far they have traveled.

Every man is shaped by his life and experiences (and their sequence). No one else can fully understand that series. All we can do is appreciate that it is fact, and perhaps occasionally be able to leartn from each other's happenstances.

Thanks again. You obviously are a wise person to appreciate Denis's lines enough to adopt them as your own signature.

Here is the full quote:

"But at home one is bound with petty regulations and irksome restraints. Instead of being a free wild man of the woods, one has become a herd animal. One's individualism is less apparent because there is less scope for it. People do not understand that a wanderer returned views things from a different standpoint, as his life has been spent away in the vast spaces where simplicity is the rule, and not complexity. He feels lost even in great crowds, for nothing and no one seem in sympathy. The people he knows may be good fellows, but they do not understand him, and he does not understand them. Environment (a favourite word with parsons) is at fault, because it has become foreign to him, and he longs to get back to the bush, the hills, and the plains, where he spent some of the happiest days of his life, for there he felt an exaltation that no civilized land can possibly supply."
-Denis D. Lyell



The first time I read those words I stopped reading and read them over again. Something just clicked. There was a great truth in them that resonated in me.......and explained so much about me and my life. I enjoyed my under grad and grad school experiences, but to some degree I felt alienated from everyone else. Not because I wasn't social or didn't have friends, but because I was unable to connect with them on a level equal to my own concerning my passion. That's why when I find someone who "gets it" I can speak with a total stranger for hours on end. If this tag resonated with you like it does me I'm sure you know what I mean about some people get it and others don't. I think that's part of the reason why I move to Alaska and like living here so much. I've never lived anywhere before where so many people "get it"!

Brett

PS. You are welcome!

I have a .300 short from Bansner and hated it so much that I have Mark making me a .300 mag as I write this.

HCR is in my back woods. I've heard nothing but good things about them. The reason I chose Bansner's, all things be slightly equal, is he supports the sheep hunting industry. He was there at the OVIS show where I purchased my first rifle from him.
I purchased the OVIS line of rifles for my mountain hunts. Hated it so much that I called him back and ordered a .300 mag to finish off anything else in N America I may hunt (another elk and brown bear are on the list).

You can't go wrong with either.

quote:

Originally posted by lde:
I have a .300 short from Bansner and hated it so much that I have Mark making me a .300 mag as I write this.

I see you hate yours as much as I hate mine!

Brett

Like others who have posted I only personally have experience with one of the above mentioned builders: Rifles Inc. It started about 7 years ago when my uncles good friend sent Lex a rifle. He had a Strata built in .300 RUM. From this rifle, my uncle subsequently shot and enjoyed the characteristics that Lex's rifles are famous for. After his first safari, my uncle decided to send him a 700LA and do a lightweight strata. This is the rifle that I got to shoot and have my first dealings with a 6 pound rifle. It was also in .300RUM. I shot the rifle and really enjoyed the rifle because it was so light. I had one my first safari a Steyr SBS in .300 win and was a great gun it was heavy. I had always wanted something lighter, yet still retained point-ability and offhand steadiness. It seemed that Lex had meshed all of the good characteristics into this Strata. About this time I was graduating from my first undergrad and my father had Lex build me a SouthPaw Strata in .300 RUM. His build time was spot on and in about 6 months I had my rifle.
I had him top of the rifle with a Z6 with the BR plex. It has a #2 contour barrel of 23 inches with a slimbrake for a total of 24". I use 95 gr of RL 25 and 180 Accubonds for this side of the pond and it is a Hammer on everything I have shot with it. I will say that one should use hearing protection when shooting with this brake. Trust Me.
Overall I am extremely pleased with the rifle. He in the process of building a .35 whelen for me now. I wanted an all american caliber in an all american rifle for game up to eland. More than that, I just wanted an excuse to send him another action. I would recommend his rifles to anyone who wants a light weight rifle that will do as advertised. Call Lex and talk to him, and for those that know him will tell you, he is a no BS guy who will help you get the rifle that you want for your particular application.
I am sure that all the manufacturers mentioned above are good, else they would not be in business, but I can tell you Lex builds a rifleman's rifle.