The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Custom Built Rifles What constitutes a custom built rifle?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Just want to know.
Can it be a rebarelled factory rifle? Is it getting a series of parts off the internet and building something? What constitutes a custom rifle? Does it require restocking? I'm wondering, because I have a new rifle - built out of bits and pieces - admittedly, it's not scrimshawed and engraved, and neither is it on a pre 64 - mod 70 action ..... -- Promise me, when I die, don't let my wife sell my guns for what I told I her I paid for them. | ||
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IMO a custom rifle can be any or all of the things you mention. 'Custom' to me implies something built or assembled or altered to conform to the owner's or user's wishes. Regards, Joe __________________________ You can lead a human to logic but you can't make him think. NRA Life since 1976. God bless America! | |||
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Just the odd "changing" / "altering" of this / that does not IMHO make a custom rifle. However one could say custom stocked,custom bottom metal and so on. To me a custom rifle means that all aspects (components) of the rifle are made / purchased and then assembled to someone's wishes by specified craftsman / oneself. A rifle built of parts and pieces to one's own desires, to me would be a custom. I'm of the the opinion that the word custom is over used in this day and age. FWIW --- John | |||
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+1 -------------------------------------------- Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? | |||
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If its not available or done on the standard assembly line is it then custom?  Doug Humbarger NRA Life member Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club 72'73. Yankee Station Try to look unimportant. Your enemy might be low on ammo. | |||
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There is no definition; if you change it from what came off an assembly line, offered to the general public, then it has been "customized" to some extent. The term custom takes on more meaning the more it has been changed from the zero point. Hence the rise of terms like "semi-custom" and full custom. Means whatever the user of the term wants it to. | |||
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What a great question!!! How dare you foggy the water for all those custom gunmakers out there. Does a custom gun have to be a bespoke gun? I think not. Custom means that some very important changes have been made to an off the shelf or otherwise ordinary design to better enhance either its functionality, ergonomics, or elegance. Beware of the word custom. Focus more on the features, advantages, benefits that one wants in a gun, and then go from there. One may find a factory off the shelf gun that perfectly meets all their needs. Why pay extra for something else? However, one may want nicer wood, a custom adjustable trigger, claw mounts, entended magazine, etc, etc, etc. These are custom features that hopefully will give custom advantages that also hopefully will result in custom benefits. Did I foggy things up even more? JP Sauer Drilling 12x12x9.3x72 David Murray Scottish Hammer 12 Bore Alex Henry 500/450 Double Rifle Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock 6.5x55 Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock .30-06 Walther PPQ H2 9mm Walther PPS M2 Cogswell & Harrison Hammer 12 Bore Damascus And Too Many More | |||
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I think the owner gets to decide. If its custom to you.... | |||
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true custom VS modified... IMHO, which is just and only my view; when a gunsmith takes a barrel, an action, and a blank, along with ancillary bits and pieces (sights, etc) and crafts them into a rifle like no other, that is a custom rifle. I am lucky enough to have a gunsmith that does all of that, and more. He sends me to Metal Market for some pieces of steel. He turns one piece into a ramped barrel band front sight housing. He takes another piece, and makes a one-piece barrel band sling swivel. He takes a third piece, and makes one of those old guild rifle style side levers for the floor plate to open it. He takes two carriage bolts, and makes me thru bolts with the slotted head to turn and tighten. He he roughs out a blank, then takes scrapers and files, and using lamp black, he inlets the stock for the action and barrel channel. He orders, then fits grip caps, and cartridge traps. He does NOT checker, the only thing he sends outside to people who specialize in that. He takes another and makes a quarter rib. He took two pieces of steel and made me double square bridge bases for my 375 H&H. I have known him for thirty-four years, and have been blessed enough to have several rifles in my gun vault he made me to my desires. I consider myself doubly blessed to have known him, and to have him build me things. Rich | |||
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Interesting thread... If a gunmaker builds a custom barrel; i.e, from a blank: 1) machine's a full length mini rib with stippling 2) machines and installs a 1/4 rib with stippling and single standing rear blade 3) installs NECG style front sight 4) under mounted sling swivel and that barrel doesn't shoot well (according to Customer A) on Customer A's gun so the gunmaker installs it on Customer B's gun because it meets Customer B's specifications and the barrel shoots just fine... and the rest of Customer's B's gun is custom...is Customer B's gun somehow less custom because of the barrel wasn't really made for him/her on the first place?. I wouldn't think so cause it sounds to me like there are three possibilities: 1) Customer A can't shoot 2) Potential there was a minor problem with the installation 3)Some fluke issue of the harmonics related to Customer A's gun and the original installation. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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It's simple: custom is non OEM, customized is a modified OEM. Custom implies built upon an action. A new/non factory stock, whether that be wood or synthetic regardless if the stock is a copy of the original pattern and a non non factory barrel etc. Customized implies something in addition to the action is factory.....eg factory barrel swapped to another factory barrel or rebored, new/rebarreled on factory stock, new trigger assembly, etc. There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others. | |||
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IMO, 'Custom': A rifle[firearm] modified or assembelled from a variety of components to meet your personal specific [unique?] requirements or liking. If I commissioned a rifle to be a precise copy of a pre-war Rigby,..or...I commissioned a rifle that is an exclusively unique[one of] in every way, I would still consider both of them equally 'custom'. Ted Blackburn used cNc cookie-cut production methods to produce[clone] his custom bottom metal. Mr.Echols was not happy with available stock geometry so he created new[custom?]stock geometry for McMillan to produce his Legend stock. Custom wood stocks are not exempt, numerous high level smiths/gunmakers, regularly use the pantograph to cookie-cut a blank to shape from an existing example. I would consider a cut rifle barrel a custom grade product, with some makers offering a custom twist rate to your specifications. You can choose a walnut blank with its own individual-unique natural grain pattern,colors and density,..or you can have you syn. stock 'custom layed' with different ratio of glass/graphite for a more specific weight, and painted up with your own individual-unique custom tinted paint(s),custom outer texture and unique color scheme. IMO,they are still both equally 'custom' 'custom' usually entails more attention to detail in the creation process,not necessarily something vastly different or utterly unique. But you can certainly have that if you like. I consider HQ production items like the FreedomArms revolvers, 'custom' in every sense of the word. They have the features/specs I appreciate or would specify in a HQ custom, with the advantage that they are usually avail. as a stock item. However,I later added a [one of produced]custom machined base, to accept Talley Q.D. rings. | |||
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The three types of guns: Factory, custom, BUBBA. ----------------------------------------------------- Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Proverbs 26-4 National Rifle Association Life Member | |||
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+  As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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For me it's a custom action (McMillan, Borden, etc) with a barrel (Krieger, Shilen, etc) turned to the countour I want, with the rate of twist I want and chambered in the cartridge I want and cut to the length I want. It would also have the trigger I want set to the pull weight I want. Barreled action would also have my choice of finish. It would be mated with the fiberglass or carbon fibre stock I want. And, it would have the sights and/or scope mounts of my choice. The one I'm shooting now was built by Ed Brown - a Damara model chambered in .308 and it's a peach event though it's an off-the-shelf custom rifle that I bought used. I wouldn't have built it any other way - Ed got it right, DB Bill aka Bill George | |||
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ok i have a rem 700 that has been rechambered and now is getting a new barrel to the new caliber and stock has to be formed for new barrel contour to me this is semi custom a'm i right or using wrong term DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR | |||
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It a'int rocket science. The bottom one is a custom rifle built to the purchasers specs, the top one is an off the shelf Ruger RSM.  | |||
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i have what i consider to be a 1022 custom.. bought the 1022 blued new in factory box bought and installed a blued heavy fluted .920 barrel and laminated thumbhole stock set from midway went to volquartsen custom and had a target hammer installed at the same time the smith there did a trigger job on the rifle sent the bolt to RANDY AT CPC to have it gone over and custom finished (jeweled) installed an exact edge extractor installed sling swivels installed a harris bipod to said front swivel mount bought and mounted a beautiful bright trueglo variable power scope..................... the thing will put a whole magazine of .22 rimfire bullets into the same .30 cal hole........... that's what i call a CUSTOM 1022! [look into the dick act of 1902 and see if our rights haven't been voilated.........] | |||
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I agree with Doug. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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Im weird, but the word custom to me means a nice piece of wood cut,sawn and filed to the customers wishes. Then a lovely piece of metal blueprinted trued and made slick as butter. Finally sights of choice and a trigger that breaks like glass  | |||
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Surely if there is more than one in the world (unless you ordered a matched pair), it can´t be custom, only "customised") or am I missing a trick, best, Mike | |||
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Define only "one"...If I change one minor thing does that make it the only one in the world? Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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 best Mike | |||
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Mike, I got a real chuckle out of your list. so true.Also don't forget that no matter how much you want a 585 rifle, you really need a 600 overkill. Used to be bigdoggy700 with 929 posts . Originally registered as bigdoggy 700 in July 2006. | |||
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I would say that a custom rifle is much the same as a trophy animal. It is what ever the owner wants it to be. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Phil, of course that includes duct tape and Rustoleum, right? :-) | |||
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If you want custom why not have a mechanical engineer design each and every part from scratch so that nothing interchanges with any other rifle on the planet? Or you can do like the Brits do and call it bespoke when they cobble up an ultra expensive bolt gun using a run of the mill Mauser. Custom has gotten to be a cliche the rifles all look like they were built with the same box of after market parts. Kind of like a hot rodder building a car with a crate motor... | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Custom Built Rifles What constitutes a custom built rifle?
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