Custom Rifle Makers?

R

Reaper130

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Apr 13, 2012
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#1
I'm beginning the process of looking for a company/outfit/manufacturer that specializes in making custom bolt guns. I just finished up a custom Bison/Specialized Tactical Systems 6.8 SPC and have some funds freed up to move on to another bolt project.

Obviously i'm familiar with GAP, Surgeon, DTA, etc. I may very well end up going one of those routes anyway.

What i'm looking for is some insight from board members on experience with other outfits that i should be putting on my list of possibilities.

Some background on what i'm looking for.

-Bolt Action

-300 Win Mag is what i'm leaning heavily towards due to experience and results (i do some reloading, but not enough to get into Lapua or the other super expensive calibers, at this time)

-Ability to change out any factory parts (trigger, stocks, brakes, barrels etc. I prefer the AI chasis system but have also had some trigger time on Manners products as well and love them.

-Price range $3-4000K for the rifle.

-This will mainly be a paper punching and long range event rifle. I've got access to a few areas that have a lot of space to stretch well past 1000 yards.

I'd really appreciate some recommendations of differnt custom rifle makers.

Thanks for your time guys!
 
#3
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

Yes, there are many great ones here. My two favorites are Mark Gordon at Short Action Customs, and William Roscoe at LA Precision. Hard to beat their builds, and almost imposible to get better customer service. There will be over 1 dozen recomendations by the end of the day, so hold on. Best of luck.
 
#5
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

Just as STR stated, either of those choices are top notch. I chose Mark @ Short Action Customs. Use the search function to search him or Roscoe at LA Precision and you will find pages of satisfied customers.
 
#6
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

This question gets asked a lot under the gunsmith section. Here is one such thread:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...rue#Post3140593

I have custom rifles from:

American Precision - Jered Joplin;
KMW - Terry Cross (not taking new custom projects anymore)
Warner Tool - Alan Warner

Custom build in process with:
Short Action Customs - Mark Gordon

Still looking to get a
GreyTan - Greg Tannel
Beanland -


JEffvn
 
#7
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

Mark at short action customs is a top notch guy, and a beck of a smith! I would also talk with tom from thunder valley precision. Not only does he have a wonderful range, excellent teaching skills and all around good guy, he builds one heck of a good rifle!
 
#10
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

How long are you willing to wait? Some of the mentioned names have wait times of up to one year. Some are as short as three months. Also are you providing the components or are you getting them from the smith? My McMillan A5 took four months to get. My Krieger barrel took almost five months. If your expecting them to supply the parts add another five months at least in my experience. YMMV. You really can't go wrong with any of the builders listed. If you ordered now you might have a completed rifle by Christmas if you're lucky. Or you can buy one used in the classifieds.
 
#11
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

Wait time really doesn't bother me all that much. I'd love to get the product asap, but if it's coming from someone mentioned above, i'm sure it's worth the wait!
 
#13
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One of the smiths mentioned earlier who is not taking orders pointed me toward Robert Gradous and Jon Beanland. </div></div>


Robert Gradous is an outstanding builder and provides excellent customer service. Plus, he is a true gentleman. "Good people" for sure.

Mark
 
#17
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

How about buying a barrel and sending it to Stiller to have it fitted to one of their Tactical 300 actions? Find a stock+bottom metal or chassis system of your choice and put it together yourself. It won't take you a year or more to get it.
 
#18
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

You may consider William Roscoe at Louisiana Precision. He is a straight forward dude and down to earth.

He is doing 2 match guns for my partner and myself.

 
#19
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

I can highly recommend Tactical Operations. You will not likely find a more highly skilled machinist or more conscientious gunsmith. I've seen him rework a rifle that shot in the single digits just because he didn't like something about the weapon. TacOps won't build you just any old collection of parts you want because Mike guaranties how well what he builds shoots.

Within the limits of what TacOps is willing to build there are few if any gunsmiths that can match the quality of TacOps' work in the field, on paper or cosmetically. A TacOps rifle will consistently deliver precisely what you can hold no more and NEVER anything less. A well fitted TacOps rifle is forgiving but will be brutally honest showing you just how good or bad a shooter you truly are so bring your A game.

If you pick carefully you can have TacOps build you a rifle that handles like a light hunter but shoots groups like a benchrest gun. No need to "find" or "work up" custom handloads either as TacOps rifles typically shoot in the teens and single digits using TacOps specified factory ammunition. Just ask anybody who owns and can shoot well enough or look at ANY of the supplied certification targets provided with every TacOps rifle.

After shooting a TacOps rifle I resisted for years but the hook kept getting set deeper and deeper every time I got to shoot a TacOps rifle. Now I'm a guy waiting for a dance with the nicest girl at the party.

 
#25
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

If I were to go full custom it'd be either:

1- Robert Gradous (gradousrifles.com) as he worked over my 308 and made it a laser. He's local, extremely nice, knowledgeable, and an all around great guy to deal with. His set-up is amazing and you can read about my experience with him in this thread:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...788#Post2747788

He really blew me away and has ruined me when it comes to customer service and pride in his work. When it comes time to rebarrel my 308, I don't know what maker, length, twist, etc. I'll choose. But I know who will do the work- Mr. Gradous.


2- Tactical Operations for no other reason than the super scary small test groups they send out with each rifle. I don't think I could make holes that small with a pencil and paper on my desk. Plus they're really damn good looking.
 
#29
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kudu22</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mike Bush @ BlackOps Precision make a fine rifle as well. </div></div>

I've heard great things about them. Thanks for the reminder.
 
#30
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

I'm kinda new to the long range rifle game but I have been going through Red Hawk Rifles http://www.redhawkrifles.com/ for all the parts for my Remington 700 .308 ...
I even made a botch on an order that I had emailed questions about earlier...Dick Churchley is the man to talk to, when I called to tell him of the goof I made on my order, he said he had his hand on the phone to call ME about it. Excellent customer service and competitive prices.

I have just been ordering up parts, but if you want an entire rifle they handle that too...Go to the website and read the testimonials.

Good luck !

Scott
 
#34
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RollingThunder51</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is wrong with your new 6.8? </div></div>

Me? Nothing. Couldn't have asked for a better build or results so far. Ben at Bison is a top notch guy and the fellas at STS make a hellova billet lower.

Just looking to start a new bolt gun build.

Thanks to everyone who's put a recommendation out there.
 
#36
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RollingThunder51</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That's great news, nothing like a great billet lower.

What barrel profile are you thinking of going with? </div></div>

I'm leaning heavily towards the 300 WM in a 26" profile, but not sold on a particular barrel contour yet. I'm partial to Bartlein (have plenty of experience), but still looking around. Very early in the eval process lol.

So much to choose from!
 
#37
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

If you get this right you can stop with just one build and shoot for a long time. The trick is investing in trigger time not rifles. Some of the first makers you mentioned in your initial post make a rifle that is a higher standard than most can shoot. IMO you can be sent in a whole lot of directions and waste allot of time.

What have you shot so far?
 
#38
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RollingThunder51</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you get this right you can stop with just one build and shoot for a long time. The trick is investing in trigger time not rifles. Some of the first makers you mentioned in your initial post make a rifle that is a higher standard than most can shoot. IMO you can be sent in a whole lot of directions and waste allot of time.

What have you shot so far? </div></div>

Grew up shooting, on 30+ acres, in a county that only got their first traffic light a few years back lol. Spent 4 years in the military and did 5 tours in Iraq/Afghanistan/North Africa between 02-06.

I've shot everything from a bb gun up to a 50 BMG. I currently have a trusty old Model III Savage .270 as my go to deer hunting rig. A .308 SPS Tac built by Sniper Central's Mel Ewing which is a sub 1/2 MOA shooter when i'm doing my part. A couple of shotguns for turkey and upland hunting and 3 pistols (1 belongs to the wife).

I really want to build a top notch, long range bolt gun. I have the access to some land and there are plenty of competitions in the mid-state area i can get into. Just looking to up my game and find a new challenge.
 
#41
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Reaper130</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Love what i'm seeing on the Accurate Ordnance website, Mark.

Very classy to recommend another builder as well.

</div></div>That's just the way they roll! Accurate Ordnance is a great group of people.They will treat you right and I've seen some test targets come out of there that were amazing.
 
#43
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: halcyon575</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If I were to go full custom it'd be either:

1- Robert Gradous (gradousrifles.com) as he worked over my 308 and made it a laser. He's local, extremely nice, knowledgeable, and an all around great guy to deal with. His set-up is amazing and you can read about my experience with him in this thread:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...788#Post2747788

He really blew me away and has ruined me when it comes to customer service and pride in his work. When it comes time to rebarrel my 308, I don't know what maker, length, twist, etc. I'll choose. But I know who will do the work- Mr. Gradous.


2- Tactical Operations for no other reason than the super scary small test groups they send out with each rifle. I don't think I could make holes that small with a pencil and paper on my desk. Plus they're really damn good looking.</div></div>

+1 for Robert.

Save yourself 1,000 of dollars at my cost from all the money I have spent on other smiths to build me the perfect rifle. Others have come close but to me Robert builds the best rifle money can buy.
 
#44
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RollingThunder51</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does this one have to be tactical? </div></div>

No, not really. I did get to shoot an AI 2.0 recently and love the setup, feel, and ergonomics, although i know plenty of folks who feel the opposite. Also a big fan of Manners products.
 
#46
Re: Custom Rifle Makers?

Pierce Engineering did a great job on my new bolt gun. Their long action with Gary Eliseo tube stock. I went with .308, makes it very versatile for different competitions. Built for F-T/R mid and long range but barrel is turned for front site and rifle is set up for hand stop if I want to put on the coat and sling. I went with single shot but Gary has the repeater model and of course Pierce has an action to match.
 
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