Difference between smith building a custom vs bolting together yourself

[pineoak]

Given the tolerance of modern parts and no bedding needed, how easy/advisable is it to bolt a gun together yourself vs. using a local smith vs a higher end smith to put it together for you?

custom action + barrel + trigger + stock/chassis + bottom metal (if required)

 

[flyer]

If everything falls together, not much difference.

If there is a problem with how things go together, a good smith will know how to recover.

A reasonably smart person could figure out problems too but with more effort.

If it has an especially tricky issue and a not so clever person tries to fix the wrong part, that could be bad.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I lucked out on my first precision rifle. I bought a Stiller action, a Brux barrel, and had a gunsmith thread and chamber it for .260 Rem. I installed a Timney trigger and dropped it into a legacy AICS. I mounted a scope and it was an awesome shooter. Totally reliable. A few years later I tried this approach again for a 300 Win Mag and had problems.

So, depending on how much you want to potentially work out problems would guide your decision.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I think most of it has to do with the mechanical ability of the guy at the bench. If he can't change his own oil, he shouldn't be assembling a rifle.

I've done a few in my basement and they're all good shooters.

BUT, I have yet to have a smith build a complete rifle for me.

The next one will be built by someone else because I seem to run into problems more often than not. They have all been small problems. But problems none the less.

 

[Dthomas3523]

With modern chassis, as long as the barrel was chambered properly, not much.

When you start getting into stocks with bedding and such, then the differences can start showing.

 

[chevy_man]

All depends on the individual.

I have a trustworthy smith to do my lathe work. The rest is on me because I like to do it and have the tools, time, and skill. So far I haven't seen a bad shooter, but I have had to tinker with "drop in" parts on most builds.

 

[b6graham]

where we are i see using a smith for 2 things other than a barrel, but we can order them for anything now action sight unseen.

bedding manners/mcmillan stocks (negated by mini-chassis, except for weigh reasons/hunting) and timing triggers

 

[Hobo Hilton]

The issue with having a smith build it is this.... With anything mechanical, hunting gear, boots, trucks, welding machines, etc.... At some point a man must "make it his". Having a smith that is 6' 6" tall and weighing in at 275# build a rifle for a customer that is 5' 9" tall and weighing 175# could lead to a poor fit. We all hate to pay big bucks for something and then have to take the grinder, Dremel tool, hand saw or box cutter to it. I've read several post about how a stock looses it's value if it's modified. We have the luxury of "time" currently to make it yours. A time may come when you have to take what you have (weapon, back pack, boots, etc) and run with it. Might as well be comfortable and be able to put faith in what you are packing.

 

[whatmeworry_45]

Access to a lathe might make all the diference. But with prefit this and prefit that the gap is closing quickly. Awhile back, I blueprinted a few Remingtons on a lathe and all the special tools that process involves, just to say I did. Happy with the results too.

But I won't be doing any more of those. Not as long as I can pick up the phone and order everything I need and assemble a rifle that is (in my mind) just as good, without the issue of straightening/tightening up banana shaped parts to make them fit the way they need to.

But in the end either way works. Its how you want to get there, I guess, is the difference