Saw they have some hunting rifles on Eurooptics for like 9k. How is that price justifiable? I will say I'm ignorant about their rifles, but 10k for a hunting rifle?
Gunwerks
- Thread starter LSUbeatUby40
- Start date
I had the chance to fire one recently. It was accurate and quality seemed good , but it's no different than anything else you'd get from a quality smith.
Seems to me that they cater to wealthy , lazy hunters primarily. The same hunters who routinely drop $30k a year on guided hunts . These hunters need everything handed to them , Gunwerks provides them a turn key rifle, optic and ammo . Some of their packages are $10k + , absolutely ridiculous in my opinion but people obviously buy enough of them to keep the company afloat.
Seems to me that they cater to wealthy , lazy hunters primarily. The same hunters who routinely drop $30k a year on guided hunts . These hunters need everything handed to them , Gunwerks provides them a turn key rifle, optic and ammo . Some of their packages are $10k + , absolutely ridiculous in my opinion but people obviously buy enough of them to keep the company afloat.
If you're a person who can afford these things, most likely you don't have time to scout, develop loads, etc. Doesn't make it wrong. Would I do it? No, but that is just me. Does it mean the guy can make the shot with that kit? Definitely not.
I still just don't see the justifiable price tag but agree that people obviously are buying them.
Gunwerks is kind of a good thing for all the custom gun builders, as Gunwerks will help drive the price of custom work up alot and other custom outfits will be able to charge more for the same product. Win win.
I'm not sure we can truly justify the majority of our rifle/optics purchases, but paying $9000 for a Gunwerks "system" isn't all that bad in my book. I believe they make their own actions now in house, so for $9000 you get their custom action, their stock and bottom metal, a NF scope with custom turret, hard case, ammo, and load information. It comes sighted in with ballistics data out to 1,000 yds. So it's ready to go when it's delivered. I enjoy working up loads, but some people just don't have the time, equipment, or facilities to do that. I've bought less expensive rifles, and spent a small fortune trying to find a good load for it and getting ballistics data in the field. I'm not saying I would necessarily buy one, but I can see where a turn key rifle system is attractive to some people. And don't forget, these are primarily hunting rifles, not tactical/match rifles. Lots of guys spend big $$ on hunts around the world. $9000 for a rifle system that they can basically buy ready to go is a drop in the bucket compared to what they spend hunting per year.
I didn't realize you get the loads worked up already. I see how that can play a part in it, but it's not my cup of tea.
A friends dad has one of their rifles and i can see where it has it's uses, they're largely catering to a completely different market though, the hunter. Not the long range shooting enthusiast who likes to load and spec their own build accordingly. They also have the publicity to the average hunter via networks like the outdoor channel or sportsmans. In that regard there isn't anything wrong with that. Where i think it is ridiculous is their pricing, might as well be robbery at that point. As said before though if someone is willing to pay it, why not?
Personally as most of us would i'd save half the money and build something through a reputable smith that supports PRS on a better action (IMO)
Personally as most of us would i'd save half the money and build something through a reputable smith that supports PRS on a better action (IMO)
My wife wanted to improve her long range hunting skills but I'm not a fan of husbands teaching wives to shoot so I sent her to the Gunworks school. She cant take much recoil from having broken her back and has three rods between her shoulder blades so she wanted to use her Model 70 243. They told her she had to use her rifle because of liability (I interpreted that to mean they want me to buy her one of their rifles).
Anyway they set her up with their rifle in suppressed 6.5 CM. She liked it, but said it didn't shoot any better then her Model 70. However she did like the 6.5 CM and wanted a heavier rifle for elk hunting. I got her a RPR which she likes.
I personally dont have any personal experience with their rifles, but judging from my wife's improvements in long range shooting their school seems to be first class.
Anyway they set her up with their rifle in suppressed 6.5 CM. She liked it, but said it didn't shoot any better then her Model 70. However she did like the 6.5 CM and wanted a heavier rifle for elk hunting. I got her a RPR which she likes.
I personally dont have any personal experience with their rifles, but judging from my wife's improvements in long range shooting their school seems to be first class.
Not everyone lives in the wild blue yonder and can spend the time necessary to scout in order to have a successful hunt. There is risk involved for these guys where they pay a shit ton of money and not shoot anything. Again, not my cup of tea, but to make a general statement about this is shortsighted in my opinion.
There is no "risk" involved with lazy hunters $ . I have had plenty of unsuccessful hunts that I thoroughly enjoyed and wasn't stressed out about the $17k I didn't choose to pay a guide.
Hunting isn't skydiving, you don't have to spend a lot of money and hire professionals to be successful. If you find yourself unsuccessful at the end of a hunt , tough shit , you got outsmarted by a wild animal that evades wild predators and humans for a living 365 days a year .
Hunting isn't skydiving, you don't have to spend a lot of money and hire professionals to be successful. If you find yourself unsuccessful at the end of a hunt , tough shit , you got outsmarted by a wild animal that evades wild predators and humans for a living 365 days a year .
I suspect such rifles are as much a status symbol as a serious implement, and they are very serious implements.
Hey, if ya got it flaunt it. My hunter is a Savage Axis II .30-'06 with a Boyd's laminate replacement stock.
It does pretty much the same thing. Well enough, anyway.
My more serious money is in my comp guns.
But they are all either Savage factory rifles or a Savage based milder custom.
I've been shooting Savage factory rifles in club level competitions for going on two decades. Savage because they are inherently more accurate factory guns, and don't need bedding.
When I started at this, I didn't have much money, so I had to make do with what I could afford. Turned out that making do with Savages worked fairly well.
It forced me to become a handloader, and even dong it at an austere level also worked pretty well. Good load development is the key.
You can make a dollar do a lot if you're willing to work at it.
What little I know about Gunwerks is pretty much what I'm reading here. Honestly, I think they sell to a narrower, more discerning market and are making it work just fine.
I think we could make a mistake by considering the hunter as a different market from what we're doing here as a general rule. We hunt, we just do it with a different kind of rifle; or at least we should.
The premium gun market is probably what gave impetus to the factories, and has been around since back when hunting was a game that only the Lairds played. Now most of us use a more plebeian implement, but even those have come a fairly long way. The Axis and its cousins will bring in the harvest rather well, they just aren't the stuff of legends; and that stuff of legends has excellent justification, I believe.
Give credit where credit is due.
Greg
Hey, if ya got it flaunt it. My hunter is a Savage Axis II .30-'06 with a Boyd's laminate replacement stock.
It does pretty much the same thing. Well enough, anyway.
My more serious money is in my comp guns.
But they are all either Savage factory rifles or a Savage based milder custom.
I've been shooting Savage factory rifles in club level competitions for going on two decades. Savage because they are inherently more accurate factory guns, and don't need bedding.
When I started at this, I didn't have much money, so I had to make do with what I could afford. Turned out that making do with Savages worked fairly well.
It forced me to become a handloader, and even dong it at an austere level also worked pretty well. Good load development is the key.
You can make a dollar do a lot if you're willing to work at it.
What little I know about Gunwerks is pretty much what I'm reading here. Honestly, I think they sell to a narrower, more discerning market and are making it work just fine.
I think we could make a mistake by considering the hunter as a different market from what we're doing here as a general rule. We hunt, we just do it with a different kind of rifle; or at least we should.
The premium gun market is probably what gave impetus to the factories, and has been around since back when hunting was a game that only the Lairds played. Now most of us use a more plebeian implement, but even those have come a fairly long way. The Axis and its cousins will bring in the harvest rather well, they just aren't the stuff of legends; and that stuff of legends has excellent justification, I believe.
Give credit where credit is due.
Greg
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I agree with everything you are saying. It's no different than someone buying a z06 corvette while the other guy buys a cheap mustang and builds it himself. Both do their job, just different ways to go about it.
Id agree with some others, dudes paying to hunt should not be ridiculed. There are a myriad of reason why one would pay a premium to hunt. Some
hunts are just expensive. Could be the species, the location, accomodations, the hunt method, or a combo of all of those. Canned hunts on the other hand....no. Any amount of money for one of those is BS Imo.
For example, Id love to float around the sounds of Alaska on an off season crab boat and hunt brown bear, black bear, in sitka blacktail, in a single trip. Common way to do it, but it will never be cheap. A $10k rifle pales in comparison to cost of a hunt like that, and I could use it for the rest of my life.
hunts are just expensive. Could be the species, the location, accomodations, the hunt method, or a combo of all of those. Canned hunts on the other hand....no. Any amount of money for one of those is BS Imo.
For example, Id love to float around the sounds of Alaska on an off season crab boat and hunt brown bear, black bear, in sitka blacktail, in a single trip. Common way to do it, but it will never be cheap. A $10k rifle pales in comparison to cost of a hunt like that, and I could use it for the rest of my life.
Hi Guys,
I'm a Newbie to the forum but not new to shooting or reloading...look forward to chatting with members on various topics in the future.
You can call me Dog.
After reading this thread I could not let this one go by without adding my 2 cents...Gunwerks always gets bashed over rifle prices and it really isn't fair when you fully understand what they do and all the steps involved to guarantee a true 1000yrd (tested & verified) gun out of the box...and not all rifles are 10K....
I just recently purchased a new Gunwerks rifle (6.5 Creedmoor) and here's why...
I've been following Gunwerks since the company was formed and I've been truly impressed with "everything" they do...
They have basically created a market for themselves by giving the consumer the choice to buy a product that is guaranteed, warranted, tested & proven
and very well designed...You will never read a review on a Gunwerks rifle that did not shoot well or the person reviewing the rifle / system was unhappy with the results...they have more 5 star ratings then you can count from some very qualified gun testers who don't hold punches.
I've been a fan from the beginning and always said if I had the money I would buy one of their rifles. I'm not rich by no means, and don't go on expensive paid hunts...but I do like to have the best of things when I can.
Like most guys I know in the shooting world, I have a safe of guns that I wish I shot or took out more often...and some guns I wish I didn't buy because of lack of use, most of my gun purchases have been a "want" versus a "need" situation.
About 2 weeks ago I looked in my my gun safe and spent some time adding up the prices of rifles and scopes and stocks I've purchased in the last few years...it was staggering...and even more so because out of the approximate dozen rifles I own I only shoot 1 or 2 of them with any regularity.
That got me thinking why did I spend so much on firearms in the last few years and never really purchased what I've always wanted...a true custom rifle or a Gunwerks rifle that I have been impressed with for years. So I made the decision to sell a couple rifles to help finance the purchase and have not given it a second thought...I'll report back on the gun when it arrives and of course how it shoots.
Gunwerks isn't looking to sell a rifle to the everyday consumer that tours the aisle at the local bassPro... this is what most guys forget.
They have created their own supply and demand in a circle of people who like finer things that are willing to pay for a good product. A business owners dream! These customers vary from the rich to guys like me that have previously made gun purchases based on quantity versus quality.
No gunsmith / competing company is offering what they do for much less and to back it up with a first class shooting school is also another incredibly smart business decision. You can knock them and bash them for their rifle prices but at the end of the day every rifle is sold to a smiling customer.
SMART BUSINESS & MADE IN AMERICA.
I'm a Newbie to the forum but not new to shooting or reloading...look forward to chatting with members on various topics in the future.
You can call me Dog.
After reading this thread I could not let this one go by without adding my 2 cents...Gunwerks always gets bashed over rifle prices and it really isn't fair when you fully understand what they do and all the steps involved to guarantee a true 1000yrd (tested & verified) gun out of the box...and not all rifles are 10K....
I just recently purchased a new Gunwerks rifle (6.5 Creedmoor) and here's why...
I've been following Gunwerks since the company was formed and I've been truly impressed with "everything" they do...
They have basically created a market for themselves by giving the consumer the choice to buy a product that is guaranteed, warranted, tested & proven
and very well designed...You will never read a review on a Gunwerks rifle that did not shoot well or the person reviewing the rifle / system was unhappy with the results...they have more 5 star ratings then you can count from some very qualified gun testers who don't hold punches.
I've been a fan from the beginning and always said if I had the money I would buy one of their rifles. I'm not rich by no means, and don't go on expensive paid hunts...but I do like to have the best of things when I can.
Like most guys I know in the shooting world, I have a safe of guns that I wish I shot or took out more often...and some guns I wish I didn't buy because of lack of use, most of my gun purchases have been a "want" versus a "need" situation.
About 2 weeks ago I looked in my my gun safe and spent some time adding up the prices of rifles and scopes and stocks I've purchased in the last few years...it was staggering...and even more so because out of the approximate dozen rifles I own I only shoot 1 or 2 of them with any regularity.
That got me thinking why did I spend so much on firearms in the last few years and never really purchased what I've always wanted...a true custom rifle or a Gunwerks rifle that I have been impressed with for years. So I made the decision to sell a couple rifles to help finance the purchase and have not given it a second thought...I'll report back on the gun when it arrives and of course how it shoots.
Gunwerks isn't looking to sell a rifle to the everyday consumer that tours the aisle at the local bassPro... this is what most guys forget.
They have created their own supply and demand in a circle of people who like finer things that are willing to pay for a good product. A business owners dream! These customers vary from the rich to guys like me that have previously made gun purchases based on quantity versus quality.
No gunsmith / competing company is offering what they do for much less and to back it up with a first class shooting school is also another incredibly smart business decision. You can knock them and bash them for their rifle prices but at the end of the day every rifle is sold to a smiling customer.
SMART BUSINESS & MADE IN AMERICA.
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Why drink Crown when Old Crow will do the same thing for you. Different strokes...
I kind of picture Gunwerks as the Weatherby business model with some different bells and whistles.
They’ve been involved in some neat things supporting the industry it seems with the Revic scope and BR2500 rangefinder.
As stated above, credit where it is due.
I can respect them for having the guts to take a gamble on a narrow market and doing it well enough for about 10 years now to support their families/employees and raise their kids.
Their offerings aren’t for everyone. I don’t own one. But they were always polite and helpful answering my questions the few times I contacted their outfit.
I did just like Dog Down stated and traded up but to a nice custom GAP build years ago with a good scope. Just had to have one from them. Adding up purchase cost plus shipping, tax, etc and ammo expenditure it’s probably 8k give or take getting it dialed in to 1000 yards. Not to mention the time I had to schedule to get to that point. I can see where people go into sticker shock on prices.
Kind of reminds me of fishing. Some do it from canoes, others spare no expense. Either way can be fun.
I kind of picture Gunwerks as the Weatherby business model with some different bells and whistles.
They’ve been involved in some neat things supporting the industry it seems with the Revic scope and BR2500 rangefinder.
As stated above, credit where it is due.
I can respect them for having the guts to take a gamble on a narrow market and doing it well enough for about 10 years now to support their families/employees and raise their kids.
Their offerings aren’t for everyone. I don’t own one. But they were always polite and helpful answering my questions the few times I contacted their outfit.
I did just like Dog Down stated and traded up but to a nice custom GAP build years ago with a good scope. Just had to have one from them. Adding up purchase cost plus shipping, tax, etc and ammo expenditure it’s probably 8k give or take getting it dialed in to 1000 yards. Not to mention the time I had to schedule to get to that point. I can see where people go into sticker shock on prices.
Kind of reminds me of fishing. Some do it from canoes, others spare no expense. Either way can be fun.
I can appreciate both sides here.
Gunwerks has done a great job of marketing themselves, building their brand, finding their niche, etc. I do business with only a few of the rifle builders here on the Hide and I wish they had half the marketing savvy that Gunwerks has. BTW, they can deliver a complete package if you ask them to. Good on Gunwerks and no one can or should even try to take that away from them.
I have experience with Gunwerks customers from meeting them in the field. Two of them have become friends and do anything but canned hunts. They are men, they have far too much pride, too much respect for the animals, and value the hunting experience too highly to take part in such things. They do pay a lot of money for hunts and equipment (they do things like Frank Church Wilderness hunts). They have no ability to scout or do much practicing and little desire to learn about the technical aspects of shooting. They have learned to field dress from their guides and insist on doing so.
From my point of view Gunwerks customers are shortchanging themselves. Going for the total package (rifle, optic, ammo, training, rangefinder) they have spent far more and learned far less than if they had done it differently. They think they have purchased a lot more in material goods than they actually have. I believe it's an emotionally satisfying feeling that they are paying much of that premium for.
I gave 2 new shooters Accurate Ordnance rifles, worked up loads with them (1 match, 1 for lighter game animals, 1 for heavy), had them learn the mil system, an understanding of BC, how to use a Kestrel, then took them to K&M. I had them compete in a single PRS type match. This process lasted months and 1 of the newbs got frustrated along the way.
Then we hunted with the two Gunwerks guys, first antelope in NW CO (with a bonus coyote hunt) then Elk in NM. From the moment of zeroing in after getting to camp through to helping each other with dope in the field it was more than clear who had a better knowledge base of pretty much everything.
The Gunwerks guys had no less satisfying of a hunt and went home with some decent animals. As for the shooting stick and associated accessories, it was important to attach themselves to a well recognized brand and a simple system that didn't take too much practice (but works good enough for their needs). This was less risky and whole helluva lot easier than opening themselves up to the very broad conversation that packs thousands of posts here on the Hide and numerous other internet forums, reloading manuals, and too may other sources to list here but most of us know what I'm talking about.
I'm just glad these 2 guys picked up hunting and have an interest in getting an edge in accuracy and putting an animal down quickly as they are immigrants from countries where this was impossible. Double good on them for being able to afford it. I plan on hunting with them again.
YMMV
Gunwerks has done a great job of marketing themselves, building their brand, finding their niche, etc. I do business with only a few of the rifle builders here on the Hide and I wish they had half the marketing savvy that Gunwerks has. BTW, they can deliver a complete package if you ask them to. Good on Gunwerks and no one can or should even try to take that away from them.
I have experience with Gunwerks customers from meeting them in the field. Two of them have become friends and do anything but canned hunts. They are men, they have far too much pride, too much respect for the animals, and value the hunting experience too highly to take part in such things. They do pay a lot of money for hunts and equipment (they do things like Frank Church Wilderness hunts). They have no ability to scout or do much practicing and little desire to learn about the technical aspects of shooting. They have learned to field dress from their guides and insist on doing so.
From my point of view Gunwerks customers are shortchanging themselves. Going for the total package (rifle, optic, ammo, training, rangefinder) they have spent far more and learned far less than if they had done it differently. They think they have purchased a lot more in material goods than they actually have. I believe it's an emotionally satisfying feeling that they are paying much of that premium for.
I gave 2 new shooters Accurate Ordnance rifles, worked up loads with them (1 match, 1 for lighter game animals, 1 for heavy), had them learn the mil system, an understanding of BC, how to use a Kestrel, then took them to K&M. I had them compete in a single PRS type match. This process lasted months and 1 of the newbs got frustrated along the way.
Then we hunted with the two Gunwerks guys, first antelope in NW CO (with a bonus coyote hunt) then Elk in NM. From the moment of zeroing in after getting to camp through to helping each other with dope in the field it was more than clear who had a better knowledge base of pretty much everything.
The Gunwerks guys had no less satisfying of a hunt and went home with some decent animals. As for the shooting stick and associated accessories, it was important to attach themselves to a well recognized brand and a simple system that didn't take too much practice (but works good enough for their needs). This was less risky and whole helluva lot easier than opening themselves up to the very broad conversation that packs thousands of posts here on the Hide and numerous other internet forums, reloading manuals, and too may other sources to list here but most of us know what I'm talking about.
I'm just glad these 2 guys picked up hunting and have an interest in getting an edge in accuracy and putting an animal down quickly as they are immigrants from countries where this was impossible. Double good on them for being able to afford it. I plan on hunting with them again.
YMMV
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I’m highly confused on questioning the amount of money someone spends on a rifle when there are people on here that have spent $13,000-$15,000 on AI setups and no one bats an eye other than saying ? nice rifle.
Gunwerks has developed a great turn key system for LR hunting. A rifle tailored to the hunter that needs a lightweight rifle and the ability to hit at longer distances is probably worth the money...if you have the money and not the time.
That being said- and this probably should go without saying- whether you have a $1500 setup or a $15000, you gotta put in the range time to be successful.
Gunwerks has developed a great turn key system for LR hunting. A rifle tailored to the hunter that needs a lightweight rifle and the ability to hit at longer distances is probably worth the money...if you have the money and not the time.
That being said- and this probably should go without saying- whether you have a $1500 setup or a $15000, you gotta put in the range time to be successful.
I am a new member on here so wanted to respond ..I recently attended one of their schools in Texas.. last weekend actually.. the GUNWERKS system works, flat out.. and NO, per some other comments above, I am not lazy, rich or any of the above. Just love to hunt, really enjoy shooting.. steel or hunting.., have done a lot of hunting around the planet, lucky that way.. I attended one of their schools 4 1/ 2 years ago near Cody..at that time how the school was presented to me left me leaving there not to buy a Gunwerks rifle... I felt the same way many on this post feel.. too expensive, can do just as good or better on my own with a custom built, on and on and on.. Fast forward to today, I was wrong... since that time I have built several rifles ..custom .. frankly I have as much into the customs as I would into one of these and none of them shoot as well as the Gunwerks I just used.. Can you get others to shoot as good, absolutely.. but, this takes a lot of the guess work and trial and error out of it. At least for me.. I had not shot over 600 yards since I was at the GW school in 2015.. on the morning of the second day of school last weekend, I was hitting rams at 1400...While ego would say I am a good shot, truth is THAT is not me.. it's their equipment, their school, their instructors..its the entire system.. There as a lot of unique features to their rifles.. and system for that matter. Do I want to spend 5-8K on another rifle?? NO.. but I will and plan to .. just need to decide on caliber as it will be used primarily for hunting.. thinking 28 Nosler or 300 PRC...
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