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Top gunsmith recommendation list #10463446 09/21/15 Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 937 NJ/PA B BurninDupont OP Campfire Regular OP BurninDupont Campfire Regular B Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 937 NJ/PA Hey guys, I am looking for a short list of maybe 3-5 gunsmiths to research and choose to take on my next project. Will be using a Borden Alpine custom action, #2 barrel, Mcmillan stock type of build. Looking for a really top notch smith here, can you guys please list who you would trust for this type of job or a short list of gunsmiths that I can take a look at. This may also be helpful to others looking for similar information. Thank you all

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463462 09/21/15 Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 7,004 Katy, Texas S Sakohunter264 Campfire Tracker Sakohunter264 Campfire Tracker S Joined: Apr 2013 Posts: 7,004 Katy, Texas Barry Davis - Bayfield, Colorado.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463486 09/21/15 Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,201 Middle TN Ebby Campfire Tracker Ebby Campfire Tracker Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,201 Middle TN Jim Borden

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463518 09/21/15 Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 6,308 Ohio D deerhunter5555 Campfire Tracker deerhunter5555 Campfire Tracker D Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 6,308 Ohio Chad Dixon Longrifles Inc. is really doing some cutting edge stuff right now. He has built me 2 and his eye for detail is amazing. Buy once, cry once.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463646 09/21/15 Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 12,153 Mississippi C Crow hunter Campfire Outfitter Crow hunter Campfire Outfitter C Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 12,153 Mississippi Jon Beanland

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463722 09/21/15 Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,426 Florida D Dixie_Rebel Campfire Tracker Dixie_Rebel Campfire Tracker D Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,426 Florida Greg Young, owner of Southern Precision Rifles in Cookeville, Tennessee, Liberalism is a cancer Support Christian Family values

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10463810 09/21/15 Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,423 Wa west 🇱🇷 F fredIII Campfire Outfitter fredIII Campfire Outfitter F Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,423 Wa west 🇱🇷 Scott Weichel. live oak accuracy. One of the best. And uses Obermeyer barrels and has them in stock.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10464346 09/21/15 Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 7,446 GREENSBURG, PA 300MAG Campfire Tracker 300MAG Campfire Tracker Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 7,446 GREENSBURG, PA Robert Gradous Tim Cronin - Elkhorn Precision Jon Beanland Accurate Ordnance

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10464464 09/21/15 Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,201 Middle TN Ebby Campfire Tracker Ebby Campfire Tracker Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,201 Middle TN Chad Dixon has built me several too. Great work. Greg Young is great too. I mentioned Borden since you have a Borden Action. He does great stuff. My most consistently accurate rifle was built by Jim.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list Ebby #10464576 09/21/15 Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 4,493 virginia G gene270 Campfire Tracker gene270 Campfire Tracker G Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 4,493 virginia why not use Jim Borden he will put the barrel on it and recommend a person to finish the stock install............

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list 300MAG #10464672 09/21/15 Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 5,464 jennings lodge, oregon Oregonmuley Campfire Tracker Oregonmuley Campfire Tracker Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 5,464 jennings lodge, oregon Originally Posted by 300MAG Robert Gradous Tim Cronin - Elkhorn Precision Jon Beanland Accurate Ordnance +1 that list should get you a fine rifle. "Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else" "Team 7MM-08"

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10464696 09/21/15 Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 707 Foothills of the Sierra Nevada... A adam32 Campfire Regular adam32 Campfire Regular A Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 707 Foothills of the Sierra Nevada... Ryan Kelsey @ www.diablocustomrifles.com He's built thousands of rifles and knows how to do it

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10465656 09/22/15 Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,211 Central ND W win7stw Campfire Regular win7stw Campfire Regular W Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,211 Central ND Don't be afraid to use Redneck, he does great work. I've also used Nathan Dagley of Straight Shot Gunsmithing. He does excellent work also. http://www.straightshotgunsmithing.com/ Last edited by win7stw; 09/22/15.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10465816 09/22/15 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 32,044 Kpt.,TN , Montgomery, Co, VA bea175 Campfire 'Bwana bea175 Campfire 'Bwana Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 32,044 Kpt.,TN , Montgomery, Co, VA Darrell Holland A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10465860 09/22/15 Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 374 Georgia J JimBobwsm Campfire Member JimBobwsm Campfire Member J Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 374 Georgia Tim McWhorter

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10466146 09/22/15 Joined: Oct 2014 Posts: 80 P plumashntr Campfire Greenhorn plumashntr Campfire Greenhorn P Joined: Oct 2014 Posts: 80 Mark Penrod

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10467010 09/22/15 Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 13,401 Hoosierland, Indiana Kimber7man Campfire Outfitter Kimber7man Campfire Outfitter Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 13,401 Hoosierland, Indiana GA Precision Just got a Beanland rifle that I know is a shooter. Looking forward to using it... “There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” ALDO LEOPOLD

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10467470 09/22/15 Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,319 Unfortunately NY J jdunham Campfire Tracker jdunham Campfire Tracker J Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,319 Unfortunately NY Lots of great smiths to choose from. The smiths already listed would be as far as you need to look. Bob Green has built the last few for me and will probably build my next. NRA Life Member ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list jdunham #10467680 09/22/15 Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 24,638 Midwest SKane Campfire Ranger SKane Campfire Ranger Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 24,638 Midwest I'd take any of the named above. The decision for me would be based on how soon I could get the rifle back. WWP53D

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10470190 09/23/15 Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,390 Maine A andrews1958 Campfire Regular andrews1958 Campfire Regular A Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,390 Maine Robert Gradous. The best of the best

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list andrews1958 #10470242 09/23/15 Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 7,132 NW La. R Reloader7RM Campfire Tracker Reloader7RM Campfire Tracker R Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 7,132 NW La. Originally Posted by andrews1958 Robert Gradous. The best of the best If you got the time, he's the man.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10470286 09/23/15 Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 24,524 Bozeman, MT shrapnel Campfire Ranger shrapnel Campfire Ranger Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 24,524 Bozeman, MT Dennis Olson, Plains MT All these rifles started with Sako actions, he did the rest and used Lilja barrels. The longest wait on any of these rifles, was still less than a year... Last edited by shrapnel; 09/23/15.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10470434 09/23/15 Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 20,888 Deer Park, Tx R Reloder28 Campfire Ranger Reloder28 Campfire Ranger R Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 20,888 Deer Park, Tx www.bordenrifles.com www.kampfeldcustom.com "I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list Reloder28 #10471284 09/23/15 Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,129 A Ackleyfan Campfire Outfitter Ackleyfan Campfire Outfitter A Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,129 Robert Gradous!

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10471592 09/23/15 Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 20,809 outside the burgh B battue Campfire Ranger battue Campfire Ranger B Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 20,809 outside the burgh Pa boy: www.davebrunorifles.net laissez les bons temps rouler

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10473560 09/24/15 Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,523 Mequon, WI G gzig5 Campfire Regular gzig5 Campfire Regular G Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,523 Mequon, WI Randy Gregory, Accuracy Unlimited in central WI.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10473920 09/24/15 Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 6,308 Ohio D deerhunter5555 Campfire Tracker deerhunter5555 Campfire Tracker D Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 6,308 Ohio You know this thread really made me realize that we are fortunate to live in a time when so many great gunsmiths are in operation. There is little doubt that a guy could pretty much blindly pick from the list given here and be more than happy with the finished product. Buy once, cry once.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10474166 09/24/15 Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,221 The Good Life B backtobethel Campfire Regular backtobethel Campfire Regular B Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,221 The Good Life tag Give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above. Don't fence me in.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list battue #10477504 09/24/15 Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,213 VA W WayneShaw Campfire Tracker WayneShaw Campfire Tracker W Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,213 VA Originally Posted by battue Pa boy: www.davebrunorifles.net In PA, there are quite a few excellent smiths. Dave Bruno is certainly one, Borden too. Add to the list: Bob Greene Clarence Hammonds Sid Goodling RW Hart I've probably missed one or two.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list WayneShaw #10480134 09/25/15 Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 10,344 Poetry, Texas B butchlambert1 Campfire Outfitter butchlambert1 Campfire Outfitter B Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 10,344 Poetry, Texas Originally Posted by WayneShaw Originally Posted by battue Pa boy: www.davebrunorifles.net In PA, there are quite a few excellent smiths. Dave Bruno is certainly one, Borden too. Add to the list: Bob Greene Clarence Hammonds Sid Goodling RW Hart I've probably missed one or two. Add Wayne Shaw to that list. I know Virginia, but you're close.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list andrews1958 #10482052 09/25/15 Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,679 Virginia Matt in Virginia Campfire Regular Matt in Virginia Campfire Regular Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,679 Virginia Originally Posted by andrews1958 Robert Gradous. The best of the best ???? NRA Life Benefactor Member

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list WayneShaw #10483640 09/26/15 Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,780 WNY L Lawdwaz Campfire Outfitter Lawdwaz Campfire Outfitter L Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,780 WNY Originally Posted by WayneShaw Originally Posted by battue Pa boy: www.davebrunorifles.net In PA, there are quite a few excellent smiths. Dave Bruno is certainly one, Borden too. Add to the list: Bob Greene Clarence Hammonds Sid Goodling RW Hart I've probably missed one or two. Sid has done two for me and all work has been excellent.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10508432 10/01/15 Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 5,749 Georgia G GeorgiaBoy Campfire Tracker GeorgiaBoy Campfire Tracker G Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 5,749 Georgia Just looking at some of the reccomendations. I'm thinking that maybe you should have catigorized; $2500 and less $3500 and less $5000 and less greater than $5000 I see the complete range in the list.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10527536 10/05/15 Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 912 TN B bonefish Campfire Regular bonefish Campfire Regular B Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 912 TN My Borden barreled action has been shipped to Tom Meredith for stock work. Borden's prices are fair and I believe he will stand behind his work. He only does barreled actions now. He told me last week that he is approximately 6 months in lead time right now. Borden barreled action and McMillan Edge done by Tom Meredith comes in a little under 4K. Lee Christiansen "Redneck" is very reasonably priced and has super quick turn time. He did a very nice job on a 700 build for me. Less than half the price of the more famous smiths.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list bonefish #10547834 10/10/15 Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,161 AL Woodhits Campfire Regular Woodhits Campfire Regular Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,161 AL Borden Gradous Tannel

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10548868 10/10/15 Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,576 Northwest Missouri 7 7mmMato Campfire Tracker 7mmMato Campfire Tracker 7 Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,576 Northwest Missouri I do some mighty fine work as well. Prices are reasonable too. Only $5800.00 for this little jewel. I've always been different with one foot over the line.....

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list 7mmMato #10549182 10/10/15 Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 1,596 UT Gledeasy Campfire Regular Gledeasy Campfire Regular Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 1,596 UT My 7.5 pound Borden 300 wsm only shoots this good with factory ammo. I had a RW Snyder rifle that shot equally impressive. I have a rifle from Lee "Redneck" which is also a great rifle. Those are my only experiences. I'm kind of looking into the same thing with my next build. Originally Posted by 7mmMato I do some mighty fine work as well. Prices are reasonable too. Only $5800.00 for this little jewel. This might have my vote!

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list 7mmMato #10555356 10/12/15 Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 5,749 Georgia G GeorgiaBoy Campfire Tracker GeorgiaBoy Campfire Tracker G Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 5,749 Georgia Originally Posted by 7mmMato I do some mighty fine work as well. Prices are reasonable too. Only $5800.00 for this little jewel. Does that price include load development?

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10557730 10/12/15 Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 912 TN B bonefish Campfire Regular bonefish Campfire Regular B Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 912 TN I might ask "redneck" to do a 35 Whelen on a pre 64 model 70 action. It would be the perfect rifle for nothing I hunt but still sounds like would be fun to have.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list fredIII #10558080 10/12/15 Joined: Nov 2012 Posts: 151 Texas N Nortex Campfire Member Nortex Campfire Member N Joined: Nov 2012 Posts: 151 Texas Originally Posted by fredIII Scott Weichel. live oak accuracy. One of the best. And uses Obermeyer barrels and has them in stock. X2 Scott built my 6mm Creedmore and it's a shooter. He will be spinning up a new barrel or two for it soon.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list Nortex #10558200 10/12/15 Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,423 Wa west 🇱🇷 F fredIII Campfire Outfitter fredIII Campfire Outfitter F Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,423 Wa west 🇱🇷 Scott is also a great guy he has built me two 338 edges, a 300 win mag , 280ai,6.5x284 and a couple 7 mm RM all are 1/2 Mao shooters. Plus Scott is just a joy to deal with he stands behind his work 110%.

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10558212 10/12/15 Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,090 Rockford, MI passport Campfire Outfitter passport Campfire Outfitter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 10,090 Rockford, MI Shawn Carlock at Defensive Edge is worth a hard look IMO. He built me a rifle a few years ago and after using lots of other guys I would go back to him. His wheel house is big, heavy rifles but will build what ever you want and his chambering work is top notch. He makes a VERY accurate rifle and can do everything under one roof. Plus he just a hell of a good guy to work with It�s a magazine not a clip...... Advice is seldom welcome, and those who need it the most, like it the least.� - Lord Chesterfield. 1750

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list BurninDupont #10559540 10/13/15 Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 23,628 MontanaMan Campfire Ranger MontanaMan Campfire Ranger Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 23,628 If your buying a Borden action, he can do the entire rife for you, if you're willing to pay his price..........he does very nice work. Or you can have Karl Feldkamp at Kampfeld Custom do it for you & no one builds more accurate rifles than Karl with any better workmanship. Karl is far from cheap, but his work is outstanding. No one that's truly a custom 'smith & is any good, is going to have really quick turnaround time unless you just happen to get real lucky. MM Kampfeld Custom

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list MontanaMan #10559764 10/13/15 Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 4,493 virginia G gene270 Campfire Tracker gene270 Campfire Tracker G Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 4,493 virginia I dont think Karl is doing any rifle building at this time he is to busy fluting bolts and barrels

Re: Top gunsmith recommendation list GeorgiaBoy #10561286 10/13/15 Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,576 Northwest Missouri 7 7mmMato Campfire Tracker 7mmMato Campfire Tracker 7 Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,576 Northwest Missouri Georgia Boy you got to do your own load development on that piece. I've always been different with one foot over the line.....