Before I take the plunge on a full custom rifle from Borden in 300 WSM, are there any negatives in owning or dealing with their products?

Nope

Of all the 700 clones the Borden is the best platform for a shortmag, the Alpinemag is designed around the cartridge for feeding,magazine and port length, a well designed fire control system and Jim will time the trigger to the action so it has the correct firing pin fall, Jim's actions display flawless machine work and function great, + the rifle will likely shoot ragged hole groups if the shooter is up to the task, I have a 300WM built on a Timberline by Jim and is my go to hunting rifle because of the consistency!

Totally happy with the three I own.

I've known Jim and family for about 20yrs. He is very honest and builds wonderful rifles.

Doubt you would find anyone with a harsh word to say about Jim or his products. Never had a full build from him but have handled and shot a few and have a rifle built off his action. He's one of the best of the well known gunsmiths for a long list of reasons

Well, I know I am the exception and not the rule...but I had issues w/ mine. When I first recieved my new rifle from Borden rifles, (short mag) it would not feed. It would grab the first round w/o failure but then it was hit and miss from then on. Maybe it would grab the 2nd one, maybe it wouldnt. When I called him to tell him about it, he accused me of taking the rifle apart. I told him I was not that smart or that stupid to attempt that.

I told him that Karl Feldcamp was coming to hunt w/ me the next week and we agreed to have him look at it. When Karl arrived I showed him the rifle. He said in no way was the rifle taken apart. He told me he knew a trick to sometimes get the wsm rifles to feed. Then he got on the phone to his wife and had her send him a Ruger follower then he called Midway USA and had them send a Mdl 700 long action spring and a new Wyatts box.

After we got back from hunting, the parts were all waiting. He grabbed a file and went to work. 15 mins later I had a flawlessly feeding rifle. Months after Karl fixing it, I asked him if Jim ever offered to pay him for his services and he told me he did not even call and thank him.

If I have read correctly, Borden rifles now charges $100.00 to make sure the rifle feeds. However, I may be incorrect on this.

I am not "bad mouthing", this is just what happened to me. Had it not been for Karl, I am not so sure what would have been done. I will tell you that if I EVER build another full blown custom, it WILL be on a Borden action, it is very nice!

Lot of other smiths I'd use first and last.

What didn't you like about your Borden Steelhead?

you can do far worse than Jim Borden and i doubt much better than him
just remember if you talk to enough people you will hear good and bad about them all of my experience all has been positive while i have only had his actions
he is a record setting shooter and smith

gene

Just listen to the crickets.....as that's all you will hear!

Greenbrier..you had a good hunting partner

Anyone who is reading this post, dont take into too much consideration what happened to me. As I have read alot before purchasing a rifle built by Borden I know that it was a fluke that this happened. It is by far one the nicest looking rifles I own. Again, if I were to build another custom, I would use the Borden action. But due to many pleasant conversations w/ Karl and Robert Gradious, that is who I would use to build it.

Oldguns- Karl was an awesome guy to hunt w/. He is very pleasant and really knows his stuff. I hope he would like to come back up here again (AK) and go hunt again.

I've got a Borden in 300 WSM. Had it since '06. Never an issue with feeding and it out shoots the hell out of me. Jim is a great guy to talk to to answer all of your questions. As a matter of fact, Borden #2 is being built as we speak.

I have a .223 Ackley built on a Borden alpine which was 'smithed by Karl Feldkamp. I can't enough good things about either of them.

And if I were a smith I would appreciate a customer like Greenbriar as he is very humble and forgiving from our conversations on the phone!

Well I guess I'll chime in also as another more than happy customer. Last September I got my Borden Alpine action/Kampfeld Customs built .243.

The Borden Alpine action sure is a nice choice for a lightweight build IMHO.

Action is slick even under nasty conditions and the rifle just flat shoots - Karl was great to work with as well, hope to have another one from him someday:)

Have had a complete build from Jim in a 338 RUM and have had about half a dozen other rifles built on his actions and have had nothing but great luck with all of them. No brainer for me, drop $500 on an stainless 700 action have it trued up for another $250, flute the bolt $100 and you still have just another 700 action. Which there is nothing wrong with that. For just about the same money I would much rather start out with a superior product to begin with and resale is always better as well. Cannot go wrong with Jim.

I have owned two. One built by Jim on a 700 action. The other built by Jim on a Stiller action. Both were super accurate. NO issues. Cant go wrong with a Borden IMO.