I have a custom rifle that I have been toying with selling to finance a different project. The rifle is not for sale yet and this is not a for sale add. I know that customs often sell for much less than the build price. Here are the specs. Just looking for a ballpark price.
Rem 700 long action ss trued.
Fluted shilen 26 inch heavy sporter barrel in 243 AI
Jewel trigger
Dies and 50 or so brass
Badger rings and bases 30mm
Mcmillan hunter stock that has been bedded.
Shot about 100-125 rounds.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks
John

How much you got in it?
Bart

Who did the work? Usually you get more for a "name" maker than an unknown builder.

I have a beretta 682 in it. I traded with a buddy that got into clay shooting. I think that he had a local smith do the work, nobody famous. I will ask him though.

Thanks
John

I'd gather, what it took to build the gun ...

$400 for the trued action
$300 for the bbl
$150 finishing the bbl and fitting it to the action
$350 for the stock
$100 for rings/bases
$200 for trigger
$75 for dies and brass

$1,575 for the completed rifle, built to spec ...

You could probably sell the entire get-up for about $1000 ... give or take?

caveat emptor ... all previous info in this post is guestimation ... I usually don't know what I speak of ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

We would all like to think we made a helluva an investment in our custom rifles but ...

Unless they are like new and a well documented product of a known and respected custom hand who stands behind his work -- and this means very expenive, they rarely sell for anything like half the original investment cost.

You can plan on a long siege waiting for the right buyer to show up.

Any wear and tear, dings, unusual "features" you just had to have like a custom chamber -- will probably knock it down to below the price of an average used rifle price.

1B

Unless you have a custom gun from a known maker, and in a popular configuration, you're lucky to get $.50 on the dollar for a custom gun. A heavy 26" tubed 243 ackley would fall under one of the less popular configurations, especially when it was built with a long action to begin with.

Most likely whoever would buy the gun would do it to get parts for a donor action to build a new rig from. I'd imagine you'd be lucky to get $700-800 for it, and if you ask $1000 or more, you'll be waiting a long long time.

IME 458 is spot on and I would add that even from the high end custom fellas. .40 to .50 on the dollar is about it for the most part.

Mark D

For those who can determine that the work was quality you may ask more . It does not take a famous gunmaker to build excellent rifles, it takes good machine skills.Most famous builders also have stock making ,engraving and other skills that made them famous.If you have an accurate rifle and can convince a buyer that will sure help.I have seen some real messes made by famous gun builders(or their help). I agree with the rest that 50 % to maybe alittle more will be all you will get. Also try to determine which shilen you have . It will be a match or select match which have significantly different prices.

I'd think the rifle would sell briskly,at a $1k asking price................

I think that gun would be sold before you were even done typing at $700-800! People drop that kind of money on a crap factory rifle.

Generally speaking, add up the total cost of the build, and divide by 2.

In your case, second-hand McMillan and Badger Ordnance componentry generally command 90-95% of full retail price. So if you factor that in, I'd guess you might fetch up to around $1200, if you are not in a hurry.

Shane ... I think you're spot on ... for this rifle in particular as well ... I'd bet there are a good many people around here that would more than happily drive a .243AI beanfield rifle with a Shilen bbl, jewel trigger, and set in a McMillan handle ... I know I would, if I had the cheese to float out there for the rig ...

and unless the "smith" is a world class doof, I wouldn't be surprised if the thing actually shot well either ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

In my World,the S/S Sucks commands a premium too.

As a Consumer,my concern would be twist rate and throat geometry.

'Course round count too..................

I couldnt get past the long action.

I wonder at this! You had the rifle made up to these special, expensive details and now you don't want it. You want something else more.

I would keep the rifle and save up for the new "project". If the new "project" is thought out like this one was then you should reconsider.

How does it shoot by the way? Any targets to show us?

99, Start at the top of the thread and work your way down. Fourth post from the top. I think I read that he traded into it. Steve

Comprehension,sure as [bleep] ain't his long suit....................

For a hundred more clams, it could be a 6mm-06 Imp. and be a real screamer, as THAT would do the long action proud....sounds like a LR PD thumper, if the twist and throat allow...

QUIT..........readin' my mind.................(grin)

Thanks for the heads up Steve. I missed that one.

Here are the prices on a current auction for that Beretta.

$2,495.00, $2,000.00, $2,5000, $2,999.00, $600.00, $950.01, $2,150

http:
//www.gunbroker.com/Auction/SearchResults.asp

This forum would be the best place to sell that rifle. Try the free classifieds.

It's funny when you get to looking at used rifles and trying to set a fair price either to sell one or buy. In the above rifle as a buyer I would question why anyone would have a Shilen barrel fluted as an after market item, why not buy a fluted barrel to start with. Shilen doesn't flute barrels. You really have to take a good look at barrel contour was the barrel treated after fluting and depth of fluting? That barrel to me hurts the price on that rifle. Just my .02

what moa does it consistently shoot?

i was thinkin' 6/284......... much shorter skirt than the 06', makes the legs look longer <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

woofer

As an example, I recently put a Jerry Fisher .270 Mauser up for sale at one of the New Hampshire auction houses. It did not reach my $3000 reserve. The rifle is in 99% condition and is gorgeous. Nothing freakish about it. Jerry is thought by many to be the top custom maker in the USA and charges $10g and up these days for a custom rifle.

fwiw,
They bring what they bring depending on the market. Names can come damned close to fetching what they cost, however, they rarely do... I've seen some hellacious good rifles/shotguns bring $.50 on the dollar and I've seen junk net it's procurement costs. Also varies greatly depending on what area of the country you live in. I've had the good fortune to look at the inventory of gun/pawn shops, while on the road, and you find distinct geographical preferences... My best find was a 98% Sako A1 6PPC with a 36x Leupold for $675... A rifle in pistol country so to speak...

My lone suggestion, fwiw, is post an internet ad and spare no picture or detail. The more descriptive the ad the better for both parties. Leaves no bone of contention...

Regards, Matt.

Yep.

THE key,is to solicit the applicable niche..................

True words being spoke here, and many should take note. While most customs are 'proprietary' to the person it's being built for, chances are there's a few others out there that would have done it dang close to the same way ... You gotta be patient, and try to find them ... that's one key for sure ...

Also, you have to remember ... Nobody is hardly ever gonna buy something from you for the price of "new", or even a few dollars short, because they can get "new" straight from the source. There are a few caveats, one of which being wait time ... That's one reason (out of many) you see McMillan stocks holding such a high value... lots of people that do not want to wait 3 months, and that's worth a few more bux ...

Lastly, a really high end custom from a 'famous' smith, can be hard to sell simply because most people that would be interested in it are very discerning in what they want out of a rifle ... and if they can afford to buy (just to throw out numbers) a $5000.00 used custom rig, they can probably afford to buy exactly what they want for a much higher price , and are very willing to do so...

I think WGM's last point is especially well taken - anyone who can swing 5g for a used custom rifle can swing 10g to have one made exactly the way he wants it.

Another vote for rebarrel rechamber as a better way to go.

Could be a long, hard Winter trying to sell it.

I know a McSwirly 338-06 sat on a local gun dealer's shelf for months and months.

No "name" stamped on the barrel = no Sale.

And that was a stainless Ruger Mark II for $395.00.

BMT

Any gun like that....only shot 100 times, likely it don't shoot up to expectations. I'd want to see targets. A screamer is worth way more than a pile of expensive parts, at least to me.

Its been my experience that there are many reasons we build custom rifles; but hoping to get our money back through resale ain't one of them. You may be luckly and recoup 80-90%, but most people who will pay that would prefer to put that same money in the parts and have their own "custom" rifle built.
Go to gunbroker and do a search for "custom" rifle and I supect you will find a few high grade custom rifles by named 'smiths at very high prices that nobody will pay, but you will find many more "custom" rifles selling at 50-60% for that they cost someone to build. IMHO, our dream rifles are never worth as much to someone else.
Good luck
Don

For another example of how low superfine custom guns are valued on resale, look at gunbroker 42589405. A pair of 1903s, superlative, by Dennis Ehrhardt. With a few hours to go in the sale nobody has bid the no-reserve starter of $5500, IMO they would cost well over 15g to duplicate. Of course the calibres are odd, .425 and 9.3x64, if they were .35 Whelen and .25'06 they would probably be sold. But the rifles are really outstanding, albeit with no recoil pads a heroic shooter is required.

What everyone above said. Chambered in 243AI is a detractor and will minus an addition 20%. If I were you, I'd rebarrel it to 7mm08, 308, 338 Fed or 358 and use it as a shooter.

There are actually a few exceptions to that rule, and those would be D'Arcy Echols and David Miller. Many acknowledge them as building the finest hunting rifles bar none. As such, there are enough folks out there that don't want to wait 1-2 years to get one of their rifles, so used ones in popular chamberings often sell for the same or more than the purchase price, and that includes some field wear. They are the exception to the rule, but it is something to keep in mind when considering plunking down serious coin on a custom gun. Would you rather have two $2500-3000 rigs that will get you $1500 when you sell them, or would you rather have a $6500 rig that could go for $7000 in a few years?