Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Custom rifle cost

I am thinking about having a custom rifle built and wanted to hear some thoughts on pricing from others who have experience. I know some factors like gunsmith cost can vary but just looking for a general idea. I have the 700 action and shilen trigger already.

Bartlein straight fluted barrel
Mcmillan dark Mcwoody stock
Dbm with 5rnd mag
Spiral fluted bolt and oversized bolt knob
Cerakote

I’m looking for a rifle that will finish in the 7.5lb range.

Thanks

Don’t have the action “blueprinted” waste of $$$...

Scrap the dbm cerakote bolt fluting and knob too.

Sorry I guess it’s like Sitka gear, kuiu gear etc, it looks cool, folks. Might think your cool, but it’s definitely not “needed”.... I found that out at a Alberta guided deer camp last year. I thought we’re hunting Kevlar encased deer, until I killed the biggest buck, again.... haha

Oh I completely agree. It is not needed at all for what I am doing. However, I feel as though if I spend the money on a custom gun I might as well have one that looks cool. My main priority is accuracy but there’s no rule that says it can’t look good. Lol. I’m on the fence about the dbm because it could get in the way at times. Thanks for the input.

I would say you're in the ball park range of 1800-2200.00. We will see what others come up with.

You do not mention what barrel contour or length you are looking at. I thInk the weight goal you have set is doable with a #4 contour fluted and depending on the length could be considerably less. I would think about an ADL version with Edge fill. Not sure if they do a swirly pattern in Edge.

You did not mention bedding, but you might as well add that in there to. Some small things that add up are action screws, springs, follower, box, trigger guard, etc. Not sure if you have those items.

To give you an Idea, I have a Remington 700 SA, 26" Krieger #4 fluted, fluted bolt, in an ADL Classic with Edge fill, VX3 4.5-14, that is within your target weight.

Now...if I was to do it over...mountain rifle setup: #1 contour 20-22", fluted/skeleton bolt,Compact ADL with Edge fill. Probably would drop at least a pound or more.

You did not mention what type of hunting, but NC is similar I would think to Georgia woods. I will say that a 26" barrel is aggravating in the woods or stands.

Thanks for the input. I was planning around the $2000 Range give or take.

Yes, a 26” barrel can be aggravating. I have a Tikka superlite in a edge and I have a couple senderos. If I’m walking or carrying a climber I use the Tikka but most of the time I can cut the distance with my atv so weight isn’t a huge factor. I just don’t want another 12lb gun. 7-8lbs with out the scope is what I’m shooting for. I’m pretty sure I have a adl trigger guard and box laying around somewhere. I believe you are correct. I don’t think they offer the mcwoody in an edge fill.

Approximately twice what you'll be able to resell it for.

You can price the parts as easily as the next guy. Chambering is about $300, bedding about $200, Coating about $225, bolt knob $100 including knob. So you are looking $800-900 labor. Add the cost of components and you are there.

You can make 7-8 lbs with a scope easily if you choose parts carefully.

A fluted #3 Bartlien will max you out at the 7.5# limit , I personally would use a #2 chopped @ 24"and would only use a DBM for cartridges that need it to feed correctly, and if your looking for accuracy first I would absolutely have the action blueprinted by a smith that actually knows how to do it correctly, as those occasional flyers can be the result of an action that has issues...no reason to roll the dice if accuracy is your first concern!

I have often wondered what the actual blueprinting of a bolt action consists of since there are no rotational forces inherent within it's operation, no dynamic forces, no true load. All mated surfaces are static. I know a newly manufactured action could be the result of a blueprint. But how, exactly, can you "blueprint" an old action with intentionally loose tolerances? That word is batted around the world of gunsmiths & engine shops like a whiffle ball. Answer: SCAM!!

A lot of people probably are scammed by any number of smith's and "blueprinting" may not be the best choice of words, Truing would be the better term, guy's like Jim Borden and Greg Tannel are two smith's who know how to do it correctly!

why stop there?...drop the $$$ Bartlien as well... and just choose a smith that knows his stuff with Shilens or Douglas.

Which is why the most affordable way to build a custom rifle is:

Have it built exactly the way you want it
Choose a smith that is well regarded and capable of building it exactly the way you want it.
Pay every dollar it cost and wait every month it takes to have it built exactly the way you want it.

Otherwise saving a couple hundred bucks or allowing the smith to convince you to build something different than your vision will result in you selling the gun for 1/2 what you paid for it, and then building what you wanted in the first place.

If you're not quite sure exactly what you want, buy a used custom that is pretty close for 1/2 what it cost the guy who didn't get exactly what he wanted built.

Depending and what is out of wack, the bolt face might have a bushing fit to tighten up the opening for the firing pin.

The bolt lug bearing surfaces might be cut on the the lathe, the bolt lugs on the bolt cut and the timing on the back of the built adjusted to match.

The bolt body might be built up to tighten up slop in the action

The threads in the action might be re-cut to be concentric and parallel to the centerline of the bolt.

The face of the action might be re-cut to be perpendicular to the centerline of the bolt.

You might rethink there being no dynamic loading on an action if you watch a high speed photo of a gun being fired. The more slop you add the rifle, the greater the spread in the location of the parts and pieces during each shot. When you think about how little you move a firearm to change point of aim for long range shots, it makes perfect sense that changes in the position of the various parts of an action can lead to changing the point of impact shot to shot.

Exactly...It's all about alignment and harmonics!

Awesome advice. Thanks.

Far be it for me to judge your custom/semi-custom rifle desires!

I will say I have a 30-06, Rock Creek #3 barrel finished at 23 inches, McMillan Remington Classic Edge stock, Rem 700, Timney trigger. It does have a DBM but I frankly hate DBM (my lovely wife bought me the rifle when we were newlyweds, I’m committed!). Weight empty is 6.75 lbs. Add about a lb for rings/Leupold 6x42, total weight about 7.75 lbs.

A Bartlein #2 is close to a Rock #3. You can only get a Bartlein that skinny in CM steel. You could use a Bartlein 2B, a little more weight. You could flute a 2B or 3, maybe lose 2-3 oz from the heavier barrel.

The McWoody weighs about 1/2 lb more than the Edge stock.

If you are thinking of a short action that will be 2-3 oz less weight than a long action.

Is DBM heavy? I don’t know if anyone makes aluminum DBM. Maybe, I don’t know much about various DBM systems.

If making your rifle weight is a priority I think you are about a lb or 1.5 lbs over weight.

As mentioned by another poster I estimate $2K to $2500.

Just read again “Bartlein straight fluted”. I think you may be 3 lbs over weight. Good luck!

Its like anything else, if the action is not true, then it needs trued. If it is straight, then it doesn't need trued. People just assume it needs it when rebarreling a gun. Start with something like a tikka or sako and it probably doesn't need it.

Unfortunately even Tikka's and Sakos aren't the holy grail, you'll have a much higher percentage of a shooter with actions such as Defiance, Borden, Surgeon and Big Horn.... sure you'll spend a little more!

Start off with a Kimber Montana and hitting a low weight is easy....BTDT

If your going to use a Remmy and want it done right. Ask your smith these 2 questions and if he can't answer them and doesn't do that then find another smith because it won't be done right. 1. Are you going to time the action for primary extraction with a stainless handle once your done truing it 2. Will you check and see if I have too much cock on close and if so will you time the ignition. If he can't do those two things he is not a gunsmith, he's just a damn machinist. Never have a factory pot metal handle threaded, you can get a stainless ptg handle already threaded and tigged on for less money.

I personally love all of my Sako rifles, SPECIFICALLY the 75 series and that stock design. Best eve hunting stock IMO. They all consistently shoot better than any custom I've owned. I think the stock design of the Sako hunter stock just fits me better.....I've had Borden, Stiller and "trued 700's and the Sako's always perform better......stock design. I've used other stocks on any custom I've build or bought. I do have a fieldcraft now and it shoots very well. I waiting on a 7-08 from my builder and we'll see how it shoots. "Trued" 700 ADL in 7-08 in a Manners EH8. Hart #3 fluted. Tim trigger. Should be pretty slick.


I may never build another rifle after this one. If it wasn't for the Sako mounting system...that's the only rifles I'd probably buy.

Jim Kobe has made me several customs on 700 actions and also some Sako actions.

Here is what we did-
Used SS action in most cases
I used factory bottom metal (and sometimes after market)
Blueprint the action ( worth it? Hard to say)
I had custom bolt knobs installed, but passed on barrel fluting. Did get some bolts fluted, (total cosmetic issue)
Lilja or Shilen barrel (contour has big bearing on gun weight)
I tended to longer barrels, 26” or more on magnums or others that burn a lot of powder, like the 220 swift.
McMillan stock ( I have some McSwirleys and some solid colors. If you are weight conscious, McMillan makes a very light stock. (Had one but sold the gun)
Glass bed the action
I stayed with factory triggers set at 2.75-3#..

These custom attributes works for me. You may like different things. Do what makes you happy, it’s your money and gun. I think these cost me $1500-1700.

This my be true but if you can afford it and want to do it, go for it. You can’t take it with you and it might bring you years of enjoyment.

458 has good advice, that being said whatever caliber your thinking about my advice also is make sure whatever you choose has the correct mag box length if you wanna shoot heavy high B.C.bullets and the reamer has the correct freebore or smith is willing to throat. Also neck dia. There's nothing I hate more than not being able to get to the lands or having to seat a bullet deep in a case chewing up case capacity.

Take what you have and call GA Precision and also Jon Beanland. Use whichever one you feel more comfortable with. Neither of them will steer you wrong and you won’t lose too much value if you need to sell the rifle (as compared to a less well known builder).