Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Who makes the best custom rifle?

I'd either buy a Tikka or role my own off an American Rifle Company action- too easy to build your own, but that's just my style I guess.

A rebarrelled montucky or stock fieldcraft would work too.

If you've gotta a large budget and weight allowance, maybe an AI- but you said hunting, so nevermind.

Never been a fan of paying out the nose for something I could easily do myself 🤷‍♂️

Jon Beanland. As long as Jon is building rifles, he will build MY rifles.

http://beanlandrifles.com/

John

I think a important part of picking a builder is knowing what you want to learn / interact from the builder.

Some people don’t care, others want to learn more, some are not fit to order a rifle and may get passed over.

So pick well grasshopper…. There is much to the equation of who.

GA Precision
Jon Beanland
Shaen

Have rifles built by all three and not sorry about any of them…

Yes indeed Mr. Gentleman!

I’ve had good dealings with Alamo x 2.

Good guys to deal with.

Weber Customs - Rod Weber

Beanland Custom Rifles - Jon Beanland

Dave Tooley
Josh Kunz PVA

^^ THIS ^^ bet with a little help you can put your own rifle together as good for 1/2 the price

For a big game hunting rifle…D’Arcy Echols

I agree with RinB, D’Arcy Echols. However, to say his rifles are not cheap, would be a huge understatement.

Not cheap for certain, but I know of only one other smith who comes close to what D’Arcy puts out. He doesn’t do the long range tactical stuff, DBMs or carbon wrapped barrels but his safari and regular hunting rifles are without peer, if cost is no object to the buyer. His scope mounts and action are second to none as well.

Jerry Fisher is still king of the hill, IMO. D’Arcy Echols was his understudy.

GF-1
Sadly Jerry Fisher is now 91. He has never built a single synthetic stocked rifle. Today most folks think solely in terms of synthetic stocked rifles.

John55
The rifles coming out of Joe Smithson’s shop are also “best quality” as are those made by Gene Simillion. Mark Penrod is also fully capable. Only Echols is making his own action.

I've owned a few of the well known high price custom rifles and not to rain on anybody's parade, but most were a disappointing, or not what I expected. The most accurate rifle I have ever owned it a 6.5 X 55 Fieldcraft thet I bough when they were $1500.00. The next in line is a 280 Remington that Arnold at Capitol Sports in Helena put together with a 700 action and a Hart barrel. My favorite hunting rifle that will shoot with any of the high dollar rifles is a Model 70 in 270 Win. with a PacNor barrel.

RinB,
I agree, own or have owned rifles built by all of them. Not a fan of Smithson’s stock shape but his work is top class. Gene and D’Arcy are close friends and build very similar rifles. The Biesens built the best feeling wood stocked rifles I ever had the pleasure of owning. Hunted all over with their stuff until my old friend Allen Day put me on to Echols.
One thing many folks don’t understand is that accuracy is just a part of the equation. Judging a rifle solely on its accuracy can leave a lot to be desired. Feeding and function, properly done iron sights if equipped, lots of things go into their builds. A rifle by any of these guys is the complete package. But I still give Echols the nod as the “best” of all.

Jon Beanland or Steve Baldwin, both from Oklahoma.

If “out west” includes carrying up mountains with a backpack, I’ll throw Mr. Forbes name into the ring.

Flat Creek is the name of Tim McWhorter's new company.

Wouldn't mind having a Rigby Mauser in the safe. A little pricey, though.
Bob