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

I have 6 custom built rifles. All have been built by unknown machinist, not gunsmiths. All shoot great, I dont believe a person has to have 2500.00 to 10,000.00 in a rifle to shoot good. I have roughly 1400.00 into each rifle and I would stack them up against anyone.

The never ending question . . . just like tomato or tomatoe? Potato - potatoe? Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip?

I will say this though, I think 1lessdog has a valid point and have had similar results.

Add John Bolliger Jr to the list. His synthetic stocked 7 Nosler’s average .25-.3 moa, are light, and function perfectly all the time and in all conditions. He has his own stock. Plus 8 month or so delivery and about a third less than a Legend.

Shooting groups is no measure of “best”.
An old beat up pickup will get me to the grocery store but driving an R8 there, well that is an experience.

James Anderson can hang with the other “best” quality makers for sure.

RinB, I am aware of both points, and count Jerry a friend. He is still turning out top drawer rifles even at his advanced age. As to your second instructive point, I don’t recall the original discussion limited to synthetic rifles. I might also ad that D’Arcy makes a really nice wood stocked rifle as well.

I’ll stick to answering the question……

Of those listed I own or have owned HCR, McWhorter and APR. Because I and several friends have owned multiple HCR rifles and EVERY one shot exactly as advertised I have to give them the nod.
I think McWhorter rifles are probably the same and are great people. Alamo is newer to me and both shoot awesome and where substantially less money and they also are great guys who mostly stay on schedule.
Shaen has done several and I have zero issues and he also is a super guy!

David Miller rifles should also be included in this discussion. Not sure if he is still making rifles but if he is then for sure he’s part of an elite list.

What is your criteria? How long is a string?

I watched his videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoLimDL_e0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDvsLNUh0Jw
youtube.com/watch?v=6V_2-H7Hk-Y&t=5s

While he is a pro and I am an amateur, I have the same opinion as him on some things:

1) bedding is to keep the barreled action from moving in the stock before the bullet exits
2) Make big pillars with ribs.
3) Johnsons paste wax as release agent
4) Make your own action screws
5) pre compress pillars against action.
6) put epoxy on pillars and in holes
7) remove stock material with mill
8) no part of the barrel touches the stock

The most skilled custom riflemaker I have known is probably Martin Hagn. His skills are amazing to watch. His custom rifles, whether single shot, double, or bolt action, are beautiful and function well. Whether or not they are the best custom rifles though, I can't say. When you get to that level everyone makes good stuff. GD

My thoughts exactly for function and beauty..

It all depends on what you want and fully agree that accuracy is not the only criteria.

Long range, competition, hunting, masterpiece works of art etc.

If you're looking for something built on a Mauser or Model 70 Mark Penrod (Penrod Precision) in Manchester IN has my strongest endorsement. Great communication and suggestions and was willing to step me through the build and delivered it on time and in budget. A real gentleman that was a pleasure to deal with.

I have been lucky to own some nice custom rifles

What I know is that there a lot of makers that make very fine rifles, yet, you won’t find one better than Echols.

I am fond of Tom Burgess metal work, Jerry Fisher, Maurice Ottmar, Earl Milliron wood work.

Whitebird
I saw a Burgess Milliron 458 on a single square bridge for sale at SCI about 15 years ago. It had Earl’s racey classic stock and Thos’s pop-up front sight. Wish I could get it to live with me.

I have customs from multiple of the builders mentioned above. All are nice and some are better than others from my experiences. I have had a couple issues with some of the very known, popular builders and some have been 100% as advertised. It's a case by case basis and anything CAN happen.

For me, when I can get THE Best, I will start with D'Arcy Elchols for a strong consideration. I dont own one yet but from what I have seen, for the best true hunting rifle if he's not up there for US builders in consideration, something is wrong. Best is such a subjective term now but without talking gold inlays, crazy exotic woods, and flashy accents, D'Arcy builds a damn fine hunting rifle. Cheap? Nope, but the "best" seldom is.

Sounds like a real gem...

Here is a neat little .270 Burgess.

WB
Stock?

If wood and blued is to your lijing, Jim Kobe in Minnesota is also a good rifle builder. He's talented, relatively fast, and reasonable.