Custom build cost?

OP
Brush Buster

Brush Buster

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
290
I'm sorry I didn't keep a spreadsheet of all my parts and costs, but here's what I put together:

Savage 111 action
Criterion 260 AI barrel, 26", light varmint contour, .5/8x24 threads, 7.5 twist
NSS barrel nut and recoil lug
Tactical Bolt knob
Boyds Pro-varmint stock with adjustable comb
PTG Bottom metal with Accurate Mag 30-06 mag (I load my rounds with CEB MTH MAX bullets so I need the long action)
Precision Armament M11 brake
EGW 20 MOA Rail
ADM QD scope mount
Vortex Viper PST Gen 1 6-24x50 FFP with EBR-2C Mil reticle

Could have put it together myself, but I had my smith do it since this is a precision gun and I didn't want to mess anything up. It's glass and pillar bedded in the stock. I shoot 140 grain ELD-M just under 3000 FPS and 130 grain CEB MTH right at 3100 FPS. Shoots both 1/2 MOA or better. Haven't killed anything with it yet, but I'm hoping to take it to Wyoming for antelope this year.

I will say this about budgeting: you will always spend more than what you think. I've built a number of custom/semi-custom guns and I always spending more than I intend.

Do you like FFP scopes? I’ve never had one before but it seems like it’s the way to go for long range hunting where hashmark holdovers are used? Are there any drawbacks?
 

ckleeves

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
1,520
Location
Montrose,Colorado
Heres where I am at right now...

Stock: Manners EH1 $600
Barrel: HCA $615 with rokslide code
Action: complete rem 700, $400
Muzzle brake: $100
Smith Fees: $600?? really not sure about this one.

What am I missing and where am I wrong?

Your going to want a good trigger. If your buying a Remington with a X-Mark there really isn’t much fixing them. If you end up with a older one you can smooth it out but they never end up as good as a aftermarket imo. No way I would spend 2k on a build and not put a high quality trigger in it.

Cerakote (if you want it)
Bedding
Wyatt’s box and install cost (if needed)


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idig4au

WKR
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
Messages
708
Location
On one of the 7 continents….
I seem to typically pay between $5k and $6k for my builds and that includes carbon barrels (proof or Satern), Ti actions, McMillan edge stocks, jewel triggers , creakote, custom dipped stocks and etc and not including optics.
 

TauPhi111

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
598
Location
Ohio
Do you like FFP scopes? I’ve never had one before but it seems like it’s the way to go for long range hunting where hashmark holdovers are used? Are there any drawbacks?

I do like my FFP scope and you are on the right track as to why. When shooting at long range and using your reticle for holds, the hashes are the same correction at any power, unlike SFP scopes, where only at full power are, for example, your 4 MOA hash actually 4 MOA of drop. In situations where I might not have my scope cranked all the way up to 24x, I don't want to have to calculate what fraction of full power I am and then determine what holds on my reticle actually are.

The only thing about a FFP scope is the reticle changes size as you zoom in and out. Some people who are used to SFP scopes and stuck in their ways find it uncomfortable and don't like that the target becomes more obscured at higher power (it really doesn't make a difference), but I feel if you understand the principles behind a FFP scope and know how to use it, that shouldn't bother you
 
Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
3,474
Location
Lewiston ID
Nice to see some familiar faces on the thread!

As others have said, all depends on options. My labor cost for an all out build is $850 which includes single color cerakote, laser engraving, chambering/barrel fitment, threading/timing muzzle brake, full length stock bedding, final assembly and function checking. Load development will run $350+ components. You can save $100 off build labor with the group buy pricing through the end of this month as well as $135 off my carbon barrel pricing.

With a lone peak or defiance action, carbon barrel, trigger tech, AG/Manners/McMillan stock you're going to be right at $4k for a build. Add $300 for a titanium action. That doesn't include optics or mounts. IF you wanted a "budget" custom you could subtract $150 to run a Stiller action ($3850), or subtract $325 to run a Blueprinted Rem 700 + PTG bolt action ($3675). Running a tikka is never a bad idea but it limits your stock selection a bit.

If you've got a factory Remington you want built off of, you'll be at $3300 which includes blueprinting your existing action.

All the above prices are for carbon barrel builds.

Mike
 

ofl0926

WKR
Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
2,038
Location
miami, fl
Nice to see some familiar faces on the thread!

As others have said, all depends on options. My labor cost for an all out build is $850 which includes single color cerakote, laser engraving, chambering/barrel fitment, threading/timing muzzle brake, full length stock bedding, final assembly and function checking. Load development will run $350+ components. You can save $100 off build labor with the group buy pricing through the end of this month as well as $135 off my carbon barrel pricing.

With a lone peak or defiance action, carbon barrel, trigger tech, AG/Manners/McMillan stock you're going to be right at $4k for a build. Add $300 for a titanium action. That doesn't include optics or mounts. IF you wanted a "budget" custom you could subtract $150 to run a Stiller action ($3850), or subtract $325 to run a Blueprinted Rem 700 + PTG bolt action ($3675). Running a tikka is never a bad idea but it limits your stock selection a bit.

If you've got a factory Remington you want built off of, you'll be at $3300 which includes blueprinting your existing action.

All the above prices are for carbon barrel builds.

Mike


There you go, from the man himself


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Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
3,474
Location
Lewiston ID
I like the way mike gives you options!

if you will take your time to scrounge parts you frequently can save major bucks. and that's half the fun for me.

I don’t mind in the least if a customer brings me components for a build. Walking customers through spec’ing out a build can eat a ton of time up! But you know it will work perfectly when that happens.

One thing I will caution though, make sure everything you shop for is compatible. Mismatching stock inlets for actions, bottom metals, barrel contours happen frequently. Wrong mag well inlets for chosen chambering, actions inletted for DBM’s vs stagger feed...etc And if something doesn’t work right then you’re quickly going to lose the money you thought you were saving.

Mike


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Fitzwho

WKR
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
956
Location
Midland, TX
I have built 4. 2 Semi Custom (Savage) and 2 customs (Remington 700s)

I did all the work on the Savages. One I bought a aftermarket prefit and spent around $500 turning my 7mm Mag into a 35 Whelen with a custom Boyd's laminate stock. The other I ordered a full custom ER Shaw barrel with helical fluting and an integral muzzle brake and spent around $1100 turning a Stevens 7mm-08 into my first 6.5 Creedmoor.

I wanted something a little nicer/lighter so I sold both of those, and started in on building my 300WM and a new light 6.5 Creedmoor.

6.5 Creedmoor (6lbs flat w/o optics):
Rem 700 Stainless Short Action
Trued, Fluted Bolt, and gunsmithing done at Northwest Action Works in Oregon
Christensen Arms 20" Light Target Barrel, with muzzle threads
Stocky's carbon fiber stock, bedded the action myself
HS Precision Bottom Metal DBM

300 Win Mag (8lbs flat w/o optics):
Rem 700 Stainless Long Action
Trued, Fluted bolt, threaded bolt know at Northwest Action Works
Carbon 6 Barrel, 23" Full Bull Profile, threaded muzzle
B & C half bedded stock, (weighs like 22oz)
HS Precision Bottom Metal
Gunsmithing done at Carbon 6

I want to say I have about $2500 in each without optics. I could have easily spent more on the stocks and be around $3000 but wouldn't have really gained anything. One of these days I might be mounting the Creedmoor in one of those Iota Krux stocks and the 300 in a Kremlin.
 
Joined
May 25, 2018
Messages
488
I’m starting on my second “semi custom” now, both I have paid for via odd jobs and credit card points and I kept the budget reasonable by doing a lot of the work myself (I enjoy it) and shopping eBay and classifieds on sites like this for at least a year accumulating parts. I wouldn’t suggest that mine are anywhere near professionally built rigs, but they shoot well and it’s very satisfying to hunt with a gun I built myself.

First is a 257 Roberts barrel on Mauser action I picked both up already together on gunbroker for $250. Did all the metalwork including rust bluing and drilling and tapping the scope bases myself. Had a gunsmith fit the barrel and headspace it. Picked up a jewell trigger for $50 in the classifieds somewhere and spent $500 on a fancy semi-inletted walnut stock that I inletted the barrel channel and bottom metal, bedded the action, sanded down, and finished myself. I’ve probably got around $1000 into that one before optics.

The one I’m working on now is a Rem 700 in 280 off gunbroker for $500. Smith is pinning an aftermarket recoil lug for down the road when I make a remage switch barrel of it but sticking with the factory barrel for now. That’s another $250. Picked up an aftermarket trigger for $50 and some Talley lightweight mounts for $30 on the classifieds somewhere. Still shopping for a used McMillan stock in various classifieds right now. Traded another gun for a NIB Leopold vx3 online value $350. Will do the bedding and assembly myself, hoping to be still under $2000 pending my stock choices.

In both cases I spent over a year shopping for deals and accumulating parts.


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Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Messages
435
Location
Northern Michigan
Last one i put together was a 6.5cm thats shoots as good or better than any of my other customs, including GAP and APA /Patriot Arms full builds. I have abouut 1200 in the bare rifle and 1900 total with glass. I inletted the stock for the m5 bottom metal myself and do my own bedding. Also headspaced/installed the barrel myself.

Used mcm gamescout. 350
new rem700 ss action. 375
criterion remage barrel. 300
ptg stealth m5 bottom metal. 100
used rifle basix trigger. 75
30mm tlw's. 35.
LRHS FFP 3-12. 750.

This was the first criterion remage barrell ive tried and i am very impressed with it.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
418
Location
bend, oregon
I'm right around 4k for my 300RUM
Thinking about a 300rum. Factory 700 action, carbon barrel, manners eh1 stock and some work done to the factory trigger. The get a brake and possibly flute the bolt and Cerokote... Does 3k sound about right for that??

Yes. I’m having an m70 action I already have and a b&c stock
Brux fluted barrel
Brake
Cerakote
Squaring and chambering
Full bed job

All of this being done by lane precision rifles who is, in my opinion, one of the best smiths there is and my cost before optics will be around $1650 for a sub half MOA rifle but I bought the stock and barrel myself and sent it to him with the action. The little stuff adds up though. Detach mag setup, Tac bolt handle, trigger, custom actions, expensive stocks or carbon fiber barrels. I’d say $2000 is a base level custom rifle and it goes up to over $5k from there.
 

Whisky

WKR
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
1,419
I've got 2 customs that were built around 3300 a few years back... I've penciled out a couple different builds I want now and they are $4300 give or take.
 

WestexSBK

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 25, 2018
Messages
154
My current build is going to cost roughly 8k after the smith is paid. My last custom cost about 6k
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
1,936
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
Mine is probably around $4500 including optics. Proof barrel, TL action, triggertech special, McMillan A3 Sporter Carbon, topped with a Leupold 3.6-18 mark 5, built by Alamo’s precison rifles.
 

PAbow84

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 23, 2017
Messages
100
Location
Pennsylvania
So first thing is, like stated earlier, you're going to spend more than you think. Also, if you're doing a custom build, you probably don't want some run of the mill rifle. Everyone has their own budget but I wouldn't skimp on areas just to save a few hundred dollars. I'd also try if at all possible to get a custom action if you can swing it. My current build is not complete but below is where I'm at now. Still have to pay the smith and the Cerakote bill. I also have some hardware cost, bedding materials, etc. Most of that stuff I already have but those little things can add up. I like doing some of the stuff on my own but I've come to the conclusion that it really doesn't save any money.

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leebr10

FNG
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
21
For just the bare rifle, I've found the $2-3k mark to be a good happy medium. Allows you to work off a $1000 custom action, $500 prefit/shouldered barrel, $250 trigger, and between $350-1250 for a custom stock/dbm depending on needs. All of this nowadays could be done without a gunsmith too.
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2019
Messages
15
Location
Ebensburg Pa
I have one custom rig and have right around 2500k into it without glass. Built off a 700 action. Just like everything; you pay for what you get.
 
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