TassieTiger wrote:Ill ask the question a different way...
Could Joe Smoe, a general hunter and part time shooter (not F class or regular A grade target) - gain anything from shooting a well set up (inc bullets, etc) Tikka / Howa / Rem vs a specialized and custom action / barrel arrangement ? Would the extra dollars result in real world results for the average shooter ?
GQshayne wrote:Depends on the goal. In my case, I like rifles that mean something to me. I like nice walnut. Hard to get that in new stuff now, so all my rifles are old. My last purchase was an M55 Tikka, likely from the late 70's or early 80's. It is the newest rifle I own.
bigrich wrote:TassieTiger wrote:Ill ask the question a different way...
Could Joe Smoe, a general hunter and part time shooter (not F class or regular A grade target) - gain anything from shooting a well set up (inc bullets, etc) Tikka / Howa / Rem vs a specialized and custom action / barrel arrangement ? Would the extra dollars result in real world results for the average shooter ?
i believe a properly smithed custom , even in the old military actions like the mauser 98 and p14/m17 can be made to shoot very, very well. i've rebarrelled and bedded, floated a few of mine, and owned standard factory rifles as well . the most accurate rifle i've ever owned is my 222 win 70 .bedded, floated ,trigger job by me , swan barrel fitted by the swan boys .the second most accurate rifle was a factory sako A7 in 308 that would make one hole with handloads , and shoot under a inch with aussie outback 165 sierra factory loads . i've heard howa's shoot very well ,and are definately more "bang for your buck" than a custom or sako but i'm content to spend more on a rifle, either rebuilt or a qaulity new one ,in the belief you get what you pay for . in my experience it pays off , but the custom depends on abilities of the smith. JMHO
GQshayne wrote:Depends on the goal. In my case, I like rifles that mean something to me. I like nice walnut. Hard to get that in new stuff now, so all my rifles are old. My last purchase was an M55 Tikka, likely from the late 70's or early 80's. It is the newest rifle I own.
TassieTiger wrote:Can the average shooter use the extra precision that a top end build offers? - or, not unlike the populace being faster on a track in a standard car than a v8 super car, because it takes regular and ongoing practice to get the best out of that supercar??
SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
GQshayne wrote:SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
And I am saying that in my case a custom one gives me greater satisfaction. More work yes, but that is part of it too. It is unique, and gives pride of ownership. Something a factory rifle cannot give me.
marksman wrote:TassieTiger wrote:Can the average shooter use the extra precision that a top end build offers? - or, not unlike the populace being faster on a track in a standard car than a v8 super car, because it takes regular and ongoing practice to get the best out of that supercar??
practise does make perfect
IMO a bad shooter will be able to shoot a good rifle good but a good shooter will shoot a bad rifle bad,
it is always better to have a rifle that shoots better than you
SCJ429 wrote:GQshayne wrote:SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
And I am saying that in my case a custom one gives me greater satisfaction. More work yes, but that is part of it too. It is unique, and gives pride of ownership. Something a factory rifle cannot give me.
I still don't understand, do you get a custom action from the 70s and make yourself a walnut stock for it? Or you get a 70s Tikka action and modify it?
I like 70s Ruger #1s and have several, none of them have their original barrels or chamberings and I have upgraded the stocks or modified them. I like an oiled finish rather than the original varnish. This is fun and makes them unique to me. But you can also have a sense of pride from a rifle you researched and had built by a gunsmith, especially when it shoots well.
I wish I had a nice rifle handed down by my Pop, I would treasure that too. Be a nice way to remember someone who loved hunting also.
Stix wrote:SCJ429 wrote:GQshayne wrote:SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
And I am saying that in my case a custom one gives me greater satisfaction. More work yes, but that is part of it too. It is unique, and gives pride of ownership. Something a factory rifle cannot give me.
I still don't understand, do you get a custom action from the 70s and make yourself a walnut stock for it? Or you get a 70s Tikka action and modify it?
I like 70s Ruger #1s and have several, none of them have their original barrels or chamberings and I have upgraded the stocks or modified them. I like an oiled finish rather than the original varnish. This is fun and makes them unique to me. But you can also have a sense of pride from a rifle you researched and had built by a gunsmith, especially when it shoots well.
I wish I had a nice rifle handed down by my Pop, I would treasure that too. Be a nice way to remember someone who loved hunting also.
And isnt it funny how this sense of getting pleasure out of personalising a rifle is also what many of us dispise ourselves...
What i mean, is, if we see an older rifle for sale thats been altered from new--lets say hypothetically, an early Win mod 70 with nice grain timber stock...that isnt sporting the original barrel or chambering, the stock has been re-finished & slightly altered by someone long in the past, most of us would view it as having been butchered...
SCJ429 wrote:No matter what you do to a Tikka or a Howa you won't be setting any records with it. The custom actions use quality billet steel, great design and fantastic machine work. If you have the inclination and opportunity you should treat yourself.
Not taking anything away from what you have done with your Mauser 98 there Marksman, quite inspirational as I have a 1909 Argentine there I should slip a barrel onto.
marksman wrote:SCJ429 wrote:No matter what you do to a Tikka or a Howa you won't be setting any records with it. The custom actions use quality billet steel, great design and fantastic machine work. If you have the inclination and opportunity you should treat yourself.
Not taking anything away from what you have done with your Mauser 98 there Marksman, quite inspirational as I have a 1909 Argentine there I should slip a barrel onto.
you are very lucky to have a 1909 argentine action, very lucky and shame on you for not having it made into a custom rifle already
its a real shame bill Hambly-Clark jr is not building rifles anymore, he would be my choice of smith for a custom mauser on a 1909 action
SCJ429 wrote:GQshayne wrote:SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
And I am saying that in my case a custom one gives me greater satisfaction. More work yes, but that is part of it too. It is unique, and gives pride of ownership. Something a factory rifle cannot give me.
I still don't understand, do you get a custom action from the 70s and make yourself a walnut stock for it? Or you get a 70s Tikka action and modify it?
I like 70s Ruger #1s and have several, none of them have their original barrels or chamberings and I have upgraded the stocks or modified them. I like an oiled finish rather than the original varnish. This is fun and makes them unique to me. But you can also have a sense of pride from a rifle you researched and had built by a gunsmith, especially when it shoots well.
I wish I had a nice rifle handed down by my Pop, I would treasure that too. Be a nice way to remember someone who loved hunting also.
SCJ429 wrote:It is already a full custom that I built in the 80s, I chambered it in a caliber I have not had much luck with 338 WM. I am thinking about going smaller like a 30 cal or 7mm.
Bill wrote:I have 8mm dies if you do go down that route, you can have em for free just pay postage
bigrich wrote:Stix wrote:SCJ429 wrote:GQshayne wrote:SCJ429 wrote:But this is a thread about modifying a factory rifle or building a custom one.
You can buy a new Ruger #1 or Weatherby Mark 5 with a nice bit of walnut attached.
And I am saying that in my case a custom one gives me greater satisfaction. More work yes, but that is part of it too. It is unique, and gives pride of ownership. Something a factory rifle cannot give me.
I still don't understand, do you get a custom action from the 70s and make yourself a walnut stock for it? Or you get a 70s Tikka action and modify it?
I like 70s Ruger #1s and have several, none of them have their original barrels or chamberings and I have upgraded the stocks or modified them. I like an oiled finish rather than the original varnish. This is fun and makes them unique to me. But you can also have a sense of pride from a rifle you researched and had built by a gunsmith, especially when it shoots well.
I wish I had a nice rifle handed down by my Pop, I would treasure that too. Be a nice way to remember someone who loved hunting also.
And isnt it funny how this sense of getting pleasure out of personalising a rifle is also what many of us dispise ourselves...
What i mean, is, if we see an older rifle for sale thats been altered from new--lets say hypothetically, an early Win mod 70 with nice grain timber stock...that isnt sporting the original barrel or chambering, the stock has been re-finished & slightly altered by someone long in the past, most of us would view it as having been butchered...
Whether or not it’s “butchered” depends on your point of view. If the modifications have been done well and tastefully it’s a “custom” rifle . Some folks like stuff for it’s collectibility, in factory condition. I used to rebuild and hot rod old cars , so customising to build what I want, using my hands to put my mark on something gives me a great satisfaction.
It’s not so much the destination, it’s enjoying the journey to get there
I could just go buy a sako, but that’s boring for me
JMHO