Is it worth it

[yorketransport]

I have a  savage ba stealth in 6.5 that got me started on this kick. Very nice glass on it to boot. I have been talking to a builder and roughly 2300 in just the build. I am looking for performance over looks. Building it to hunt and plink and push my limits. A competition gun is not what I an going for. I already have good glass just sitting in the reloading cabinets needing a gun to sit on. I  was thinking 300 win mag because I have tons of brass, comp dies, bullets, powders ect but open to other calibers . I  thought about a 264 win mag. Mainly going to be used for elk.

Is that $2300 built off of your action?

Consider looking at a barrel maker like PacNor or Benchmark to handle your re-barrel work. PacNor charges $300 to thread and chamber a barrel as well as true up the action. It's another $150 to have a muzzle brake timed and installed. So you could have a barrel threaded and chambered with a brake installed for about $750 including the barrel (assuming you spent about $150 on the brake). Benchmark does good work, but I've never seen them deliver anything on time so I don't recommend their smithing services.

Now find a stock and trigger you like. You can find good triggers for $200 or less, even better if you're willing to pick up a used trigger. The stock could cost anywhere from $400-1200 depending on what you like. I've found that I really like the HS precision stocks used on factory Sendero rifles. Second up for me are the McMillan Game Hunter or Game Warden stocks which will run around $700 depending on how it's set up. Bedding a rifle is incredibly easy and I don't see any reason to pay some of the ridiculous rates that smith's charge. Add a couple extra bucks for the bottom metal of your choice and you can call it $1000 total for a stock/bottom metal.

$2300 doesn't sound terrible, but I'm confident you could get a comparable gun built for at least 10% less without making any compromises on quality.

[Crunchy]

Benchmark was very quick with mine as in delivered when quoted or a bit sooner.  Barrel, trued action, brake install, cerakote was around 1k i think.  I went with an AG composite stock, triggertech trigger, hs precesion bottom metal.  Adds up quick.

[smdave]

I have a  savage ba stealth in 6.5 that got me started on this kick. Very nice glass on it to boot. I have been talking to a builder and roughly 2300 in just the build. I am looking for performance over looks. Building it to hunt and plink and push my limits. A competition gun is not what I an going for. I already have good glass just sitting in the reloading cabinets needing a gun to sit on. I  was thinking 300 win mag because I have tons of brass, comp dies, bullets, powders ect but open to other calibers . I  thought about a 264 win mag. Mainly going to be used for elk.

Is that $2300 built off of your action?

Consider looking at a barrel maker like PacNor or Benchmark to handle your re-barrel work. PacNor charges $300 to thread and chamber a barrel as well as true up the action. It's another $150 to have a muzzle brake timed and installed. So you could have a barrel threaded and chambered with a brake installed for about $750 including the barrel (assuming you spent about $150 on the brake). Benchmark does good work, but I've never seen them deliver anything on time so I don't recommend their smithing services.

Now find a stock and trigger you like. You can find good triggers for $200 or less, even better if you're willing to pick up a used trigger. The stock could cost anywhere from $400-1200 depending on what you like. I've found that I really like the HS precision stocks used on factory Sendero rifles. Second up for me are the McMillan Game Hunter or Game Warden stocks which will run around $700 depending on how it's set up. Bedding a rifle is incredibly easy and I don't see any reason to pay some of the ridiculous rates that smith's charge. Add a couple extra bucks for the bottom metal of your choice and you can call it $1000 total for a stock/bottom metal.

$2300 doesn't sound terrible, but I'm confident you could get a comparable gun built for at least 10% less without making any compromises on quality.

Benchmark has been great for me. I have had two brakes installed one they said 2 weeks and it was done in 3 days. The other was as promised 2 weeks.

[yorketransport]

Maybe Benchmark has gotten better since my last experience with them. One project took 13 months on a quoted 8 month turn around and the other took 11 months on a 6 month quote. The first one came back with the wrong chambering cut, even though I sent them the reamer and go gauge They thought that I sent them the wrong headspace gauge since it was marked 375 Ruger, so they use a 338 RCM gauge. That barrel (my 338/375 Ruger Striker) still has the wrong chambering etched on the side (338 RCM). The gun still shoots great to this day so I let it slide. The 6mm BR pistol was a Benchmark build too. I got that one back and it had a zero (.000") feebore because they forgot to run the throating reamer in there. The problem was that the barrel was Nitrided (by their vendor) before they realized their mistake. So the barrel is completely Nitrided, except for the throat which had to be cut afterwards. I still love Benchmark's barrels, but I buy them off the shelf from an outside vendor instead of dealing with "misrepresented" lead times. Ever since then, once any vendor fails to meet an agreed upon commit date I add them to the "no fly" list. No excuses, no apologies; don't be sorry, just be better.

[smdave]

Maybe Benchmark has gotten better since my last experience with them. One project took 13 months on a quoted 8 month turn around and the other took 11 months on a 6 month quote. The first one came back with the wrong chambering cut, even though I sent them the reamer and go gauge They thought that I sent them the wrong headspace gauge since it was marked 375 Ruger, so they use a 338 RCM gauge. That barrel (my 338/375 Ruger Striker) still has the wrong chambering etched on the side (338 RCM). The gun still shoots great to this day so I let it slide. The 6mm BR pistol was a Benchmark build too. I got that one back and it had a zero (.000") feebore because they forgot to run the throating reamer in there. The problem was that the barrel was Nitrided (by their vendor) before they realized their mistake. So the barrel is completely Nitrided, except for the throat which had to be cut afterwards. I still love Benchmark's barrels, but I buy them off the shelf from an outside vendor instead of dealing with "misrepresented" lead times. Ever since then, once any vendor fails to meet an agreed upon commit date I add them to the "no fly" list. No excuses, no apologies; don't be sorry, just be better.

I would be a little upset also.

[kisfish]

Yes 2300 is built off my action. I am going to pull the trigger on the build.. Just need to box it up,and send it off. I will keep you posted on the progeress and results

[gadwall]

Once you go custom everything else is just meh.  I’ve had plenty of factory rifles that shot well but there is always something I don’t like about them.  Don’t  necessarily have to go full custom.  Quality barrel and trigger goes along way but a properly fitting stock with a good bed job is great.   Jme

 

I have 2 rifles that shoot sub 1/2 MOA, one in a .260 Rem on a 700 action and a M70 Classic Laredo LRH in 7mm Rem Mag.  Both are out of the box with trigger jobs and superior action bedding jobs.  Have around 2K into the pair and love them both.