Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Craig on October 31, 2013, 12:39:45 PM

Title: How much better ?
Post by: Craig on October 31, 2013, 12:39:45 PM: I shoot a stock Remington 700 in .300 ultra mag. I like the gun But for some reason I have always wanted to have a little nicer rifle.
How much better do you think a fully custom gun ($5000+ ) is then a super nice gun ( $1000-$2000). Not counting optics. Rifles like Sako, Kimber or Remington Sendero look look good guns. Is a custom gun that much better?
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: 300rum on October 31, 2013, 12:58:58 PM: In a bolt rifle for general hunting purposes I don't see it being worth the money.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: Alchase on October 31, 2013, 01:07:54 PM: Depends on how you define better?

I have Winchester Model 70s, Ruger M77 Mk II, Reminton Model 700, etc... and a Sako Finlight.
Every one of those guns can kill dear or elk just fine.

The Sako came with a 1moa guarantee, the fit and finish is outstanding, and it is pounds lighter then any of the others.

Can not argue the quality/accuracy of the Sako over the rest out of the box.

The objective is to shoot straight and kill deer, elk etc...

All of the above can do that.

You could build that 700 into a tack driver or buy a new "custom" or "higher end" rifle.

So the question is, is it worth it to you?

It was for me.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: whacker1 on October 31, 2013, 01:10:04 PM: Why not spend a few pesos to make yours nicer? thumbhole stock? action Squared? bolt fluted? Things like this to improve your experience with it.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: snowpack on October 31, 2013, 01:23:08 PM: they tend to be noticeably better, but at close ranges it's hard for people to see. Probably the two big differences that make the differences are a good bedding job and some trigger work. The differences between action and barrel are small, but when you put the factory action/barrel on a random factory stock the differences are pretty big compared to the custom guns where the stock is tailored to the action. Another difference is that the custom guns are probably being fed custom ammo. Eventually all the little things add up, but I think trigger/bedding are the major improvements.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: huntandjeep on October 31, 2013, 04:50:08 PM: Quote from: snowpack on October 31, 2013, 01:23:08 PM
. The differences between action and barrel are small,
. The differences are small ? I have a couple Remington 700's and a custom built rifle with a Stiller action. There is no comparing the 2. The Stiller is way nicer no slop and much smoother.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: Bofire on October 31, 2013, 06:35:46 PM: :) I think "custom" is great if you have some special need. Or if you do some special competition or something. I have had and do have custom guns. For average use there is no difference. Be careful who you pick for your custom work many a good gun has been ruined by "gunsmiths".
In someways it is nice to have something "custom" or different than "standard".
I have a custom .300 WM I love.
Carl
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: coachcw on October 31, 2013, 08:48:08 PM: the only time a custom rifle is better is when you shoot it :chuckle: my only regret and I may change is a lighter stock that would carry a bit better. , my bell carolson tactical stock is heavy .
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: b23 on November 01, 2013, 02:03:08 PM: How far are you planning on shooting? If your limit is 400ish yards most off the shelf guns will likely fill your needs. It's when you start getting around 600 yards that things start getting more difficult for factory guns and past 800, they get really difficult for off the shelf rifles.

I have a friend that teaches long range shooting and he's told me he really hates it when guys show up to his class with factory stock, off the shelf, rifles because when they start shooting out to 800 yards and beyond, the guys with off the shelf rifles get really frustrated because they can't hit, with any consistency, what they are shooting at and everyone else with custom or semi custom rifles can consistently make hits.

You don't have to go full blown custom to get a rifle to shoot well at a 1000 yards. If your 300RUM is something like a Rem. Sendero it already has a decent stock and all it would need is for you to send it off to a good gunsmith that can blue print the action, chamber a new, good quality barrel, then bed the action and you'll be in pretty good shape to have a gun capable of shooting 1000yds as long as the shooter and his ammo are up to it.
Title: Re: How much better ?
Post by: gadwall on November 02, 2013, 09:19:37 PM: Quote from: whacker1 on October 31, 2013, 01:10:04 PM
Why not spend a few pesos to make yours nicer? thumbhole stock? action Squared? bolt fluted? Things like this to improve your experience with it.

:yeah:

I have a model 70 Laredo LRH in 7mm Rem mag that I bought when they came out in 1996. I had the boltface squared, the bolt polished and the trigger cleaned up. Those guns came out with features (alum. pillar block bedding, 26 " 3/4 bull barrel, crowned muzzle and top notch composite stock) that would bring $1500-2000+ today. Lots of time at the loading bench yielded 0.4" 3 shot groups at 100 and 2.5" groups at 400. I would take your rifle and make it what you want through a quality gunsmith.

Gadwall