At what point does a rifle become a custom?

[Trashblaster]

I love the whole topic of discussion! I myself have several "aftermarket " actions such as bat,surgeon and atrs. All these wear jury, Krieger or lilja barrels these I call customs. My "semi" custom rifle is a built tikka with macmillian stock, jury barrel and a trigger spring. Also a firce CT edge would be a "semi" do to the fact it comes complete from one manufacture. Again this is my opinion. Scrolling through the EE sites I can see multiple opinions!

 

[Markus]

Who cares if it's called custom or semi-custom or if it's called "Steven". It's wrong to give things "labels". Let them identify however they want.

 

[Donny Fenn1]

I prefer "customized" for rifles that have had the stock switched etc.

 

[guntech]

The way I see it is like this:

After market action / Custom Action (Defiance, Stiller, Ultimatum etc) with after market barrel (Benchmark, Kreiger, Bartlein etc) = Custom

Blueprinted Factory Action (Remington, Tikka, Howa etc) with after market barrel (Benchmark, Kreiger, Bartlein etc) = Semi-Custom



Just my 2 cents

So what were 'custom' rifles called before there were custom action makers... I know there were plenty made over the years...

 

[Tokay444]

Putting a factory gun in an aftermarket stock and calling it "custom" is like putting winter tires on your Kia Soul and calling it a "custom" car. Just because you changed something from OEM, doesn't make it custom.

Custom in the truest sense would be yourself, or you and enlisted help (i.e. a gunsmith) spec'ing or "designing" a rifle from the ground up with specified parts.

Putting an aftermarket barrel on a gun is not "custom". Truing a rem700 action is not "custom". It's an upgrade and an enhancement on the original OEM form, but not "custom" by any true definition.

In all reality, the word "custom" or "semi-custom" is pretty meaningless in the precision rifle world, and has been really watered down over the years.

I really don't like the word "custom", but unfortunately I don't know of a better term to distinguish between a factory Remington rifle and a rifle produced by a gunsmith such as Insite Arms. I'm all ears though.

When it gets a one-of-a-kind safe kiss, or when someone screws some aftermarket plastic on it (according to EE)

Edit: KTHOMAS has it right - it has to be designed and built to spec. A bespoke rifle. I'd even go so far as to say having the stock made to your exact size.

What if your spec happens to be a trued 700 with an aftermarket barrel?

 

[freedomintheskies]

For our Factory Precision division of F-Class shooting, we consider a factory rifle to be one which retains the Action, barrel and stock as delivered from a manufacturer of mass produced firearms and as published in their advertising. A person can bed the action cut cannot make any chamber/throat or action modifications, like re-chambering, throating, bolt mods or addition of parts that were not installed during regular production (bipod excepted).

 

[cbh560]

It's all pretty trivial semantics, but I've always been of the mind that:

- "Custom" is made of all aftermarket parts. i.e. an action, barrel, etc other than that produced by the big manufacturers. In my case, Defiance action, Broughton barrel, McMillan stock, Jewell trigger, etc.
- "semi-custom" would involve at least one major factory component, usually the action. In my case, a blue-printed Rem 700 action, Carbon six barrel, McMillan stock, Trigger Tech, etc.
- "modified factory rifle" would involve a factory barreled action. In my case an unaltered factory Rem 700 barreled action, in a replacement Bell and Carlson stock, PTG bottom metal, etc.

The common theme here usually being action/barrel combination, but also WHO did the work, the factory or a gunsmith.

None of it really matters, but that seems to be the general consensus that I have gleaned from the internet and other gun owners over the years.

 

[Gatehouse]

This question has been keeping me awake at night for decades....

Apparently this question really HAS been keeping some people awake at night!

 

[Mystic Precision]

"At what point does a rifle become a custom?".... when all the factory rifle problems get FIXED



Jerry

 

[lclund1946]

I'm curious as to what people think on this topic? My opinion is a custom action constitutes a custom gun and a trued factory action is a semi custom.

By definition "Custom Made" means made to individual specifications. One could specify an aftermarket action, stock, barrel and trigger trigger or one could specify a trued action and aftermarket barrel on a Factory rifle. One could also take a Factory rifle such as this CZ 527 V, in 204 Ruger, and Customize it by specifying that the barrel be shortened and re-chambered to a 20 EXTREME Wildcat:

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Or one could "Customize" a CZ 527 Varmint in Kevlar Stock and specify an aftermarket barrel, like a Kreiger, chambered in a 20 EXTREME Wildcat.

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This Remington XR 100 was "Customized" by "truing the action", adding a Shillen Select Match barrel chambered in 20 EXTREME and an aftermarket recoil lug. Another one was done just like it with a PacNor barrel and a Jewel trigger added:

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Another "Trued X-R 100 with Kreiger barrel and further "Customized" by the addition of a Robertson aftermarket stock:

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As you can see a Custom Rifle starts when you specify alterations to a "Factory Rifle" or build a rifle from "specified aftermarket products" or any combination thereof.

 

[Cameron SS]

Remember that custom, is generally a shorthand for 'customized', as in customized for the owner, and should be relatively unique. I don't think its fair to call anything that is a default off the shelf offering from an OEM as custom, even if it is handmade out custom parts.

Note, that these terms can apply either to specific parts, or to the whole gun.

Custom = Manufactured or Re-manufactured at the outset as a one-off to suit the specific requirements of the owner, resulting in a substantially unique item. Usually necessitates a unique barrel action-combo.

Modified (never heard of semi-custom) = been subject to the non-superficial modifications to or the substitution of critical components, IE Action, Barrel Trigger Stock, where the barrelled action is still substantially in factory condition.

 

[madashell]

it's a blurry line.

I have a GA Precision built on a 700 action. It's far from being an upgraded or semi custom rifle. I specified everything on it inc. wanting the 700 over the GAP action for parts availability up here.

I'll buy that myTac-Ord upgraded 700 LTR is semi custom but not sure I'm gonna buy into the GAP being same ... but if it makes some feel better so be it, doesn't offend me.

 

[Mr_Mike]

when the krylon dries

 

[njlondon]

I thought I had a custom rifle built for me by Insite Arms.
I have been told it is not custom because I accepted the barreled action (Defiance, Bartlein) they had in stock, took an A-5 stock (which is what I wanted) they had on their shelves and
accepted their suggestion of DBM.

I got faster than normal delivery (about 2.5 months).
Some anal types insisted it's not a custom rifle.

Well, it shoots better than my Coyote and 2 other high end production rifles, and I don't give a damn if it's a custom rifle or not.
Semantics. But man, it shoots!

 

[madashell]

how dare you call that 700 thingy a custom rifle ... doesn't matter if it out shoots other top brands. It's just a wannabe !

I thought I had a custom rifle built for me by Insite Arms.
I have been told it is not custom because I accepted the barreled action they had in stock, took an A-5 stock (which is what I wanted) they had on their shelves and
accepted their suggestion of DBM.

I got faster than normal delivery (about 2.5 months).
Some anal types insisted it's not a custom rifle.

Well, it shoots better than my Coyote and 2 other high end production rifles, and I don't give a damn if it's a custom rifle or not.
Semantics. But man, it shoots!

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