I'll give you my take on this from having both a couple of high end rifle builds and a couple high end factory rifles.
Both my current custom builds and also builds I have sold over the years have been through Insite, and I am not sure you can get a better rifle build, and especially, a better barrel cut and chambered then Harley's work.(Just ask anyone on CGN who has gotten a barrel from him). The advantages of the custom build are the uniqueness and the specific components that work for you, not for a whole range of different people, as a factory build has to be. You can custom fit and tune everything from the stock to trigger to weight to purpose, all to your specific wants. There is a cost for that and it is true that customs may hold less residual value, but to me, that is a very low priority, compared to function, fit and accuracy. After all, you will keep it for years regardless and a bit of depreciation is expected over that time.
A high end factory rifle also is a costly purchase and I do love my Desert tech and AI rifles, but as I have worn through barrels, all the new parts are Insite custom parts and barrels now too. The other big difference between high ned factory rifles and customs is the quality of their barrels and chambering.
There is no comparison between my Desert Tech and Accuracy International barrels and my custom barrels spun up for those same rifles. The factory barrels were decent, and may be fine for most regular shooters, but once you have a bughole shooting custom barrel, nothing factory compares.
Even my current AI AT, has 4, and soon to be 5, custom barrels now, plus an upgraded Comp trigger, so its more custom then factory anyways. If there was ever a Desert Tech aftermarket trigger come to market, I'd be the first guy in line for it. With a custom, you get that Triggertech/BixnAndy right out of the box, so to speak.
Neither carry too much of a difference in initial costs, but the factory rifle may need some custom parts as you go along to tailor it to you? A custom is set up right from Day 1, and doesn't need upgrading as you go along.
I haven't personally owned a cadex, but a shooting buddy has one, and really likes it, so I'm sure it'd be a good purchase too.
No wrong answer here though. The feeling and uniqueness of owning, and even going through the process and research of building a high end build is also pretty fantastic experience though.
Both my current custom builds and also builds I have sold over the years have been through Insite, and I am not sure you can get a better rifle build, and especially, a better barrel cut and chambered then Harley's work.(Just ask anyone on CGN who has gotten a barrel from him). The advantages of the custom build are the uniqueness and the specific components that work for you, not for a whole range of different people, as a factory build has to be. You can custom fit and tune everything from the stock to trigger to weight to purpose, all to your specific wants. There is a cost for that and it is true that customs may hold less residual value, but to me, that is a very low priority, compared to function, fit and accuracy. After all, you will keep it for years regardless and a bit of depreciation is expected over that time.
A high end factory rifle also is a costly purchase and I do love my Desert tech and AI rifles, but as I have worn through barrels, all the new parts are Insite custom parts and barrels now too. The other big difference between high ned factory rifles and customs is the quality of their barrels and chambering.
There is no comparison between my Desert Tech and Accuracy International barrels and my custom barrels spun up for those same rifles. The factory barrels were decent, and may be fine for most regular shooters, but once you have a bughole shooting custom barrel, nothing factory compares.
Even my current AI AT, has 4, and soon to be 5, custom barrels now, plus an upgraded Comp trigger, so its more custom then factory anyways. If there was ever a Desert Tech aftermarket trigger come to market, I'd be the first guy in line for it. With a custom, you get that Triggertech/BixnAndy right out of the box, so to speak.
Neither carry too much of a difference in initial costs, but the factory rifle may need some custom parts as you go along to tailor it to you? A custom is set up right from Day 1, and doesn't need upgrading as you go along.
I haven't personally owned a cadex, but a shooting buddy has one, and really likes it, so I'm sure it'd be a good purchase too.
No wrong answer here though. The feeling and uniqueness of owning, and even going through the process and research of building a high end build is also pretty fantastic experience though.
