Hi ,I'm wondering if any of you guys can help me find a really good gunsmith to build me a custom gun on a #1 action .I want case harden recieve AAAwalnut wood an a octogon barrel to start . cal. who cares I've got enough guns now to kill every thing in N.A. and never use the same one twice ,it's just that I collect Ruger #1's and I've got enough off the rack ones so now it's time to spend a little money which I don't mine doing as long as I get good work for the price and someone is not looking to send thier kids though college on my back.So again a GOOD gunsmith any where in Canada thanks alot
Looking for a good custom gun smith
- Thread starter 4570-1
- Start date
"...gunsmith to build me a custom gun...kids though college..." It's not quite that bad, but as soon as you say 'custom work' it tends to cost more. You'd want somebody who knows Ruger No. 1's too.
Remember that the really good custom work smithies are busy, busy, busy. Mentioning where you are can narrow the search down a whole bunch.
"...I've got enough guns now..." Don't be daft. Firearms are included in 'He who dies with the most toys wins.'
Remember that the really good custom work smithies are busy, busy, busy. Mentioning where you are can narrow the search down a whole bunch.
"...I've got enough guns now..." Don't be daft. Firearms are included in 'He who dies with the most toys wins.'
Be careful how you word your request. When it comes to quality of work and service, you are likely to not only get what you pay for but to get what it is perceived you deserve. Personally, I don't like your tone. Others may have a thicker skin. Regards, Bill
So, you just want a good gunsmith to do the best work, but only pay kitchen-craft prices.
Ted
gunasauras
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I'm sure there are lots of "Bubbas" on here that would love to help him out...
Looking for a good gun smith
Hey guys!sorry I ruffled some feathers I was just trying to explain my position,if any of you fellows have looked at the price of gunsmiths you know what I'm talkng about. I live on the N. end of Van. Island so this is going to be a pay your money and take your chances kind of thing
As for Sunray's answer I agree can't have to many guns ,I just ad a little brain cramp for a moment I guess[hope the wife never reads that]
Anyway I did get one reply which I'll contact soonest and thanks again.
Hey guys!sorry I ruffled some feathers I was just trying to explain my position,if any of you fellows have looked at the price of gunsmiths you know what I'm talkng about. I live on the N. end of Van. Island so this is going to be a pay your money and take your chances kind of thing
As for Sunray's answer I agree can't have to many guns ,I just ad a little brain cramp for a moment I guess[hope the wife never reads that]
Anyway I did get one reply which I'll contact soonest and thanks again.
Have you looked at the price of a mechanic, plumber, carpenter, machinist, sculptor, artist?
It never fails to amaze me, when guy takes his car to the shop and gets charged $75-100/hour, yet figures a gunsmith should work for a quarter that rate!
Ted
Exactly my point! I own a Martin &Hagan as well as 3 Sharps they are all very nice but when you consider that Turn Bull will charge $260 $320 to case harden and action [thats U.S.] have you ever priced a Martini an Hagan?compared to a top line Sharps? Whats the extra 3--4 thousand $ for?
But then again I think I may be talking to the wrong gruop.
But then again I think I may be talking to the wrong gruop.
If, in your opinion, the extra money buys you nothing, don't spend it! If you look around, you may be able to find a capable 'smith who feels he has something to prove and will work for less; or one who will just be able to tread the fine line defining what you want opposed to what you want to pay.
I'm sure that if Matrini & Hagn were aware you find their work to be over priced, they would be happy to not do it for you.
I will tell you this; when a customer approaches me with a project, describes the job, then adds the caveat "but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg", I know that is a customer who will be unlikely to be satisfied with either the job or the price. In other words, someone else's customer!
In your particular case, you will want to obtain a No.1 action have an octagon barrel fitted by a barrelmaker who offers the service. Then find a custom stockmaker who will make stocks using the wood you provide. You will then send the receiver to Turnbull yourself. Have the barrel blued by anyone who blues. By handling all the procurement, shipping, import/export etc. youself, you will save dollars and time. The various tradesmen you employ will be appreciative because you have simplified their jobs. You may be able to take advantage of this to chisel them down a bit on their prices. It will then be a simple matter to get the bluer to install the barrel on the colored action and the stockmaker to install the stocks. If you re-assert your desire to keep the cost down, they are likely to want to do this for free.
I think it will work out. Regards, Bill.
I'm sure that if Matrini & Hagn were aware you find their work to be over priced, they would be happy to not do it for you.
I will tell you this; when a customer approaches me with a project, describes the job, then adds the caveat "but I don't want to pay an arm and a leg", I know that is a customer who will be unlikely to be satisfied with either the job or the price. In other words, someone else's customer!
In your particular case, you will want to obtain a No.1 action have an octagon barrel fitted by a barrelmaker who offers the service. Then find a custom stockmaker who will make stocks using the wood you provide. You will then send the receiver to Turnbull yourself. Have the barrel blued by anyone who blues. By handling all the procurement, shipping, import/export etc. youself, you will save dollars and time. The various tradesmen you employ will be appreciative because you have simplified their jobs. You may be able to take advantage of this to chisel them down a bit on their prices. It will then be a simple matter to get the bluer to install the barrel on the colored action and the stockmaker to install the stocks. If you re-assert your desire to keep the cost down, they are likely to want to do this for free.
I think it will work out. Regards, Bill.
The bottom line is you get what you pay for,and in 35 years of aquiring fine quality firearms I haven't found any shortcuts,and don't expect to!By the way,the rifle I carry most of the time is a VERY nice .284 Winchester built by Leeper.I don't consider it,or the smithing that went into building it overpriced. Mur.
Did you win the lottery, or make rich quick or something? Call whomever you want, sounds like your short on all the right friends if you have to ask a question like that. Personally I've dealt with enough champagne work, Coors budget people, that I think you need to shake your head. Bill is being nice about it, but a good gunsmith let alone craftsman is hard to find in this side of the country, I have two totally screwed projects in my safe and about $5000 down the drain on 'discount' gun-builders. A good Craftsman is worth at least $65/hr and these things don't put themselves together, nor do I want them rushing it. The craftsman I like, I'd never send you to until you put your attitude in a pocket. Hope you r project stays belly-up.
, I have two totally screwed projects in my safe and about $5000 down the drain on 'discount' gun-builders. A good Craftsman is worth at least $65/hr and these things don't put themselves together, nor do I want them rushing it. The craftsman I like, I'd never send you to until you put your attitude in a pocket. Hope you r project stays belly-up.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Shop time can be calculated in $'s/hr. The materials you are considering for your project are expensive by any measure, so it doesn't sound like you are after a working man's hunting rifle. I have had 3 rifles custom and 1 custom handgun built. Each was built for a specific purpose, but each was definitely a working gun and the prices ran from $2K to $8K including the cost of the donner gun. In all but one case I was more than satisfied with the jems that the custom makers produced, but you should be prepared to wait. Three of my friends also have had custom rifles built. Again all but one proved to be very good, so in perhaps a dozen custom guns, I have seen only 2 or 3 that were not up to the expected standard.
Hagen and Martini are probably the best bet for an "artsy" type of rifle. A realistic no bull#### estimation is that your project could easily exceed $10K, but for that money you would have a true one of a kind rifle. The keys to success are; to have a firm idea of what you want from the outset and be able to communicate that to the builder, and patience.
Hagen and Martini are probably the best bet for an "artsy" type of rifle. A realistic no bull#### estimation is that your project could easily exceed $10K, but for that money you would have a true one of a kind rifle. The keys to success are; to have a firm idea of what you want from the outset and be able to communicate that to the builder, and patience.
Bill Leeper knows what he's talking about.
Consider that an octagonal barrel blank is going to start at $500 minimum. Now consider that octagonal blanks take ALOT more labor to install and finish. Why? Well...
1) It needs to index perfectly with a flat on top.
2) It needs to be draw-filed by hand to get machining marks out.
3) It need to be hand-polished, again by wrapping a file in emery and draw-polishing.
4) the forestock inletting becomes MUCH more difficult and depending on the barrel diameter, the Ruger No.1 receiver hanger may need to be milled to suit the barrel's a-typical shape.
5) Sights don't just screw on. You need to mill out dovetails.
All the above work adds SIGNIFICANTLY to the cost.
You will need to completely finish the gun in the white and then give it to your stockmaker BEFORE you case harden or blue it. A decent stockmaker normally charges close to $2000 for a fully inlet, finished and checkered stock in a mid-grade walnut. Expect your project to cost more because octagonal inletting is harder and takes longer to do. Also, add to the cost if you use more expensive wood. Also, if you go with a fancy tanged steel buttplate the cost will go up to inlet the plate. If you use a nice buttpad like a decelerator, most stock guys will bill you $80 to supply and install one.
Now you take off the wood and get your smith to spin the barrel off again. the barrel is blued after any scuffs from stockmaking are cleaned up.
Nobody in Canada, that I am aware of, will color case harden a Ruger No.1 receiver and guarantee the work against action warping. I think you will need to hire Turnbull in the USA. You are going to need export and import services to do that - figure on $200-400 for that. Questar would be a good place to start. Turnbull doesn;t work cheap. Expect to drop a few hundred more there.
In other words - budget on $4000 MINIMUM, not including cost of the donor gun. And that is assuming you subcontract the work out yourself. If you pay a known gunmaker to do everything, it will cost even more.
Consider that an octagonal barrel blank is going to start at $500 minimum. Now consider that octagonal blanks take ALOT more labor to install and finish. Why? Well...
1) It needs to index perfectly with a flat on top.
2) It needs to be draw-filed by hand to get machining marks out.
3) It need to be hand-polished, again by wrapping a file in emery and draw-polishing.
4) the forestock inletting becomes MUCH more difficult and depending on the barrel diameter, the Ruger No.1 receiver hanger may need to be milled to suit the barrel's a-typical shape.
5) Sights don't just screw on. You need to mill out dovetails.
All the above work adds SIGNIFICANTLY to the cost.
You will need to completely finish the gun in the white and then give it to your stockmaker BEFORE you case harden or blue it. A decent stockmaker normally charges close to $2000 for a fully inlet, finished and checkered stock in a mid-grade walnut. Expect your project to cost more because octagonal inletting is harder and takes longer to do. Also, add to the cost if you use more expensive wood. Also, if you go with a fancy tanged steel buttplate the cost will go up to inlet the plate. If you use a nice buttpad like a decelerator, most stock guys will bill you $80 to supply and install one.
Now you take off the wood and get your smith to spin the barrel off again. the barrel is blued after any scuffs from stockmaking are cleaned up.
Nobody in Canada, that I am aware of, will color case harden a Ruger No.1 receiver and guarantee the work against action warping. I think you will need to hire Turnbull in the USA. You are going to need export and import services to do that - figure on $200-400 for that. Questar would be a good place to start. Turnbull doesn;t work cheap. Expect to drop a few hundred more there.
In other words - budget on $4000 MINIMUM, not including cost of the donor gun. And that is assuming you subcontract the work out yourself. If you pay a known gunmaker to do everything, it will cost even more.
Thanks Leeper ,this was the kind of reply I was hoping for .and your advise is more or less what I had though about my self a couple of Yrs. back
I did have one fellow that replied to request and he farms out the case harding and stock work but he knows the people he is working with and therefore I only have to deal with one person.
It is a sad thing here in Canada butI'm in contact with three gusmiths that are working up quotes for me and every one of them is over seventy Yrs. old!I'm no spring chicken myself but it seems a shame that more younger fellows are not doing this kind of work .There are dozens in the U.S. but I really would like the get some one in Canada to build this and stamp his name on it so every one knows there are still some poeple here that can build a rifle.Anyway thanks for the advise
I did have one fellow that replied to request and he farms out the case harding and stock work but he knows the people he is working with and therefore I only have to deal with one person.
It is a sad thing here in Canada butI'm in contact with three gusmiths that are working up quotes for me and every one of them is over seventy Yrs. old!I'm no spring chicken myself but it seems a shame that more younger fellows are not doing this kind of work .There are dozens in the U.S. but I really would like the get some one in Canada to build this and stamp his name on it so every one knows there are still some poeple here that can build a rifle.Anyway thanks for the advise
4570-1
seems to be a reasonable sort.
seems intellegent and has some money saved over time by not squandering it in bars, brothels and the like.
seems to want to get some quality work done.
why was bill offended. I have seen so-called Br gunsmiths bring 2 X 4 guns to the line for competition. I have seen Br smiths try to charge the going rate when starting out and miss threads, miss-claculate weight on barrels (by 10 ounces to make weight), cannot do more than 1 crown, paint falls off in the guncase before it gets to the customer, and on and on.
It seems reasonable to poke fun at 4570-1 cause he has some money and wants something classey, NOT
just get your stuff done in the USA with the dollar strong and let these so-called gunsmiths be. They don't know what a good job is.
Now having said that, some are good guys in canada but few and far between. Also most will """ JAM """ someone who has money. They are no different than any other trade or profession.
It is indeed a shame to want something special and want to pay a reasonable price and not be gouged. A fair price for fair work.
that's all no more and no less.
Quality comes with a price and that's why a loaf of bread is priced for everyone and not a different price for those dressed in a suit and tie.
flame on I get my work done by professionals and am very happy. They know how to do the job that is required.
Jefferson
seems to be a reasonable sort.
seems intellegent and has some money saved over time by not squandering it in bars, brothels and the like.
seems to want to get some quality work done.
why was bill offended. I have seen so-called Br gunsmiths bring 2 X 4 guns to the line for competition. I have seen Br smiths try to charge the going rate when starting out and miss threads, miss-claculate weight on barrels (by 10 ounces to make weight), cannot do more than 1 crown, paint falls off in the guncase before it gets to the customer, and on and on.
It seems reasonable to poke fun at 4570-1 cause he has some money and wants something classey, NOT
just get your stuff done in the USA with the dollar strong and let these so-called gunsmiths be. They don't know what a good job is.
Now having said that, some are good guys in canada but few and far between. Also most will """ JAM """ someone who has money. They are no different than any other trade or profession.
It is indeed a shame to want something special and want to pay a reasonable price and not be gouged. A fair price for fair work.
that's all no more and no less.
Quality comes with a price and that's why a loaf of bread is priced for everyone and not a different price for those dressed in a suit and tie.
flame on I get my work done by professionals and am very happy. They know how to do the job that is required.
Jefferson
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The cost structure in Canada is totally different than it is in the US. The inputs are dirt cheap, amazing variety, large market to exploit. In the odd case it is better up here, like the ability to mail order firearms between provinces without a hassle (as is, or was). But in most respects they work in conditions we can't even imagine. This tends to lead to Canadian smiths who are justifiably expensive, or to guys who do idiosyncratic work that seems a little stranded against a gun culture that has it's sometimes bizarre trends set in the US. You know, the Weatherby look was there when I started out, whiteline spacers and burlesque stocks. Then they moved overnight to British influenced stocks, mounting scopes with a comb height you could not get a cheek weld on. It may not always be sensible, but they drive the market.
I do believe that because we are cut off from gun lotusland, that a smith can get complaisant about price, so I do think it is fair to ask questions. I did ask one of the names mentioned in this thread about doing a Marlin in 50 cal, and he obviously had no idea what was going on. He probably hadn't watched the trends in 20 years. He thought I wanted a blackpowder rifle, though in two emails I made it perfectly clear I wanted one of those Wild West/Brockman/Noonan/etc... deals.
Ruger is a US rifle. I would just get an US smith to do the work, then bring it all up here for only one border hopping charge.
I do believe that because we are cut off from gun lotusland, that a smith can get complaisant about price, so I do think it is fair to ask questions. I did ask one of the names mentioned in this thread about doing a Marlin in 50 cal, and he obviously had no idea what was going on. He probably hadn't watched the trends in 20 years. He thought I wanted a blackpowder rifle, though in two emails I made it perfectly clear I wanted one of those Wild West/Brockman/Noonan/etc... deals.
Ruger is a US rifle. I would just get an US smith to do the work, then bring it all up here for only one border hopping charge.
Get hold of Steven Dodd Hughs in Livingston Montana. Bring money and patience (and he's worth both). For a first class single shot in Canada, Ralph Martini (of Martini and Hagn) is the guy. Also worth what he charges. - dan
