What can I expect to pay for a custom 22LR build?

Lojak

Lojak

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I've been kicking around the idea of a custom 22LR build for a decade now. As different parts of me age and ache, I'm finding I prefer sitting behind my 22LR rifles more often than others. So I'm trying to get a handle what a custom 22LR would cost me here in Canada. Let's just focus on the action, barrel, stock and trigger. I've got plenty of optics and if I need to save and buy another, no problem, so no need to go down that rabbit hole.

My current thinking is a right handed single shot, preferably with a left side port for feeding and ejection. It would sit in a quality front rest, riding a rear bag some of the time (but not always). I know Stiller's 2500X and Trident are popular down south, as is the Turbo. Does anyone in Canada carry these or import those?

My home range allows 22LR up to 300m if the shooter can show they are responsible, but none of my existing 22LR rimfire rifles will make it that distance reliably, so I'd want my custom be able to do so. What length of barrel would I need? Is a 1-in-16 twist sufficient? What about the chambering?

I suppose that leads to this.. is there a gunsmith in Canada who has a proven track record building custom rimfire rifles? Or am I better off reaching out to someone down south and then importing?

And because Jefferson will be wondering, budget of low-mid four digits is possible for action/barrel/stock/trigger + work.

Thanks!
 
It's not exactly what you had in mind, but I would think a common PRS-style 22lr rifle would meet your needs. Something like that would end up as...

Rim-X or Vudoo, action and barrel, with two magazines, is around $2900
Triggertech Diamond trigger is around $360
Some kind of chassis or stock... MDT ACC new is like $1500 but private sale new and used pop up for a lot less on the EE; others like a Foundation or MPA or Manners are in the $2200 region


Barrel length, 20" is common, I wouldn't go shorter than that, and for a bench gun, up to a 24" barrel. I haven't seen any documented advantages of going longer than 20".

16" twist is most common. 12" twist is fairly rare, buying the barrel from IBI in B.C. is about the only way I know of to get one. The 12" twist might be an advantage, some guys claim it is at long distance.
 
your mind of thinking with the single shot is correct, however there are to few proven gunsmiths in canada and sadly Dennis Sorenson has retired, I've shot against 2 or 3 of the rifles he put together, 2 of which being Turbos and one being a 2500 action. It's not the price tag that pulls people away from these builds, its the impatient instant gratification type that cannot wait upwards of a year to get all the parts to make this dream a reality. The voodoo and rim-x guys are leaving benchrest matches disappointed, now that could be because of 1 of 2 reasons, these rifles don't compete to our level of competitiveness and or these guys are not lot testing ammo or playing with tuners, my advice is to either commission a build in the USA and have it imported, or take 2 steps back and check out the higher end offerings from Anshutz, at the end of the day, you can spend 6K on a rifle to shoot with us, but the guy with a $2500 anshutz benchrest 64 action rifle and a couple hundred bucks worth of windflags is always going to steal the glory........

ammo lot testing
tuner testing
windflags

the rest is replaceable with any name on it, those 3 things win matches
 
I would definitely start with trying to source your action... I really doubt what you want is on a shelf in Canada. If not, maybe it is six months... maybe a very long year out.

If you are NOT competing and just want to have some fun shooting LR with a rimfire, then decide on the target size and hit ratio you want at the furthest distances you want to shoot.

If you feel that a single shot action is going to be more accurate vs a repeater, decide if you are going to compete or just have some rimfire fun. There are plenty of single shot followers for mag fed actions but rarely are they going to be a left port/right bolt

I love plinking at relatively small targets at 300m and beyond. All sorts of limitations are going to occur long before a single shot action matters.

if you are going to do 50BR or similar, figure out your parts list and start waiting. If you just want to have some LR rimfire fun, LOTS and LOTS of options but nothing like what you are thinking of right now.

Jerry

PS, if you need rimfire barrels catering to LR and ELR rimfire shooting, got lots of options. short range too. Think of the game as 0 to 200yds, then 200yds to whatever... and that whatever changes rapidly depending on what that is.
 
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Do you have the patience to lot test ammo, adjust a tuner and then go through it all again when you can't find any more of that lot with the potential of not finding anything that good again just to plink at 300?
If not then consider a PRS style build and being happy hitting 1-2moa steel.
 
What kind of ammo are you currently using? That will make more difference then the gun in my opinion... I see people buying Vudoos, Deuces, Rim-X etc and test shooting, bulk box stuff, blazers and minimags... LOL. Eley, Lapua, SK or RWS will be your friend.

Don't get me wrong a custom action rimfire would be awesome to have, but you can't make the best gun in the work shoot crap ammo. I shoot a cheap Savage FV-SR and it rings the steel at 300m no problem with Center-X or SK match.
 
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If I was in the market for an all out benchrest 22 it would be a 2500x with a shillen ratchet barrel. I would have it built by a well known builder in the US and then have it imported. You are looking at big money for that though.
 
The type of shooting usually done with a single shot is benchrest. There probably isn't a rimfire rifle that will excell at both benchrest shooting and PRS games.

Benchrest shooting with actions such as Turbo, 2500X -- among the best for BR -- and the custom barrel of choice is typically at 50 yards. Shooters use a rest, often one piece but not necessarily. Dedicated BR stocks are ideally in line (i.e. the butt stock in line with the barrel) but others can be used. The triggers used have a very light pull weight. Scopes are second focal plane and often fixed magnification, with 36X being very common. Custom BR rifles are usually made to be shot free recoil, which means the shooter doesn't touch the rifle except to lightly touch the trigger.

Below is an example of a purpose-made rimfire benchrest rifle. It's an Anschutz 54 action with a custom barrel and stock and a two-piece rest system. The scope appears to be a Weaver T36, an older but still very good option. It's an American-owned rifle and required a skillful smith and stockmaker.



As noted by others, there aren't many skilled rimfire BR smiths in Canada. Off-the-shelf, ready-to-go options are available with Anschutz. The Vudoo V22S, a single shot action, available in left loading, has been around for about a year and can be obtained in Canada, although there may be a wait. There is also the options referred to above of buying and importing an American-built custom rifle.

Below is an example of an Anschutz rifle with an Anschutz BR stock. This particular stock is made for free recoil style shooting. Anschutz makes a BR stock that can be held by the shooter, also shown below.

If someone has an older Anschutz match 54 single shot barreled action, they too can also be used with the Anschutz BR stocks.




Competitve BR shooters invariably use a barrel tuner, which when properly set, can improve the performance of good-shooting ammo. (For the general reader, tuners don't make indifferent ammo into something good, nor will they make a poorly shooting barrel into a good one.)

It's important to keep in mind that buying a good rifle and expecting it to do the rest is a recipe for disappointment. For the best results, it's necessary to lot test. Buying match ammo randomly, will produce random results, which may be good or not. How to shoot, what to shoot, and when to shoot are learned not bought.
 
Touring the local shoots will give you some information.
There are always some rifles for sale but beware where rifles for sale placed in the competition.
First and Second are rarely for sale.
My 40XB is not for sale . . . yet but it was bought from another shooter that was aging out.
The Shilen barrel did not perform to my expectations and was eventually replaced with a Lilja.
Pricing ammo may set your compass in a different direction as Match grade ammo is currently running $20-35 per box of 50.
 
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kids hoola hoop at 529m. Was around 19" across. Got some hits in and on the ring... tons of fun. A benchrest rifle? not in your life... but it worked really well and allowed for rapid follow up shots which in 20mph winds... is a good idea.

Rebarreled Savage MkII... action was polished and mags fixed... runs smooth as silk and fast. I would never build on this action again but it did this job admirably well.

fun project

Jerry

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And this was what we were hitting closer in. Point and shoot camera case for size comparison. Makes for some challenging fun when this is a few hundred yards out.
 

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I kind of sort of thought about going down this rabbit hole once, eventhough I don't actively compete and don't plan on competing, but what everyone else has already stated, is what I concluded of all of research. Many smith's, even a mature smith's can make centre fire rifles that shoot well, however, there are very few smith's out there that can produce an outstanding custom rimfire. State side is probably the easiest option to have it built, then import through one of our importers in Canada. Or option number 2, search the EE for a previously built custom rig that is proven to shoot.

And if you aren't actively competing, seriously consider buying a factory set up, like an Anschutz BR rifle. It'll do everything and then some for what you want.
 
Mystic Precision; Rebarreled Savage MkII... action was polished and mags fixed... runs smooth as silk and fast. I would never build on this action again but it did this job admirably well. fun project Jerry [/QUOTE said:
Have to agree with this, Jerry...I built two...Wouldn't do it again either (must be crazy for what I spent on these) but I've ran these without issue for over 10 years.

Sporter is just a nice little plinker but HB is capable of out shooting my 360 repeater!

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allan harris said:
Have to agree with this, Jerry...I built two...Wouldn't do it again either (must be crazy for what I spent on these) but I've ran these without issue for over 10 years.

Sporter is just a nice little plinker but HB is capable of out shooting my 360 repeater!

IMTnPR4.jpg
Click to expand...

Lovely rifles.... it is such a pity that Savage chose not to update the barrel interface on the MkII vs going to the new B and A series. I think the MkII is one of the nicest factory actions (when proper TLC is applied) but the barrel install is a nightmare.

Savage is no longer about the aftermarket and home DIY shooter.

Jerry
 
the guy wants a single shot rifle, right bolt with left port.......

so that rules out everything that most of you have suggested, well you're handing out bad advice and answers to a question he didn't ask, why not recommend a 6.5 creedmoor and list your reasons why.........
 
Yodave makes an excellent point. The OP says he's looking for a right bolt action single shot that loads from the left. Generally that's only available in custom actions. While the Vudoo V22S is available in that configuration, it probably has to be ordered with a commensurate wait time. Other options are right bolt, right loading.

The OP hasn't reviewed this thread since a day after posting it. When he returns he may update to indicate if he's changed his parameters and will include rifles more suitable for long range games.
 
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