• The Shot You’ll Never Forget Giveaway - Enter To Win A Barrel From Rifle Barrel Blanks!

    Tell us about the best or most memorable shot you’ve ever taken. Contest ends June 13th and remember: subscribe for a better chance of winning!

    Join contest Subscribe

Gunsmithing Evolution of a Rifle

JYBuilders

Private
Minuteman
Nov 29, 2010
7
0
44
I have a 700P in 300WM that I am considering putting in an AICS. I would eventually like to use that stock in a custom build. I am thinking that if I get the stock now and put the 700P in it for the next year or two, I can acquire the rest of the parts over time and then have a 'smith put all the pieces together.

I have no experience in the custom bolt gun market so this may be a dumb question (I know there are no dumb questions, just dumb people who ask questions). But my question is: Is this possible? If it is, is it a reasonable way to get to a custom rifle platform on a budget(read time and patience)?

thanks for the comments.
 
Re: Evolution of a Rifle

Many people do what you are describing. Start with a base rifle, and slowly upgrade it into their dream gun. Once you add the AICS the gun will still be totaly functional and usable. You can have custom work (new barrel, action truing, bedding, etc) done later as time and budget permits. I assume you will be using the gun as-is while you wait to upgrade it later?
 
Re: Evolution of a Rifle

You can slowly aquire the parts as money permits seeing how wait times can be as long as 12 months for some stuff depending on what you want.

I have a buddy that puts all his parts and smith fees on a new low to no intrest credit card then slowly pays it off , his logic is that what he pays on the card is less than what he would spend a day if he stopped at McDonalds for lunch so its a win win situation , he gets new gun and lays off fast food.

If you can afford the stock now get it and shoot till you can afford a barrel then save for the smith charges , by the time the barrle shows up you can have enough monet for him to work over the action and install the new barrel and fit it to the stock you are now comfortable with
 
Re: Evolution of a Rifle

Couple of things to think about. First find someone who has an AICS to try out you either love them or hate them. Second the X Mark Pro trigger won't fit in the AICS chassis without removing some material (no big deal) but just so you know. With that being said that's the route I went except in a 308. The only thing not done is fitting the new barrel (6.5MM Rock) and blueprinting the action which will hopefully be done in a few weeks.

000_0061.jpg