Off-the-Shelf, Self Build Custom Rifle

[BFuller]

Hi Folks,

Here is my question: Have people been taking advantage of the actions that pre-fits are available for, and chassis systems or stocks with mini-chassis to build their own custom rifle with "off the shelf" stuff? My thinking is that with a barrel vise, action wrench, some go/no go gauges and some general technical competence you could make up a pretty awesome rifle without having a smith build it for you?

I have been wanting to build myself a custom rifle using a Lone Peak Fuzion, a pre-fit barrel from Straight Jacket Armory and an XLR Element stock. (or AG Composites if I didn't want a chassis system)

Main purpose is long range hunting with some target shooting (practice makes perfect for hunting).

I would like to go 300 PRC (Lapua brass supposedly starting to be available in 2021) (also considered 300 Norma or just regular old 300 win mag)

I would get a TriggerTech Diamond.

Main reason for LP action is that I wanted integral rail and recoil lug, don't mind 90 deg bolt throw, want something I can get pre-fit barrels for, and wanted dirty conditions reliability. (I think other actions such as Defiance, Impact and others would also be great)

Main reason for a chassis is that it will serve shooters of difference sizes, and I like the ability to modularly add features to a chassis. Also I like the idea of being able to add weight to the stock for practice but take it out for lugging around the countryside.

Ideally this would have a ZC420 scope sitting on it, using a Spuhr mount, but my budget may not allow that for awhile.

Any thoughts/advice/feedback?

Anything you think I would be missing out on by not using a smith?

I am not a regular contributor to the forum, but I have been reading it for a number of years and have appreciated the knowledge bank that exists herein.
(My way of saying thanks in advance to the folks who take the time to interact)

 

[stello1001]

Im pretty sure this is exactly what half the people on this site do. Go for it, you'll be happy.

 

[86alaskan]

not terribly hard, not terribly expensive, and can be just as or more accurate than some smith built rifles. I've done a number of prefits, from shouldered to barrel nut, and I've yet to torque one together that won't shoot well. Choose components carefully, get the best barrel you can. I really think that the quality of barrel and chamber have more to do with the accuracy than just about any other part that you can bolt together.

 

[Steel head]

I put together both the rifles I run.
Wasn’t difficult.
You can run into issues but I’d say the odds seem pretty decent.

 

[D2junky]

The two most accurate and reliable guns I own were prefits on Bighorns. One in a Foundation (HawkHill savage Nut). One in an unbedded A5 I bought off eBay (PVA Dasher on an Origin).

 

[CK1.0]

Build it yourself.

There are a few good/legit smiths/shops out there for sure... but let's face it, a lot of them are "Bubba with a lathe"... and waiting sucks.

In the era of prefits and such, if you have the know-how (or more importantly, know what you can't do) there's no reason not to put a rifle together yourself these days.

 

[Hardpan]

I built one myself, with a shouldered prefit it took all the guess work out of it. Shoots great and no issues. Have the barrel made by a reputable barrel maker, don’t cheap out on it either.

 

[BFuller]

Hi Folks, thanks for your comments. So far it seems like you guys are saying it's a good idea and something that is commonly done by the folks here.

Something many have said, is a good barrel that is accurately chambered is of great importance.

Any recommendations on pre-fit barrel companies? So far I have seen Straight Jacket, Blue Mountain Precision, Paradigm Gunworx, TS Custom, CS Tactical and probably a few I am forgetting that will do pre-fits for Lone Peak Fuzion. I am probably going to go for a carbon wrapped barrel either Bartlein or Proof. But I am still considering full steel barrels in Bartlein or Benchmark.

 

[steve123]

One thing I suggest is getting a magazine lip bending tool. I don't have one so I used pliers to get my 6mmBR feeding perfectly and my 6x47L before that. Just something that I wish I had bought to begin with because you can tune in the feeding really well when the lips are a tad wider and the cartridge is presented slightly higher and pointed up slightly more.
FYI the lips had to be adjusted differently for each of those cartridges.

This morning I shot two of my friends rifles that have stock mags, one a $4000 custom and the other a $1000 rifle in a KRG Bravo. Mine feeds way smoother than both of his.

Usually that's the main hiccup is odd feeding because of the different mag Co's and the heights those mags are presented in all the various chassis Co's.

Don't skimp, get the go and no go gauges.

My 6mmBR and Shilen prefit shot 1/3 moa vertical for all but one shot at 360Y when I did a ladder test this morning!