building your own custom rifle

G

gaseousclay

New member
I apologize if this topic has been discussed before but can anyone give me some pointers on how to build your own bolt-action rifle? I thought it'd be a fun project to do in the future, although, I don't know if this is something anyone can do.

for example:

- what tools do I need?

- what online companies sell quality rifle stocks? actions? barrels? triggers?

- do you free-float your own barrel?

I'm sure there are many other details i'm forgetting, but some general advice would be appreciated.
 
Very much looking forward to replies in this thread! I've thought about doing the same, but have no idea if I would be getting in way over my head or not.
 
I think most people building their own these days are using Savage actions. I think the Savage requires fewer specialized tools although I'm not 100% sure on that. I'm sure some else with more experience will jump in shortly. As for where to get parts and tools, MidwayUSA or Brownells supply almost every gunsmithing tool under the sun and a ton of parts.

Stu
 
if you do not have access to a lathe and a mill (which m assuming you don't) your best bet is going to be to go with a savage action. The savages use a barrel nut set up that allows you to change barrels with out machining capabilities. Brownells and midway sell just about everything you will need. As far as barrels and stocks that depends on what you want to do with the rifle. There are several premium barrel makers out there but you will be looking at 300+ dollars for a barrel or there are some middle of the road and value barrels to be had. Stocks will also depend on what you want wood or synthetic. For wood there is richards microfit and a couple of others and synthetic there are many options as well. So what kind of a rifle do you want to build.
 
Building something for yourself can be very rewarding. That being said, if you are going to do it with minimal tools, then it will end up being pricey for what you will get. The reason is simple ... you will really be just assembling the parts and since you have to buy all the parts at retail prices, they will end up being much more costly than buying the completely assembled rifle from the factory. I have built several on old Mausers (most of them Turks that had horrible wood and sewer pipe looking barrels ... but sound actions). This allowed me to start with a $39 action. I have access to a lathe, so I was also able to use barrel blanks where I cut my own threads and chambers. Even doing all the work myself, I am sure that I could have bought a Savage for close to the same price ... maybe I saved a little, but not a whole lot. BUT ... these are my rifles and I get a lot of satisfaction from doing them myself. I also have some calibers that I probably couldn't have gotten in a factory Savage rifle (330 Dakota, 7mm-08 Ackley, 22-250 Ackley, 45acp:D, etc) ...

As for what is required ... if you get a Mauser action, you can get a barrel that is short chambered and then rent a reamer and head-spacing gages to finish the chamber once you install the barrel (need an action wrench and a barrel wrench). If you want to mount a scope, then you will need a drilling jig or a mill to get the holes right. If you use a stock that is semi-inletted, you will need some wood working tools to get the barrel channel opened up for your barrel ... simple, but time consuming. If you use a surplus military action, then you will need some way of getting the bolt bent to clear the scope ... I assume that if you bought a new commercial action that the bolt would already come bent ... but I'm not sure. All this CAN be done in the home garage shop, but you have to do a lot of research and take your time to do it right.

There is a LOT of info on this in the Smithy section of TFL ... in any case, I would recommend one of Jerry Kuhnhausen's shop guides that you should be able to find at Amazon.com ... his Mauser book gave me a lot of valuable info.

Hope this helps,

Saands
 
You can sink a lot of money into a project like the above post. The only way to come out ahead is to use it for a longtime. Used sporterized guns go for $250-500 around here.

The advantage is getting exactly what you want and fit of course. Plus, once you have the tools, you may want to do another, then another.
 
Were I to undertake by my own custom rifle, I would probably start with a 22, just I would start with a 22 to learn to shoot. The mechanical principles are the same, the same tools and skills required but the actions are much less expensive. Also I would check with any local community colleges/vo-tech schools, see if they offer any courses on machining. Plus I would use scrap pieces-old pipes, e.g. to learn how to drill and tap. And as others have noted, you can't have too many books and manuals.
 
I was sporterizing a Mauser 46 years ago, but I was not very good at it.
I was buying broken 22 rifles from pawn shops 16 years ago, fixing them, and selling them at pawn shops.
I was trying to teach myself gunsmithing.

Doing gunsmithing is like doing engineering, music, machining, etc.
You are never going to know it all.
You just have fun and do what you can.

I would start by taking apart your rifle and put it back together. Take the barrel off and put it back on. Get good at this. Then cut threads and chamber and headspace a new barrel for your rifle. Glass bed it. Just start doing more and more stuff.

Practice on cheap parts. Take off barrels are cheap. Take off stocks are cheap.
 
The Savage can be rebarrelled with a padded bench vise, barrel nut wrench, action wrench, headspacing gauges and a heavy duty work bench. I've actually done a good job using a homemade barrel vise bolted to a tractor drawbar and a box of factory loads if you consider under 1" MOA with at least 2 factory and 3 different handloads a good job. I'm a careful worker and it takes about an hour. I've also built several Mausers using takeoff barrels and a box of parts but my methods would not be recommended.
 
I think most people building their own these days are using Savage actions. I think the Savage requires fewer specialized tools although I'm not 100% sure on that.
Click to expand...

You can be 100% sure now. There is no chamber reaming required for a Savage. Anything else will require you to at least obtain a finishing chamber reamer for headspacing. A lathe is not required, as you can finish ream by hand, but it will make the job much easier.

Regardless of the cost, I recommend you build a rifle if you have your heart set on it. I can help with any questions on a savage. I've done several. I have some experience with Mausers, but not enough that I would consider giving other's advice. Don't be intimidated by it, though. It really isn't that hard to make a very nice rifle if you have no problems with attention to detail.
 
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