"high end" rifles

I've yet to own a rifle based on "pride of ownwership" on how pretty it looked.

I have new barrels put on change stocks,trigger etc for one reason only I want an accurate rifle that shoot some small groups as one of my hunting rifles. I also like the idea that I get to pick the part in the build and if they work out fine if not no one to blame but me.

I like my rifles same as I like my truck each has a job to do. I put 50k on a truck get a new one same as I change a barrel on a rifle.

I gave long time ago listening to guys who first thing what to tell you how much they paid for things or what I own is little bit better than what you have.
 
Decades ago I gave up listening to people who insist that a cheaper product is always equal to or better than an expensive one. :)

Speaking of custom rifles, Duane Weibe makes about 10 custom rifles a year. he doesn't seem to be slowing down after 35 years either. Go to the Album section and look at pic #7 of 18. It's a .500 Jeffrey take down - the fore end comes off with the barrel. http://customgunandrifle.com

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I have learnt to appreciate quality in my early youth and being old, am returning to it.

My Sako is as nice as it gets. The scope and mount selection is also critical. My Vixen has Sako mounts and a Hensoldt Diasta.

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Just one example.
 
Beautiful Sako!! Rule of thumb is buy the best you can afford! That goes for the Glass as well. Anyone who says they don't want better is either Tight,can't afford it, or justifying their purchase. To want better is human nature and nothing wrong with it. Would I like some custom built rifles? Yes Sir,but I can't afford them so I get Sako's and Weatherby Mark V's and top them with Swaro Glass, the best I can afford. Are my hunting experiance's better than the guy shooting a SAvage rifle? Probably not but I do know the Swaro's give me a better chance towards dark.:eek:
 
"High end"? What the heck is that? I might pay top dollar for a production run rifle that is collectable, but not some new gun that is supposed to magically shoot better than any production gun out there. I have dealt with auctions ( both coming and going) over the years and if you want to invest in guns, buy into something that is collectable. Watch what most of those custom guns go for. Usually less than what they cost new. Go to gun shows and the tables are full of custom Mausers that just don't sell. You want "High end" go ahead and pay for it.
 
I only really care about my personal accuracy with a rifle, and I'm far too adaptable to most rifle features to care much about the really small details that "make" a custom rifle.
Another problem is that I limit the shooting system far more than the rifle does, for the most part, so much of a custom rig would be wasted on me.
My top limit to rifle expense would likely be at the level of large manufacturers custom shops or small fine manufacturers standard models (a Remington 5R or Cooper Model 22 for example). The $2,000 and up rifles would be pearls cast before my swinish trigger finger.
 
I didn't intend to buy an upscale rifle, but

about 15 years ago, having "made do" with a (poorly) sporterized M93 Mauser, purchased from Sears for $30 in the 1960's, in 7X57, and having completed the financing of both my children's college educations ("Free at last!!!), I decided I needed/deserved a better rifle.

So I went to a gun show at Dallas Market Hall (1,000 tables, IIRC), and started shopping for a left handed bolt action in 7X57, regardless of make or model.

Well, I found lefties in half a dozen models/makes, but none chambered in 7X57. Surprise, huh?

After spending the whole day working my way thru almost 1,000 tables of guns/militaria, I rounded the corner of the last row. There, on the corner table, sitting up on a detachable bipod, was a left-handed bolt action rifle of unknown origin.

Looked nice.

Deep lustrous bluing on barrel. Contrasting maroon "bluing" on the bolt handle and action.

Obviously sharp hand checkering. Contrasting walnut/maple (dark/light) laminated stock, with palm swell and rollover cheek piece-very Weatherby like stock contour. Forearm had ebony wood (not black plastic) tip, with off white maple wood (not white plastic) spacers. Same configuration for end of pistol grip, i.e., ebony wood with maple wood spacer. DuBiel Arms Co., it said on the barrel.

I was enamored.

"What caliber is that chambered for?", I tried to ask in a nonchalant tone of voice. I just knew it was going to be yet another 30-06, 270, 308, 243, ad nauseum.

"7X57", he said, in an equally nonchalant manner. He knew leftie actions were not in great demand, and 7X57 was also seldom sought out in this era of eargespliten loudenboomer magnumitis. I'm sure he thought his answer would be a turn off, as he had sat there behind that table for almost 8 hours with no takers for this Cinderella of a rifle. He sat there with a distant look in his eyes, as if to say "Another 'just curious' one."

When I heard his answer, my heart raced. "7X57, you've got to be kidding!"

"What are you asking for it?" I hesitated to ask. He opened a copy of "Blue Book of Gun Values" pointed to the figures (about $500 more than a Dakota) and said, "$1,000".

A bit rich for me at that point. But such a good deal. I told him it would be about a year before I would be able to do such a deal. He said OK, handed me his business card, and told me to call him when I was ready.

"Time kills all things" is an axiom I learned as a salesman, and I'm sure this guy had no hope whatsoever of hearing from me again. I had no hope that it would remain unsold for another year.

A year later I called him, he still had the rifle, and he was willing to take my old Mauser 93 in trade, and come off the price some.

DONE DEAL.

I have since developed a hand load which produces one MOA results, at velocities just shy of 270 Win velocities, and now I am "living happy ever after".

P.S. In 2006 I bought a Win Mod 70 Classic Featherweight in 270 WSM, for long range situations. It, too, is in a leftie action. Kinda pretty, with the Schnabel fore end, and the fleur-de-leis checkering pattern. But not an upscale rifle.
 
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High end? Do you mean from the likes of Peter Hofer or Philip Ollendorf or Hartmann and Weiss?

Some of their custom guns can go as high as $600,000.

But they sure are pretty.................;) and made to order, one at a time to your desires....(21 year old girls not included, but nudes can be engraved in the metal if you wish)
 
This question has two answers for me:

  • If I have a few thousand dollars to buy a "nice" rifle because I'm a high income or wealthy individual all my weapons would be "nice".
  • If I'm a regular income individual or a poor guy with a one time windfall of a few thousand dollars I'd probably stick with my utilitarian hunting rifle and splurge the dough on a hunting trip that I normally couldn't afford.

I wouldn't have a rifle that didn't work well in either case. So I do not believe the difference between a $500 rifle and a $5000 rifle would be sufficient for me to drop the money if it were a one time windfall. But the hunting trip seems like a good place to spend it.
 
"as high as $600,000."

Now you're talking shotgun money. I'd never spend as much as $100k on one rifle. Shotguns, certainly.

People that buy the best guns can afford to write another check if they need to replace it for some reason.

I used to live paycheck to paycheck and from '72 to '85 I only had one pistol, one rifle and one shotgun. Now that I'm 61 and the mortgage has been paid off since '97 and I can buy cars with cash things are different.

Like my recent purchase of a barely used Swiss Army Pistol/P210 for $2499.95. I must have lost my mind. :) And I was thinking about buying two, but I didn't want to be a pig. It turned out that the pallet Top Gun Supply bought only had about 30 guns on it. I still want to know how they got to the U.S., but that's another story.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462407&highlight=swiss+army
 
I just want to also say ... Dont let the naysayers say that thryre all the same and their cheapo is as good as the more expensive fancier etc. Especially in shotguns . Ccc I'm sorry but we know you and a ton of people love the 870. We know ur so proud it's beat up and plain Jane. My M930SPX is a more advanced better combat shotgun thats why i bought it. Cause I care. Te Benelli supernova tactical is such a sweet sexy fine weapon. Way higher class and technology than the 87o. But people get so offended when they dont have it they bash,the guy who does

I ain't rich either but I appreciate nice things and when I save my money for the goodstuff I'm sorry that you didn't but you don'tgrt any sympathy. You're not gonna grt me with my one is netter cuss its cheaper and they're all the same. The ain't.
 
tacticool

i never bought into those new plastic and aluminum guns. I can afford them but i didnt think they would hold up. I like to stick with older proven stuff. Same with rifles.
 
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