Custom rifle worth the money or not ??? Is my question

Retirement money really burns holes in some pockets.

Depends on your motivation. If you want a hunting rifle that shoots like a target rifle and fits great and looks good or all the above plus chambered for an unusual cartridge that will be an heirloom some day. Then yes.
If you want it to be an investment , then no. JMO

Two decades ago I was recognized as an outstanding person in my profession and awarded $2,000.00. I promptly turned around and bought a Mark V Weatherby Deluxe chambered in .270 Winchester. I added a Leopold scope to it. I have never regretted spending the money on a quality rifle. Since then I have used it extensively on WI deer and it sure knocks them down.

I say if you have the money and can afford it - go for it.


Brian

Look up David Miller, out of Tucson AZ if you think you need a custom rifle. I hunted some with him.

They are TERRIBLE investments when it is time to sell it.

This and then some. I have a couple of gems from the 70’s that are still unfired and unused/immaculate and if I’d taken that cash back then and invested even moderately I’d be miles ahead.

Osky

Particularly if you have your name engraved on it.

Jim

It depends what your looking for and what you want to do.

full on custom maybe not

semi custom maybe

what goals do you have for the rifle ?

no you will probably never get your money back out of it

however if you get your use out of it then it is a wise investment.

I have a shotgun , I paid more for that gun to be threaded for choke tubes than I paid for the gun

I might actually be able to get my money out of it , but I have no intention of selling it because I built it to be what I wanted and that was something not being offered by any company at the time. now there are a few that come much closer.

Iv got a custom 7mm
It was a gift
Got it mid 80’s
It’s a tack driver
Beautiful Stock
I wudnt take a gold monkey for It.
Kilt a many Deer with it.

The only customs that I've seen hold any value are well known craftsmen on arms that have intrinsic value. Something like a Colt Gold cup by Armand Swenson.
Your average 98 mauser in something like a 257 roberts by a good local smith not so much.

No.
A "custom" gun is built to suit YOU.
I have 2 built (.17_204's) although I paid for them fast shooting "good" coyotes, I've had guys handle them and didn't like the "feel".

If you want a gun built to your specs yes it is worth it up to a point. I have a good friend who does custom builds ( Saltzman Gun Works ) and he also lives close by, I wanted a 6.5 Creedmoor with a carbon fiber Barrel built on a Rem 700 action and he did the build for me. I love to shoot it and also use it for hunting. With everything including scope and extra mags I spent around $3,000.00. The action was trued. custom trigger adjusted to 2.5 lbs and stock adjusts to fit my frame. It is a tack driver that will go to one of my sons. I also bought a factory new Rem 700 in 243 a year ago that I upgraded myself. Gun was a little over 600, stock replacement 350.00. Mag fed conversion 50.00, extra mags 50.00, new trigger 150.00, scope and rings 500.00 so I put $ 1700 into this gun to make it what I wanted. If you figure the price of the Carbon fiber barrel and truing the receiver on my custom along with labor I dont think the price is out of line.

I built one from the ground up twenty three years ago. Shilen SS Match barrel, McMillan stock, and everything lapped and blue printed. Caliber was 280 Ackley when people had never heard of it. That rifle was very accurate, but the 26” match barrel and the McMillan stock caused it to weigh about 10 pounds.

After a few years, I sold it to a friend. Was never comfortable to carry and bulky in a box stand.

Moral here is be careful what you wish for. Last week I hunted with an ordinary 270 ADL in a Bell and Carlson fiberglass stock and a 2 stage Timney trigger. It fits me and shoots like a dream. I have. A 700 in 7-08 that has been tuned up and has a Triggertech trigger. Those and a 25-06 are my go to rifles. Rarely take anything else out of the closet, and never a magnum.

For long range shooting custom work to a gun is worth it. Plus you don't want to skimp on scope mounts,

Today there are a lot of really good options in most calibers ready to go…. Tikka, Sako, among many others including the upper lines of Ruger, Winchester, CZ and on. Pick any and maybe swap out the trigger, perhaps the stock, put some serious glass on it and your shooting with the best of them.
I’ve seen some ol boys with pretty ragged old rifles who could shoot crazy good.
Pretty rifles are just that, pretty. Rifle performance has far more to do with the hands it’s in than the name on the barrel.

Osky

I been waiting for the OP to comment back about what kind of custom gun he is thinking about. I have got a buddy who put to gathere 2 guns for me, zermatt/big horn arms action with a shilen 223 barrel on one and McGowan 7mm-08 on the other. I can't say the are worth what it coast to build them but the 223 shoots dime size groups at around 200 with hand loads. My Weatherby vangard 270 shoots good groups with hand loads also.

Still shoot a 1917 A303 always does the job for me only thing I had done was changed the safety to a roll forward and cut down the stock so it was lighter. When I killed my sheep I had a guy trying to get me to buy one of his $8000 custom guns I passed. I shot his gun at 800 yds and could hit with it but I passed. Shot my sheep that season at a touch over 500 yds was proud of myself and what that gun could do. To each there own but I got better things to spend my money on but I would no guess it would be any kind of investment. Im guessing I have over 30 guns most inherited. Most I have not shot in years but have a few favorites that shoot well and reliable and its good enough for me.

Define "custom" and for what purpose?

That makes a difference.

Mike

No, take the money and buy a classic. You or whoever you pass it on to will see yer money back and maybe then some. Think vintage Winchester, Sharps, Rigby, Jeffrey. Take what I say with a grain of salt. I personally have no time for plastic or stainless. And there is nothing so ugly as a rifle without iron sights. It’s an abomination really.