looking for a good custom gun maker
 

I am looking to buy a custom hunting rifle for Deer, I have looked at
Bansner' s Ultimate rifles, does anyone have any other suggestions on manufatures of custom guns in the $3,000-$4,000 range or has anyone heard of these Banseners rifles? any suggestions would be well appreciated

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Try Ultra Light Arms out of West Virginia the owner is Melvin Forbes. I think prices start at around $2,700.

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

I have looked alot at the bansers. They were good. Groups on one kinda surprised me, I outshot it with my Medallion. But I will tell ya one to really consider. Thats New Ultra Light Arms out of Morgantown, WV. About lightest gun you can buy. Best bedding I have ever seen, and groups that are consistently 1" or less at 100 yards. I spent alot of time talking to Melvin Forbes, the builder one day and this guy is good. Also rifles are 2500 dollars. Down side is he mainly does black guns. Don' t see any stainless actions at the shop.

American rifleman did an article on him. Really interesting.

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Typically when one talks about a deer rifle in the $3,000-$4,000 range, you' re buying " pretty" ...meaning engraving, custom checkering, special finishes on the metal and stock, fancy walnut stocks and even highly figured French Walnut, and custom metalwork.

The Ultralite arms are fine guns...no question, but is this what you' re looking for?

Rest assured that any custom gun in that price range will be fitted with a fine barrel and bedded to deliver fine accuracy. You can even get a pre-64 model70 action in that price range if you wish. You should also get some engraving as well. But you must state what you want of this custom gun.

If it' s just accuracy, you can have that for $350.....buy a Savage rifle or a used Remington 788.

Call Jim Kobe in Bloomington Minnesota (on Oxboro St.)....he makes some extremely fine rifles

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

vapor, does that savage wieght less than 5.25lbs scoped? Melvins does. Besides the question is about customs, not factories.

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

David Miller.:D

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Talk to Morrison Precision Company 6719 Calle Mango Dept. RS Hereford, AZ 85615 Ph. 520-378-6207. Good Shooting!!

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Rick Freudenberg operates a shop in Everett, Wash,., which is just north of Seattle. You will not find a finer or more accurate custom rifle anywhere in the U.S.

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Thanks for all the good info guys

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Contact Jack Belk, who posts on Hunt America or Accurate Reloading. I don' t know if he is taking on any new work right now, but he is extremely knowledgeable!

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

I do not know what you are looking for in a rifle but I buld custom rifles. I specialise in building rifles to fit the individual. This means that the rifle,when brought to the shoulder will point were you are looking. This is somthing that trap shooters are really into but is forgotten for the most part with rifles. If you are looking for a rifle in a standard length cartridge, then it would be in the 3500 dollar price range and will shoot 1/2" or less with proper loads. This rifle would have a trued action based on a 1909 or somthing simular, Shilen Match grade barrel, Timney trigger, glass bedding with floating barrel of desired length. The stock would be of select Claro Walnut with an Ebony forend tip. Also it would have a steel grip cap and a Pahcmayer Decelerator pad. There are lots of options such as skeleton butt plate or grip cap, picture puzzel forend tip , inletted swivels and more.

Your Friend
Jud

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

So Judson, do you specialize in anything light? Like Melvin Forbes light in his price range of ~2400 dollars in the <6lbs scoped range for 308win? Just curious. Really like light guns. Also instead of shilen would you put on a krieger? Like much better than shilen. Kinda shopping around still. Melvin made quite an impression when visiting his shop. But still opened minded.

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

Thanks Jud
I will keep you in mind, Where are you located?

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

if you are still looking go to hill country rifle they have a great reputation and they are also great people

RE: looking for a good custom gun maker
 

My shop is in St.Albans Maine, around 35 miles south of Bangor. I will use within reason what ever barrel a customer wants. Yes I do build light rifles, however most of my rifles have wood stocks built from a 12 quarter blank. This gives me enough room for a cheek piece, cast off or on depending on if the shooter is right or left handed. As for light, how about a 7 1/4 pound .458 Win Mag, sights and all and a full magizine? Just what the customer wanted for bear, and no muzzel brake. I had to test fire it and sight it in as the customer was getting over surgery when the rifle was compleated. After a session at the bench I began to think that maby the surgery was just an excuse not to shoot the thing. His operation could not of been any more unpleasant then shooting that rifle. By the way, that was a rubber gun (synthetic stock). Now light guns carry easy and tend to be fast handling but there are draw backs. If you have a 6 puond rifle with a good trigger pull of around 3 puonds, your trigger pull is half the weight of the rifle, not conducive to good accuracy. This is especially true on a fast shot. You have to run a light barrel conture, this means the barrel heats up fast and has alot if whip when fired, again not what you want for the best shooting. One other thing, light means getting beat to death. Have you ever noticed how alot of the big double rifles do not have recoil pads? They do not need them, a 15 pound .470 Nitro gives you a BIG slow push not a hard jab as with a ultra light 3006 for example. I am not saying light rifles have no place, just that my preference is for a rifle that has appropriate weight for its caliber. As with so many things in life, rifles too are a " balance of compromise" .

Your Friend
Jud