build your dream rifle and then not excited about it

[foxhunter]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. I had Ken at K&P barrels (Former production mgr for H-s precision) build me a Sako l461 with one of their ss cut rifle barrels. had them cut it to 20", flute it and bead blast it flat gray. put a mpi light stock in medium gray camo on It to make it a walking varminter/calling rifle chambered in 17 mach 4.
rifle shot lights out from the get go with a wide variety of bullets. it really liked the 30 gr Berger hp at about 3685 fps.
put a 3x9 Leopold compact matt finish on it to keep weight down.
what would there be not to like about the package? yet it became an instant safe queen

[georgeld]

Bob:

In YOUR case, it's too many rifles

[17VLD]

Can’t imagine why you don’t use it more,unless George is right
Matt

[Bill K]

Pull that baby out of that dark safe and start carrying and using it. Sounds like it would be a sweet one. Go call some coyotes and have at it. Bill K

[rick w.]

One would suspect that using premium components throughout the rifle build and optics, the rifle will perform beyond our wildest expectations...........without being too disrespectful, kinda of a yawner in the field, the rifles/optics are just that good nowadays.

Have some of us built everything we can think of..........by smiths or ourselves, yeah, guess so.

Does that water down our zeal for the next rifle procurement?..........no way really, once in your blood, always in your blood.

The guy I used to go over and watch at the lathe building rifles for laymen and governors, told me I think I enjoy the build more than shooting. He shot a lot too. I think he was alibiing to the new guy a little.......... ..............but in my later years..........he was right at least so far.

For some of us, having a place to shoot a centerfire rifle is almost nill, have to travel 100 miles across some of the most congested areas of the U.S.; and then the expense of a large city gun club; not like I was used to in my younger days. Just the way some things are.

Once I got interested in rifles not OTS or OEM, I had some built. Long waits and $ involved. Finally decide to buy a lathe and other stuff, best therapy I ever got for myself. Developed a keen respect for what some smiths can accomplish, doing it yourself, puts the shoe on the other foot, put up or shut up routine. Thrill in the actual hands on build, nothing like it for me. I like to shoot, but things are closing in around here.

[ben lurkin]

I'm somewhat in the same boat but it's not desire; it's time. I've built/had built five rifles over the past few years that I haven't gotten around to even shooting yet. I kinda swore off buying/building anything new for awhile, (yeah right) but and I just sent my 223 Sako Vixen in to be rebarreled and I'm just getting a 6 CM finished for my boy.

Apparently I fall into the "building them is as fun as shooting them" though I honestly like the shooting part more. Maybe in 15 years when I retire. . .

[moorepower]

If it would make you feel any better, you could store it in MY gun safe, so you you would not have to think about it. I call it Looking for Mr. Goodbar. I have it too. You think you have just what you want, but when you get it it's not quite what you thought it was. I think we could possibly even get it classified as a gender. Transgunder.

[foxhunter]

I had a sako L461 custom in 6x45 I felt the same way about, shot great but just wasn't the right package. mpi stock, lilja barrel (SS) 24".
almost had the barrel shortened to 22" but it was a #2 contour and would have still been a whip.
it's all in the packaging.

[Rick in Oregon]

I'm glad it's not just me then.

I've had a Sako L461 with a Shilen SS Select Match bbl for about 25 years. It's always shot very well, and has accounted for a truckload of ground squirrels over the years.

But three years ago I bedded it into a Boyd's lam thumbhole stock which is just a tad too long for me and the pistol grip area is much too thick for my hand. Of course I sold the old stock, so there's no going back.

I'm not really into filing the thing down to fit and shortening the LOP (read: just lazy). Result: I've not had the thing out of the safe since dropping it into the new stock.

Nice, sweet varmint rifle now a safe queen. You're not alone!

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Not "Dream Rifles" but anymore, I think there's more in the "build" than shooting.
Got a couple of Ruger 10/22s. Thought about a bench rest build so ordered up a Laminated BR stock with a 3" forearm, straight pipe and extended mag release. Turned out pretty good after all the stock finishing and fitting.
Liked it enough to build another one just like it except for the different colored Laminated stock. Guess what? Neither one of them has been fired.