Custom or Production

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
L&R
Modern Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Modern Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
52Bore

52Bore

Well-Known Member
*
Joined
Jul 26, 2014
Messages
2,840
Reaction score
1,387
Got an email today from a friend who didn't attend the match, but he asked why I changed from shooting the Knight 52 cal to my own rifle (custom) for the match. My basic reply was, I was really planning on the production 52cal, but I just felt I hadn't tested enough at 300.
It made me think, there was really not a major difference with my custom from past matches with production rifles. So, custom or production - what are the pros/cons of one vs another?
Besides the obvious like bore/twist that's not offered with a production rifle.
 
With out question there are many fine shooting production Muzzleloaders and many load combinations with proper range work and development extremely accurate.
Personally i like to tinker and always want to try different combinations so for me the custom build is my route.
Advantage of custom build is rifles fit and feel to shooter is more comfortable and can be built with proper weight and balance for style of shooting and to reduce recoil to shooter. And as stated barrel contour,internal dimensions and twist can be adjusted by barrel maker to increase accuracy and compatibility to particular bullet design and velocity . Many custom barrel quality is held to higher standards than factory barrels
End result for shooter is a higher quality more consistent rifle and confidence increases when behind rifle

Disadvantages to custom would be increased cost. And its addictive

Advantage to factory Muzzleloader simplicity and availability.
 
I agree
It seems that Custom/Production may have different meanings to different people. Like the 700 you shot over the weekend, there are a ton of stock options for a 700 compared to others, along with custom barrel bore/twist that's not offered commercially, certainly makes them 'one of a kind'. From Production standpoint, there's not much alternative stuff out there besides what the mfg has to offer.
Grant it, price is an issue for the majority, but not really as much an issue for a small minority. Recently with Knights increase and others high ends on the market, makes me think (that if an individual can make one for what these sell for) how/why is the Production rifle cost so much? I guess it's marketing and profit..
I just happened to be in my local Gander Mtn store today, saw a CVA Wolf for $199. Along with some other CVA , T/C and Tradition break-open action ML for up to $699, no other type ML. Yet, there are also production ML out there in the $1000-$1700 range, these being bolt guns. I'm not even including the Ultimate and others that start at $2500.
So, now it seems maybe to be more than just a Custom or Production - there seems to be about 3 levels of Production ML? Like: Standard ML, High End & OMG. One would think the higher the cost, the less that are sold. So, there are a lot of Standard ML out there.
With that, we've seen the Custom, High End and OMG shoot well, I wonder how good/accurate these Standard ML can be?
Does their price really reflect the difference in performance and durability?
Are they limited to powder charge, bullet weight, etc. ??
 
Im sure there will be exceptions but with new shooter classifications in inline match.
I would think master class will mostly be consistently achieved with custom rifles .
And expert and sharpshooter will shake out according to rifle quality and inevitably cost.

In saying that a guy investing in custom rifle will probably spend much more time shooting and load development. Than a fella shooting a 199 cva wolf .
 
I think the shooter , in my case, is the limiting factor . For example i am sure the Omega bestill built for me is probably capable of out shooting my 1:20 knight . Yet i shoot the 1:20 Knight with about the same degree of accuracy . Not because the Knight as a factory muzzleloader is as good as my custom but because both are capable of better results than i am capable of . So i prefer a custom just because it is built to my liking , not because it makes me shoot better . Although some day i hope to wring more out of the custom than i am currently doing . At that point i think having a custom may be of more benefit than a factory muzzleloader .
 
To reiterate...
Time and effort play the largest roles. Confidence plays a huge part in accuracy but like bestill said, more time will most likely be be spent with load development on customs than factory shooters. Not always the case but usually. Either way its a lot of fun and wish i could spend more time at the bench.
 
Carbide8 said:
To reiterate...
Time and effort play the largest roles. Confidence plays a huge part in accuracy but like bestill said, more time will most likely be be spent with load development on customs than factory shooters. Not always the case but usually. Either way its a lot of fun and wish i could spend more time at the bench.
Click to expand...

IMO....... very good post.

I'm of the opinion that there are basically three kinds of muzzleloader shooters/owners.

1- the extended season hunter
2- the tinkerer/shooter
3- the perfectionist.

The highest percentage of owners are the extended season hunters, who purchase the "Standard" muzzleloader to extend their hunting time. They are the least likely to have the accuracy expectations of the tinkerer/shooter, and most certainly the perfectionist. The extended season hunter is the group that is marketed to by the manufacturers, which sells more rifles for the manufacturer. They accept what the manufacturers want them to have.....
There is no doubt that there is a difference in the quality and in general, the accuracy of the three types of rifles you mentioned (Standard, High End, OMG). However..... "Confidence plays a huge part in accuracy.....". Confidence in one's rifle and shooting takes a lot of work. Work which many aren't willing to put forth or, they can't afford to put forth. IMO the owners of High End and OMG rifles, certainly put forth much more effort. But.... I'd bet a soda that if one handed a CVA Wolf or T/C Impact to some of the top shooters, they would wring much more out of it than the Extended season shooter.
 
Sometimes there can also be a combination of the extended season hunter and the tinkerer. That is what I am. I really enjoy going to the range and trying all kinds of different load combinations. I don't yet own any high end/custom mz's but am looking forward to that in the future. Something like a fast twist .45 cal in a bolt action. That would be my dream muzzleloader.
 
rangerod said:
Sometimes there can also be a combination of the extended season hunter and the tinkerer. That is what I am. I really enjoy going to the range and trying all kinds of different load combinations.
Click to expand...

That is me too. I know for a fact I'm not a good enough shooter - at least at this point in my life, for the rifle to make a difference. I have a number of rifles that shoot MOA all day long, but I've never shot my ML's beyond 200. I doubt even a upper end custom would make much difference for me right now. Maybe someday.
 
ENCORE50A said:
Carbide8 said:
To reiterate...
Time and effort play the largest roles. Confidence plays a huge part in accuracy but like bestill said, more time will most likely be be spent with load development on customs than factory shooters. Not always the case but usually. Either way its a lot of fun and wish i could spend more time at the bench.
Click to expand...

IMO....... very good post.

I'm of the opinion that there are basically three kinds of muzzleloader shooters/owners.


Well said!!! Great post

1- the extended season hunter
2- the tinkerer/shooter
3- the perfectionist.

The highest percentage of owners are the extended season hunters, who purchase the "Standard" muzzleloader to extend their hunting time. They are the least likely to have the accuracy expectations of the tinkerer/shooter, and most certainly the perfectionist. The extended season hunter is the group that is marketed to by the manufacturers, which sells more rifles for the manufacturer. They accept what the manufacturers want them to have.....
There is no doubt that there is a difference in the quality and in general, the accuracy of the three types of rifles you mentioned (Standard, High End, OMG). However..... "Confidence plays a huge part in accuracy.....". Confidence in one's rifle and shooting takes a lot of work. Work which many aren't willing to put forth or, they can't afford to put forth. IMO the owners of High End and OMG rifles, certainly put forth much more effort. But.... I'd bet a soda that if one handed a CVA Wolf or T/C Impact to some of the top shooters, they would wring much more out of it than the Extended season shooter.
Click to expand...
 

Similar threads

N
CVA Accura LRX 45
2
Replies
27
Views
894
michiganmuzzy
michiganmuzzy
Bob Turkeytrack
Are There Any Custom Inline Rifle Builders
Replies
12
Views
1K
white eagle
white eagle
W
Muzzle Brake
Replies
2
Views
495
ENCORE50A
ENCORE50A
G
SSK visit 6/5-6/6/23
Replies
12
Views
734
birdog
birdog
MtnManTy
First Muzzy Purchase: CVA vs. Knight... Advice and Reviews!
3 4 5
Replies
80
Views
3K
Widude
Widude

Latest posts

Back
Top