Canadian custom Gunsmiths

[Glion]

So I am in the process of setting up a new rig. Initially started at looking at Sako 85. Have recently been more into the Christensen Arms Ridgeline or a Fierce rifle. Looking at something in the 6.5 creed/prc or 7mm rem area. I currently have a heavy barrel 300 winmag. As I hunt mostly from long hikes I am getting sick of how heavy that gun is.
Parameters for me are
6-8 lbs
Prefer mag over hingeplate
Smaller calibre than the 300win
under 4k for the rifle
looking at NF nxs or leupold or zeiss for scope, around 2k
currently not reloading so want to be able to shoot factory ammo. (possibility of reloading in the future)
Now as I tend to research a decent amount there seems to be some flags with both CA and Fierce and some guys recommend just going custom.
So with that in mind I was wondering the options for a Canada based custom rifle maker. I have taken a look at Corlanes so far.
The closer to Edmonton the better as I would love to be able to speak in person.
I know it is silly but I am enamored by the carbon barrels, but that isn't a deal breaker for me.
Also have land where I am shooting out past 600 for fun which is the reason I want something that I can grow into reloading on.
Anyway any insightful advice or comments would be appreciated.
Cheers

[catnthehat]

Bob at Custom Gunworks in Rocky Mountain House can certainly build a top shelf rig for you, as can Henry Remple in Langdon, or KS Arms in Edmonton.
Chris Kotkas ( fps plus on here) in Lethbridge but you were looking more for Edmonton I guess. These are the gunsmiths I can reliably recommend having experience with all of them.
Cat

[Glion]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Bob at Custom Gunworks in Rocky Mountain House can certainly build a top shelf rig for you, as can Henry Remple in Langdon, or KS Arms in Edmonton.
Chris Kotkas ( fps plus on here) in Lethbridge but you were looking more for Edmonton I guess. These are the gunsmiths I can reliably recommend having experience with all of them.
Cat

Thanks Cat, I will start the research on those

[Glion]

And also if anyone here has real world experience between fierce and CA I am all ears

[Dmay]

For sure look at KS Arms, as mentioned, and EM Precision. Both are in Edmonton.

[Ackleyman]

Have a Fierce Edge 280 AI . Has been an excellent rifle.

[marky_mark]

I have a fierce ct 6.5x284 and a ct 338 lapua

6.5x284 is fabulous
Taken a bunch of critters with it. Very happy with it

338 lapua
Probably wasn’t he smartest idea getting a 6.5lb 338 lapua but I got it anyways
When I first got it, it shot amazing. Then for some reason it became very inconsistent. I sent it away to insite arms to make it a 300 Norma and when they were taking the barrel off. I guess it was hand tight. So that was where my inconsistency issues were coming from. It’s a 300 Norma now and it shoot really well. Still have the 338 lapua barrel and can spin it on whenever I want

Had a 26 nosler and took an antelope at 691 yards with it
A buddy borrowed it on the same trip and never gave it back.
Just gave me a cheque and he’s been happy with it ever since

[GWN]

I recently had Alberta Tactical Rifle in Calgary rebarrell a left hand Remington 700 to 280 AI, McMillan Game Hunter stock and install their detachable mag kit, all told rifle weighs 9 pounds 3 ounces with Leupold bases, rings and a Leupold VX-3 4.5x14x40 scope, cerakoted as well.

At about the top end of your weight range for the rifle itself but with 140 TTSX at 3,100 fps it feels like shooting a 243 win and is right there with a 7mm Rem Mag. 280 AI may not be your preferred cartridge but this hopefully gives an ideas as to weight and shootability with this template.

All in the rifle is about $2,800.00 total before the scope/rings/base.

I dont have any experience with Edmonton area smiths and defer to those who have, just giving you another option to consider.

Good luck and enjoy whatever you choose,

[tikka250]

Bob at custom gunworks in Rocky is your guy! Give him a call and he will help you hash out a plan. I cannot recommend him enough! In fact I have a gun being built there right now.

[Glion]

Thanks for all the responses, I appreciate it. Reason I am looking at those cals is I wanted a smaller cal yet am a little hesitant on an AI just because of availability (also the 6.5 prc) as I am not currently loading. But I will be doing some perusing of the mentioned smiths. Just not sure whether to go ready built CA or fierce or custom yet... truely am on the fence for that. I really need to head out to prophet to feel them more I think.

[Jerry D]

Check out a few factory options here if your interested.

Cooper timberline is available as along action
Bergara premier series
Springfield armoury 2020 waypoint
Weatherby backcountry.


For custom rifles you have a few common options

#1. A factory rifle such as a tikka, sako, or rem700, Winchester etc with an upgraded stock. I wouldn’t bother with a savage due to sloppy feeling bolt and heavier lift.

#2. Custom action for exceptional feel and some unique features.

#3. A few manufactures are doing thinner carbon barrels, Bartlien does a no4? Benchmark a 5 contour. With a carbon sendaro contour your basically the same weight as a steel sporter contour and a carbon barrel is basically twice the price.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by tikka250

Bob at custom gunworks in Rocky is your guy! Give him a call and he will help you hash out a plan. I cannot recommend him enough! In fact I have a gun being built there right now.

I’ll make the same recommendation, after 3 builds, there ain’t anyone else I’ll use.

[DirtShooter]

KS barrels are the best in the business.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Jerry D

Check out a few factory options here if your interested.

Cooper timberline is available as along action
Bergara premier series
Springfield armoury 2020 waypoint
Weatherby backcountry.


For custom rifles you have a few common options

#1. A factory rifle such as a tikka, sako, or rem700, Winchester etc with an upgraded stock. I wouldn’t bother with a savage due to sloppy feeling bolt and heavier lift.

#2. Custom action for exceptional feel and some unique features.

#3. A few manufactures are doing thinner carbon barrels, Bartlien does a no4? Benchmark a 5 contour. With a carbon sendaro contour your basically the same weight as a steel sporter contour and a carbon barrel is basically twice the price.

https://weatherby.com/store/mark-v-b...ry-2-0-carbon/

6.5 rpm

[Nova316]

KS arms build on a wildcat stock are crazy light, and shoot incredibly well.
Insite arms would be another one I'd recommend but a little more pricey.

[wallz]

I've been shooting a fierce 300 wm for 6 years now. Carbon barrel.
Have had no issues with it, and still shoots with factory ammo, touching holes at 100 yrds. I set it up to shoot for distance with a larger scope. Will probably sell it once the new rifle shows up.

That said, I am in the process of getting a custom 6.5 PRC built, and awaiting on the smith to finish things up. This has been a bit of a process, that is taking WAY longer than anticipated. Frustrating process, but they have lives as well, and when things are falling apart on their end, well, things get stalled. Looks like this hunting season is a bust with the new rifle.

Factory ammo is hard to come by, but slowly being available, and I have seen it show up in stores on line. I bought a bunch last year when I decided to get the rifle built, so I bought on the old cheaper pricing.

The custom rifle will be a bit more for costs, depending on the plan for the build, and the pcs you want. That said, it is what you want, and you get to choose the pcs. I'm building up on the defiance action, with a shorter carbon barrel, and a light magnesium chassis.

This all spurned from the custom takedown 22 LR that I ordered pcs for and built up, 2 years ago, and then thought how sweet it would be to do that with a rifle.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by DirtShooter

KS barrels are the best in the business.

At what?

[ruger300]

[QUOTE=wallz;4424715]
That said, I am in the process of getting a custom 6.5 PRC built, and awaiting on the smith to finish things up. This has been a bit of a process, that is taking WAY longer than anticipated. Frustrating process, but they have lives as well, and when things are falling apart on their end, well, things get stalled. Looks like this hunting season is a bust with the new rifle.

I hear ya there. My new build is taking longer than I anticipated. Welcome to the new world I guess. I’m guessing it’s a parts issue. Hell, my new Silverado I ordered in March just rolled into Edmonton this week.

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by chuck

At what?

Anything you want.

[marky_mark]

Rifle build times are 9 months

[cowmanbob]

Originally Posted by chuck

At what?

Hilarious

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Rifle build times are 9 months

Oh weird mine is from Bob going to be barely 2 months Guess that means I'm special?

[graybeard]

Chris Griesbach.....is in Three Hills... 1- (587) 321-0848

Chris worked for Ralf Martini for a long time.....

He has some of his work on Prophet River site.

[wallz]

[QUOTE=ruger300;4424784]

Originally Posted by wallz

That said, I am in the process of getting a custom 6.5 PRC built, and awaiting on the smith to finish things up. This has been a bit of a process, that is taking WAY longer than anticipated. Frustrating process, but they have lives as well, and when things are falling apart on their end, well, things get stalled. Looks like this hunting season is a bust with the new rifle.

I hear ya there. My new build is taking longer than I anticipated. Welcome to the new world I guess. I’m guessing it’s a parts issue. Hell, my new Silverado I ordered in March just rolled into Edmonton this week.

Nope unfortunately it was not the parts the whole time. Smith has had all the parts since early Aug. But this is not the time or place to talk on that one. I might just cry. Could have had all the parts Nitrided in the mean time, and still had time to get them to him.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by DirtShooter

Anything you want.

That’s a bit of a red flag for me.

[Glion]

So I ended talking a quite a bit to the guys both at Prophet River and Precision Optics.
At the end of the day I settle on a Fierce CT Edge in 7mm Rem.
Topped off with a Nightforce scope.
Settled on the either the Night or the Zeiss. Found a used Nxs so thats why I went that way, even though it is heavier I do like how robust it is.
I went out and handled a few different guns and preferred the stock of the fierce with it having a bit more of a swell. The CA seemed very narrow on the throat and I didnt like how it fit my hand.
Decided against full custom mostly due to time. I have no doubt in my future there will be a full custom.
I will try give an update when I get a chance to test out this setup.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by tikka250

Oh weird mine is from Bob going to be barely 2 months Guess that means I'm special?

That was for a full custom? Or just a rebarrel?
Some Components are hard to get your hands on