What makes a "custom" gun?

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

The idea of a customized gun in an interesting one.  But what makes a gun a custom one?  In simplest terms, anything that is different from how it came from the factory would fit the bill.  (I will not include action work in this definition.)

 

Some customizations are basically cosmetic.   Changing the grips, engraving, and so forth.

Others are a little more involved.  Some sort of special order from the factory.  Converting a cap and ball to cartridges, making yourself a "Frankengun," creating a Hollywierd Henry, and so on and so forth.  

In other words, customizing can go from something as simple as chopping a barrel to creating a special one off series of modification to one of your existing firearms, just for the fun of it. 

So, with that in mind, what are some kinds of custom guns that some of us own?  I've seen people posting some of their other customizations in other threads over the years, and I have always found it interesting.   Done it myself on occasion.

But I thought a thread on the topic of customization, from the simple to the elaborate, might be of interest, so I throw it out for consideration.   If it catches on, I promise to share a few things of my own.  If there's not interest, well, no harm no foul. 

Gotta have something to do in my spare time.   I have a lot of it now that I'm starting chemo.  (But that's not important.  I'm doing okay, so far, it seems and the docs are super optimistic.)

[Kid Rich]

A 10-22 with no Ruger parts.

kR

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

2 minutes ago, Kid Rich said:

A 10-22 with no Ruger parts.

kR

 

I would not have expected that for an answer. 

 

[Kid Rich]

It was built to my specs.

kR

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Just now, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

I would not have expected that for an answer. 

 

 

Kid Rich is spot on with the Ruger 10/22.

I have at least 1 Ruger 10/22.......... which really isn't a Ruger except for ONE part..... The 10 round rotary mag.

The rest of the rifle, and I mean everything, is custom stuff from KIDD, Fedderson, Boyd's, etc............

 

I also have custom Ruger pistols and the ONLY Ruger part is the grip frame and magazine.   The rest of the

pistol is Volquartsen.

 

..........Widder

 

 

[Buckshot Bob]

3 minutes ago, Kid Rich said:

A 10-22 with no Ruger parts.

kR

If it’s high end parts I would guess so . But if it’s not I would just consider it a clone 

Sorta like a Glock that’s not a Glock, could be a PSA or a Agency/ZEV quality gun 

[Kid Rich]

I'm guessin you could buy 4 Ruger 10-22's for what that one cost and that does not include the stock. So call it whatever you want. I would call it a "custom" gun.

kR

[Widder, SASS #59054]

55 minutes ago, Kid Rich said:

I'm guessin you could buy 4 Ruger 10-22's for what that one cost and that does not include the stock. So call it whatever you want. I would call it a "custom" gun.

kR

 

Indeed.

When the 2 stage trigger cost $300, its custom.

When the receiver is chromium nickeled plated with the pica tinny built into it, its custom.

 

..........Widder

 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Maybe I shoulda specified cowboy guns...

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

For starters, 

 

As for me, I have a S&W 625, .45ACP with Herrett Shooting star grips. Not real customized, but the grips are for a square butt and the gun is a round butt. I had to cut and glue some pieces to fill the gap.

Then there is a Taurus 85 I have: Not particularly custom, you say, well except for the fact that it started life as a 2" barrel, yeah. Oh, all my Taurus 85s have grips that are cut down from the old "banana" grips:

Finally there is "Bigmouth", my EDC 1911. Started out as a stock Norinco. Now, he has a target trigger, Commander hammer to go with the Beavertail safety, which you may note is stainless. As are the extended thumb safety, slide release, mag button, as well as the accurizer barrel bushing. Topping him off is Wilson rear sight, AND Black Oxide finish for the frame and slide. Oh, I forgot to mention the poly ivory grips with a scrimshawed DRAGON held on with stainless grip screws.

[E.D. BLACK]

A C.A.S. sidearm, with no ruger parts

 

post script - nothing wrong with them , I actually learned and grew up with only a  MK III , bearcat and 10/22

[Alpo]

Kind of amazing how many you end up with. Until you start counting you don't know.

 

Definitely custom. Started life as a Rossi overland 12 gauge double barrel shotgun.

These, as you can tell, are Bisley Blackhawks. All Bisley Blackhawks, because of when they were made, are New Model actions. I dislike New Models. So away they went to West Fargo, and came back with Old Model actions. Also the blue one lost two inches on the barrel.

I didn't do this, but it is certainly custom. This started life as a rifle, but is now a carbine.

I built this one myself. I bought a Colt Ace 22 conversion kit, and put it on top of my Gold Cup. But it got annoying switching it back and forth, so I bought an AMT hardballer frame, and a GI parts kit, and from somewhere I acquired a shaved Gold Cup trigger. Absolutely custom, handmade 22 caliber 1911.

 

This one was slightly done by me and slightly by someone else. 1917 Smith & Wesson. Probably stolen. The barrel was shortened 2 inches, which by some amazing coincidence was just short enough to remove the UNITED STATE'S PROPERTY stamped into the bottom of the barrel. When I got it, that ramp had been stuck to the barrel with JB weld, and had let go. A friend of mine who was going to a school to work on Smith hand ejectors told me that if I loaned him my gun it would come back with an action job. He also silver soldered the side SIGHT onto the barrel. He also put that little spring loaded ball bearing in the crane so it locks up tight as a drum. It also has an adjustable rear sight, but that's a bolt on.

This one doesn't look all that customized. Model 28-2 Smith & Wesson. Very common gun. Except this one is chambered in 38 Winchester Central Fire. Why? Because I wanted one.

 

 

[E.D. BLACK]

One off factory custom - just because of the finish , which is oil rubbed bronze.

i requested the grip color and brass bead front site , which went into standard production.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

 

 ..... this'n, alone, will get you an "all expenses holiday" at the"Her Majesty's Pleasure" greybar hotel for at least 14 years ....

 

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

'58 Remington converted to .38 SPL

 

[J-BAR #18287]

15-20 years ago our club secretary/treasurer of the moment commissioned a series of “custom” single actions from a respected gunsmith to be raffled off at the club’s annual match as a fund raiser.  When I was asked for my opinion during a club meeting I answered truthfully:  I would buy tickets to support the club but I did not want the gun.  It was not designed to be used in competition, and I don’t buy guns to look at.  I believe I pissed some folks off.

 

If I didn’t order it, it’s not “custom made” for me.

 

 I don’t own any “custom” guns.  Plenty of variety out there to suit me and my needs already.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I bought a matched pair of Uberti 1860 Army cap and ball revolvers.  They have been tuned to my specs by Rowdy Yates, the back straps re plated and polished and engraved by Kelly Laster. I had Eagle "ivory" grips added and the grips have been engraved by Rachel West.  I carry them in custom holsters carved with a "wedding band" design and a matching belt by Rick Bachman up in Florence, Montana.  The belt has a reproduction 1860 buckle of the finest quality. 

 

It's taken almost eight years and way too much money to get it all done so far, but I can hold my own in the pretty pistol category almost anywhere..... and they shoot better than I can.

 

And then there's my Rock Island 1911 that is mostly just cosmetic because it shoots like a dream right out of the box (once I got the magazine problems sorted out.)

 

I have a Uberti 1875 Remington clone that I'm going to have the color case hardening removed from the frame and have it re-blued because I've seen dozens of the originals and almost none had the CCH frames.  I'm considering have my smith remove the cylinder latch, plug the hole, and make a screw to hold the pin like the originals had.  Might go for some fancy grips for that one, too.

[largo casey #19191]

What I have is the S&W 544 in 44/40.Isn't custom but was only made one year.

                                                                                                                                                    Largo

[Doc Shapiro]

I have guns that are bone stock, and some that have been so heavily modified that there isn't an original spec part left in the gun (my Vaquero's fall into this category).  Where someone chooses to draw the line at what constitutes a custom gun is very much an individual call.  My 2 Devel's (a 1911 and an S&W 39) certainly fit into this category, as do my vaqueros, my Springfield 1911, and a few others in the safe.  Some of them are at various stages between stock and "no where near stock". 

 

In essence, I don't really know how to answer the question.  But I did get to brag that I have 2 Devel's :-)

[Joe LaFives #5481]

So for those folks that have Ruger 10/22's with zero Ruger parts.  What did you do for a serial number????

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Seller: it’s a custom gun!

Me: custom to somebody else’s spec, to me it’s just a gun.

[Buckshot Bob]

4 hours ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

So for those folks that have Ruger 10/22's with zero Ruger parts.  What did you do for a serial number????

You can buy 10-22 pattern receivers made by a couple different manufacturers. Or whole guns  

[Warden Callaway]

Some of my early gunsmith work.  Remington Rand with 70 series Colt slide, S&W J frame sight, homemade front sight, feed ramp widened and polished,  long trigger,  Bianchi grips. Shot PPC with it several years. 

 

I put original slide and grips back on it and shot "Pike" at one match so I can say it's also a Wild Bunch gun.

 

[Alpo]

7 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Seller: it’s a custom gun!

Me: custom to somebody else’s spec, to me it’s just a gun.

Had a guy pushing that when I was looking by a motorcycle one time.

 

"It's a custom frame. And it comes with six spare carburetors!"

 

And I'm thinking, "Well, it's no longer a Norton. It's a homemade frame with a Norton engine. That ain't quite the same thing."

[Joe LaFives #5481]

On 12/11/2021 at 2:55 AM, Buckshot Bob said:

You can buy 10-22 pattern receivers made by a couple different manufacturers. Or whole guns  

Thanks - not aware of that.  So I guess they are 10/22's but not Ruger 10/22's   (just like a 1911 but not a Colt 1911 I suppose)

[Buckshot Bob]

9 minutes ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

Thanks - not aware of that.  So I guess they are 10/22's but not Ruger 10/22's   (just like a 1911 but not a Colt 1911 I suppose)

Yes , armscor makes one that is cheaper. I’ve never seen one but a few people have told me that the TC one is nicer than rugers . I believe Volquartison makes a very high end one . And I’m sure there are many others 

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

For me a custom gun is one that is made from scratch using parts from various sources, both commercial and one off. 

 

I have 4, all centerfire rifles. 

First is a .300 Weatherby Mag. It has a commercial Mauser action, Timney trigger, Shillen match ss barrel and a one off composite aluminum bedded stock.

 

Second is a .220 Ackley Improved Swift. Has a 03 military action, Timney trigger, Shillen match ss barrel and a thumbhole stock I made myself.

 

I also have 2 sporterized 03 Springfield military rifles. They have the original action and barrel, new stocks I also built.

 

These truley represent my definition of a custom gun

[Kid Rich]

6 hours ago, Joe LaFives #5481 said:

Thanks - not aware of that.  So I guess they are 10/22's but not Ruger 10/22's   (just like a 1911 but not a Colt 1911 I suppose)

Joe if I remember I will bring mine to EOT when we bring he trailer up to start work.

kR

[J-BAR #18287]

I can’t remember who made the comment that if you take the parts that have been removed to make your custom gun, you can reassemble them into another gun that looks strangely like the one you originally purchased.  I think they were talking about 1911s at the time. but it probably applies to others as well.

 

[Old Man Graybeard]

I have a Magnum Reseaech 22 rifle that looks like a 10/22. Uses a 10/22 magazine. Aircraft grade aluminum receiver, aircraft grade stainless steel bolt...and carbon fibre bull barrel. I think the scope on it weighs as much as the rifle

 

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

1 hour ago, Old Man Graybeard said:

I have a Magnum Reseaech 22 rifle that looks like a 10/22. Uses a 10/22 magazine. Aircraft grade aluminum receiver, aircraft grade stainless steel bolt...and carbon fibre bull barrel. I think the scope on it weighs as much as the rifle

 

Do they actually tell you what alloy the alum and ss are? I am a retired aerospace engineer and we use many different alloys of these materials of all hardness's. Sounds like a marketing ploy rather than an actual improvement in the gun.

[El CupAJoe]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:08 PM, Alpo said:

Definitely custom. Started life as a Rossi overland 12 gauge double barrel shotgun.

my son tested positive for Covid and is back at school today having completed his symptom free quarantine, the rest of us having been locked up since thanksgiving are still serving out our house arrest sentences.  My $200 hardware store Stevens 315 is sitting in the corner about to undergo a similar fate I think, I blame being locked up too much... I'm trying to see if I can add a fresh hacksaw blade to the wife's next Walmart pickup... Mine will retain the 18+ inch barrels and 26"+ OAL to keep it SASS and Fed friendly.  the thing already serves as my trunk gun so this will make it more packable.

[sassnetguy50]

1 hour ago, Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life said:

Do they actually tell you what alloy the alum and ss are? I am a retired aerospace engineer and we use many different alloys of these materials of all hardness's. Sounds like a marketing ploy rather than an actual improvement in the gun.

The machined 6061-T6 receiver is a big improvement over the Ruger cast receiver.  

 

21 hours ago, Buckshot Bob said:

Yes , armscor makes one that is cheaper. I’ve never seen one but a few people have told me that the TC one is nicer than rugers . I believe Volquartison makes a very high end one . And I’m sure there are many others 

If you like black oxide, plastic stock, plastic sights, the T/C-r22 is for you.  If you want steel and wood to take a beating, get the Ruger.  The T/C does shoot a touch tighter with a scope.

Volquartsen

Magnum Research

Tactical Solutions

Kidd

 

Over a dozen companies making bare serialized receivers or buy an 80% kit.

 

Or have a truely custom tuned rifle that works together harmoniously instead of bolt together parts.  Send it to CPC for a full tune at the cost of a performance barrel.

 

The last one is what I call a customized rifle, those others are just modified with bolt on parts or improved copies.

[El CupAJoe]

2 hours ago, El CupAJoe said:

I blame being locked up too much

Last year, I actually had Covid over thanksgiving, I grew a moustache as a way to stay productive while I was convalescing.  So, making cowboy modifications seems to be the thing to do on quarantine for me...

[El CupAJoe]

Oh look! Custom gun!  The isolation made me do it.. 

 

 

I have dubbed it, the Ben Shapiro, because it's shortish, circumcised and persuasive in an argument...