This is the time of the year to build your project rifle for next summer’s shooting season.

I shoot Rimfire Bench Rest, so I build RFBR rifles every winter as a hobby. I realize there are many different disciplines in rimfire shooting and they all have their own requirements. Regardless of the discipline, there is no better way to become familiar and comfortable with your rifle than to build it, or at least part of it, to your requirements.

Many have said, “Let your smith decide what components to use and let him build what he knows best”. There is a lot of wisdom in that. But there is also a downside. You are the owner/shooter, some of that rifle has to reflect you, or you are just using someone else’s creation. I did this for a long time, and I enjoyed my wins, but none measured up to the wins I achieved with rifles where I made a significant input into those builds.

Now I’m not saying you have to be your own machinist or your own stock maker. These are specialized skills and there is no doubt a professional will turn out a better product than a guy trying to do it for the first time.

Of course, it is better the more of the project that you can do for yourself.

What I am saying is you the owner/shooter should study your discipline and find out what is working best. Find the ones that fit your shooting abilities and use those components. This includes finding the right smith and stockmaker to put your project together.

If you have machinist skills it is not that hard to learn to thread, chamber, and crown your own barrels. If you have woodworking skills, you can build yourself a great stock. Learning to bed an action isn’t that hard you just have to be willing to do it.

Sure. you are going to have some that don’t come out great, but you will learn from those mistakes and be able to correct them on the next one.

In the long run, the more you put into the sport the more you will get out of it.

TKH