Not to hijack the thread - but 9.3 makes certain points that I dont disagree on , however, ALL off the shelf rifles may not be what you want in total.... length of pull, trigger creep / break, sights, scope mounts, stock shape or material and so on.

Every off the shelf rifle needs to be worked to YOUR satisfaction. If it doesn't work as a reliable rifle - I agree that is a bad thing.

I marvel at how Remington devotees buy anything in the green box and then basically throw everything away but the action and bolt - and even then they "true it" all up..... why bother?....

So I assume that every rifle that is sold off the shelf is a starting platform for someone to get to where they want it. Reliability is something else however, and the further afield you go with big bores or the newest fashion rounds the more you may expect to be disappointed.

Like it or not the details cost big dollars to have done for off the shelf rifles and companies are selling to the market they perceive to be there.

I do not believe it to be entirely a cost issue though - My Merkel had doubling issues right out of the box -- everyone told it was my operation at fault (it was a mechanical issue) -- so a $8000 rifle is a kit gun as well? No - it is what it is -- a machine that may take some adjustment to get where you wnat it. On that rifle I changed the sights, added LOP, put a hinged front trigger in ....... what I wanted.

Some would say that Merkel is junk - go buy a so and so ---- its only $35000 - but I can bet there would be the same requirements to get that rifle to where YOU want it.

What you appear to suggest are actions with bbls that you build semi-custom rifles on -- I think that is already out there for the enthusiest (sp). Maybe that is the issue here - that people are looking to buy rifles that are "out of their range" of expertise etc -- not to be snob or mean but when someone who spends his time shooting a 7-08 buys a .600 OKH just because -- there is a definite learning curve!

I still prefer to know that any rifle I buy will require my tune ups to get it where I expect it to be. If it doesnt chamber factory ammo - well I would be pissed as much as the next guy.

I still hope Bigbore gets his working well