Canadian Custom Precision

I climbed higher. With my tack-driving, carbon fibre, custom mountain rifle in hand, I felt unstoppable. At the treeline, I bugled, and from across the valley, a bull replied. I felt the rush of adrenaline as I set up for the shot. But as the bull stepped from the timber, my alarm jolted me awake. It was a dream, yet the details were as vivid as real life. I didn’t own a custom hunting rifle… yet. Time to make it a reality.

Many consider a custom-built gun essential for demanding hunts. Thanks to high-tech materials and advanced manufacturing processes, custom hunting guns are lightweight, deadly accurate and reliable in wet and cold weather – everything you need in a mountain rifle.

I began my research, ironed out every detail and anticipated the awesomeness. But here’s the twist: I wanted all the components to be Canadian-sourced. A homegrown custom hunting gun is entirely possible. Canada is home to some of the heavy hitters and rising stars in the firearms industry. My rifle was going to be as rugged as the BC backcountry.

To kickstart my pet project, I stopped by the International Barrels Inc. (IBI) booth at SHOT Show. The BC rifle barrel and action maker was one of several Canadian manufacturers showcasing products at the shooting and hunting trade show.

I described my idea of a Canadian custom hunting rifle to Peter Hinam, sales and marketing manager at IBI. He reached behind the display and pulled out a rifle. “Something like this?” he said with a grin.

It was a thing of beauty, decked out with a carbon fibre barrel and stock. And it weighed next to nothing!

“The barrel, action and stock are made in BC, and it has a Canadian-made trigger,” Hinam continued. It was stunning; light as a feather, built like a tank and proudly Canadian.

“You can try it and write about it,” he suggested.

“Deal!” I exclaimed.

Why Build A Custom?

If you’re on the fence between buying or building a new rifle, here are some considerations. With the plethora of factory-made hunting rifles available today, a custom rig may seem like a luxury. After all, most guns come with an accuracy guarantee and, at the range, they’ll shoot game-getting groups at respectable distances. What more could we ask, right?

While average rifles can get the job done, they lack the performance and reliability features that are crucial for success. For example, carbon fibre lightens a rifle, making it easier to carry. For the hunter pushing the limits, it’s important to have speed and agility.

To keep prices competitive, manufacturers often cut corners on budget firearms. Components like the stock or trigger can be upgraded later, but critical parts such as the barrel and action usually cannot. Upgrading is costly and you end up paying twice: once for the factory part and again for the aftermarket replacement. With a custom rifle, you choose each component from the start. Although premium parts come at a higher upfront cost, there’s no need for future upgrades – “buy once, cry once.”

Some premium parts are only available as aftermarket upgrades. Together, the rifle is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering performance and reliability that piecemeal upgrades rarely achieve.

One final consideration is the choice of cartridge. Popular cartridges are available in off-the-rack rifles, but less common ones are not. In a custom rifle, the world is your oyster; choose a cartridge and build a rifle to match.

A Canadian All-Star Rifle

Every custom rifle has a unique set of options, and this Canadian compilation is as good as it gets. The rig includes an IBI Alpine Hunter 22-inch carbon fibre barrel with a threaded muzzle, IBI Hunter brake, Ultimatum HMB action, MDT CRBN carbon fibre stock and a TriggerTech Primary trigger. I topped the rifle with an Apex Optics Hunter 3-15×44 riflescope.

Precision starts with a quality barrel. A well-machined barrel and rifling ensure the bullet spins evenly and exits consistently. The result is tight groups and predictable performance. IBI (internationalbarrels.com) makes both carbon fibre and stainless-steel barrels.

My custom rifle featured a rigid carbon fibre barrel bonded to a stainless core. The steel is double stress relieved, a manufacturing step that ensures accuracy and durability. The barrel is then honed to within 0.0001 inches (extremely uniform diameter) and hand lapped. Finishing the bore in this way removes any drilling and rifling tool marks. A polished bore reduces copper and carbon fouling for easier cleaning.

A custom action in a rifle is one of the key components that separates a factory firearm from a precision-built one. It’s the heart of the rifle – responsible for how reliably and accurately the rifle cycles, chambers and fires a round. The benefits of a custom action are a tighter, more consistent lock-up and perfectly aligned bore-to-action fit. For repeatable precision, especially at longer ranges, this is what you need.

Smoother operation is the first thing most people feel when they work a custom action. With precision-ground raceways (where the bolt slides) and optimized design, the bolt cycles effortlessly. This is especially helpful with gloved hands or in awkward shooting positions.

The Ultimatum HMB action (internationalbarrels.com) uses the Remington 700 action footprint for compatibility with a wide range of aftermarket parts and a pinned recoil lug. A slightly convex bolt face creates a self-aligning effect that further smooths feeding. The feed ramp is notched to accommodate the long hunting bullets that handloads like to use. For long-range shots, a 20 MOA rail ensures there is enough elevation travel to dial for dead-on holds.

The Ultimatum HMB action comes in one of three finishes. The stainless-steel action on my test rifle was DLC/TiN coated for slick, drag-free cycling. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating is tough, durable and corrosion-resistant for protection from the elements. The action raceways are titanium-nitride (TiN) coated, a gold-coloured, hard ceramic known for wear resistance, galling protection and a smooth-but-controlled friction surface.

A premium trigger is one of the parts shooters choose to upgrade. I have swapped the factory trigger for a TriggerTech on several of my rifles, and it makes a world of difference to both rifle accuracy and feel. The test rifle came equipped with TriggerTech Primary (triggertech.com).

TriggerTech’s patented triggers are unique in the industry. Using what they call Frictionless Release Technology, these drop-in triggers feature a true zero-creep break and an extremely short over-travel. A hunter can squeeze the trigger and take the shot with confidence. The trigger pull weight is quickly adjusted from 1.5 to 4.0 pounds. The ability to fine-tune the trigger from light in the early season to heavier in the late season is a game-changer. TriggerTech triggers use hardened 440C stainless steel internal components for corrosion resistance.

Upgrading a stock transforms a ho-hum synthetic factory stock into something special, also improving accuracy and durability. Pairing this custom rifle with a stock from MDT (mdttac.com) – an industry leader in aftermarket rifle chassis and stocks – was a perfect match. The MDT CRBN is a lightweight carbon fibre field; an advanced hunting stock with features of a PRS rifle chassis for precision and performance.

CRBN stocks have a magnesium micro chassis with V-block bedding that ensures solid and secure contact for the rifle. A tight fit improves accuracy by minimizing movement during firing. On the inside, rigid foam absorbs harmonic vibrations, resulting in what MDT describes as a “dead-feeling gun.” It’s a good thing, helping you stay on target. A wide, stiff forend doesn’t flex during recoil or external force. It includes an integrated ARCA rail and M-LOK slots for attaching bipods (which MDT also makes), tripods and other accessories. The CRBN is compatible with AICS-style magazines, which are an industry-standard-sized magazine that’s available at many retailers.

The length of pull is adjustable via spacers, so whether you’re sharing a rifle or setting it up perfectly for yourself, this customization is easy to do. MDT incorporated other precision rifle features, such as a 20-degree grip angle with an integrated thumb shelf (promoting good trigger control), a quick-adjust cheek riser and front and back QD cups for mounting slings.

The CRBN is available in five unique camo/colour finishes. My test rifle wore Hunter Blaze, which stands out while blending in.

Some hunters like muzzle brakes to tame the recoil of hard-hitting cartridges. The Canadian Custom included an IBI Two-Gill brake, which effectively reduces recoil on this hunting rifle. All muzzle brakes increase the sound experienced by the shooter; however, IBI designed this one with a 90-degree cut on the gill closest to the shooter to help direct the blast and sound away.

Modern hunting rifles need a quality riflescope to reach their full potential. Apex Optics is a Canadian company that is quickly rising in the optics world for its quality and innovative products. The Apex Hunter 3-15×44 scope is an outstanding option for this custom build for several reasons.

This first focal plane riflescope has excellent light transmission and image clarity. It includes Apex Optic’s HLR (Hunter Long Range) reticle, which allows easy target acquisition on low power and accurate windage and elevation holds with an advanced holdover reticle on any of the higher powers. If you like to dial for dead-on holds, this scope accommodates that too, by including locking turrets with a zero stop. An integrated and removable throw lever and knurled oversized zoom ring are easy to operate, even with gloves. A first focal plane offers many advantages for hunters.

Range Test & Review

With a pedigree of premium parts and accessories, I had little doubt that this Canadian custom rifle chambered in .308 Win was going to shoot exceptionally well. I took it on a date to the range to find out. With the TriggerTech trigger set at two pounds, the trigger broke clean, a feeling I’ve grown to love. The rifle had no trouble keeping three-shot groups to under one inch at 100 yards for the five different hunting loads that I tested, a testament to the IBI carbon fibre barrel.

The bare rifle weighed a mere 2.8 kilograms (six pounds), and the scope, rings and magazine added one kilogram. Surprisingly, the recoil was manageable thanks to the MDT CRBN stock and IBI muzzle brake. The Apex Hunter 3-15×44 was an outstanding choice for this rifle. The magnification range covers everything from close encounters in heavy cover to long-range shots across a valley. Its illuminated reticle contrasts against the target in low light. By coincidence, the scope’s orange anodized throw lever and objective ring matched the orange of the MDT stock. It was all matchy-matchy, and it looked great.

 

Conclusion

A custom rifle is an investment, but no more so than any other passion in life. When you build a rifle that meets the demands of the backcountry, it not only inspires confidence but also adds to the pleasure of the pursuit. A hunting rifle like this is a modern heirloom and will undoubtedly last and be treasured for a long time. So, whether you’re glassing goats above the treeline, tracking elk through dense forest or matching wits with a black bear, a custom rifle like this gives you the edge when it matters most. We only get one shot at life. Make it count!