Enda Walsh makes over CZ...

tac foley

in the November issue of Shooting Sports magazine. The subject of his attention was Pete Moore's CZ527 in .222Remington.

He says of the stock -

'Inside that big lump of grey/black laminate was a super custom thumbhole just screaming to get out - the man's a genius' - Pete Moore.

The stock design and build from Mr Walsh cost eu2600.

The rebarrelling- a 1:12 Bergara from Brian Fox in UK, another eu854, and shipping in a proper wooden crate another eu100. So a budget built it sure wasn't.

But you get what you pay for.

tac

meathstevie

tac foley wrote: »

in the November issue of Shooting Sports magazine. The subject of his attention was Pete Moore's CZ527 in .222Remington.

He says of the stock -

'Inside that big lump of grey/black laminate was a super custom thumbhole just screaming to get out - the man's a genius' - Pete Moore.

The stock design and build from Mr Walsh cost eu2600.

The rebarrelling- a 1:12 Bergara from Brian Fox in UK, another eu854, and shipping in a proper wooden crate another eu100. So a budget built it sure wasn't.

But you get what you pay for.

tac

So you're essentially left with a CZ action

tac foley

Yus. But in mitigation there won't be another one like it, anywhere. Mr Moore obviously likes his CZ, I'd say. What is not in question is that he now has the most expensive CZ rifle on the planet.

I'm sure Mr Walsh would one for my one and only modern rifle, if only I was rich enough... :O

tac

lefthooker

I'm looking at the stock and I can't for the life of me see where €2600 went.
Aesthetically it might be top notch but visually I find it bland. Now I know its made to spec re dual grip and thumbhole but does it offer any more than the £529 GRS stock on the Howa?

tac foley

Don't ask me, ask Mr Walsh.

GRS stocks, if you watch the fascinating Youtube movie about them are mass-produced items, no matter how beautiful they are [personally I'd love a rifle with such a stock], but those made by Mr Walsh are individual and never-to-be-repeated items, 'bland' or not. I would opine that making a stock that fits the oddly-configured Mr Moore and the other person who shoots the rifle - his daughter - was something that may just have caused some expensive head-scratching. Bespoke woodwork costs mega-$$$$ - ask anybody who has had a unique piece of cabinetwork made for them.

By way of contrast, the unique laminated stock on my BSA MkII Martini International cost the best part of thirty quid, and you can be absolutely certain that you'll never ever see another like it as long as you live.

From the ridiculous to the sublime, so to speak.

tac

lefthooker

tac foley wrote: »

Don't ask me, ask Mr Walsh.

I'm not asking tac, I'm telling:pac:

I'm not ignorant to how costs can be kept down when mass produced v bespoke, but at 3 times the price I'd want it walnut carved by the Valkyrie themselves.

Cass

Has anyone a link to the article?

I've noticed on his website that the price of the stocks have jumped up from the usual starting price of €670 to €1,670.

Big Bangstick

Cass wrote: »

Has anyone a link to the article?

I've noticed on his website that the price of the stocks have jumped up from the usual starting price of €670 to €1,670.

I'd noticed that too I was going to order one as I'd previously seen them at €600 odd and as you say they're now €1600 +..................... sod that !

tac foley

Sorry, Cass, I can't find an online version of the magazine.

Nice colour shot on the front over, though - just looking at that will do for most folks and be a whole lot cheaper, too.

tac

Cass

Big Bangstick wrote: »

I'd noticed that too I was going to order one as I'd previously seen them at €600 odd and as you say they're now €1600 +..................... sod that !

I want to be 100% clear here. I know Enda well and his rifles and work in general are outstanding. So i'm not taking a pot shot at the guy. However i'm also not going to discuss something because i know the person.

Plus he is not on his own. I've gone through this on another thread some time back that all gunsmiths seem to be working under the impression that there was no recession and have in fact gone the opposite direction in raising their prices. Not getting into that here again. You can read the link for my review.

tac foley wrote: »

Sorry, Cass, I can't find an online version of the magazine.

Cannot find an online version either. Will take a look at the mag tomorrow in the shops.

just looking at that will do for most folks and be a whole lot cheaper, too.

You have your choice of stocks. Really a matter of:

• What you want
• What you can afford
• What will do regardless of choice

I was in this position for the last week or two. The AICS simply was not suiting the Father so had to change to get something. I looked at everything from the full custom route to cheaper custom route to pre-made/ready to order stocks. Prices went from €150 all the way up to €2,500. I sent a lot of e-mails and eventually settled on a nice stock. Got the bottom metal and mag well spring/box, etc and fitted it. All for just under €400.

Big Bangstick

I posted a comment nothing more. Young lad in UK called Joe West sorted me out and even with a crap exchange rate & shipping I got a lovely stock at a fraction of the cost. It's great we have options.

Cass

Big Bangstick wrote: »

I posted a comment nothing more.

Easy there :cool: . I simply quoted your post, but mycomments were general ones and not directed at you or anyone in particular. Just a clarification.

Young lad in UK called Joe West sorted me out and even with a crap exchange rate & shipping I got a lovely stock at a fraction of the cost. It's great we have options.

I've seen and priced his stocks. IMO too expensive for what they are. They look like Boyds but at £610 (€825) for a thumbhole hunter that is bedded they are far too dear for not enough "stock". His target ones are nice, and cheaper than others, but again at over €1,250 there are just as good for less.

However it's up to each person to decide what they like. I mean i've seen some stocks that cost a fortune and my first thoughts were "you paid money for that". You never say it as the guy that owns it, likes it, so no need to be nasty and i'm sure my taste in stocks would not suit others.

hillbilly jack

Hi Lads, Enda here,
Just looking at all the comments, all fair points,
I fit stocks to rifles varying in value from €200, to €5000, and it's the customer who makes his mind up on what he wants. He usually tells me what he wants and I offer options. Prices went up because the bespoke stocks were not profitable, if you are on the outside looking in they look expensive but it's different from this side of the fence when you actually know how many hours actually goes into the whole process. It's not just about the price of wood. I don't force anyone to buy expensive stocks, actually there is too sides to the market.
One is a person who wants something specially made for them who I try and cater for and the second is the person who wants as much as possible for as little as possible and I try to help out there too using Boyds stocks for example and maybe modify them to suit..
It's like the 10k car and the 100k car. Both will get you there but it's up to the customer to decide which they want.

fish slapped

Firstly I'd say well done to Enda coming on and explaining.

I would also add that his work in excellent and I'm speaking from experience. I would certainly fall into the second category of looking for as much as possible for paying out as little as possible. I have sought Endas advice on numerous issues and ideas and he has always obliged with his time and skills. I have also handed him other parts which are nearly always secondhand (i.e. stocks and various hair brain ideas of mine) and asked him to adjust or alter them to meet my needs ... this tends to suit my budget better.