Which of those things takes a master gunsmith to do?
Surely not recrown? That is a relatively easy task. It is something most people do not have the tools for. It is also something that really only makes an improvement if the weapon doesn't already have a good crown. If one wants to recrown and lacks the tools any gunsmith worth the name can do it and many good smiths do it for a very reasonable fee.
Threading? This is hardly master gunsmith stuff either. Are they truing threads or just threading it properly to begin with as the S308 does not come with a threaded barrel. Again a good smith will give you a quality barrel threading for a very reasonable price and it will be cocentric and good to go for a suppressor.
A shop like rifle dynamics only charges $150 to cut a barrel, recrown it, thread it, and pin a muzzle device. We are only talking about to of those 4 tasks.
When you pull the bolt back on a Krebs AK it feels like its on roller bearings
Polishing the action mirror smooth takes time but is not that difficult. Stones and polishing compound are pretty cheap to buy. On an AK knowing what to polish and doing it with out ruining anything is not too tough. All this is assuming that on an AK rifle such a thing offers some practical benefit worth the effort.
This is more of the above. My Draco had enough truly sharp edges I felt it worth doing this. On my S308 there wasn't a sharp edge to bite me anywhere on it anyhow.
Fitting, and otherwise polishing and tuning up an AK trigger is also very low on the difficulty scale. This is not a 1911 trigger. Heck it doesn't even approach doing a ruger revolver or a j frame.
Refinishing a gun is hardly master gun smith stuff either. Take 45 seconds with google and you will find all kinds of average joes who have done very good jobs with their own guns. If you actually use your guns that pretty finish.
Have you ever done any work like this? Please don't project your limitation onto everyone else.
Until you've actually handled a Krebs rifle, you can't understand just how nice they are.
I have (not the tritely named "socom" 308, but a x39 gun) and I stand by my previous post. Thank you for insinuating that I am ignorant though. I mean if I don't share your opinion sure it is simply because of my inexperience and ignorance right?
Are custom built guns for everyone? No. For example, some people scoff at Ed Brown 1911's and say they could buy a Taurus 1911 and make it do everyone the Ed Brown will. They see no point in a custom gun. Some people never develop that appreciation for such things.
Having worked on guns for years I would be the first to say that there is a world of difference between custom 1911s and custom AKs. It is apples to oranges both in terms of the amount of knowledge and work that each takes.
I have no issues spending more when it actually gets more. My AR is a Noveske that sports goodies like a T1 aimpoint etc. I have about $2k in one of my S12s. I have a multi thousand dollar 1911. Again despite your insinuation I am not a person that does not recognize why some guns cost more, nor a person who cannot appreciate things that really add value. Rather, I simply do not see that with this S308. In fact if I were to drop $1900 on a S308 it would not be set up like that gun.
It shoots as accurately as a number of S308s I've seen. I will say you shoot better with irons than most. I assume it is equally reliable. Thus apart from the add ons and a nicer finish (which is bound to get dinged up if the gun is used for much of anything anyways) what does it have that makes it work better than a much more basic s308. Now take that basic S308 give it the add ons and even a pretty finish if you like and you have the same thing for much less money, just like I said.
[retracted statement about possible motives for pushing this product] EDIT
Also, how exactly did you come to the conclusion that with the Mako hand guard that rifle is free floated?
