Custom actions, are they worth it?

[adam32+P]

While we're being contentious…

Is there an action type that eliminates donuts, carbon rings, and cold welding?

Definitely a Ruger American.

 

[GSRetrievers]

Definitely a Ruger American.

Dump the sand out of it because that is the grittiest feeling receiver I have ever felt. That thing rides on 10 grit sandpaper.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Gunsmiths that won't build off a Rem 700 or other factory actions are usually smiths with their own branded actions from company X or Y...or they are hacks that do crap machine work on barrels so they can blame something other than themselves when the rifles don't shoot.

WHAT????

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Now you've done it.

Time to hit the "Ignore" Button for a Thread.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Hey at least we went 13 pages without a mention of Shermans or Hammers

 

[Calvin45]

View attachment 525377

Put another pancake under it and you've got yourself a sandwich!

 

[VinceMule]

Vince, I've looked at the REM LR.
I like the concept, just dont require a long action and I'd prefer SS over carbon.
Knowing me, I would probably swap this and that to the point it would be unrecognizable, and maybe in the end wishing I'd gone another route.
The custom shop was an interesting concept to me years ago, and I tried to inquire but they never would answer the phone.
Another reason I went full out.

I am a stainless guy also. If you have the disposable income, I would jump on a Borden, Bat, Stolle in a heartbeat. I am preaching to those who have to worry about the pursuit of a passion for longer-range shooting, with a very tight budget.

The guy that puts money in a custom rig, is probably way ahead of the guy on a budget long-range rifle in terms of his reloading Knowledge, gun cleaning skills, and bench skills.

The Custom Shop, Phil, you did the right thing.
I love the long actions, about 6 oz more weight. The Wyatts extended mag boxes are a dream come true, up to 4.000 inches on the Rem long actions for STW's & 28 Nosler for those long 180s and 195s. A guy that is handy with a Dremel with carbide cutter can inlet the action and bolt release for these Wyatt's mag boxes.

I know, when you are used to riding in a Cadilac, why would you want to ride in a 1964 Ford Falcon? Only because the Falcon is the only thing you can afford and it will get you there. More people than we know are riding in a Falcon today. There is no need to promote the long-range shooting sport to the point where it becomes the ultra-rich man's game.

I saw a friend of my brothers take a Savage Axis and put a Criterion barrel on it in 7/08, decent Boyd's stock. I cringed when my brother told me that he needed some help at the rifle range reloading. To my great relief, that contraption shot tiny, tiny groups with little effort. I was reloading for him at the range with Berger 140g VLD Hunting bullet in Remington Brass, H4350 with Win primers, first rounds ever put through the barrel.

Behind the 300-yard berm, a smallish limb had fallen off an oak. He kept shooting at the limb, chopping it up into smaller and smaller pieces, he never missed. The scope was a 6x18 Bushnell Banner, Cloudy and not able to completely focus, but good enough. I was very happy for him, and he thinks that the Savage Axis is the best action ever made! We will move out to 500 yds next. His wife is recovering from Cancer, and he has two young children, he needed a win.
Criterion did one heck of a job on the barrel quality & chambering. and I think that he had bedded the action with Bondo/Pam...jeez. I thought I was going to have an apoplexy.

I do not know how in the world a Savage Axis is capable of shooting as well as it does, I have to question, "What have I missed?"

 

[VinceMule]

My daughter's R700 will shoot along with most custom actions. But, I have a LOT of money in upgrades into it to bring it as close as I can to a custom. Customs come with a lot of performance enhancing upgrades over a factory action.

Side bolt release
Fluted bolt body
Tactical CF bolt knob
Bushed firing pin hole
M16 extractor
Squared bolt face/lugs
Threads opened up and recut
Nitrided bolt
TI firing pin and Wolff Blitzschnell spring
PT&G .250 recoil lug dual pinned
Seekins 20MOA Picatinny rail bedded to action

I could have SAVED money by going with a custom action.

We get obsessed, throwing money into our hobby. I have done the same, to the point where I made my own bullets, another WILD obsession starting with $8000 of Carbide bullet-making dies and punches for a start.

Then, custom actions have their hierarchy, been there, done that.

While we're being contentious…

Is there an action type that eliminates donuts, carbon rings, and cold welding?

Dang Calvin, that is funny!

 

[J.J. Weiland]

Doing some evening thinking...from an accuracy standpoint, are custom actions worth the cost?

Let's say you take a known top brand barrel chambered correctly, and spin it onto a Savage action. It then shoots 1/2 moa. Now take that same barrel and spin it onto a Bighorn Origin, will it shoot better or worse for twice the price? Then take it off the Bighorn and spin it onto an ARC Nucleus, will it then shoot better than the Bighorn?

I know there are other reasons for using a custom action, but strictly from an accuracy standpoint, do they actually make a difference? Can you take a 1 moa barrel on a Rem 700 and stick it on a Defiance and it'll become a 1/2 moa rifle? Most likely not...

I would say no. Most accuracy is gained using great barrels and triggers. Having said that I have 3 custom actions that I use and like.

 

[cajun]

I am a stainless guy also. If you have the disposable income, I would jump on a Borden, Bat, Stolle in a heartbeat. I am preaching to those who have to worry about the pursuit of a passion for longer-range shooting, with a very tight budget.

The guy that puts money in a custom rig, is probably way ahead of the guy on a budget long-range rifle in terms of his reloading Knowledge, gun cleaning skills, and bench skills.

The Custom Shop, Phil, you did the right thing.
I love the long actions, about 6 oz more weight. The Wyatts extended mag boxes are a dream come true, up to 4.000 inches on the Rem long actions for STW's & 28 Nosler for those long 180s and 195s. A guy that is handy with a Dremel with carbide cutter can inlet the action and bolt release for these Wyatt's mag boxes.

I know, when you are used to riding in a Cadilac, why would you want to ride in a 1964 Ford Falcon? Only because the Falcon is the only thing you can afford and it will get you there. More people than we know are riding in a Falcon today. There is no need to promote the long-range shooting sport to the point where it becomes the ultra-rich man's game.

I saw a friend of my brothers take a Savage Axis and put a Criterion barrel on it in 7/08, decent Boyd's stock. I cringed when my brother told me that he needed some help at the rifle range reloading. To my great relief, that contraption shot tiny, tiny groups with little effort. I was reloading for him at the range with Berger 140g VLD Hunting bullet in Remington Brass, H4350 with Win primers, first rounds ever put through the barrel.

Behind the 300-yard berm, a smallish limb had fallen off an oak. He kept shooting at the limb, chopping it up into smaller and smaller pieces, he never missed. The scope was a 6x18 Bushnell Banner, Cloudy and not able to completely focus, but good enough. I was very happy for him, and he thinks that the Savage Axis is the best action ever made! We will move out to 500 yds next. His wife is recovering from Cancer, and he has two young children, he needed a win.
Criterion did one heck of a job on the barrel quality & chambering. and I think that he had bedded the action with Bondo/Pam...jeez. I thought I was going to have an apoplexy.

I do not know how in the world a Savage Axis is capable of shooting as well as it does, I have to question, "What have I missed?"

Modern cnc machines allow a level of precision and mass production not possible years ago.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

How many guys are ditching their custom actions when the rifle won't shoot like they want? Not many. Tells you (OP) it has little to do with the action. I think it's funny how some guys claim a custom action equals ultimate accuracy. I will tell you if my "full custom" aint shooting, I'm deff not blaming the action. Same with if my 700 builds are shooting excellent, I'm deff not claiming it's because of the action.

I also think the "for a few hundred dollars more, you can get a custom action" is funny. I'm not fancy by any means. If I can get a trued up 700 for a few hundo cheaper than a "custom" than I just paid for my brass and dies baby!!!

Few reasons. When most guns dont shoot two things instantly get blamed. Barrel and or smith. A lot of things can make a gun not shoot. A LOT. Now its easy too check a action too see if its not right. I can do it in minutes, if not right back it goes. Barrels on other hand a lot can be missed since your looking down a tube. I plug and bore scope and have had some not shoot too my standards. But most people cant shoot better then a r700 can produce. The cost of a custom is worth every penny by time you get done buying a 700 and truing it. Integrated rail and lug is worth a crap ton if you shoot a lot.

That being said you cant see lug set back you gotta measure it. I cant see .002 looking down a hole anyway.

 

[Beluebow]

"You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic."
― Robert A. Heinlein

 

[Barehandlineman11]

Gunsmiths that won't build off a Rem 700 or other factory actions are usually smiths with their own branded actions from company X or Y...or they are hacks that do crap machine work on barrels so they can blame something other than themselves when the rifles don't shoot.

I don't because its not worth my time. Too many variables for smiths for gun not too shoot. Why a lot of guys run parts they know that work. Nothing worse then chasing your tail figuring out why something doesn't shoot. A lot of time and material thats hard to get and exspensive. Start with good parts that check out it lowers your problems.

 

[southpa]

Few reasons. When most guns dont shoot two things instantly get blamed. Barrel and or smith. A lot of things can make a gun not shoot. A LOT. Now its easy too check a action too see if its not right. I can do it in minutes, if not right back it goes. Barrels on other hand a lot can be missed since your looking down a tube. I plug and bore scope and have had some not shoot too my standards. But most people cant shoot better then a r700 can produce. The cost of a custom is worth every penny by time you get done buying a 700 and truing it. Integrated rail and lug is worth a crap ton if you shoot a lot.

That being said you cant see lug set back you gotta measure it. I cant see .002 looking down a hole anyway.

I don't see how that proves that a custom is more accurate? In the long run, the cost of a custom being worth it is the opinion of someone with cost and feature in mind. My opinion is not that my customs are more accurate than my 700 builds because my customs are in fact NO MORE ACURATE than my 700s. That's just reality.