adam32+P
Well-Known Member
Again, much better in what regard? Looks? Not accuracy. Not function.
You can swap barrels at home on a Rem 700 also. That extra $350 can purchase a good barrel. Win win.
Custom actions, are they worth it?
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Again, much better in what regard? Looks? Not accuracy. Not function.
You can swap barrels at home on a Rem 700 also. That extra $350 can purchase a good barrel. Win win.
Justice1327
Well-Known Member
I click on the link but it doesn't open up. It says it cannot be found. Is there a main website you go to and then select the podcasts?
you have good logic there but in my case I do my own chambering on the barrels and usually pay about 200 for a blank which I contour
The $350 turns into $250 after you add the scope base to the 700 that comes standard with the custom and then less if you start adding features you get with the custom most add to a 700 like the pinned recoil lug and better bolt handle. Down the road when you want a different caliber you don't have to buy a new scope, stock, bottom metal etc. You change a bolt face and barrel. It actually saves you money in the long run. Way more than $250 or less in the beginning.
And yes in accuracy and function in that the custom for $900 is made to a perfect machining spec. There is no having to fix it like the 700. Believe me I still have a 700 action I got in 1993 and has been through 9 .308 barrels and has 80-90,000 rounds through it but no way would I start in that today when better options available. I only keep it as it has sentimental value. It took a couple barrels before it started to feel smooth like a custom out the gate. I'm not a prude who has always been custom as I have had multiple 700s and a Savage over the years but I only have the one 700 now and don't try and fool myself they are the same as a good custom action. Shooters coming into the market now don't know how lucky they are to have what they have for options. A different game than even 20 years ago.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Most precision hunting rifles are shot off a bi-pod and can easily produce sub .5moa in the field. That type of precision is what allows some of the hunters here to regularly harvest animals out to 1,000yds and more. Virtually no one hunts at those distances with production off-the-shelf rifles.
Custom rifles with custom actions have their place in a hunting environment. I shoot full custom rifles afield and I don't shoot as far as some of the guys here, but knowing what your rifle will do sure is a confidence builder as you apply pressure to the trigger.
Justice1327
Well-Known Member
20 years ago or more, before George Gardner started GAP, he advised me to not take my factory 700 action and have it blueprinted. He recommended that I get a full custom action. well, I didn't have a lot of money then I wasn't patient and just save a little bit longer and I had him blueprint that action with the custom barrel in 308. I still have that Rifle today. It is on its third barrel, although it is a 260 now having sold a great many of my actions/rifles, I greatly enjoy a custom action even some of the less costly ones like big horn or solus. They are hands-down better than a factory action. Lastly, very few people have the equipment and machinery to chamber and contour, their own barrel blanks at 200$ a pop. Great if you do, but for the masses, it's not applicable.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
"Are custom actions worth it?"
If that question means; if I spend triple as much on an action can I get triple the accuracy; then the answer is "of course not".
But things don't work that way. In order to better anything, you usually have to put much more into it. I used to build race engines for motorcycles. If you wanted to beat the fastest bike by 2 seconds at the street drags, you needed to put BIG money into the motor. You could put another $10k into a motorcycle engine just to inch out the next guy by a fraction of a second. In the early days, we started putting turbos and nitrous oxide on the bikes just to beat the fastest normally aspirated bikes. That change over cost BIG bucks, but it did result in a tangible reduction in ETs.
If that question means; if I spend triple as much on an action can I get triple the accuracy; then the answer is "of course not".
But things don't work that way. In order to better anything, you usually have to put much more into it. I used to build race engines for motorcycles. If you wanted to beat the fastest bike by 2 seconds at the street drags, you needed to put BIG money into the motor. You could put another $10k into a motorcycle engine just to inch out the next guy by a fraction of a second. In the early days, we started putting turbos and nitrous oxide on the bikes just to beat the fastest normally aspirated bikes. That change over cost BIG bucks, but it did result in a tangible reduction in ETs.
Your not wrong. But 1/2 moa gun on a bench just became 1 or even 2 moa. Where as 1/4 moa just became half. Obviously not same gun to gun person to person. But theres a lot of things customs gain. Weight loss if your counting ounces. If your prefit guy it gets you a close headspace even though I've fixed 5 prefits this year that didnt headspace right. On customs. A factory rem 700 youd be getting lucky with prefit to actually work. And then on big guns. Lug set back most guys dont have a clue what it is but its real and youll lose accuracy from it. Bolt timing, trigger timing all takes a play. So far bat/borden only two actions i havent had to play with pin fall and time triggers. Theyre typically really close. Factory actions wont do that not without a lot of work
But if your a guy that 500 yards is long range. Go to walmart buy that 30-06 and shoot them core lokts. 1000+ a full custom will outshine if monkey behind trigger did the load work and knows how too shoot
Montana'eer
Well-Known Member
I'm in this camp. I'll add that good quality self rolled loads usually make a huge difference. I've got several factory rifles that shoot bugholes when fed the right recipe. X-bolt, Rem 5R..
Now if I was shooting for dough? Yes I would want the best I could afford.
LuvDog
Well-Known Member
I had R700 and Tikka actions that I rebarreled. They all shot sub MOA.
I had a factory R700 action that I screwed on a used NSS Criterion Remage that shot as well as my customs. So people who automatically turn their noses up at a factory action with a good barrel just don't want to admit that shooting small holes can be done economically and it doesn't take a thousands of dollars to do. Was it as smooth as a Defiance? No. Would I want to rebarrel it as often as an action with a integral lug? No.
But the results were on par.
But, I'd only do that again if I already had the rifle, or got a smoking deal on a bare action. I picked up a few R700s over the years for $250-$275. But those days are mostly over.
I had a factory R700 action that I screwed on a used NSS Criterion Remage that shot as well as my customs. So people who automatically turn their noses up at a factory action with a good barrel just don't want to admit that shooting small holes can be done economically and it doesn't take a thousands of dollars to do. Was it as smooth as a Defiance? No. Would I want to rebarrel it as often as an action with a integral lug? No.
But the results were on par.
But, I'd only do that again if I already had the rifle, or got a smoking deal on a bare action. I picked up a few R700s over the years for $250-$275. But those days are mostly over.
Sub moa isn't shooting small.
Just open up a podcast app and type in, Wolf Precision and there is over 180 podcast there and look up episode #169. Then prepare yourself to be educated.
Accuracy is not the only reason why I built my dream rifles on a custom action but all and every luxuries that comes with it. It's like an expensive luxury car to every days Joe's ride. Every penny I spent on a custom action represents my philosophy and inspiration to this hobby and the life and soul of every artisan-smith who devoted time, effort and everything they have to creat a statement in every piece they made. As far as I'm concerned, the question of, "is paying more on a custom action worth it", is irrelevant in my case. But that's only me and to each his own.
