Donor action or custom

[jakelly]

OP,

You being LH limits options, particularly in the short mag department. I would, and have multiple times, just buy a donor and rebarrel. Cost of donor + $450-$600. Don't pay for all the custom features and Remingtons /Tikkas end up plenty cheap. Truing factory actions contributes more than anything to peace of mind, the majority of the practical accuracy comes from the barrel and chamber job, with the bulk of the remainder contributed to bedding. For the 270 WSM I'd choose a stainless Tikka T3 in a 7 mag and rebarrel (with the right twist and throat). For the Edge I'd buy a stainless RUM action and barrel it, bed it to the stock of your choice, and go to town.

Pencil to paper:

Custom action- 1250
Barrel- 360
Chamber- 250
Trigger- 150
Coating- 175
Stock- 800
Bottom metal- 250
Bedding- 250

SS Tikka- 600 -whatever you get out of your barrel ~100
Rail- 100
Barrel- 360
Chamber- 250
Trigger- Free or 10 for a Yo-Dave
Coating- already there
Stock- already there
Bottom metal- already there
Bedding- wouldn't bed the plastic

Some thoughts:
Custom actions aren't always, or maybe even usually, true.
$3485 vs. $1220 - Can you imagine what $2265 dollars of components could kill?
Customs do resell higher, but look at the dollars, not the percent. You LOSE more money than you HAD in your Tikka.
The custom will also limit your mag length to 2.95" not a problem with the Tikka. Might be especially nice with a 270 WSM.

 

[Longtooth32]

Action is faced with an end mill, when you tighten a barrel on one you can see skips where it makes contact so it can't be square and won't tighten up nice. Bolt needs toroidal lugs because bolt is so loosely fit it would embarrass a Mauser, short spring with below normal pin fall and lightened pin. Timing is poor and the whole cocking cycle is full of compromises. An action works best when simple, there is no need to put everything we have been working away from all into one action, way, way to many parts, you can tell an engineer went crazy with it because it so much more complicated than need be. WAY over priced for what it is, if you get it coated you can buy two Borden action which have zero compromises and much higher quality of machine work. Not trying to hack your choice but just being real with what it is, ya it'll shoot, maybe, I know of one company that has had serious issues with a whole set of training rifles built on them and at great expense replaced them all with time tested designs.
Your rifle shoots good because of a good barrel!!

Yes, Benchmark built me a great barrel for this action...

Your experience in custom actions is much, much more than mine...

But, holy cow...with HS Precision bottom mags...everything works...

The action ejects everything that I put in it...nothing sticks in the chamber...

No primer pocket backflow...

Trigger works fine...

The only rifle I ever had, when I mounted a scope, I did not have to do a lot (not really a lot) of r to L adjustment...(3 other custom rifles)

I have another switch barrel coming for this action...I really want to believe...

I will pay attention to your thoughts...thank you...

 

[stoti]

Look around, you can buy a left hand, Remington 700 blueprinted action for $595 at Northwest action works, $495 if you keep watching Gun Broker and Guns America. Left hand Bell and Carlson Alaskan II stock at Redhawk Rifles for $279 and have it barreled either with a regular barrel for around $550 or a Remage for $450. You will need bottom metal, Pacific Tool and Gauge... a detachable mag kit with magazine for $160, Timney trigger $130. Boom for $1500 a great 1/2moa gun. I had mine cerakoted and some metal work done to my bolt. It's sweet, its' comfortable and it shoots great! It can be done if you know where to look. I'm going to upgrade the stock when I can afford it but the B&C is a strong, stiff stock. Of course you'll need a base, rings and a scope, but you'll need those on any gun. Look around, it's worth it.