Having a dilemma.... What would you do?

[RMulhern]

Get a 1-7" twist and shoot Sierra 90 gr.

It's a HAMMER!!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Nuts are ugly according to most men. However a nut build is a LOT less $$$ than having a smith set headspace for a switch barrel.
I also HATE relying on a smith for anything. Their time management skills are directly inverse to their smithing abilities.
The OP has a target budget set at $1500. A Remage style build using his stock and bottom metal and a custom action is achievable. A build a smith has to touch will barely get there, take months if not yrs to complete and will have less potential than owning a REAL action. A Remage build on his current action could be done under $500.
The whole idea with a Remage or Savage is to get away from the SMITH. Saves time, money and makes it YOURS. Nuts are ugly but without them none of us would be here and I would pay 3 times more and wait 10 times longer for my guns.

My smith takes 1 to 2 weeks turn-around during his not-so-busy season, and maybe a month during the busy season. He also charges me really good prices, so I have no complaints.

I'm curious as to what a custom action will do, that a mass-produced action cannot, since you say the custom ("REAL") action has "more potential".

Barrel nut or not, the action face will need to be squared since that is a contact point for the barrel nut and any torque on that junction will cause the same ill-affects of an untrued action with a torque-fit barrel. And most HONEST gunsmiths will tell you that lots of custom actions need squaring, too.

Todd, not to sound insulted, but I know what a Remage is and what it's for...Doesn't mean I have to like it just because you do. You're trying to explain things to me that I've known for many years. I am far from new to the weapons game.

Now, can we get back to the OP's questions, and stop derailing his thread...

 

[GetReel]

Alright guys, I appreciate the info.
I think I'm gonna just use my gun and have it done up the way I want.
Right now, my biggest question is twist rate.... I want a 18" or 20" max barrel length because I will be using my suppressor that's about 6-8" long and I don't want something super long to take into the woods.
I know when I go to a shorter barrel I will lose velocity but being designed as a sub 500yrd gun, I don't think it will hurt me too much.
I get what barrel twist is but don't understand how different twist rates affect different bullet weights.

 

[toddc]

My smith takes 1 to 2 weeks turn-around during his not-so-busy season, and maybe a month during the busy season. He also charges me really good prices, so I have no complaints.

I'm curious as to what a custom action will do, that a mass-produced action cannot, since you say the custom ("REAL") action has "more potential".

Barrel nut or not, the action face will need to be squared since that is a contact point for the barrel nut and any torque on that junction will cause the same ill-affects of an untrued action with a torque-fit barrel. And most HONEST gunsmiths will tell you that lots of custom actions need squaring, too.

Todd, not to sound insulted, but I know what a Remage is and what it's for...Doesn't mean I have to like it just because you do. You're trying to explain things to me that I've known for many years. I am far from new to the weapons game.

Now, can we get back to the OP's questions, and stop derailing his thread...

Pretty sure that discussing differing options for the OP to achieve his goals is hardly derailing a thread. You have your opinion and I have mine. I would figure we are both right in many ways.
The OP should know however that a 1 to 2 week wait for a smith to do even a simple chamber job is an anomaly in most cases.
Also the fact that your smith charges you good prices doesn't affect two things, what the OPs smith will charge and that a Remage or Savage build has no smith charge.
Yes most smiths tell us that even custom actions need trued, OF COURSE THEY DO, it's called JOB SECURITY.
If I just spent $1k on an action and it's crooked, I am going to handle that with the action maker, not PAY a smith to fix it. If a smith did fix it, I would expect him to bill my action maker not me. Call me crazy here.
I am basing my premise that a custom action will be a better piece on a few different things. Mostly by checking the commonly used actions in almost all target disciplines, (few of which will be populated with worked Remmys) and metallurgy and machining. Custom actions usually handle pressure better and just work better. I mean they are CUSTOM after all and have a HAIR more QC and personal attention paid to them.
I wasn't trying to explain what a Remage was to you either Mudrunner, the OP asked me not you. I know who you are and have been on this board a day or two myself and have followed many of your posts. Personally I think either one of our viewpoints is a perfectly acceptable way to achieve the same thing, I like to do my own work and pay for PARTS not labor, paying for labor instead of parts works also. All comes down to the OPs preference not yours or mine in the end.

 

[GetReel]

If it makes a difference.... I am NOT even a novice gun smith so I don't want to do the work myself, that's why I'm gonna pay a professional. I work in service in the Ag industry and others rely on my expertise to do jobs maybe they can do but just don't have time or complete know how.
I will install scope rings and scope, I have the kit to lap rings and comfortable with that.

 

[toddc]

If it makes a difference.... I am NOT even a novice gun smith so I don't want to do the work myself, that's why I'm gonna pay a professional. I work in service in the Ag industry and others rely on my expertise to do jobs maybe they can do but just don't have time or complete know how.
I will install scope rings and scope, I have the kit to lap rings and comfortable with that.

If you can install a scope you can install a barrel with a nut lol. Lots of people don't feel comfortable with it so I know what ya mean.
For twist the faster twist won't hurt your shorter bullets by much but if you did ever decide to run something bigger the slower twist would kill you.
A 1-7 1-8 would run your short stuff fine and still give you the OPTION of heavier if you ever change your mind.
The advantage of a 1-12 over a 1-7 with shorter bullets will be very small velocity increase on the 12.
Also a fast twist barrel will BLOW UP a 55 gr a little faster most of the time which may help on hides. Very small difference but we are splitting hairs aren't we?
The 1-7 is a FAST twist the 12 is a SLOW twist.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

If you can install a scope you can install a barrel with a nut lol. Lots of people don't feel comfortable with it so I know what ya mean.
For twist the faster twist won't hurt your shorter bullets by much but if you did ever decide to run something bigger the slower twist would kill you.
A 1-7 1-8 would run your short stuff fine and still give you the OPTION of heavier if you ever change your mind.
The advantage of a 1-12 over a 1-7 with shorter bullets will be very small velocity increase on the 12.
Also a fast twist barrel will BLOW UP a 55 gr a little faster most of the time which may help on hides. Very small difference but we are splitting hairs aren't we?
The 1-7 is a FAST twist the 12 is a SLOW twist.

I agree with the 7 or 8" twist recommendation. There is a chance that some jacketed bullets may not hold up to the fast twist at high vel, but it will open up your options greatly. As a mono bullet manufacture the 12" twist would limit you to a 44g projectile. We took a couple of deer with this bullet at 300y this fall nicely. But we also did a 64g for 9" twist that is working very well on deer from 223's. With a 7" twist you could get into 80-90g class bullets that would be amazing.

Mono's may not be on your radar today but maybe in the future. Don't want to see you limited by the twist you chose today. Many smiths recommend twist rates of old because it is what is familiar. The faster twist will do everything you want now and give you more options in the future. Going custom gives you the freedom to do better than what is typically available in non custom rifles.

Good luck, sounds like a fun project.

Steve