True up a Rem 700 or buy a custom action?

[SteveBurton]

After probably too much stress and anxiety over all the choices of this vs that, I think I've finally decided on my course of action ... thank you all for the input and advice you provided.

Ultimately I decided I want to build on a short action, so my Rem 700 LA will be put up for sale. I haven't 100% decided on which action i will go with yet, but the Defiance Tenacity is likely at the top of the pile, with the WTO Claymore and Big Horn Origin also in the mix.

I plan to use the WTO switchlug system to get me a few different rifles until I can build them out individually down the road. I'm going to start with a simple 6.5 Creedmoor, then add a 7mm SS, and then maybe a .223 to allow for cheaper trigger time / varminting. I will use a Proof CF barrel for both the 6.5 and the 7mm as those will both be hunting setups.

I'm starting off with the 6.5 because my first hunt is likely going to be Pronghorn and I'll go from there, adding in the 7mm SS when I get up to Elk. The 6.5 should serve me well for a couple years at least. I'm thinking about putting a Mark 5 3.6-18 on top of it, but I also really like my 3-15x gen 2 PST so I need to get to a store and compare them side by side.

Thanks again for your help, I appreciate it!

Give Proof a call before you go with the switchlug system. My buddy bought the origin action and was able to use the Proof pre-fits for the TL3 action by installing a thinner lug. Just a thought.

 

[WanderingGoatie]

Give Proof a call before you go with the switchlug system. My buddy bought the origin action and was able to use the Proof pre-fits for the TL3 action by installing a thinner lug. Just a thought.

What's the benefit to utilizing a barrel nut at this point? Seems like proof and other companies are promoting the multi caliber gun stuff by using the nut, but I'm not into it anymore. There's so many custom action companies out there now that are offering shouldered prefits that it seems unnecessary.

My shilen dgr(savage threads) sits with a carbon six barrel sans barrel nut. I'd rather be able to utilize an action with the capabilities of a shouldered prefit than deal with a nut.

My biggest annoyance with those nuts is needing to grind out space in a used stock that's set up for a rem 700 footprint. We use a 700 footprint for its simplicity in finding parts and then jump at the chance to use switch barrel.

 

[SteveBurton]

Sorry, should have mentioned that some of the Proof pre-fits don't use a nut. They make them for several actions.

https://proofresearch.com/barrels/

 

[SteelBanger]

Give Proof a call before you go with the switchlug system. My buddy bought the origin action and was able to use the Proof pre-fits for the TL3 action by installing a thinner lug. Just a thought.

Looks like you're right, they do list the origin as one of the actions they make shouldered prefits for. That may change the game a little, the only potential problem is their caliber selections are fairly limited and doesn't include the 7mm SS, I'll have to ask them if they will rent a reamer I need. Would be great if they did because their chambered barrel prices are just barely more than their blank prices.

I also like the ease of barrel swaps with the switchlug vs shouldered barrels. I could easily do a switchlug swap at the range with only an inch pound wrench, vs a barrel vise at home. Guess I need to really think through just how much / often I'll be swapping barrels.

thanks for the heads up!

 

[WanderingGoatie]

Looks like you're right, they do list the origin as one of the actions they make shouldered prefits for. That may change the game a little, the only potential problem is their caliber selections are fairly limited and doesn't include the 7mm SS, I'll have to ask them if they will rent a reamer I need. Would be great if they did because their chambered barrel prices are just barely more than their blank prices.

I also like the ease of barrel swaps with the switchlug vs shouldered barrels. I could easily do a switchlug swap at the range with only an inch pound wrench, vs a barrel vise at home. Guess I need to really think through just how much / often I'll be swapping barrels.

thanks for the heads up!

couldn't u do the same at the range with a shouldered prefit?

 

[SteveBurton]

You won't find a prefit for a wildcat like the 7mm SS. But, once you have a smith chamber a blank you can then swap barrels back and forth.

 

[WanderingGoatie]

You won't find a prefit for a wildcat like the 7mm SS. But, once you have a smith chamber a blank you can then swap barrels back and forth.

It's why my savage shank Shilen action is like my German Shorthair.

 

[JWgroups]

Well fellows it might be my terminology that got the critics on me. I think the correct statement should have been I have rifles that shoot 1/4 MOA at 400 yards. Here's the way I come up with it.
3-shot group measured 1.827
minus caliber .308
1.519 divided by 4.188 = .3627029
I'm not real good with this math but it looks like it will be a shade under 3/8"
3-shot group measured 1.092
minus caliber .264
.828 divided by 4.188 = .1977077
this seems to be a hair under 13/64
Please don't be brutal if I'm doing it wrong just correct me. The reason I got on LRH is to learn from guys that shoot. My ultimate goal is to put three bullets through one hole at 100 yards and continue my venture to learn to shoot and be accurate out to 1000 yards and grow from there.

 

[SteelBanger]

couldn't u do the same at the range with a shouldered prefit?

Yes, but not nearly as easily. You'd have to take your barrel vise, action wrench, and torque wrench ... vs just an inch pound wrench with the WTO switchlug.

 

[SteelBanger]

You won't find a prefit for a wildcat like the 7mm SS. But, once you have a smith chamber a blank you can then swap barrels back and forth.

Why couldn't anyone offer any cartridge as a prefit? As long as they have the reamer for it (may have to rent it) and assuming you have an action with known good tolerances, I can't think of why it would matter what the cartridge is?

Obviously a wildcat won't be listed as an option, but I'm wondering if they are willing to rent the reamer (at my expense) and cut the chamber for me. I'll check with them when that time comes, if I had to guess the answer will be no, but it can't hurt to ask! If not I'll send it over to WTO to run the switchlug.

 

[SteveBurton]

I don't think most companies want to mess with wildcats and then have to warranty the barrel.
I believe Carbon Six will chamber a wildcat for you for an extra expense. Check them out.

 

[SteelBanger]

I don't think most companies want to mess with wildcats and then have to warranty the barrel.
I believe Carbon Six will chamber a wildcat for you for an extra expense. Check them out.

I was just talking to C6 the other day but before I had settled on the 7SS but was still thinking of going with Proof ... I'll swing back around with C6 and see what they can do for me. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[jonboatjockey]

I was in the same boat, and have a trued 700 on a 6.5X285, opted for tenacity on a 300WM build I'm doing this year. for the little bit extra for a custom action i think you're better off.

 

[SteelBanger]

I was in the same boat, and have a trued 700 on a 6.5X285, opted for tenacity on a 300WM build I'm doing this year. for the little bit extra for a custom action i think you're better off.

I completely agree, for all the upgrades I wanted to put into the 700 action I was way better off just going custom. I sold the 700 and ended up ordering the Terminus Zeus ... which is shipping today!!

For anyone reading through the thread now, I ultimately went with the Zeus over the WTO switchlug because I love everything the Zeus action has to offer and I really like that the switch-barrel capability is built right into the action as well as the integral lug and rail. It was still a pretty tough pill to swallow at that price tag and multiple times I had myself convinced to just buy a Tikka and build off that platform, but at the end of the day I've always wholly subscribed to the "buy once, cry once" philosophy and so that's what I did with the Zeus. I already have a TriggerTech Special ordered for it, but haven't decided on the stock or optic yet. Either way I go I will have a great weapon system with the ability to quickly and easily swap barrels on demand to meet the given need.