Bolt rifle advice

G

Gunner06

Private
Minuteman
Feb 1, 2018
16
2
Dallas/Fort Worth
#1
Well I’m getting back into a bolt gun. Been 14 years. I used to have TBA M40A1, traded it for a TBA M40A3, sold it for a AICS 1.5 built rifle. Sold it and have nothing anymore. Wish I would have kept them👍🏼

Anyways. The market is now flooded with various brands that are all tac drives. I’m looking at Bergara Precision Ridgeback, Sig Cross (version 1 or 2), Springfield 2020 Waypoint Ridgeline carbon, and Daniel Defense Delta 5. Looking at 308 for hunting deer and wild boars in flat as a pancake Texas. Will also entertain bench (prefer prone) hunting of paper and steel occasionally at ranges.

Any helpful input regarding the listed rifles would be appreciated. Especially by users of the models listed👍🏼
 
#4
Not to piss in anyone's wheaties, but all those options are terribly overpriced for what you get, or just terrible in general. You can get WAY more rifle for your money by either building or buying a custom. Like was mentioned, most custom actions are conenctric, so most barrel companies and gunsmiths are selling prefits for them. If you can use a torque wrench, and a bench vise, you can build your own rifle at home very easily. Plus, the satisfaction of doing it yourself is kind of cool.

For example, if you are wanting to build a .308 Win on a really nice custom action for a good price, you can get a barreled action from PVA with your choice of barrels, chambering, finish options, etc... or have them price you out a complete rifle build using one of their barreled actions that are on sale right now. Their Solus barreled action combo right now is the best value I've seen in a long time. Especially since you get to pick your options.

patriotvalleyarms.com

Solus Barreled Action

[email protected]
patriotvalleyarms.com patriotvalleyarms.com
patriotvalleyarms.com

Bighorn TL3 "Minuteman" Barreled action (no trigger)

[email protected]
patriotvalleyarms.com patriotvalleyarms.com
 
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#5
spife7980 said:
Do you rotate your own tires? If so, you can assemble a modern rifle on your own and build it out exactly as you want it to be these days.

I’d rather do that than spend money in the above options.
Click to expand...
Yes, Im very handy and can build things. Just dont know here to look for items and what to look for as in good stuff and not bad stuff. Would like to build my own.
 
#6
Gunner06 said:
Yes, Im very handy and can build things. Just dont know here to look for items and what to look for as in good stuff and not bad stuff. Would like to build my own.
Click to expand...

Then buy an Impact 737 if you like nice things, pick your barrel flavor off their website, pick a chassis you like, basically any Triggertech and get an action wrench, barrel vise, and torque wrench if you don’t have one and bolt it all together.
 
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#7
Lots of TacOps been showing up in the PX lately……keep yours eyes open and enjoy the hunt for sweetness.

There is a companion thread to yours with a dude wanting to get rid of his work AI now that he is retired and he wants a semi-auto instead.

You two should try docking.

You take his AI in exchange for cash and he gets to find out the semi will never perform the way his AI did.

www.snipershide.com

Firearms - TacOps Rifles For Sale: 338LM, 308 (SPF), 6.5CM (SPF)

Fellow Hiders! Like many of you, I'm a small business owner and it's time for me to free up a little capital by rightsize my safe a bit. I only get to shoot once or twice a month so I'm letting these beauties go, though I intend to keep one as no safe is complete without a Tac Ops. I am one of...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com

www.snipershide.com

Firearms - Tac Ops Used Rifles

Just a respectful heads-up People I have had a handful of calls asking about Tac Ops rifles for sale here over the past few years. A few of you unfortunately bought a used Tac Ops that was completely shot out even though the seller stated it had 300 to 400 rounds through it. I keep a very good...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com
 
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#8
Gunner06 said:
Yes, Im very handy and can build things. Just dont know here to look for items and what to look for as in good stuff and not bad stuff. Would like to build my own.
Click to expand...
I’d grab one of those Solus barreled actions from PVA in your choice of cartridge, and drop a TriggerTech Special Pro Curved in it, and put it in a stock or chassis of your choice, that uses AICS mags. Torque the action screws to 65 inch-lbs. and mount a scope. Enjoy. 👍🏼
 
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#10
Gunner06 said:
$2400 for Impact 737 barreled action‼️ Uh, no. Way above the prices of the riddles I listed.
Click to expand...

It’s worth it over any of those piece of crap factory rifles and you can get one for a lot less than that. The action is $1430 and the barrels are $750 for SS or $875 for cerakoted and they have a 10% off sale running right now. You could also get a Proof SS prefit for about $500.

If it’s absolutely out of the question then an Origin is the way to go. Prefits and triggers will be the same but the actions are $900.

Either direction you can drop it in a KRG Bravo for the time being to save some cash and put the main investment where it matters most which is the action and barrel.

You might also want to look at the Seekins Havak HIT or HIT PRO. I checked one last week and will get one eventually. It’s a hell of a lot of rifle for the money.
 
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#11
What is your budget, excluding glass? There are many different actions on the market, some more expensive than others. I went with Lone Peak myself because of the features it had, is it the best on the market, probably not but it works well for me. The Solus is getting a lot of attention, and its price is now very attractive. It will go up in price just like the Aero AR15s did. The Origin is another lower-priced (in the action market) action that works well.
 
#12
Aero's QC issues aside, I would not touch a brand new to the market action, especially from a company that it's their first go at a bolt action receiver. That's just asking to be stuck with something that was a quick gen 1 with teething issues right before improvements are made, a revised version released and left with an inferior product that may not even be supported. I've been down that road many times, including with actions and I would never buy a manufacturers first production action again. To name one in particular I was an early adopter of the M2008 from an company that had a pedigree in precision rifle system components and that thing sucked.

Let other people be the beta testers and sort out the issues and buy one when they have been established as a solid product, not when they're brand new and most are just mentally masturbating over an affordable action.

The Origin has been proven and has a solid reputation. Is it an Impact? No, but it's absolutely the best thing you can get under $1K and you can't go wrong with one.
 
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#13
I doubt you would see prefit barrels for Aero actions, i don't think they could keep the tolerance
Have 3 Origin actions that I'm quite pleased with.
Still waiting for someone i know or trust to be my beta tester for the solus action, it does look interesting.
 
#14
Cr1775 said:
I doubt you would see prefit barrels for Aero actions, i don't think they could keep the tolerance
Have 3 Origin actions that I'm quite pleased with.
Still waiting for someone i know or trust to be my beta tester for the solus action, it does look interesting.
Click to expand...
Well....... You might want to do some more research... The Solus is using Origin/Bighorn/TL3 prefits. And they're designed VERY similar to the Origin action.

They keep their tolerance and there's LOTS of prefits for Aero Solus actions out there already.

Aero Precision Solus Prefits
 
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#17
Cr1775 said:
Well..... they sure can't keep their tolerance on their AR upper and lower receivers and they made LOTS of them many more of them LOTS of them.
Click to expand...
Both of my Aero uppers shoot quite good for what they are... They're not precision rifles, but for 8" and 10" .300 BLK's shooting my range fodder 220 sub loads, they're pretty damn accurate out to 200 yards. Must have been quite a while ago when you had this issue.
 
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#18
FuhQ said:
Both of my Aero uppers shoot quite good for what they are... They're not precision rifles, but for 8" and 10" .300 BLK's shooting my range fodder 220 sub loads, they're pretty damn accurate out to 200 yards. Must have been quite a while ago when you had this issue.
Click to expand...

Well when you think CA produces quality rifles I’m not the least bit surprised that you think ballistic advantage is a good barrel too 😂
 
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#19
FuhQ said:
Both of my Aero uppers shoot quite good for what they are... Thee not precision rifles, but for 8" and 10" .300 BLK's shooting my range fodder 220 sub loads, they're pretty damn accurate out to 200 yards. Must have been quite a while ago when you had this issue.
Click to expand...
Wow a quick check on the web and i seen a Reddit poster say surprise it does not headspace Proof barrel on a Solus action. That was hitting on your link after your post.
Not saying the action is junk just that they cant keep tolerances to be able to use prefit barrels.
 
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#25
There’s been one confirmed case where Aero had them send their barrel and action in, they confirmed the bolt missed a machining step, fixed it, added that check to their QC on every bolt from then on.

My Solus has been great. Accuracy with the factory BA barrel & factory ammo is sub-moa 10 shot groups out to 400y. I own Impacts (737 & NBK), and have had several other rifles. I just bought another Solus with the PVA deal. I’m optimistic about them.
 
#26
I've just built up two Solus action rifles with Proof pre-fit barrels in 6 CM and 308. Head-space checked out and got 100 rounds through each rifle in the last couple of weeks. So far I'm impressed at the quality, and the price is pretty damn good. My buddy shoots Origins and talked me into the Solus because we could swap barrels if it didnt work out.
 
#29
I’ll muddy the water a bit by suggesting the ARC Coup De Gras. Either a barreled action from somewhere or buy a pile of gun Legos and get busy
 
#30
redneckbmxer24 said:
It’s worth it over any of those piece of crap factory rifles and you can get one for a lot less than that. The action is $1430 and the barrels are $750 for SS or $875 for cerakoted and they have a 10% off sale running right now. You could also get a Proof SS prefit for about $500.

If it’s absolutely out of the question then an Origin is the way to go. Prefits and triggers will be the same but the actions are $900.

Either direction you can drop it in a KRG Bravo for the time being to save some cash and put the main investment where it matters most which is the action and barrel.

You might also want to look at the Seekins Havak HIT or HIT PRO. I checked one last week and will get one eventually. It’s a hell of a lot of rifle for the money.
Click to expand...
I guess my question is if the rifles I listed all shoot sub MOA and building one that shoots sub MOA, why not get an out if the box one? Heck, the Bergara is $750 as is and they guarantee sub MOA. I see video of the listed rifles hitting plates out at 1000 yards as is out of the box. What is not good enough with them if they’re doing that? We had guys shooting basic REM 700p’s on our team that were sub MOA just like my TPA that was 3 times the cost.

So I guess my question is if groupings are the end result, does it matter if it’s a build rifle compared to an out of the box rifle?
 
#31
FuhQ said:
Both of my Aero uppers shoot quite good for what they are... They're not precision rifles, but for 8" and 10" .300 BLK's shooting my range fodder 220 sub loads, they're pretty damn accurate out to 200 yards. Must have been quite a while ago when you had this issue.
Click to expand...
I would wait a while before buying a Solus, and that is for everyone. Ill leave it at that.

The origin is a much more refinded aciton and isint going to need additional revisions to fix design flaws.
 
#33
DeathBeforeDismount said:
I would wait a while before buying a Solus, and that is for everyone. I’ll leave it at that.

The origin is a much more refinded aciton and isint going to need additional revisions to fix design flaws.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure what you’re expecting to go wrong with them, or how much perfection is expected in a $630 action. It’s not like we have to be married to these things if something does come up.

If someone wants to get into rifle building in 2023 or positional match shooting, I don’t think you can do any better for the money. They’ve been out for 6+ months, with only one confirmed thread/post with a legit issue in all of SH/RS/Reddit that I’ve seen. That’s a pretty astounding launch.

“Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress”
 
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#37
1911Shootist said:
I’ll find out. I prefer first hand knowledge and direct reports over hearsay. I’m running one in NRLH and might replace my Impact with one for PRS.
Click to expand...
Exactly what i like first hand knowledge.
Thats why i take everything fuku says with a grain of salt he is nothing but a biased lier.
Just look at his posts after he bought a Arken, he got his panties all wet talked them up and then what, we all found out its another ok cheap scope from china.
But CA good guns, but everything the original poster listed is cheap overpriced for what you get.
Look how he dislikes Leupold , way to many problems what? I have gotten over 20 Leupold scopes no problems here. The 2 i had to send back were 20 and 30 years old. But Kahles? Good good. First hand knowledge bullshit.
 
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#38
The rifles OP listed as being interested in are ~$1600 for a full rifle
The Solus/PVA deal would get you close to to that, but still be more once he got a Triggertech primary and a KRG Bravo + Magazine for example.

So as with most things OP, you can get a decent jump up in quality for $500-$700 more if you can swing that.
You can find deals around now due to black friday.
 
#39
If you watch the px here you can probably find a custom or something originally over your price range for cheaper. Barreled action with trigger paired with a krg bravo used.
 
#40
Cr1775 said:
Exactly what i like first hand knowledge.
Thats why i take everything fuku says with a grain of salt he is nothing but a biased lier.
First hand knowledge bullshit.
Click to expand...
Biased “LIAR”… Maybe we need to all pitch-in for a remedial spelling and grammar book for you, for Christmas. 🤣

And you are the most triggered butthurt snowflake on this forum, next to RedneckButtFucker, when someone suggests, or has good experiences with a brand you don’t like, or calls it like it is with your favorite overrated/overpriced brand you like to suck off, like Leupold or S&B. It automatically makes them a “lier”… Just because someone owns something you don’t like, and has good experiences with it, that doesn’t mean they’re a liar. 🤣 That’s the dumbest and weakest mindset I’ve ever seen in my life. Thanks for showing the whole forum now that you have the IQ of a fucking potato. 😂

You like Chevys and I like Fords…That makes you a “lier”!!! That’s some straight-up inbred trailer park shit right there! 🤣😂🤣
 
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#41
Gunner06 said:
So I guess my question is if groupings are the end result, does it matter if it’s a build rifle compared to an out of the box rifle?
Click to expand...
It does matter if you want the rifle configured the way you want and not cookie cutter that configures you to it. Like the length of pull, where you will have to spend more money to have lengthen or shortened to fit you.

Have you put a budget together or a limit on how much you want to spend for a rifle (Build or Buy)?
 
#42
Just buy the mpa production rifle with the Cous De grace action, in the chamber of choice and be done I say! Yeah out of budget, but it's a great value.
 
#43
Gunner06 said:
I guess my question is if the rifles I listed all shoot sub MOA and building one that shoots sub MOA, why not get an out if the box one? Heck, the Bergara is $750 as is and they guarantee sub MOA. I see video of the listed rifles hitting plates out at 1000 yards as is out of the box. What is not good enough with them if they’re doing that? We had guys shooting basic REM 700p’s on our team that were sub MOA just like my TPA that was 3 times the cost.

So I guess my question is if groupings are the end result, does it matter if it’s a build rifle compared to an out of the box rifle?
Click to expand...

As this thread devolves around you, I will say that I was once in your position. I have had several Remington 700s that were the factory barreled actions in a bedded stock with a factory trigger that I worked over just a bit...both would routinely throw groups under a half-MOA. I never saw a need to upgrade at the time.

20 years later and I'm no better a shot than when I had those factory rifles. However, I have developed more of a taste for refinement. Plus (a huge plus) the likelihood of getting a barrel that shoots, and an action that runs flawlessly increases when we go aftermarket. Add in other factors like a stock/chassis that you can adjust to fit you perfectly, and your positional shooting as well as general comfort and enjoyment will improve too.

You can enter back into this game for around $2,500 and be better off than if you bought a $1K factory rifle. I did a hunting build for my brother off an Origin action, Krieger barrel, and Grayboe stock for my brother last winter...it was just a natural hammer. He calls me and raves about it every time he shoots it, and it is his prized possession now out if his collection.

I have a Bergara Premier Approach that is one of my hunting rifles. It needed work to get perfect, but is a solid performer afterwards with a quirk or two. It looks just like the build I did for my brother (same cartridge too), but lacks the smoothness of the action and my Bergara barrel will shift about 2/3 MOA as the barrel gets warm. That Krieger goes nowhere from shot 1 - 20.

I've gone all the way up to spending Accuracy International money, and while I love my AI (and always wanted one) MY personal tastes and needs don't require that level of investment for every rifle from this point forward. But I have learned that I am just as fond of a smooth action, a stock/chassis that fits, and zero cold bore shift...as I am of being able to shoot little groups.

You just don't get that from a thousand dollar rifle.
 
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#44
diggler1833 said:
As this thread devolves around you, I will say that I was once in your position. I have had several Remington 700s that were the factory barreled actions in a bedded stock with a factory trigger that I worked over just a bit...both would routinely throw groups under a half-MOA. I never saw a need to upgrade at the time.

20 years later and I'm no better a shot than when I had those factory rifles. However, I have developed more of a taste for refinement. Plus (a huge plus) the likelihood of getting a barrel that shoots, and an action that runs flawlessly increases when we go aftermarket. Add in other factors like a stock/chassis that you can adjust to fit you perfectly, and your positional shooting as well as general comfort and enjoyment will improve too.

You can enter back into this game for around $2,500 and be better off than if you bought a $1K factory rifle. I did a hunting build for my brother off an Origin action, Krieger barrel, and Grayboe stock for my brother last winter...it was just a natural hammer. He calls me and raves about it every time he shoots it, and it is his prized possession now out if his collection.

I have a Bergara Premier Approach that is one of my hunting rifles. It needed work to get perfect, but is a solid performer afterwards with a quirk or two. It looks just like the build I did for my brother (same cartridge too), but lacks the smoothness of the action and my Bergara barrel will shift about 2/3 MOA as the barrel gets warm. That Krieger goes nowhere from shot 1 - 20.

I've gone all the way up to spending Accuracy International money, and while I love my AI (and always wanted one) MY personal tastes and needs don't require that level of investment for every rifle from this point forward. But I have learned that I am just as fond of a smooth action, a stock/chassis that fits, and zero cold bore shift...as I am of being able to shoot little groups.

You just don't get that from a thousand dollar rifle.
Click to expand...
Exactly!
 
#48
You are a great marketer. You should review the footage from the Areo production crew at lead farm last year. I think your gun made it through like 2 or 3 stages without some sort of failure. I was actually thinking of buying one after shooting the side stage guns. Then I saw it choke for 2 days strait. You should care more.
 
#49
DeathBeforeDismount said:
You are a great marketer. You should review the footage from the Areo production crew at lead farm last year. I think your gun made it through like 2 or 3 stages without some sort of failure. I was actually thinking of buying one after shooting the side stage guns. Then I saw it choke for 2 days strait. You should care more.
Click to expand...
Cool story
 
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#50
diggler1833 said:
As this thread devolves around you, I will say that I was once in your position. I have had several Remington 700s that were the factory barreled actions in a bedded stock with a factory trigger that I worked over just a bit...both would routinely throw groups under a half-MOA. I never saw a need to upgrade at the time.

20 years later and I'm no better a shot than when I had those factory rifles. However, I have developed more of a taste for refinement. Plus (a huge plus) the likelihood of getting a barrel that shoots, and an action that runs flawlessly increases when we go aftermarket. Add in other factors like a stock/chassis that you can adjust to fit you perfectly, and your positional shooting as well as general comfort and enjoyment will improve too.

You can enter back into this game for around $2,500 and be better off than if you bought a $1K factory rifle. I did a hunting build for my brother off an Origin action, Krieger barrel, and Grayboe stock for my brother last winter...it was just a natural hammer. He calls me and raves about it every time he shoots it, and it is his prized possession now out if his collection.

I have a Bergara Premier Approach that is one of my hunting rifles. It needed work to get perfect, but is a solid performer afterwards with a quirk or two. It looks just like the build I did for my brother (same cartridge too), but lacks the smoothness of the action and my Bergara barrel will shift about 2/3 MOA as the barrel gets warm. That Krieger goes nowhere from shot 1 - 20.

I've gone all the way up to spending Accuracy International money, and while I love my AI (and always wanted one) MY personal tastes and needs don't require that level of investment for every rifle from this point forward. But I have learned that I am just as fond of a smooth action, a stock/chassis that fits, and zero cold bore shift...as I am of being able to shoot little groups.

You just don't get that from a thousand dollar rifle.
Click to expand...
Agree. Ive had my AICS and 2 TBA's. All were better than I could shoot them. I could get .5 MOA out of them on lucky days where as my work partner got behine my TBA and put down a .25 group the first time on the rifle! Pissed me off!!! Hahaha.

I bought the Aero Solus as it was on sale and Ive known them since they were a little unknown company in San Diego I believe. When they were only doing 80% lowers. Im sure it wont live up to my previous shooters but those are long gone.
 
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