Best custom “budget” action

[LRB45]

What would be everyone’s choice for a custom budget bolt action?

What I mean is of the newer actions that have come out and have a price tag of $1,000 or less which is considered the best bang for your buck?

Examples would be the Nucleus from ARC, the Tenacity from Defiance Machine, or the Origin from Bighorn!

Any others that need to be looked at?

 

[XLR308]

I don't know if I would call any of them a budget action but I personally looked at all of them and went with the Kelblys Atlas Tactical.
It checked all of the boxes I wanted and at $925 from Bugholes I couldn't pass on it since it was in stock.

Another plus is that everyone I spoke to at Kelblys was more than helpful with any questions I had and also were a fast turnaround on machining and chambering the Bartlein barrel I sent them.

 

[Dai Bando]

Those Kelbly's sure are nice. I love the ejector. Good folks too.

 

[m6z]

Gunwerks GRB is another.

 

[Temper]

If I waited 6 more months before building my TL3 I would be ordering a Bighorn Origin barreled action from Keystone Accuracy for 1200 bucks and throwing it in a Manners EH-1A or PRS2. Though if you put in a KRG chassis of your choosing and a Triggertech or Timney you got a custom gun for ~1600. Seems like a great value for a full custom.

 

[m6z]

Does anyone make pre-fit shouldered barrels for the Kelbly's actions?

The availability of shouldered barrels was a main selling point for me when I was shopping for an action.

 

[XLR308]

Does anyone make pre-fit shouldered barrels for the Kelbly's actions?

The availability of shouldered barrels was a main selling point for me when I was shopping for an action.

Any good Smith could do it but Kelblys was who I chose for mine, it was a three week turnaround when I sent them my barrel.

 

[wadebrown]

I have built some very nice shooting guns off of Howa actions, I am not sure thay are any less accurate than those I have built off of Stiller's, Defiances and others.

 

[m6z]

Any good Smith could do it but Kelblys was who I chose for mine, it was a three week turnaround when I sent them my barrel.

Good to know. It looks like they keep a decent selection of barrels on the shelf.

 

[XLR308]

Good to know. It looks like they keep a decent selection of barrels on the shelf.

Indeed they do, I was just wanting something hardly anybody had in stock at the time and jumped on it.
Now it seems like 1-7.5" twist .264 barrels are fairly abundant.

 

[Shanerbanner10]

Check out Joe Walls' new action from OTM Tactical, the Omega- only 850$! Also, Defiance has a budget action available these days as well, Idk the price on it but i believe its under 1000$.

 

[Barney88PDC]

NERF

 

[m6z]

Check out Joe Walls' new action from OTM Tactical, the Omega- only 850$! Also, Defiance has a budget action available these days as well, Idk the price on it but i believe its under 1000$.

On The Mark Omega Action

Not much info on the website. Do you know where we can find more info on the Omega action?

 

[Shanerbanner10]

On The Mark Omega Action

Not much info on the website. Do you know where we can find more info on the Omega action?

Unfortunately there isn’t much info. I will have one to build for a customer in hands on the next couple days.
The specs I did find where as follows:
One piece bolt
Threaded firing pin release (like a surgeon or remington)
M16 extractor
Double pinned precision ground lug
Nickel boron coated
Clearance to run dirty

Designed by joe walls so I’m sure it’s plenty tight where it needs to be.

 

[Sogan]

If I waited 6 more months before building my TL3 I would be ordering a Bighorn Origin barreled action from Keystone Accuracy for 1200 bucks and throwing it in a Manners EH-1A or PRS2. Though if you put in a KRG chassis of your choosing and a Triggertech or Timney you got a custom gun for ~1600. Seems like a great value for a full custom.

That’s seems like a pretty damn good deal from keystone

 

[m6z]

I just gave the LRI group buy another look since I'm considering a long action build and with all the options plus the side bolt release (no coatings or barrel fluting) and I'm right over $1k in labor. Add $335 for the barrel blank and you're at $1340 plus $300-400 for the cost of a Remington action.

I see zero reason why anyone would build off of a Remington action these days with these new options and the availability of pre-fit barrels from a multitude of sources.

 

[D_TROS]

Does anyone make pre-fit shouldered barrels for the Kelbly's actions?

The availability of shouldered barrels was a main selling point for me when I was shopping for an action.

I have a Atlas on my 6BR right now. Im on my third barrel. When I get close to shooting it out, I call and order another from Kelblys and they ship to me. By the time my barrel is shot out, I unscrew it, screw on new, torq down and have had them headspace within .001 every time. Cant get better than that.

Regards,
DT