Custom Action choices

[Patapus]

I’ve had a couple rifles built and have jumped too far down the rabbit hole each time and now have a weird selection of custom rifles on rem 700 and tikka actions. 280 AI, 6XC, .223 (trainer), .264 Win Mag, .22-250AI.

I’m looking to build a new rifle, probably in a J Allen chassis. My action choices coming in are ARC Nucleus, impact or Lone Peak. I’ve heard good things about Curtis but know nothing about them.

I’m thinking match rifle and leaning towards 6 dasher for lower recoil than XC (am I crazy?).

Of those actions, what should I be thinking about and am I missing any?

 

[bkillion]

I've never owned any you listed but I've got to mess with a lone peak it was very nice, have you thought about a bighorn? It's the action I went with for my first custom build

 

[Patapus]

I have never seen one, but I have heard of them.

 

[bkillion]

They have a lot of great features, you give them a look

 

[b6graham]

I think you need to define some things.

CRF or pushfeed
60 vs 90 bolt throw
Interchangeable bolthead
Trigger hanger or no
Savage prefit barrel

Mausingfield. TL3. Origin. Deadline. Vector.

 

[Patapus]

I think you need to define some things.

CRF or pushfeed
60 vs 90 bolt throw
Interchangeable bolthead
Trigger hanger or no
Savage prefit barrel

Mausingfield. TL3. Origin. Deadline. Vector.

Those are the things I need help with. I like the idea of a 60 and that has led me to the nucleus and has brought up the Curtis. I know nothing of the Curtis except they have 2 (I think) actions. Everything I have is pushfeed and is crf a huge advantage in match shooting? Interchangeable bolthead isn’t a big deal to me since I doubt this is the last build I make. And it will be .308 boltface anyway. Savage prefit would be nice but I don’t feel capable of headspacing myself at this point. Also I know nothing about trigger hangers. I could use someone to explain to me what it is. I plan on using a timney CE 2 stage or a Huber

 

[NewsShooter]

I have an impact and I really like it, a couple friends have lone peak actions, can't go wrong with either of them. I've got the Timney on my impact and it had a huber on it before I bought it.

 

[B-P-UU]

Lone Peak fuzion or Impact.. you're on the right track.

 

[kthomas]

Lone Peak fuzion or Impact.. you're on the right track.

These two are the most obvious answer for a push feed. Great actions.

If you want CRF, Mausingfield is my #1 choice. Heard good things about the Defiance CRF. TL3 is good to, if you can handle the slop and potential bolt binding.

OP, don't get hung up on 60° vs 90° bolt throw. 60° is overrated. You don't shoot faster on stages by rocking that bolt as fast as possible, you do so by shooting calmly and smoothly, in a controlled motion.

 

[Patapus]

These two are the most obvious answer for a push feed. Great actions.

If you want CRF, Mausingfield is my #1 choice. Heard good things about the Defiance CRF. TL3 is good to, if you can handle the slop and potential bolt binding.

OP, don't get hung up on 60° vs 90° bolt throw. 60° is overrated. You don't shoot faster on stages by rocking that bolt as fast as possible, you do so by shooting calmly and smoothly, in a controlled motion.

I was more concerned about the 60 for working around my optic. My current rifles are “tight” between bolt and magnification throw lever at high power. That being said I don’t shoot at max power real often.

 

[Covertnoob5]

Check out the Curtis Vector. Runs aw mags perfectly and the barrel change feature is nice.

 

[SuperSneakySniper]

Do you have a throw lever that can be moved to a different position on the scope?

Being 100% honest here: A while back I thought I wanted a 60 degree bolt, to the point where it became a huge selling point for me... Then I got one... Aaand now don't really care about it. Sure it's nice but it didn't make me like the action any more or less, and it didn't change my performance/comfort in the slightest. 60 degree bolts are harder to lift than 90 degree bolts, that's just how it is (unless you're comparing it to 90 degree bolt action with an unusually heavy lift). I've had a similair journey with CRF actions. But to each his own. I'm beginning to learn that I prefer a classic push feed with 90 degree throw.

After playing with more actions than I can count on my fingers, and shooting several of them in REALLY fine dust (you know, the dust that's so fine that every time you take a step, a cloud of dust will rise off the ground before your foot hits the ground? Commonly referred to as moon dust.) the most important thing to me became resistance to binding, smoothness, and ease of bolt lift.

The winners: Lone Peak, and Impact Precision. The smoothest running and easiest/fastest bolt lifts I've ever handled. I hear the Lone Peak does well in dust but I've never personally used one in the field yet. The Impacts are apparently famous for eating dust and spitting it out. And these two actions will do it while having a scary light bolt lift.

I know a guy at the local range running an Impact in 6 dasher, no problems to report. I've only seen/handled two Lone Peaks, both were in 6.5CM so I don't have much to go off of as far as how well it runs those calibers but I doubt you would have issues. Maybe someone with more experience running those can add.

If you just want an action that works, and you don't care about any of the other features, I'd say pick one of these two up. BUT if you want to do a switch-barrel or need 60 degree throw or CRF, then look at the other actions.

I should add though, that you can install off-the-shelf barrels with the Impact, and soon you might be able to do that with Lone Peak as well, since they are now beginning to machine their actions with the ability to use off-the-shelf barrels like the Impact.

 

[generalzip]

The vector will not reliably take AICS mags if that's a factor. Also, you have to modify you chassis' mag catch with a file for it to take AW mags. Even then, if you put weight on the mag, the bolt will grind on the feedlips and not feed smoothly.

 

[Patty]

I shoot a TL3 and the CRF is a big plus for me shooting a 6BR, i don't seem to have the issues a lot of others do with feeding using push feed type actions. If you're not shooting short cases, probably not anything to worry about, but if you think you might in the future, its something to consider.

Its cut for AW and AICS mags, so you dont have to pick and choose based on what fits your action, you can use what works best.

Interchangeable bolt heads, in case you decide on a magnum, or want to spin on a 223 barrel as a trainer.

Savage Barrel threads, i've been using pre fits with an ARC Barlock and changing a barrel is as easy as loosening an allen screw much like the vector. Pre fits mean less gunsmith time, and changing barrels at home. Though many other actions/gunsmiths are recently catching up in this department.

My action is smooth, no binding or slop to note, as mentioned above. its also smoothed up considerably from when it was new, and probably has 2000 rounds on it.

Right now the Origin is a great action to consider if youre looking to save a buck. All the great features of the TL3, for $825, i dont know how it gets better than that.

 

[generalzip]

I've played with most the actions out there. I think if money is not an issue I'd go with the Impact. Great people, great product, super light bolt lift, super smooth and slick out of the box with no break in. Compared to a TL3, it has less slop in the bolt and won't bind up on you as easily when cycling at weird angles, etc. I've also never seen or heard of issues with it jamming up with dust like a defiance. Does not take AW mags unless you specifically request that cut. I've never played with a lone peak however. I've owned or shot the Vector, Surgeon 591, Axiom, TL3, Defiance. The axiom is a great action if you want 60 degree throw. I have a nucleus on order but not in my hands yet. If not custom, the Tikka is probably 85% of these other actions at less than half the price.

 

[OzzyO20]

Can someone explain what controlled round feed (CRF) is exactly? Sorry to derail, I'm just not familiar and google didn't turn up much more than was the acronym meant.

Thanks.

 

[b6graham]

not my video. but basically from the point where this video stops he could extract the round, it's already in the extractor

here is my video again showing the perfect control feed in my sr3 bighorn after trimming the feed lips back behind the shoulder. it is SO smooth now! if you have a short case such as the 6br, putting a mag spacer kit behind the case head should accomplish the same thing! before this mag mod it would always push feed. the lower case's angled shoulder would push up/FORWARD on the case being fed and jump in front of the bolt face in typical rem700 push feed fashion. now the case BODY underneath pushes the case being fed straight UP under the extractor. worked like a charm

 

[spife7980]

Can someone explain what controlled round feed (CRF) is exactly? Sorry to derail, I'm just not familiar and google didn't turn up much more than was the acronym meant.

Thanks.

Controlled round feed-
the case hits the bolt face in a section without the side wall and it slides up into the recess of the bolt and extractor.
You can extract a round that hasnt been fully chambered.
Typically has a mechanical ejector that doesnt engage until the bolt is pulled far enough to the rear, no spring pushing on the rounds at all times.

Push feed-
It just sort of locates itself to the bolt face which is sunk in, the ridges goes around the entire bolt face.
It requires the round to be fully chambered for the extractor to snap over the case rim, cant exctract a partially chambered round
Has that little ejector that is consatntly trying to push the case out.

Left is controled round, right is push feed

 

[OzzyO20]

@spife7980 excellent visuals, and thanks for the info as always.

 

[Patty]

I've played with most the actions out there. I think if money is not an issue I'd go with the Impact. Great people, great product, super light bolt lift, super smooth and slick out of the box with no break in. Compared to a TL3, it has less slop in the bolt and won't bind up on you as easily when cycling at weird angles, etc. I've also never seen or heard of issues with it jamming up with dust like a defiance. Does not take AW mags unless you specifically request that cut. I've never played with a lone peak however. I've owned or shot the Vector, Surgeon 591, Axiom, TL3, Defiance. The axiom is a great action if you want 60 degree throw. I have a nucleus on order but not in my hands yet. If not custom, the Tikka is probably 85% of these other actions at less than half the price.

Ive been looking at the Impact but cant find much information on it. The description on the various websites that sell it make it sound like any other action as far as its features go. Everyone ive seen that has one has nothing but praise for it but i am curious as to the why and how.

"It has super light bolt lift". Compared to what? Why is it lighter than other custom actions. etc? Maybe that's just my nature but I try not to get caught up in hype (not saying its just hype). Part of the reason i enjoy Ted at ARC so much is that he really gets into the nitty gritty of the products he designs and explains why he designs them the way he does.

 

[OzzyO20]

From what I gather about Impact is they took an approach not unlike what AI did back when they started. The founders were all accomplished shooters, in this case PRS, and one had worked at Surgeon for a number of years. He took all the good parts of the 591 and improved up on. It's a solid pedigree and I've never meet anyone who didn't love theirs, save for one guy who got a 'great deal second hand' and never could work out the kinks that made it a great deal (I imagine this was more of an issue with the previous owner than the action itself).

 

[arm017]

oh good; a new custom action thread this week...

 

[arm017]

Run your tika... is my advice

 

[generalzip]

Ive been looking at the Impact but cant find much information on it. The description on the various websites that sell it make it sound like any other action as far as its features go. Everyone ive seen that has one has nothing but praise for it but i am curious as to the why and how.

"It has super light bolt lift". Compared to what? Why is it lighter than other custom actions. etc? Maybe that's just my nature but I try not to get caught up in hype (not saying its just hype). Part of the reason i enjoy Ted at ARC so much is that he really gets into the nitty gritty of the products he designs and explains why he designs them the way he does.

It is lighter than almost every action I've played with. It is basically a Defiance and Surgeon had a baby. It has very tight tolerances, but not so much to reduce reliability. It comes nitrided standard, which makes it feel even smoother. The Mausingfield is an awesome action as well. They are more pricey.