I've had a Deadline for quite a while now and after talking with Praeger (After he asked my opinion), I feel the need to give post my own no BS review of the action. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to bash Ultimatum, but there are some issues with the action that I think could've been handle a little better.... Here's my rundown:
------ I run mine as a switch barrel with a barrel nut set up (Not from Ultimatum), I've got atleast 2500-3000 cylces on the action, and I own my own rifle building shop on the side -----
Pro's-
- Switch lug/bolt ability is the new wave and is super convenient. I've got 3 barrels for mine to shoot Open or Tac class in the PRS/NRL
- 700 footprint... you really cant go wrong.
- Built like a tank (even though the weight is a little overkill)
- Side bolt release
- Integral/ larger recoil lug makes bedding and headspacing wayyyyyy easier
- Bolt body is massive and will take a pounding (I've shot big short mag cartridges with it and it has no problems)
- Pinned scope rail is a big plus
- Nitride coating is strong and without the cocking piece in it, the action is super slick
- Savage 1-1/16 x 20 TPI is great... so many barrel options if you don't wanna thread a blank (or have a builder do a shouldered set up)
- AICS and AW mag capabilities
- 3 Lug/ Floating bolt face is super stable and allows the bolt face to align concentric to the bore
- The machining is very very good. I ran a dial indicator across the bolt face, raceways, and checked concentricity of the threads... It's all within 1-2/10000ths.
Con's-
- Bolt body..... IDK about your set up, but I was aggravated when I set my Deadline in my McMillan, and had to shave my mag release down for my AI mags to fit and feed properly.. and I was FURIOUS, when I set it in my AX and the mag was ATLEAST 1/4 of an inch too high for the bolt body to clear.... Ultimatum really hasn't done a good job of telling the end user of this issue. There's maybe 1 blurb on there FAQ page about it.... In my eyes, that's unacceptable....
- Trigger hanger..... Although its convenient for having a backup/cleaning, only having 1 screw and a tang holding the fire control group isn't the smartest/safest design.... There's a reason BAT, PANDA, and Kelbly actions have a 2 screw trigger hanger. You can't really deny 1000's of world records.
- Dual plunger ejector..... You've spent all this money to create a custom action, run a mechanical ejector... Its literally fool proof and prevents short stoking....
- "Almost" light striking..... This is the only action I've used that seems like it wants to light strike the primers... Which is weird, because with how heavy the throw is, the firing pin spring should be HAMMERING a primer. But it doesn't... Its significantly less "indented" vs my Remingtons and Kelblys… If you have the opportunity, or know someone who has the Deadline, look at the primers and compare them to spent brass from other actions. This isn't just on mine, I've looked at 3 others that show the same "almost" light striking.
- Bolt throw.... This is by FAR my biggest gripe... With a 3 lug design (and all the other manufactures of 3 lug actions already know this) the bolt throw is ALWAYS going to be an issue, due to the added lug creating extra pressure on the locking lugs.... Ultimatum had the same issues with the U300 action they had before the Deadline, so from a builders point of view, why the hell would you use almost the same technology on your flagship action? I called Marco to voice my opinion on how it could be fixed, but I'm almost 100% sure that they didn't want to fix it due to so many people waiting on the Deadline to come out (i.e. too many pending orders).
If I had another Deadline to mess with, I would retro fit it with a roller bearing/wheel on the cocking piece instead of metal to metal contact. What I mean, is where the cocking piece rides on the back of the bolt, is where the friction is coming from. If you add a roller bearing to the front of the cocking piece and set recesses for it to ride in, the bolt throw would be decreased immensely.... OR.... they could've adopted the BAT design with an adjustable cocking piece. They allow you to adjust the amount of distance from the piece to the recess. GA precision runs a 3 lug design on the Tempest, and they're smooth as butter.... Just saying....
Overall, there's a lot of pro's to the action... but the 2 or 3 legit con's that I have with it, are pretty substantial. I wanna like the action, and the guys at Ultimatum aren't bad guys... but I still dislike having to man handle it to open/close (When I'm doing load development on the flat range, I really hate it), refit mag latches when I change actions between chassis/stocks, or think about if its going to finally light strike when I pull the trigger.
This is a really long winded message, but I've had the action long enough to figure out what I like, don't like, and how to fix it, so I feel it's my duty to give everyone an all in all review of it. I feel like the guys who have been contracted to do reviews on the Deadline, haven't been 100% open and honest about it. If I had known what all I was going to be getting, I wouldn't have spun 3 barrels for it... but just like a small kid, you get a new toy, you're excited, overlook things, have to use it.... until it breaks and you're not happy (Which I take full responsibility for and should've known better than to jump feet first).
Hope this helps make your decision