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How to choose a custom action

D

DocRDS

Head Maffs Monkey
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 21, 2012
3,496
6,471
The Great Beyond
Bottom line: info overload.

Looking for an action that 'feels' like my Bergara Approach which is about the smoothest out there I've felt. I've felt a few customs (GAP, Seekins, Christensen) and they actually weren't as smooth. The only thing regular I can get my hands on is whats in the LGS and suffice to say customs are pretty rare.

Which action has that same smooth as greased lightening feel. Thinking about doing some buying on Black Friday as my ATX ain't comin.
 
I guess it depends on what exactly you are looking for in an action.

Many are "smooth".

My Mausingfield, polished & DLC'ed Deviant, and my wife's LP Fuzion are all very "smooth". All good options, but need more criteria to narrow it down.

Another huge factory to how an action feels is how the trigger mates up to the action. Have a gunsmith time your trigger to your action, or get a trigger like the BnA Tacsport, which you can essentially time yourself at home.
 
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The definition of smooth is different for certain people. The way the bolt slides back and forth is one way I define smoothness. The two smoothest I've felt in that sense are a DLC'd Deviant from Area 419, and an Impact 737 that's had a couple thousand cycles on it.

I really like a smooth, light bolt lift as well. In my opinion, that's where an Impact shines and nothing else I've tried comes close. I can cycle the bolt and it doesn't torque my rifle to move the scope off target. Pretty much any other action I've tried will cause some movement.
 
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kthomas said:
I guess it depends on what exactly you are looking for in an action.

Many are "smooth".

My Mausingfield, polished & DLC'ed Deviant, and my wife's LP Fuzion are all very "smooth". All good options, but need more criteria to narrow it down.

Another huge factory to how an action feels is how the trigger mates up to the action. Have a gunsmith time your trigger to your action, or get a trigger like the BnA Tacsport, which you can essentially time yourself at home.
Click to expand...
That's just i--having no context, I have no idea what to look for--I've always had the basics from the factory--everything has been essentially 'home smith' I can tell you how different off the shelf brands feel to me, but for my purposes they all go bang and all can do home barrel changes--thats all I really care about besides being able to be put in a chassis because that's all I know about.

Its like buying a luxury car without being able to test drive it--I have no FN clue.
 
DLC’d and nitrided actions tend to be pretty damn slick even when a bit dirty.
My nucleus is pretty damn smooth as is the mausingfield.
One shot cleaner/lube can make even a savage feel kinda ok.

How I chose is features, compatibility and future growth options.

To me Mechanical ejection, 700 trigger compatibility, tough finish/treatments (DOC or nitride) are quite important
 
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It’s entirely too subjective. You're either going to have to gamble a purchase based upon features, or hit a big match and fondle a bunch of actions. Based on some of the polar opposite reviews of the same action here, it would appear that even the same make/model actions aren't all the same. Some of that has to do with trigger compatability as kthomas mentioned above.


Edit: What steel head said about nitride and DLC is spot on.
 
Seekins and Christensen I wouldn't label as customs. They are factory rifles IMO.

The finish on the action and bolt will matter as to which one "feels smoother" so that's something that you may look into.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of the actual customs such as:

Curtis
Zermatt
Defiance
Impact
Terminus
ARC

Yeah some might feel smoother than others but these are such great options that I wouldn't stress much over it.

Like I said, look around and see what finish options they offer and go from there.
 
Maybe feature comparison can get you some forward pruning, eg. if you care about any of
- interchangeable bolt face
- integral vs interchangeable vs not-provided rail
- compatible footprint (eg. R700)
- compatible w/ prefit barrels
- coating (aforementioned DLC’d and nitrided)
- controlled vs push feed
etc.
 
Tchitcherine said:
Maybe feature comparison can get you some forward pruning, eg. if you care about any of
- interchangeable bolt face
- integral vs interchangeable vs not-provided rail
- compatible footprint (eg. R700)
- compatible w/ prefit barrels
- coating (aforementioned DLC’d and nitrided)
- controlled vs push feed
etc.
Click to expand...
I thought nearly all took prefits and were R700 clones.
My feature list would be
+prefits
+r700
+interchangeable bolt face
+coating (based on above feedback)

integral rail is nice but not dealbreaker.
things like extractor and feed aren't big deals.
trigger hanger vs pins also isn't a huge issue.
 
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I have a terminus, defiance, stiller, zermatt/bighorn, ks, impact and a kelbly. They are all smooth but in different ways and some smoother then others. I do agree that everyone interprets smooth differently. For example, the bighorn tl3 glides like a hot knife through butter like nothing I’ve ever seen on only the back and forth motion, but has a slight hitch on bolt close. It also has the most slop causing potential binding until you get use to running the bolt 100% straight (not as easy as you may think). Even the slightest force in any directions and it binds. The defiance is smooth, and clean. The entire cycle just feels refined. Little to say about these guys as they are what they are. renowned, robust, and smooth!! The terminus is almost in a league of its own when it comes to bolt close. Not only is the dlc’d bolt insanely smooth, but the bolt closes on its own (not kidding). I don’t know if it’s the roller bearing in them but it’s simply incredible. Where it “suffers” in some peoples eyes are the fact bolt lift is heavier due to the 3 lug. The KS SAR semi fixes this problem (3 lug bolt lift). This action pleasantly surprised me. Lock up just feels so solid, bolt cycle is very very smooth, and bolt lift is easily the lightest 3 lug I’ve ever felt.

If I had to pick smoothest overall complete cycle, from bolt lift, glide to close it would probably be a super close tie between the impact 737 and kelbly atlas tactical. Two different price points and both are really really smooth! The lightest lift would be probably the kelbly by a hair, the smoothest glide would be the tl3 but the binding is super annoying for the money so I would give the vote to the impact, and the smoothest close is the terminus.

I know this might not be help as it’s still one man’s opinion, but basically I hope you take away that any of the top brands of actions all make great products and you’ll be happy with any of them as long as you purchase the one you really want off the hop.
 
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All of these custom actions will be smooth especially after 1-2000 rounds of break in… but Impact will be the smoothest out of the box. TL3 has a very light bolt lift and with DLC is very smooth as well. I’ve just found the floating bolt head design does not lead to as accurate a rifle as the impact/surgeon design. Just depends what features you want in the action.

I’ve owned/own:
Remington trued
Surgeon
Impact
TL3 bighorn
Curtis axiom and vector
Tikka T3x

Only one I’d like to try possibly is a lone peak
 
reubenski said:
You need to time the cocking piece/ trigger on your TL3
Click to expand...

I have, and it went from a terrible grind and a good amount of pressure, too a slight hitch.

It’s not the issue for me. Most actions have a slight hitch of some kind due to locking up, it’s the binding that’s annoying as hell
 
reubenski said:
Sounds like you still need to remove more material
Click to expand...
Like I said it doesn’t bother me now. It’s light enough. The impressive thing I find about the tl3 is how the bolt glides. It’s so smooth when I first got it I was double checking if it even picked up a round.
 
thestoicmarcusaurelius said:
I never could get any of my TL3’s to “bind” when I had them. Definitely not when the bolt was clear of the mechanical ejector. Sometimes, the slot in one of the bolt lugs for the mechanical ejector sort of sandwiches the mechanical ejector if you’re sort of twisting the bolt not in line with the bolt raceways.
Click to expand...
Never had any binding on my TL3 with 2 different calibers and counting....
 
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American rifle company and be done with it. There not the only one but there awesome. May have a killer sale here in the next few days. Only do it once a year and I think it’s Black Friday if memory is correct. Lots of concussions though so it it’s probably wrong.
 
DocRDS said:
I thought nearly all took prefits and were R700 clones.
My feature list would be
+prefits
+r700
+interchangeable bolt face
+coating (based on above feedback)

integral rail is nice but not dealbreaker.
things like extractor and feed aren't big deals.
trigger hanger vs pins also isn't a huge issue.
Click to expand...

Get a Bighorn TL3 with that list. Or an Origin if you wanted to save a little money.
 
DocRDS said:
I thought nearly all took prefits and were R700 clones.
My feature list would be
+prefits
+r700
+interchangeable bolt face
+coating (based on above feedback)

integral rail is nice but not dealbreaker.
things like extractor and feed aren't big deals.
trigger hanger vs pins also isn't a huge issue.
Click to expand...

ARC has a few actions that fits your criteria, and they are about to run a sale as someone else has brought up.

I love my M5 Mausingfield.
 
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You wait a week for American Rifle Company's Black Friday sale and get a Nucleus. They ship with a 25# firing pin spring. Cut 3-4 coils off and it's about a 20lb spring and you rock and roll.
 
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DocRDS said:
I thought nearly all took prefits and were R700 clones.
My feature list would be
+prefits
+r700
+interchangeable bolt face
+coating (based on above feedback)

integral rail is nice but not dealbreaker.
things like extractor and feed aren't big deals.
trigger hanger vs pins also isn't a huge issue.
Click to expand...
With that list I’d be ordering an Origin.
 
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When I was shooting Palma (slinged up prone/irons @ 1000) 20 years ago, I had 3 different custom actions. Two were VERY popular, but I couldn't get them to work for my style of shooting (I never removed the rifle from my shoulder once I was in position). I ended up dumping the two that didn't work and stayed with the Stolle Panda. With these new actions, from what I've researched, it appears that there's a RCH difference in them and you're not gonna see a smidge of accuracy difference in them. Therefore.....my selection process would be solely on LOOKS! Which I is sexier to my eye. Am I off base here?
 
Solo 43 said:
When I was shooting Palma (slinged up prone/irons @ 1000) 20 years ago, I had 3 different custom actions. Two were VERY popular, but I couldn't get them to work for my style of shooting (I never removed the rifle from my shoulder once I was in position). I ended up dumping the two that didn't work and stayed with the Stolle Panda. With these new actions, from what I've researched, it appears that there's a RCH difference in them and you're not gonna see a smidge of accuracy difference in them. Therefore.....my selection process would be solely on LOOKS! Which I is sexier to my eye. Am I off base here?
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly there's lots of excellent actions available now.

It comes down to a matter of what features you want in your action.

- Do you want 100/0 cocking, or 50/50?
- CRF or push feed?
- AICS or AW mags?
- Quick barrel change capabilities?
- Availability of shouldered prefits?
- R700 footprint? Or is proprietary okay?
- Trigger hanger?
- What coating or surface treatment?
- Interchangeable bolt heads?
- What kind of extractors do you prefer?

Etc, etc, etc.
 
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Boy, Its gotten complicated since I stopped shooting 16 years ago....like most things in life. I guess we all need a zillion choices before making a decision. Hmmm...interesting.

BTW...thanks.
 
Solo 43 said:
Boy, Its gotten complicated since I stopped shooting 16 years ago....like most things in life. I guess we all need a zillion choices before making a decision. Hmmm...interesting.

BTW...thanks.
Click to expand...

If you don't have strong preferences in what features you want in an action, then don't overthink it. Honestly, so many good choices out there, it's hard to make a bad decision.

Just look to see what is regularly recommended here on the board, and you can't go wrong.
 
I'd agree that you don't need CRF for BR based cartridges.

My wife's 6BRA has a Lone Peak Fuzion action (push feed), which runs like a sewing machine. My 6BRA is a Mausingfield (CRF), which also runs great.

There are certainly nuances to CRF actions, and they don't always run like a CRF without some tweaking from someone that really understands CRF. That said, my Mausingfield has been 100% flawless, and I love that action.

I do like that I can more or less control where the brass lands with my Mausingfield, but if you run the action really slowly, it will drop the brass right on the mag. It's usually not an issue, but it can be if you don't pay attention.

Long story short, I agree that CRF isn't necessary for BR cartridges. Nor do they always work as CRF out of the box without some tweaking. Thankfully there are great actions being made in both CRF and push feed flavors.
 
I don't think you can beat the Archimedes for $825. I swapped my GT from a M7 Mausingfield to the Arch mainly to get the scope a little lower, but damn if the Arch isn't a bit faster for PRS style shooting.

  • Integrated lug
  • CRF
  • Mechanical ejection
  • Beefy keyed rail
  • 75 degree throw
  • Nitrited
  • 3 lug
  • Replacable bolt heads
  • Toroidal lugs - This is under rated IMO & a good value
  • Zero extraction on lift - 100% cock on lift only
  • If you do manage to get a stuck case the Arch has a better chance of removal then anything else!
  • All ARC actions have the same tenon dimension
The last one may not matter to some but I've got 5 of their actions in all varieties so having the ability to swap between them is helpful.

I have no experience with other customs, kind of went all in with ARC. No Ragrets. Zero failures this past year in 7 matches. I did however launch 8 of 10 6GT cases into the little fucking creek next to a stage, thanks to my aggressive cycling on the mechanical ejector.

Also someone up thread posted about lubing with 1 Shot. Do yourselves a favor and try XF-7 It's a small fairly new Company in PA. One of the top PRS guys up here turned me on to it. Holly hell it's good. Just started using it myself and it's about perfect for PRS style shooting if you don't want a sloppy wet bolt that will attract dirt. Isopropyl carrier sprays on wet, dry in about 2 min, bolt runs slick as hell. It isn't cheap, but what worth a damn is in this sport.

https://xf7gungrease.com/product/xf-7-spray-gun-grease/
 
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I have a couple TL3's, an Impact and a Lone Peak.

TL3's are the most "glidy" back and forth of the group. My nitride bolt 223 with LOTS of rounds is ridiculous smooth. Like tip the gun 15 degrees and the bolt will slide closed. Both of the TL3 are the lowest effort bolt lift/cycle for me, as it relates to spring and trigger timing. I know what others mean about the action not responding well to an off-axis push when the bolt is fully open and wanting to bind, but I've never had that be an issue when behind the gun shooting.

My Impact has bit less rounds on it but it's getting smoother and smoother. It has a feel that's solid, one-piece, built like a tank. It also has a bit of negative cock on close in that the bolt seems to provide a bit of assistance on close for the second half of the close cycle. I don't notice any extra bolt lift effort, but it has a nice long lever of a bolt handle.

Lone Peak is just getting broken in, it has that same solid one-piece feel but a bit tighter bolt raceway, less slop in the system compared to the Impact. The TL3 feels like it has the most slop, plus it feels a bit looser with the floating bolt head.

Honestly, shooting a match or at the range I barely notice the action. They are all super good. Features aren't really a big deal either. CRF vs push feed isn't noticeable. Mechanical ejection vs spring just puts the brass in a different location, spring is perhaps more consistent in where it lands. Swappable bolt heads vs having two separate bolts is pretty much the same thing, other than cost/size.

If smooth is your jam, the best thing to make an action super smooth is to put 10k rounds on it.
 
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Kelbly. They have been making winning actions for PRS and Benchrest for a long time. Lots of experience and know-how built in there.
 
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I had two Stolle Panda's for my Palma rifles....smooth as butter! Looks like their Black Bear is a steel Panda. Hmmm.....
 
All the top actions are good. I think the most important thing is plentiful and in stock prefits. This is where the impact really shines. You have a ton of in stock bartliens to choose from them or you can get a cheaper proof for much less money.

Not needing a gunsmith and good availibiliy of barrels in a wide range of calibers would be my #1 thing to look for.
 
How 'accurate' is the chambering job? I was lucky, in my 'smith was 20 minutes away and built bench rest rifles. He was bent out of shape when 'custom' actions thread diameter varied by less than .001". He was meticulous in his barrel set up before chambering. Just wondering.
 
Solo 43 said:
How 'accurate' is the chambering job? I was lucky, in my 'smith was 20 minutes away and built bench rest rifles. He was bent out of shape when 'custom' actions thread diameter varied by less than .001". He was meticulous in his barrel set up before chambering. Just wondering.
Click to expand...
It’s funny all my actions but 1 take prefits and my smith will do it if required/asked but much prefers to still have action on hand. Being a benchrest, and f-class smith normally he prefers to time everything and have it as tight as possible.
 
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Plenty ‘accurate’ if the smith knows his job.
 
Solo 43 said:
How 'accurate' is the chambering job? I was lucky, in my 'smith was 20 minutes away and built bench rest rifles. He was bent out of shape when 'custom' actions thread diameter varied by less than .001". He was meticulous in his barrel set up before chambering. Just wondering.
Click to expand...

In the 7 Dasher barrels I've gotten from Impact or directly from Wade (who makes the Impact prefits and also designed the action) i've never adjusted the shoulder bump on my sizing die since 2017. In 6 of them my fired brass came out exactly the same length, and the other one was .0005 longer FWIW. CNC lathes work really well.
 
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I recently had a rifle built on an Impact action. I usually shop for the best price and/or best value available (such as the Nucleus that is on sale now, or the Origin). However, this time, I just purchased exactly what I wanted.

I certainly could have spent less on the action, but I do not regret it at all.

The Impact is awesome. Everything about it feels right ... and it isn't even fully broken in yet.

By the way ... I would also strongly recommend a Foundation stock.
 
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Bungi said:
I recently had a rifle built on an Impact action. I usually shop for the best price and/or best value available (such as the Nucleus that is on sale now, or the Origin). However, this time, I just purchased exactly what I wanted.

I certainly could have spent less on the action, but I do not regret it at all.

The Impact is awesome. Everything about it feels right ... and it isn't even fully broken in yet.

By the way ... I would also strongly recommend a Foundation stock.
Click to expand...

Did the same with a Bighorn TL3 and feel the same. Said screw it and bought what I wanted. Dropped it in a Manners T2A with mini chassis and had PVA do a .223 and a 6.5 Creed prefits and couldn’t have been happier. Actually going to have a 6 Creed done in the next month or so too. Really digging prefits.
 
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pick a caliber and Eeny, meeny, miny, moe or don't choose get one of each . They all do the same thing and now a days they all mostly do it very well . big horn , defiant , any of them I am sure you'd be happy with .
 
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