Gunsmithing Need advise on my first build

[Twisted300Win MAG]

Well I'v been working my way towards building my first rifle on my own. Almost a year ago I picked up an older South Bend 13" lathe and have been making chips nonstop. I'v been picking up tooling and making different tools that I need to build precision rifles. I still have a little while before I will feel comfortable starting this build but I'm trying to think ahead and get everything in order.

I have everything I have all the parts except the stock which i'm ordering this week and an action. my question, Should i try and find a rem 700 to build off of or buy a custom action? I need the experience of truing an action but for the first build I'm thinking of just buying a Stiller and just chambering and fitting a barrel and assembling the rifle. My thinking behind this is a barrel is easy enough to set back if I make a mistake. Mistakes on an action can ruin an action.

Also I think its a way to eliminate one set of variables from the equation for the firs go round. If i had an action that was already true I could practice setting it up in my action jig and fitting aluminum tenons to it. Am I over thinking this or is this a good idea. Any advice would be appreciated. Go easy on me.

Thanks
Donald

 

[338RUM runner]

Re: Need advise on my first build

Can you afford to make scrap and not chips? or do you think that if you took it one step at a time you could true an action. It's not that hard to do if you have the tooling and the time. Face, bore, turn and thread, its just the order that you do them in that matters. Watch some UTUBE stuff till you understand it. Go for it.

 

[Twisted300Win MAG]

Re: Need advise on my first build

Iv watched and watched and I have a good understanding of processes and order of operation. Just thinking of it as one step at a time. Thread, fit and chamber to a new action see how it turns out then thread fit and chamber to an action I true and see how that works.

 

[338RUM runner]

Re: Need advise on my first build

Do it and report back on how you are comming along, Best of luck.