Afternoon, all. I'm looking to build my first "custom" bolt action in 300 PRC, but I've built a ton of precision AR's and a few USPSA competition pistols, so I'd like to think I'm not entirely clueless when it comes to general gunsmithing. I don't have a reloading setup (or the room for it at the moment), so the 300 PRC seemed like the best widely-available commercial ELR cartridge in .30 caliber, which was another requirement in order to fit a modular can I already have that I'd like to use on it. This will be mostly just a fun shooter and safe queen, as my first full bolt build...no plans for serious competition with it.
Anyway, I'm putting an X-Caliber carbon-wrapped pre-fit on an ARC Coup de Grace LA CIP action. X-Caliber says not to use a barrel clamp on their carbon-wrapped barrels (which is fair), but the CDG doesn't work with any action vices I've been able to find. The barrel nut I'd be using has flats for a standard 1 1/4" wrench, and the CDG action wrench has a hex fitting on the rear to fit a normal socket. Would the proper process for assembling this be to set the headspace and wrench down the barrel nut by hand, then clamp the barrel nut itself in my vice (with some tape on the flats) and use the CDG action wrench to set the torque?
Also - ARC says to torque the action on the barrel to 100-150lb/ft, but most pre-fit instructions with Savage small-shank barrel nuts say to use in the 60-80-ish range. Is there some common tribal knowledge on if I should listen to ARC or to other pre-fits on this, since the ARC action is generally made for shouldered barrels that are already headspaced? Appreciate any help and advice you all can give. Thanks all!
Anyway, I'm putting an X-Caliber carbon-wrapped pre-fit on an ARC Coup de Grace LA CIP action. X-Caliber says not to use a barrel clamp on their carbon-wrapped barrels (which is fair), but the CDG doesn't work with any action vices I've been able to find. The barrel nut I'd be using has flats for a standard 1 1/4" wrench, and the CDG action wrench has a hex fitting on the rear to fit a normal socket. Would the proper process for assembling this be to set the headspace and wrench down the barrel nut by hand, then clamp the barrel nut itself in my vice (with some tape on the flats) and use the CDG action wrench to set the torque?
Also - ARC says to torque the action on the barrel to 100-150lb/ft, but most pre-fit instructions with Savage small-shank barrel nuts say to use in the 60-80-ish range. Is there some common tribal knowledge on if I should listen to ARC or to other pre-fits on this, since the ARC action is generally made for shouldered barrels that are already headspaced? Appreciate any help and advice you all can give. Thanks all!
