• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Short bolt throw actions?

cm1021

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 2, 2012
193
28
34
East, TN
What are some of the shorter bolt throw actions? I know about mesa precision, just trying to see what else is out there. Looking for magnum bolt face, short action.
 
By “short bolt throw” I’m assuming you mean 60 degree lift? If so, your options are basically:

Badger
Terminus
GAP Tempest (if you can find one)
Cadex
Ultimatum

If budget is no consideration, Accuracy International.

Avoid Curtis if you can help it.

Edited to add: Pretty sure the Terminus, Ultimatum, and Curtis are available in SA magnum configurations. Not positive about the others.
 
Last edited:
ARC Nucleus Gen 2 isn't a bad option. Haven't played with the Archimedes though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cm1021
By “short bolt throw” I’m assuming you mean 60 degree lift? If so, your options are basically:

Badger
Terminus
GAP Tempest (if you can find one)
Cadex
Ultimatum

If budget is no consideration, Accuracy International.

Avoid Curtis if you can help it.

Edited to add: Pretty sure the Terminus, Ultimatum, and Curtis are available in SA magnum configurations. Not positive about the others.

What's the Curtis issue? I'll admit I'm not familiar with them.
 
I building a lightweight switch barrel (6CM, 6.5CM) on a Mesa Precision Summit TI action. It checked all the boxes for my build:
- Titanium metallurgy
- < 90 degree bolt lift
- Rem 700 footprint
- Integrated Recoil lug
- Doesn’t look like dog shit

Action felt pretty good out of the box. I have felt better. I have a TL3, (2) Stiller Predators, Seekins, several trued Rem 700’s. I’ve worked with (bedding mostly) a ton of Defiance and Tikka. Smoothness is not a make or break characteristic. My stainless Rem 700 or TL3 is the smoothest. Seekins Havak is much better now after the bolt upgrade to 100% cock-on-open. Before the bolt upgrade, the Seekins was the worst to cycle. Not bolt binding, just very stiff. TL3 will bind if you run it over crooked or with too much side pressure. I’ve seen coated or painted Defiance actions do the same (tolerances are tight). I Cerakoted one (masking off the inside) and Cerakote bolt with Micro slick and it still rubbed some. Crazy! Must be about 0.003” or so clearance on those actions.

I think the Mesa Summit TI will be fine; just have not run it on the gun yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cm1021
I would recommend terminus. Probably the best 700 clone 60° action
Those look nice. It could be a contender. In all honesty if an action looks like crap imo, im not gonna go with it. I mean we want it to look as good was it shoots, thats why they make so many different ones haha.
 
What's the Curtis issue? I'll admit I'm not familiar with them.
Mainly feeding, extraction/ejection, and fire control group problems… not being able to get replacement parts when you need them. You could add 50lb. bolt lifts to the list too if you wanted.

Every action has the potential to break or have issues. Some just do more than others.
 
It’s seriously impressive. Take everything about the Nucleus, cut bolt lift in half, and add the ability to extract anything.
Remove the ability to quickly pull the firing pin and spring in the field if it gunks up and add back the wonky rotating bolt stop; it’s not a free lunch. The whole locking screw retention of the firing pin “screw” which acts as the other half of the firing pin is annoying, especially with the need to loctite it in place.

I think gen2 whenever it launches will be a heck of an action. I almost bought a few for Black Friday, but I’ll wait on the revised version I’m sure will come some time in the future.

I love ARC for continual improvement, they are one of the few companies who really try out new and unique ideas. For me, personally, I think the Archimedes needs a little more baking.