Re: Surgeon 591 action vs rem 700 action.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wade</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swampbuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Of course the Surgeon in better. The question is: IS IT $700 better?
That is up the the buyer. Yes it has an integral rail and recoil lug. Yes it has cool bolt flutes and higher resale value. Yes it is tacticool and rock solid.
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The Surgeon comes with:
A Picatinny rail that would have to be purchased for the 700 $145<span style="color: #FF0000">You can buy a NF rail from Brownells for $110</span>
and would be best with 8-40 screw holes $40<span style="color: #FF0000">Maybe, but I've never had the standards let me down.</span>
Straightness that would require truing on a 700 $200
Side bolt release $100<span style="color: #FF0000">Which is completely unnecessary, but a nice features to have.</span>
One piece Bolt $225 <span style="color: #FF0000">Again, nice to have but not necessary</span>
Recoil Lug $45<span style="color: #FF0000">You can get them for about $35 at Brownells</span>
Remington 700 action cost $500<span style="color: #FF0000">I can go to Wal-Mart and pick up an ADL package for $397.00, sell off the magazine, follower, bottom metal, scope/base/rings, and barrel and recoup $100-200 bringing the price of the action to $197 or so.</span>
Total price to make a 700 action similar to a 591 $1255
Now if you go look back in the "Rifles for sale" section and see how much better any Surgeon based rig sells the 700 doesn't appear to be such a good value.
Wade Stuteville
Surgeon Rifles </div></div>
Alright, I'm probably going to have to duck my head for this one:
Granted, you're right, there are some nice features to the Surgeon and its a great action, but I disagree that it takes $1300 to get a Remington on par with one. There's more than one way to skin a cat, it just requires being frugal.
My last GAP build resulted in me buying a 700 "Classic" for $400. I sold the bottom metal for $50, the magazine, spring and follower for about $35, the barrel for $100, and the stock for $100.
GAP charged me (I believe, its been a while), $350 to chamber and true it. I had $110 in the rail, $30 in the lug, and made a deal with a friend to do the bolt knob. I'd put it up with a Surgeon action in accuracy and reliability. There's no reason one can't shop around and have a trued 700 with a recoil lug and rail for under $700. Sure, side release is handy but it isn't necessary and flutes make it slightly smoother and look pretty, but they aren't significantly different...but hey, add $150 for a side-bolt conversion and another $65 for flutes if you really want it.
Seems if you really want the "ultimate" in durability and reliability, you'd just get an Accuracy International AE MK III and be done.