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Gunsmithing Truing an Action - a few questions

ncoutdoorsman

Sergeant
Minuteman
Aug 3, 2008
96
0
Wilmington, NC
Hi Guys,

As always, a big thank you for helping me further my education in precision shooting. Still being a newbie, I wanted to ask about what exactly is involved with "truing an action"? Does it mean working with the threads of the barrel to archive finer headspace?

And, do new rifles, straight from the factory need such work or are they already trued?

I suppose what I'm asking is, what gunsmithing can you do to a new rifle to increase accuracy before ever taking it to the range?
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

Truing an action will be different from one smith to another. 've seen some that considered it trued if the face of the action had been faced off. On the other hand I don't consider it to be trued unless the threads have been recut paralell to the centerline, the lug seats, and face of the front ring cut perpendicular to the centerline, and the bolt lugs and face cut perpendicular to the centerline.

Factory rifles have ont had any of this done. It's kind of hit and miss what you will get from the factory. I've had some that I had to remove a maximum of .002 from each of these points, and I've had a couple at the other end where the lugs had to have .025 removed just to get them contacting evenly. Most of the aftermarket actions however have had much better care taken in machineing and are good to go from the start.


The one thing I would do prior to taking it to the range besides completely cleaning everything out and and relubing with the stuff I'm going to use is to bed the rifle. Depending on the rifle bedding may or may not improve accuracy, but I've never seen it hurt.
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

Thanks for the info guys.

Rhys, can you recommend a smith that will recut threads?

My rifle is a sps-t 308 and I'd like to push her as far as it will go.
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

Don't forget that if you start removing excessive amounts of material from the bolt lugs or lug seats it could affect the bolt timing.
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

You see... I think I start to figure stuff out and you go and say something like that.
eek.gif
I see I have alot to learn.

Can anyone recommend a good smith at a fair rate?

If money wasn't an issue, what would you do to a factory SPS-T barreled action?
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

I see that you're in North Carolina. Send me a regular email and I'll send you contact information for a good rifle smith in Welcome, NC.
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ncoutdoorsman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You see... I think I start to figure stuff out and you go and say something like that.
eek.gif
I see I have alot to learn.

Can anyone recommend a good smith at a fair rate?

If money wasn't an issue, what would you do to a factory SPS-T barreled action?</div></div>

i would sell the sps-t and get a surgeon action......and save all the brain dammage
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ncoutdoorsman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

And, do new rifles, straight from the factory need such work or are they already trued?

I suppose what I'm asking is, what gunsmithing can you do to a new rifle to increase accuracy before ever taking it to the range? </div></div>

Some rifles shoot great right out of the box. <span style="font-weight: bold">Shoot it first!!</span>

For what it costs to true a action and have "everything" done you can buy a <span style="font-weight: bold">custom</span> action and often have something better from the get go. i.e. http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1187183&gonew=1#UNREAD

Bedding the action is easy for anyone inclined to tinker, as is lapping the locking lugs. Search this forum for details.

The ONLY thing that I would personally do to a new rifle purchase before shooting it is possibly a trigger job if it was really bad.
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Triple 6</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Don't forget that if you start removing excessive amounts of material from the bolt lugs or lug seats it could affect the bolt timing. </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Headspace</span>

https://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1038...e_Them_-_Part_I
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

Hi Phil1,

I got a rem700 and was planning to use the stock barrel for practice and when I get a bit better, I will save the action, and get a custom barrel then have a smith to build me a more accurized rifle. But after reading your post on this matter I guess that's a bad plan now.... or, was I reading it wrong.....

Thanks,

Dyl..
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

Back in March I sent the GAP gang a Remy 700 .308 barreled action and a McM A-5 stock to build me a F(tr) Class gun. By the end of April I'd changed over to a Gen 2 Templar and now I'm having doubts on the A-5 (for my specific application). I'd probably been better off to just set a budget & send in the cash, tell George what I plan to do with the gun and let him make all the decisions about what I "need".
 
Re: Truing an Action - a few questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Target On Sight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi Phil1,

I got a rem700 and was planning to use the stock barrel for practice and when I get a bit better, I will save the action, and get a custom barrel then have a smith to build me a more accurized rifle. But after reading your post on this matter I guess that's a bad plan now.... or, was I reading it wrong.....

Thanks,

Dyl.. </div></div>

You're on exactly the right path. You don't need to "fix" anything till there is a problem.

You could shoot what you have for a couple years before you need to spend a cent.
If you don't reload, that would be my next suggestion as it will put more accurate bullets downrange than any gunsmith work.

If you can't find an accurate load after handloading, then a gunsmith may be in order with the stock barrel and action. If you spend some time reloading a stock 700 should shoot .750"(3 shots @100yards) right out of the box.