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Best Action for Custom Rifle

jdyerjdyer Member Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭
edited July 2005 in Ask the Experts
Seems many, if not most, custom rifles I see built off new actions are built off Rem 700 actions. Question - WHY? I know they are great actions, but so are Win 70.

My real question is why not use the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard actions since they are so much cheaper, just as reliable, have a factory accuracy guanantee without rebarreling, have adjustable trigger, and have many after-market add-ons that can compliment it. Also, what about the Charles Daily barrelled actions?

Thanks in advance

Comments

  • lowelclowelc Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The majority of the customs I build are Rem 700, '03 Springfield, Ruger 77, and Win 70, in that order. This is not to say that there are not a lot of other actions out there that are capable of building customs on, just that teses are the most popular. I have found that the Rem 700 is extremely accurate and stock design is fairly common, however, this is also true of the Win and the Springfield. Some actions require additional work and the availability of semi-inletted stocks is limited. A custom stock can be made (or modified) for any action, but additional modification take time and time is money. It is also the personal preference of the customer that makes a difference. I have also built on Savage, Weatherby, and other actions. If you have a strong action that you really like, anything can be done.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The rem700 being a round receiver offers a great bedding surface. The 2 lugs are easy to true up, as is the action which can be trued up in less steps due to no intergral recoil lug (from what I am told). It was an exceptionally easy action to work with, and was simple and straight by it's design. The lock time is also still to this day one of the fastest for any factory rifle. That equates to inherent accuracy.

    why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
    Got Balistics?
  • Hunter375Hunter375 Member Posts: 612 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If I were going to build any custom bolt gun, it would be on a 700 action. I have seen quite a few guns built on the Howa action, but it is a Remington clone anyway. I have plans to build a .25-300 Ultra Mag on a 700 BDL LS but it is going to be a sporter, not a bench gun.

    My personal experience with factory guns has been that the Remington 700's are more accurate with a wider variety of ammunition than their contemporaries. I have yet own a Remington that won't shoot sub-MOA from factory with a good work-up. I can't say the same for Rugers, as much as I like them. Not a whole lot of experience with Weatherby, but the bit I had was not on par with the Remington. I own a Howa .223 and it is a tack driver. Just don't care for Winchester.

    Save the seals-club a liberal instead.
  • andy12390andy12390 Member Posts: 486 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    im in the process of building a custom mauser 98 in 300 win mag. i dont know why ppl dont use the mauser 98 action, if i've been informed correctly, most of those actions, 700--70--1500-vanguard, have charicteristics from the 98 mauser. in my opinion, you cant beat a rifle that has proven itself on the battlefield time and time again.

    Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. - Don Corleone
  • andy12390andy12390 Member Posts: 486 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    also, my receiver was imported by charles daily, but was made in yugoslavia i believe. extremely strong/rugged. and alot cheaper then any other receiver. idk if charles daily makes other barreled actions but i know they make it in 98 mauser.

    Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. - Don Corleone
  • ern98ern98 Member Posts: 1,725 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most custom rifles also include a big slice of "BRAG". It is hard for some to brag that their $1000+ custom is a Howa. Unless someone is building a dagerous game custom, most go for the round reciever actions. In the dangerous game area, M98, M70 classic or pre 64, and M77mkII are in higher demand because of the whole controled round feed myth. All of my custom bolt rifles have either M98 or M70 classic actions. All shoot well into the sub 1 minute, which is all I can shoot so I don't demand more. So the best action for a custom rifle may well be any quality action that you already have on hand and that has become an itch that you want to scratch.
  • stankempstankemp Member Posts: 509 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "And now for something completely different"- Monty Python, 1970 (or thereabouts).
    Hows about a Swiss K31 straight pull action instead of the usual turnbolt? High quality Swiss manufacture, fast , The removable mag will take a variety of cartridges, the bolt head has plenty of meat and - best of all- they are very reasonably priced for now.
    There are even stocks that are semi inletted for it ( thanks for the answer to my question about semi inletted K31 stocks).
    Accuracy is about barrel and trigger anyway. The K31 has a nice trigger (lock time is a little slow but no slower than the 98's)and you'll replace the barrel with a cal. of your choosing anyway. My rifle uses the mil stock as a test bed for my 505-460 Kemp but I will replace the stock when I get a bit of time.
    Stan
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    jdyer,

    There is nothing like having a 'custom rifle' and still being like everyone else. I like what Stan said about customizing a k-31. It's new and different.
    The Rem 700 is, according to what many of my gunsmith friends have told me, very accurate and easy to work with.
    I personally like the Mauser 98 for customizing and that is what most of my custom or modified rifles are. Although there are some features about the Win 70 that I like the most. So I put those options on a couple of my rifles.
    Ern98 hit on something that is somewhat true about the "myth" of not wanting to use a Rem 700 for a dangerous game rifle. The truth about that is you have more pulling power for extraction from a '98 or pre-'64 Win than a 700, but the real security there is not to overload your ammunition. At 100M to "to damn close for comfort" a dangerous game animal is not going to notice 100-200 fps difference in bullet speed. What he is going to notice is can you put a second or third round into him during a charge. That comes from not overloading your ammunition and having one stick in your chamber. I have gotten some rounds too hot to easily extract from a '98 action and believe me I would be crumpled right now if it was in a critical situation.
    The higher temps in Africa lead to having your ammunition fire much hotter than say, chasing brown or Grizzly bear here in North America in colder climates. The Rem 700 will work just fine if you don't overload your ammunition.
    Whatever you choose, I hope you spend the money and get it just exactly the way you like it. -Good luck

    We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>
  • lowelclowelc Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey andy12390

    My mistake, and you are correct! It was completely by mistake that I failed to mention the 98. It is one of the finest actions I have built on. I personally have a custom 35 Whelen on a Mauser 98. Mine is an original German 98. I am not impressed with some of the other "98's" that are available.
  • PA ShootistPA Shootist Member Posts: 686 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It depends what you like! I have a couple high-quality custom rifles. They cost a lot to do right. Maybe it doesn't even make any sense, with the quality and accuracy and reliability of what comes from factories nowadays. But, I feel a special pride of ownership, and great fondness for my customs built to my wishes. One is on a 1909 Mauser ('98), another a Winchester High-Wall single shot, and a large Martini-action single shot. But there isn't any economic sense; you'd scarcely come close to geting back what you've spent if you decide to sell. But, they are just a joy to look at and to use, with the fancy walnut, hand-checkered stocks, high-luster blue, smooth and slick actions, high-quality accurate barrels with wonderful triggers...
  • crisisbillcrisisbill Member Posts: 487 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can't go wrong with a Rem 700 action, but you can also look at a custom Borden action.

    If you Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail.
    coyotehunter@hvc.rr.com

    Guns don't have fingerprints; they have signatures that can be changed in a moment.
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