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Sub $1k actions

+1. Buy good equipment and have less pieces. I have a BAT, I would buy another one.
 
I hunt with all my scoped rifles. Shells have gotten to the point of being way too expensive to waste punching paper. It is a tool, just the same as a wrench from Snap On.

For a swap barrel set up, a Savage w/the barrel nut and prefits makes a lot of sense especially for hunting.
 
I hunt with all my scoped rifles. Shells have gotten to the point of being way too expensive to waste punching paper. It is a tool, just the same as a wrench from Snap On.

For a swap barrel set up, a Savage w/the barrel nut and prefits makes a lot of sense especially for hunting.
"Shells"? That misnomer belongs on the shotgun forum. They're cartridges.

"Punching paper" is how one determines if the rifle/scope is properly sighted-in and accurate enough to reliably and humanely hunt with. The deer hunter, for example, who thinks being able to hit a 10" paper plate at 100y is good enough, is IMO a disgrace. My hunting rifle is 1/2 MOA with my preferred loads, and I know this because I punch paper with it several times a year, from 100y - 500y. I can afford ammunition maybe because I don't spend money on Snap On. ;)

Snap On is such an expensive tool alternative that I wonder how you can make such a comparison? A Savage is the Home Depot 'Husky' brand equivalent. Snap On would be the (overpriced) Defiance equivalent.

OP, the action is, amortized over the life of a rifle, the inexpensive major component. Jim Borden will charge you about $900 to provide and fit a premium barrel (e.g. Bartlein or Krieger) to your action. An MDT chassis, Foundation stock, or similar will easily exceed $1k. Lots of us try various options before settling (if ever) on one. Scopes can easily cost 2-4x the action price. And then ammo, at say $1.75+/cartridge, whether or not you reload, will far surpass the cost of your action long before you shoot out your first barrel.

So which one to buy? I vote for the Zermatt Origin. Buy it from James and Heather at Northland Shooter Supply. Get it in the brushed stainless finish, which is exclusive to them. They can fix you up with a barrel, extra bolt heads, tools, etc. too.
 
The ARC Nucleus, Archemedes, and Coup de Grace have Savage threads and can be barrel nutted. Any Savage barrel will work fine. My new Coup de Grace in 7Saum is barrel nutted and is already turning in sub 1/4 minute groups so I really think you're not giving up much.
 
I've been very happy with all three of my ARC actions - Nucleus, Nucleus 2.0, and Archimedes. What's not to like? Remington 700 footprint, Savage barrel threads, and plenty of choices of pre-fit barrel's - shouldered or barrel nut style.
I was going to try one of the Zermatt Origin action's on my last build, but there was a 6 month wait to get one, so I just went with the Archimedes action.

PT&G has several action's on sale right now also-
 
Are those PTG Viking named actions any good? And are those B12 or B52 actions any good? Nice price points, but are they better than a blueprinted R700?
 
I've been very happy with all three of my ARC actions - Nucleus, Nucleus 2.0, and Archimedes. What's not to like? Remington 700 footprint, Savage barrel threads, and plenty of choices of pre-fit barrel's - shouldered or barrel nut style.
I was going to try one of the Zermatt Origin action's on my last build, but there was a 6 month wait to get one, so I just went with the Archimedes action.

PT&G has several action's on sale right now also-
On the ARC site.... It looks like they are not accepting any backorders for the Nucleus 2.0. Is there somewhere else that sells them? Or perhaps they are only going to dealers?
 
In a 700 foot print action, the Atlas is as good as it gets. Once you've worked with the good ones (Atlas, Borden Alpine, etc), you'll be spoiled.

The Mack Bros. Evo actions are very good replacement actions and priced very competitively.

Good shootin' -Al

I have had the Kelbly Atlas in my hands and have made customer barrels on it.

Honetly, the Mack Bros, Kauger, and Origin are just as nice. In fact, the Mack and Kauger are nicer.
 

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