RFBR actions

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Before the current custom RFBR actions such as the 2500X, Trident, V3 Turbos and even the V22 Vudoo what did the past RFBR shooters use? and what was the first truly custom action?
And why wouldn't those past actions be competitive today? with better barrels, ammo, optics and rest why wouldn't they be competitive?

Lee

 

[1Merlin]

Not sure if they were replaced as last years technology or that it is because they are last years fashion statement.

 

[Rockingham]

take a peek at this.....https://www.americanrimfire.com/index.php/past_results
i think 2005 is the first year they have equipment listed from the nationals.

lots of factory conversions back then....40x, Anschutz, some Suhls, and maybe a 37 or ULA here and there. early customs were primarily swindlehurst, time, hall, and of course flash's turbos

could be mistaken, but Bob Cleveland dominated with a Suhl a few years ago, and didn't Joe Besche just win recently with an Anschutz.

 

[doclu60]

Lee,
Annies and Sako were very popular for Sporter builds. Voelker still shoots a Sako Sporter, although he has a new build on a 2500XS RBRP (Brian is a lefty) I sold him last year. Rem 581/541 were also popular for Sporters. 40X comes to mind in a heavy gun as another. I am pretty sure Glen Townley still shoots a 40X and he is currently 13th on the outdoor ARA UL A-line. Maddie Reed, when I first met her, shot a 40X as well. And then there is her mentor, Joe Besche, who I am sure you know shoots an Annie.

Scott

 

[doclu60]

take a peek at this.....https://www.americanrimfire.com/index.php/past_results
i think 2005 is the first year they have equipment listed from the nationals.
lots of factory conversions back then....40x, Anschutz, some Suhls, and maybe a 37 or ULA here and there. early customs were primarily swindlehurst, time, hall, and of course flash's turbos

Yes, several I missed, especially Suhl, 37, and I do believe 52's were also used.

Scott

 

[JohnW...ski]

Read Bill Calfee's The Art of Rimfire Accuracy. He writes about the old model 52's, Time, Suhl, Anschutz, and other actions, then about Turbo and 2500 actions. Lots of information.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Not sure if they were replaced as last years technology or that it is because they are last years fashion statement.

So, is the flavor of the month mentality?

Lee

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Read Bill Calfee's The Art of Rimfire Accuracy. He writes about the old model 52's, Time, Suhl, Anschutz, and other actions, then about Turbo and 2500 actions. Lots of information.

I know who Bill Calfee is and I know he built on many of the factory actions, and some were very successful.
Bill Myers also built on them as well.
so, my question why most says build on a custom. is it mechanically that much more of an advantage.
let me add with CNC machining it can be on that standpoint more mechanically of an advantage.

I do know this for those who are just shooters, meaning someone who doesn't knows how to work on a firearm then that is the best course to follow.

Lee

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Yes, several I missed, especially Suhl, 37, and I do believe 52's were also used.

Scott

What no Falcons?

 

[doclu60]

So, is the flavor of the month mentality?

Lee

Probably not. My first IR Sporter was a Voelker built 581. Plenty accurate enough, but a real PIA to run. Small loading port and RBRP. Custom actions being purpose built for the game do give much better ergonomics putting less pressure on the shooter.

Falcon, as far as I know is a custom action, you stinker you!

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Lee,
Annies and Sako were very popular for Sporter builds. Voelker still shoots a Sako Sporter, although he has a new build on a 2500XS RBRP (Brian is a lefty) I sold him last year. Rem 581/541 were also popular for Sporters. 40X comes to mind in a heavy gun as another. I am pretty sure Glen Townley still shoots a 40X and he is currently 13th on the outdoor ARA UL A-line. Maddie Reed, when I first met her, shot a 40X as well. And then there is her mentor, Joe Besche, who I am sure you know shoots an Annie.

Scott

Scott,

I do believe Joe shot a 2500X last big match.

Lee

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Probably not. My first IR Sporter was a Voelker built 581. Plenty accurate enough, but a real PIA to run. Small loading port and RBRP. Custom actions being purpose built for the game do give much better ergonomics putting less pressure on the shooter.

Falcon, as far as I know is a custom action, you stinker you!

You right just checking if you had your coffee yet, i only had one cup so far!

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Probably not. My first IR Sporter was a Voelker built 581. Plenty accurate enough, but a real PIA to run. Small loading port and RBRP. Custom actions being purpose built for the game do give much better ergonomics putting less pressure on the shooter.

Falcon, as far as I know is a custom action, you stinker you!

Yes, that is a good point on purpose built to help the shooter. I shoot an Anschutz as you know and also a couple of RBLP Falcons and I can load the Anschutz from the left better than the Falcons. I also have a M12 which I lowered the left side of the port about a 1/16" and load from the left too.
not too many know that the Anschutz match 54 was also used as a CF action as far as i can tell only the bolt/firing pin setup is different so it is a strong action.

Lee

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

take a peek at this.....https://www.americanrimfire.com/index.php/past_results
i think 2005 is the first year they have equipment listed from the nationals.

lots of factory conversions back then....40x, Anschutz, some Suhls, and maybe a 37 or ULA here and there. early customs were primarily swindlehurst, time, hall, and of course flash's turbos

could be mistaken, but Bob Cleveland dominated with a Suhl a few years ago, and didn't Joe Besche just win recently with an Anschutz.

Yes, you are right Bob Cleveland has a Sul that shoots really good. speaking of Shuls I still don't understand why they are more popular for a BR build over a Match 54 at least what I read on forums. in comparison the Match 54 is a more robust action as the Suhl has a very thin bottom metal where the trigger is mounted.
the only thing I can think of is the firing pin setup with the Suhl you can play with strike depth without machining anything.

I do believe if I read right that Jos shot a 2500X at the last big national event.

Lee

 

[doclu60]

Scott,

I do believe Joe shot a 2500X last big match.

Lee

Very possible, I knew he had one and have seen him shoot it, but it's been a while since I shot with Joe. Several years ago in Horton, KS he shot a new to him Suhl. Pretty sure Joe always has one the Annies with him wherever he goes.

Another thing about factory and custom actions, most customs need little to no work straight out of the box. Mass produced factory actions sometimes need a little help. Most custom actions use the highly accessible 700 pattern trigger as well. With many factory actions, you can be stuck on trigger options, which was the case on my 581.

Not sure which match Joe won with his 2500X, but I don't doubt he did. The equipment list for the indoor nationals in March (which he won) says Anschutz, but I can guarantee equipment lists aren't always true as to what was shot. You fill in the registration form and give them a rifle and equipment. That doesn't always match what was shot. I've done it myself.

54's are indeed beefy actions. Makes the Suhl look like an old Rem action!

Scott

 

[Rockingham]

i will admit to having a fondness for factory converted BR guns.....

the suhls

the 40xs

the annies

and because man cannot live on factory alone, the OG flash turbos

 

[High Noon]

My first rimfire bench rest rifle was built by Gene Davis on an “Ole Suhl” action I found. I’ve since added a 2500X , a new Tubo V1 and a Turbo V3 . Love em all!

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I'll put my Walther KK smallbore match rifle from the 70's in the mix. Still a very capable bit of kit. There's plenty of Anschutz, Walther and Fienwerkbau actions kicking around in cupboards. Not forgetting the BSA's although the triggers can be challenging on the early ones.

 

[butchlambert]

For a guy that only shoots one card a month at the club match I've been through a few. In the mid to late 90s I was in Flash's Truck Turbo shop. I left with an early model Turbo and a Turbo barrel. Next was a Suhl 150 from Herb Gibson, Gibsons Discount Stores, when Herb was shooting RF., next was my English Falling block, Alsheimer set in, by the old trigger smith and accuracy smith, I have 2 40X RF that are my Tin Can shooters. One by Richard Gorham with a barrel that Ed Shilen gave me in the early 2000s and the other was built by Gene Davis with a Frank Green, Bartlien, barrel that Frank was playing with. It is an 8 grove LH twist, and gain twist. Next was a 10/22 that had a Shilen barrel that shot best in Shilens old shop when they were testing them inside. It had one of Arnold Jewell,s triggers. It now belongs to Nex Rongero in Austin, Tx. Now a few years down the road our club started a 50yd match. I was a friend of Jon Hammond, the WVU rifle coach, Who I met when my Grandson played football there. I called Jon and asked if he knew of any barreled actions. I bought his assistant coaches KK300 and made a home made tuner and put it in a Stith stock blank. Damn it shoots good, but I wanted to step up. I called Jon Hammond again and bought his Anschutz 1913 that he shot in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I was talking to Jim Carmichel who said he was helping Terry Leonard's wife to sell all of his custom carbon laminated stocks. I bought 3 and used one for the Anschutz and put a tuner on it. I sent it to Joe Besche and he found a good lot of Midas that it liked. He sent me a 2450 target and fell in love with it. It still holds our club record. Well now to the last one. It is a 2500X with 2 Shilen barrels and each with it's own tuner, and a Rotex stock with a very nice piece of walnut that I got from Roger Vardy in Australia.
It was built by Mark Penrod and is the nicest competition rifle that I have owned. It now belongs to a new shooter in Missouri. He just got it back from Lapua in Ohio.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

i will admit to having a fondness for factory converted BR guns.....

the suhls

the 40xs

the annies

and because man cannot live on factory alone, the OG flash turbos

Very nice rifles!

Lee