Budget Friendly Action for Remington 700 Short Action?

[urbanrifleman]

Runs like butter sounds mighty fine! The factory action runs like peanut butter mixed with gravel!

Kauger VPR is less than $900 with the Urbanrifleman discount.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Ah, right. I keep forgetting shouldered prefits don't require a gunsmith to install.

At the same time, don't the shouldered prefits tend to cost more than prefits with a nut?

A bit more but if you are buying a nut my barrels are $100 difference.

 

[Rob01]

Ah, right. I keep forgetting shouldered prefits don't require a gunsmith to install.

At the same time, don't the shouldered prefits tend to cost more than prefits with a nut?

Maybe a little but when you use them you will see why it’s better to spend the little extra on a shouldered barrel.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

Then there is the cost of rechambering the barrel to fit the head space in the new action.
either start from scratch with a new action and barrel or go with what you have

 

[Bob in WI]

I'm ready to upgrade the action on my hunting rifle. It's a Remington 700 with a Faxon M24 profile barrel, Timney trigger, and MDT field stock. I'm interested in these - Bergara Premier, Zermatt Origin, and Mack Brothers. I think they are all somewhere around $900 and I'd really rather not spend any more than that.

Reason for the upgrade - I started with a factory R700, but I've upgraded everything but the action at this point, and I've kept everything else, so once I upgrade the action, I can take the original parts and reassemble the original rifle.

Any recommendations on what action to go with?

thanks

Scott

View attachment 1720993

When you have your new action and ready to part with your old 700 action let me know. I will happily use it for a hunting gun.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Kauger, give Zack a call at Old Dominion Custom Rifles. He is the Kauger man ! If the rifle shoots well, you can smooth up the 700 for a lot less than $900

Pls don't call Zack, it will only cause more folks to know about his work ethic, friendliness, and top notch rifle building talent.

 

[bulletpruf]

When you have your new action and ready to part with your old 700 action let me know. I will happily use it for a hunting gun.

As I said in my original post, I started out with a factory Remington 700 rifle. It shot well with factory ammo, but I upgraded everything except for the action. I kept all the original bits (barrel, trigger, stock, scope, etc) so I'll just re-assemble my original rifle and use it for a spare hunting rifle.

Thanks

 

[Radar]

I’d add a Kelbly Atlas to your list as they are around the $900-1000 price point and run very smoothly as well. I’ve never used any of the Kauger’s but I’ve heard a lot of positives about them.

One thing to consider of the actions you mentioned :
Zermatt origin = savage small shank threads
Bergara/mack bros/kelbly = rem 700 threads
I mention this because it may affect what barrel you plan to use.

Personally I’m a Zermatt origin fan and have one. They are very popular and common which means countless prefit barrel options, interchangeable bolt heads for cartridge changes, a mechanical ejector (eject brass a mile away or dribble out next to you), and run very smoothly.

Unless they have changed I don't think you want to try screwing a 16TPI Remington barrel into a Kelbly Atlas with 18TPI.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Unless they have changed I don't think you want to try screwing a 16TPI Remington barrel into a Kelbly Atlas with 18TPI.

Isn’t the OP going to run into problems with the barrel that was fitted for the 700 action not fitting the custom action.

 

[284winner]

I'm ready to upgrade the action on my hunting rifle. It's a Remington 700 with a Faxon M24 profile barrel, Timney trigger, and MDT field stock. I'm interested in these - Bergara Premier, Zermatt Origin, and Mack Brothers. I think they are all somewhere around $900 and I'd really rather not spend any more than that.

Reason for the upgrade - I started with a factory R700, but I've upgraded everything but the action at this point, and I've kept everything else, so once I upgrade the action, I can take the original parts and reassemble the original rifle.

Any recommendations on what action to go with?

thanks

Scott

View attachment 1720993

Sounds like you simply want a full custom rifle. You don't need a reason to want one. Like others here have said, a gunsmith can clean it up, true it and get it as smooth as a custom. I was hung up on a custom action also but being honest with myself, it didn't do a thing better than the Rem 700 did for me. I hunt with my rifles and play at the range with them. I'm not a competitor or have the need that some comp actions may have that I don't need. You can customize the bolts, knobs and even action body. I had my gunsmith lighten mine with side ports on the body and skeletonizing the bolt handle. Used an aluminum knob as well. I do have a Pierce, Stiller and Surgeon action. I don't see a thing different with them over my 700 actions. Attached are the skeletonizing of the action parts for a minor weight decrease.

 

[bulletpruf]

Sounds like you simply want a full custom rifle. You don't need a reason to want one. Like others here have said, a gunsmith can clean it up, true it and get it as smooth as a custom. I was hung up on a custom action also but being honest with myself, it didn't do a thing better than the Rem 700 did for me. I hunt with my rifles and play at the range with them. I'm not a competitor or have the need that some comp actions may have that I don't need. You can customize the bolts, knobs and even action body. I had my gunsmith lighten mine with side ports on the body and skeletonizing the bolt handle. Used an aluminum knob as well. I do have a Pierce, Stiller and Surgeon action. I don't see a thing different with them over my 700 actions. Attached are the skeletonizing of the action parts for a minor weight decrease.

Yep, I suspect I could take my rifle to a local gunsmith who could work some magic with the factory action, but if I buy a custom action, then I get another rifle, as noted above. That's really what's driving my decision.

Thanks

 

[mic2377]

A close Rem 700 clone like Kauger, Mack Bros, or Weatherby 307 would be the closest to a drop in fit. Functionally you will not likely notice much if any difference between this and your current action though. Some Rem 700 actions are smoother than others based on the extractor, surface finish, and action timing.

If you switching to an entirely different action that takes prefits, +100 on the barrel nut being a dumb idea.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I don’t know much about the double ejectors that Kauger actions have on the bolt, but it would be a pain to me on finding the touch point on my bullets

 

[1shot]

Kelbly actions for the win!! They will be there for you today, and 30 years from now when your kids have the rifle. The customer support and quality of their work is second to none.
I hope this helps,

Lloyd

 

[Rob01]

Yep, I suspect I could take my rifle to a local gunsmith who could work some magic with the factory action, but if I buy a custom action, then I get another rifle, as noted above. That's really what's driving my decision.

Thanks

And you get an action you can swap shouldered prefit barrels with at home easily.

I know people like to polish the turd of a 700 and spend as much if not more to get it to what you get with a custom but as you said you wanted another rifle so buy a good one. Also resale, if you ever do is much better than a 700 no matter what you did to it.

 

[bulletpruf]

Ordered the Kauger VPR action - $953 total. Got the spiral bolt in black, knurled handle, and nitrided receiver.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[urbanrifleman]

Ordered the Kauger VPR action - $953 total. Got the spiral bolt in black, knurled handle, and nitrided receiver.

Thanks for all the input!

View attachment 1721870

A customer build on a Kauger VPR with my shouldered barrel.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Ordered the Kauger VPR action - $953 total. Got the spiral bolt in black, knurled handle, and nitrided receiver.

Thanks for all the input!

View attachment 1721870

amazing value in all these actions! that looks great.

 

[Rob01]

Do they come with a rail or you have to buy that separate?

 

[bulletpruf]

Do they come with a rail or you have to buy that separate?

Have to buy that separate.