Help picking a new action

[DangerRanger]

Be careful with that thought. There are shops out there that advertise themselves as the “Be all, end all” of rifle accuracy and charge a lot extra for the name. You can spend $5-6 thousand on a gun that isn’t any more accurate than a $3000 custom. I made that mistake early on.

I personally haven’t found that to be the case for me, I’ve been much more impressed with quality work, timeline and even price with top accuracy smiths doing work than tactical ones. When I say “accuracy smiths” I’m meaning go to ibs long range nationals and look at the gunsmith lists.

I have not used the services of either of the smiths listed by the OP.

Edit* my sample size is low, I may have just lucked into great smiths in one niche and poor situations in the other.

 

[Matt_3479]

Kelbly actions are incredible. The altas tac is light weight, the new nanook is even more so. Buttery smooth and work great in both hunting and prs style shoots. I’ve always been extremely pleased with the KS ARMS actions, terminus actions, and impact

 

[Toptom]

I just finished up a lighter weight 308 build for this hunting season on a bighorn origin. Seems like a really nice action is smooth and also excepts prefit shoulders barrels if you go that route. For the money i am very happy with it.

 

[leclairk]

I really like the Kelbly Atlas. The ability to have a barrel chambered for it w/o the gunsmith having the action in his hands is not to be overlooked. You can also get a spacer that allows the use of the 1.115 Panda tenon barrels to screw right on.

For a light weight rig (depending on the budget), the new Kelbly's Nanook is the box I'd check.

2- Nanook Order Form - Kelbly Rifles

We expect to have these start heading out the door in January of 2022 Nanook Order Form These actions are our ultra light weight action The Nanook will come available in Right Bolt- Right Port, Left Bolt-Left Port Cut for ADL/BDL Magazines, .338 Action will come cut for CIP length Magazine Comes...

www.kelbly.com

And Jim Borden's stuff is always great.

This truly is the Golden Era for rifle building!

Good shootin'. -Al

I hadn’t considered the gunsmith needing the action for a new barrel, definitely something to consider. I do have a local smith that I like so I could take it to him when the time comes.

 

[perazziguy]

I don't really know anything but I've wanted a Kelbly's Panda in 6PPC. Jonathan Taylor

 

[Eagle1899]

Zermatt TL3
Proof CF Prefit
ARC M10 Rings
Vortex AMG
Trigger Tech Diamond
Grayboe Stock

 

[mauser284]

No action shoots it's self are you some liberal that thinks guns kill people? LOL That shoots???!!

I want to spend so much money I can not miss? LOL

Learn to shoot, read the wind, accurately range, fundamentals of shooting and reloading. The rest is just opinion.

I think if you look at the history of shooting post WWII you will be greatly disapointed since so many fantastic records and championships have been set and won with lowly Mauser and Remington actions and Winchester and Savage actions!

If you can not shoot well with the above than a Nesika Bay action for instance will be wasted on you.

Well the CF barrel makes sense for weight saving on a light weight mountain rifle from every other stand point they are for idiots with deep pockets that have no clue about engineering, science and what makes a barrel accurate!

As for weight saving you 6.5CM can easily be handled in a light rifle but low weight hurts accuracy if anything but a single cold bore shot is required. Light weight makes recoil worse not better. You will never get a light weight mountain rifle that is a beast from the bench past 3 shots! Put a decent 3 chamber break on it and it will improve groups at the range and the ability to take a quick second follow up shot. If weight is important do not put some stupid heavy steel tactical rings and huge Night Force or like scope on it.

To be honest though the second you wanted a carbon fiber barrel I put you into a box with people I probably would never want to have a beer with and would regret giving a jump start to! LOL Carbon fiber wrapped barrels are for people that watch CNN and hold their pink out while having a glass of tea! LOL

 

[abishai]

There is a reason barrels on hunting rifles don't wear out, They are no fun to shoot.
If you try to build a rifle to be both, it will be neither.

 

[expiper]

I agree totally with post #17 above,,,the Kelbly Atlas is smooth working and light weight,,,think about a rem. varmint contour and have Kelblys do the gunsmithing,,,,the bbl is more important than anything else when it comes to accuracy and bbl life,,,,long story short ,,,get a Krieger !!!!....Roger

 

[JBT47]

BAT VR is a nice action with integral 20 MOA rail…integral lug. I’ve had many of the various manufacturers of custom 700 clone actions. Defiance Deviant and Ruckus are nice with internal rail and lug. However, my favorite short action 700 clone is the BAT VR. If I were to build a rifle using a long action it would be a BAT HR.

YMMV. Hard t to o get a “bad” custom action these days. It’s difficult to know whether you like an action unless you use it. So, go to a match and see what the competitors are using and ask them if you can cycle it or shoot the rifle. Everyone has differing opinions on the various action brands.

 

[BP1]

Tuebor Ti action shoots fairly well and it’s light.

 

[jdh47]

Defiance offers a lot of different configurations. What sort of extraction do you want? Pierce makes a light action. There are lots of things to choose from depending on your requirements.

 

[Schutzen2]

For a hunting rifle, you could do a defiance tenacity with an ADL. I would skip the proof barrel and do a sporter contour stainless.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

If your liking the Borden go for it. They are very good actions. You can build a top notch rifle off of many of the actions mentioned, it just comes down to making sure everything is right.