New Action ~1K Budget

[AlNyhus]

Kelbly Atlas, hands down. -Al

 

[rijndael]

What is the round he will be chambering?

It will be a .308, boring, but we have plenty of components on hand.

 

[jghoghunter]

Gunwerks
Really nice action for the money with a lot of extras you don't get with the others.

 

[NateHaler]

The bolt handle that comes on the Atlas is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen...

Apparently you don't watch much TV. (Smart!)

 

[rijndael]

Timing was off on my BnA trigger with cock on close but I corrected it. Other than that it’s a fairly nice action for the money.

Is it common for the Kelby to have timing issues or is it your combination with a B&A trigger?

 

[Tucker65]

I have a Lapua size Atlas and hate the bolt stop because you need to take out a torx head screw on the stop every time you want to remove the bolt from the receiver. Recoil lug is pinned but I would prefer integral. The bolt handle that comes on the Atlas is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen and was the first thing I changed out.

I thought exactly the same thing on the bolt stop and big door knob of a bolt handle. I guess the bolt stop would be great if you're going to be cycling the bolt fast and firm in a match but for a hunting rifle I want to be able to get the bolt out if needed without any tools. Kelby's makes a regular style side bolt release for them and I ended up getting one from them.

 

[NateHaler]

It will be a .308, boring, but we have plenty of components on hand.

How dare you say that! I've had more than twenty rifles chambered in .308.

But I suppose some people think 'Napoleon Dynamite' was boring. (They're wrong, like you, but entitled to their opinion.)

 

[rijndael]

(They're wrong, like you, but entitled to their opinion.)

I'm actually partial to .308. I love the long barrel life.

 

[NateHaler]

Mostly I was kidding. Mostly...

 

[Ranger188]

The Bighorn Origin for the price and features is hard to beat.
Change bolt heads, replace shouldered barrels of different caliber
by screwing one off and screwing another on. Go shoot.
700 footprint.
$825 and good customer service.
By the way, it shoots small

 

[10XSHOOTER]

Defiance Tenacity $900.00 Stainless steel Rem 700 footprint. Just as smooth as a Deviant!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Nucleus

 

[CarlGeorge]

My Kelbly Atlas is my first and only experience with a "high end" action. So while I'll say I absolutely love it - I admit I don't have experience with others in its class to compare it to. People talk about how great it is to work with Kelbly and I can vouch for that. Ended up talking with them probably 3-5 times from "considering" to "delivery". Every time I talked with them they acted as if I was their most important customer.

My Atlas came standard with the conventional bolt stop (no tools required for bolt removal) - and the heavy duty bolt stop (which does require tools) was an add-on. But my action is a single-shot - so maybe they put the heavy duty on standard for repeaters?

 

[Fast14riot]

You can get the Defiance Tenacity private labeled from Ragged Hole Barrels for $825

 

[rijndael]

Ahh yes, the Hell Betty. I wish it had a better name.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Ahh yes, the Hell Betty. I wish it had a better name.

Yes not what everyone wants stamped on the side of their action, Lol!

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I like the Kelbly Atlas Tactical on my coyote calling rifle. The mechanical ejector makes setting up bump dies a breeze, and, unlike many actions with plunger ejectors, works well with short BR-type cases. Like Kelbly's other actions, the Atlas Tactical boltface to receiver face dimension is held to 0.001" tolerance, and the receiver threads are timed identically, so prefit shouldered barrels (e.g., from Preferred Barrel Blanks) are available. Kelbly's customer service is second to none.

The hideous bolt knob is easily replaced.

 

[Fast14riot]

Yes not what everyone wants stamped on the side of their action, Lol!

Yeah, it's not ideal. Might go well with a pin up girl on the stock though, lol! I wish they offered the single shot, too.

 

[NateHaler]

Maybe let's not forget the action is just one part of the rifle; you also going to post about your friend wanting to choose a trigger, a barrel, and a stock? (Barrel is critical, more so than the action IMO.)

Then a scope, and scope rings, and what kind of brass and what kind of powder and what kind of bullets, and what kind of cleaning rod and what kind of bore guide, and then front rest, rear rest, or what about a bipod? See where this is heading?

I think your friend might should join this forum and start reading. Then read some more, then get to a range and attend matches to see what's what. Otherwise, being his/her go-between is going to occupy a lot of your time.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Yes not what everyone wants stamped on the side of their action, Lol!

Its cost a ton of sales for sure