$ Rem Action + tune or $$$ custom clone ???

[4bycamper]

If I buy a short action rem, what will I have to spend to get it tuned-up for competition ? Would it be smarter or less expensive to start with a custom action with a rem SA footprint ??
I want the Rem SA footprint for the ease of finding a stock.

 

[Gman]

I guess it depends on what your riflesmith charges to square & blueprint an action. Many BR guys claim it is better to start with a custom action, and I haven't gone that route yet. I am not a BR competitor yet. Someday I will buy a custom action.

 

[Preacher]

A custom action will probably cost a bit more than a tweaked 700SA will but it will always bring more money when it comes time to sell it than a 700 will...........
Not a thing wrong with using a 700 action, and there are tons of them that shoot really well after they have had time spent on them..... just don't expect to ever get your money back like you can with a custom action...

 

[tightneck]

What kind of competition? Most of the Remmy clones are designed for hunting and varmint use and may not be as well suited to some disciplines as other custom actions. If it's BR competition, you should start out with a custom BENCHREST action. As was pointed out, it will hold it's value better than a trued up 700.

 

[Gman]

Not to hijack this thread but, is there any advantage in using a "Surgeon, Stiller Tac-30, or other 700 footprint custom" repeater vs. a trued Rem. 700 for a hunting or tacticle application?

 

[butchlambert]

Gman, basically, the Stiller receiver is made like the comp. models, with a little looser fit of the bolt. They are CNC machined receivers like their comp models and the raceways are EDM cut also.
Butch

 

[Gman]

Thank You Butch, I have heard that Stillers products are of a good quality.

 

[eww1350]

4by...What competition were you refering to?
If you are talking benchrest 100-300 yds., most shooters prefer a opposite bolt/port configuration...That cannot be had at any price in a Remington...Also singleshot actions are preffered in most applications...There are so many advantages to the custom action it is hard to cover them in a single reply..Oh by the way custom stocks for custom actions are the same price as those for Remingtons and are more readily available new and used...see the classifieds for proof..

 

[Rust]

After my first custom action rifle, I don't see going back for anything other than a plinker or a rimfire. I've previously started with Remington actions, some were pretty good to start with, some were notandtook considerably more work.

What it boils down to is a Stiller action starts off where you are trying to get a Remington action to for the same or just slightly more money. Sounds cost effective to me.

 

[rstreich]

Preacher has the argument that convinced me: Drop a pile of money into a Remington and what do you have left? A Remington worth slightly less than original.

My first two customs were trued-up Remmies. After buying a few custom actions, I wouldn't even consider buying another Remington unless I was going to shoot it as is.

 

[therifler]

hi, 700sa i am shooting comp. ibs 600yd. i use rem. long and short actions i am a gunsmith and true them for 175.00 this includes heavy barrel lug. i have won light and heavy gun comps. at 600yds. and so have my customers . in the process i have beaten custom actions . talk to a smith that shoots comp. that you want to compete in he will have a better read on what you need to accomplish.but rem . actions trued properly are great comp. guns. www.therifler.com

 

[flatlander]

Back when Midway was selling new SA 700s for $300 dealer, I think they were a viable alternative to a custom action. The two 700s I got from Midway were also pretty decent right out of the box. I went ahead and trued them, but compared to some of the actions aquired by disassembling an existing rifle, the amount of improvement from the truing work wasn't as great. Unless & until someone starts selling SA 700s with a 308 boltface for that same $300,that are at least as good as the ones Midway was selling), I'll advise my customers to go with a Stiller Predator or Lawton 7000.

I've built three custom prone rifles for myself using 700s - two on SAs; one on a LA that I fitted with a PTG custom oversize bolt. They all perform well out to 1000yds., but if I'd had to pay someone else to do the work on the actions, I'd have been better off in the long run to have had them built on one of the Lawton or Stiller actions.