I'm considering building a rifle and I know I would like to use an action with a 700 footprint since there is an endless selection of stocks. leaning torward 6mmbr at this point. what do you more experienced builders/shooters recommend. would you start with a trued 700 or an action like a Templar which uses a 700 footprint. I don't plan on competing as I work a lot and with a kid on the way don't have a lot of time. is there a benefit to the solid single shot style if I'm not going to b shooting 1000 yards?
trued 700 action or custom with 700 footprint?
- Thread starter chevytruck_83
- Start date
The reality is that a properly trued 700 will wind up costing very close to a custom, and the single biggest difference when all is said and done is resale value of the custom is double that of the trued 700. Take it FWIW, but this is coming from a gunsmith that makes a living in part, by truing Remington actions. I hope that tells you what you need to know. Sell the Remmy action and put that money toward the custom.--Mike Ezell
that's a good way to look at it I guess. thanks..
mshelton
Well, I'll tell you what I'm doing and why, may or may not help you decide.
I'm currently having a SA rifle built and I went the custom action direction, Kelbly Atlas singleshot. One of the reasons I went with the Kelby is that I have a Panda and Grizzly II competition rifles already, and with the use of an adapter where necessary I can use the barrels from them on the new Atlas. Old benchrest barrels still have plenty in them for varmint hunting and plinking. If I didn't already have the 2 bench guns and barrels I may have still gone with the Atlas, the action is a little more snug, is a singleshot and has a cone bolt (suits what I want to do with it), doesn't require trueing or adding an extractor or bushing the firing pin, possibly replacement of the firing assembly to get rid of the locking shroud. Another thing is that I don't like to waste things, so buying a 700 and scrapping the trigger, bottom metal and stock if you aren't satisfied with what you can find (used HS precision stocked 700s are kinda rare) just seemed a waste to me. But I knew what exactly I wanted which included a McMillan Marksman stock.
All that being said, there's nothing in the world wrong with a trued and worked 700 action, may a record in the bench rest world has been set with one and they'll hang with the custom actions in slickness and functionality all day long. Rifles built on one have the option to be a repeater also.
It's all on what you want, I went the custom route because I knew exactly what I wanted from stock to extractor to barrel changeability but there's nothing wrong with a 700 done correctly.
I'm currently having a SA rifle built and I went the custom action direction, Kelbly Atlas singleshot. One of the reasons I went with the Kelby is that I have a Panda and Grizzly II competition rifles already, and with the use of an adapter where necessary I can use the barrels from them on the new Atlas. Old benchrest barrels still have plenty in them for varmint hunting and plinking. If I didn't already have the 2 bench guns and barrels I may have still gone with the Atlas, the action is a little more snug, is a singleshot and has a cone bolt (suits what I want to do with it), doesn't require trueing or adding an extractor or bushing the firing pin, possibly replacement of the firing assembly to get rid of the locking shroud. Another thing is that I don't like to waste things, so buying a 700 and scrapping the trigger, bottom metal and stock if you aren't satisfied with what you can find (used HS precision stocked 700s are kinda rare) just seemed a waste to me. But I knew what exactly I wanted which included a McMillan Marksman stock.
All that being said, there's nothing in the world wrong with a trued and worked 700 action, may a record in the bench rest world has been set with one and they'll hang with the custom actions in slickness and functionality all day long. Rifles built on one have the option to be a repeater also.
It's all on what you want, I went the custom route because I knew exactly what I wanted from stock to extractor to barrel changeability but there's nothing wrong with a 700 done correctly.
I'm one of the ones who was a firm believer in building on an older Rem. 700 SA, having the required work done to bring it up to acceptable "standards" & going from there.
Bought my first custom built rifle from a member on this forum (++++), a Bat SV, with fitted Bartlein & Krieger barrels. Have been very impressed with it. Then this last Summer bought a 22ppc (Krieger barrel) built on a Stolle Panda. Discovered that I was very impressed with that one also.
No comparison to a Remington receiver, even after it's worked on.
Putting the parts together right now for my own new build & starting with another Bat SV receiver. Doubt I'll ever build on a Remington again.
Bought my first custom built rifle from a member on this forum (++++), a Bat SV, with fitted Bartlein & Krieger barrels. Have been very impressed with it. Then this last Summer bought a 22ppc (Krieger barrel) built on a Stolle Panda. Discovered that I was very impressed with that one also.
No comparison to a Remington receiver, even after it's worked on.
Putting the parts together right now for my own new build & starting with another Bat SV receiver. Doubt I'll ever build on a Remington again.
I bought a custom 6ppc built off an older 700 action from a man by the name of Clarence Hammonds. it shoots incredible. I'm just indecisive. ill probably go the custom action route solely because I know if I don't then down the road I will and it will essentially be twice the money.
I won a Remington 700 in 300Win Mag at a NRA banquet. Took it to one of the sellers here in town and asked if he would trade it in for for a Stiller predator short action standard bolt face. I got a $1000 action for $375, I would do it again and again if I could. Trade it for the custom, you will not be disappointed.
wanna trade??
I have a feeling I would be getting the smelly end of the stick on a trade like that :
Just look at that factory action as cash, what ever you can get for it, plus a bit more for the custom. Stiller I found has the least expensive action, the rest are well over $1100, so I saved a couple hundred there. I knew I would replace the trigger on a factory action, so was not concerned about it not having a trigger. The recoil lug comes pinned, so I can do a switch barrel, two fer one kinda deal. Make it a blind magazine and you save a bit on bottom metal. They come with a scope base, so no need to fork out any cash for that. Go custom and don't look back.
Just look at that factory action as cash, what ever you can get for it, plus a bit more for the custom. Stiller I found has the least expensive action, the rest are well over $1100, so I saved a couple hundred there. I knew I would replace the trigger on a factory action, so was not concerned about it not having a trigger. The recoil lug comes pinned, so I can do a switch barrel, two fer one kinda deal. Make it a blind magazine and you save a bit on bottom metal. They come with a scope base, so no need to fork out any cash for that. Go custom and don't look back.
chevytruck_83 said:
Custom, for sure. If you want a repeater, then buy one. Single shot will be more rigid (which might mean more accurate) and will spare you the 'bottom metal' consideration, i.e. floorplate, magazine, etc. However, for the inevitable zombie apocalypse, you'll want a repeater.
I suggest you look at a Pierce in conjunction with an Eliseo tube gun setup. But there are several excellent custom actions with the Rem 700 footprint. Borden is superb.
mshelton
Last Atlas I ordered just over a month ago was just over 1k if that helps.
Glenninjuneau said:I have a feeling I would be getting the smelly end of the stick on a trade like that :
Just look at that factory action as cash, what ever you can get for it, plus a bit more for the custom. Stiller I found has the least expensive action, the rest are well over $1100, so I saved a couple hundred there. I knew I would replace the trigger on a factory action, so was not concerned about it not having a trigger. The recoil lug comes pinned, so I can do a switch barrel, two fer one kinda deal. Make it a blind magazine and you save a bit on bottom metal. They come with a scope base, so no need to fork out any cash for that. Go custom and don't look back.
Stiller gets the nod from me too. Still planning my <cough> next build on a Stiller Predator. My current build already has a donor that I wanted to build it off of, otherwise I'd probably be building it off of a Predator as well. Plus, since I'm in Tx I can buy direct and keep the money semi-local.
You need to decide what your budget is and what you are going to shoot with it.
That said if you are going to just shoot some paper once in awhile and maybe some varmints the 700 action would work just fine, but beware the ejection with the stock extractor setup with a 6BR is not real great...pull the bolt fast it will eject, slow....not so much.
Nothing compares to a custom action and a good trigger, but it will cost you some cash.... and just because you buy a nice action don't expect the gun to be superb if you skimp in other areas of the build....it has to be a complete package for the best results.
I just put together a budget varmint gun (6BRX) = sps 700 receiver with the receiver face trued and a pinned Holland lug with the stock x-mark trigger(they work but they are not that great) used Bartlein 1-7.83 barrel chambered with my match 6BRX reamer that I use in my bench gun at 600 yards and pillar bedded it into a cheap Boyd's thumbhole stock.
Just shooting my left over match loads from my bench gun the thing makes me ill at how good it shoots off a bi-pod. Every thing I have shot in it from match loads to fire forming loads it will shoot .5 moa or less at a 100 yards off a bi-pod with differant drivers. I have never even did load development in this gun and it is a blast to shoot because of the results it shows with such little effort I have into it.
(It might just be a luck on this one too)
Would I take it to a bench rest match....no, would I take it to a varmint match...absolutely!
Pick your budget and go for it and have fun with it! It will be up to you to really decide what your goals are and what you want to do with it.
Best of luck to you!
Dallas
That said if you are going to just shoot some paper once in awhile and maybe some varmints the 700 action would work just fine, but beware the ejection with the stock extractor setup with a 6BR is not real great...pull the bolt fast it will eject, slow....not so much.
Nothing compares to a custom action and a good trigger, but it will cost you some cash.... and just because you buy a nice action don't expect the gun to be superb if you skimp in other areas of the build....it has to be a complete package for the best results.
I just put together a budget varmint gun (6BRX) = sps 700 receiver with the receiver face trued and a pinned Holland lug with the stock x-mark trigger(they work but they are not that great) used Bartlein 1-7.83 barrel chambered with my match 6BRX reamer that I use in my bench gun at 600 yards and pillar bedded it into a cheap Boyd's thumbhole stock.
Just shooting my left over match loads from my bench gun the thing makes me ill at how good it shoots off a bi-pod. Every thing I have shot in it from match loads to fire forming loads it will shoot .5 moa or less at a 100 yards off a bi-pod with differant drivers. I have never even did load development in this gun and it is a blast to shoot because of the results it shows with such little effort I have into it.
(It might just be a luck on this one too)
Would I take it to a bench rest match....no, would I take it to a varmint match...absolutely!
Pick your budget and go for it and have fun with it! It will be up to you to really decide what your goals are and what you want to do with it.
Best of luck to you!
Dallas
this is part of what I'm trying to decide. I have a rem 700 vtr 308 in a bell n Carlson a5 with jp brake, a savage fcp-k in 223 with xlr chassis and a savage bvss in 223 with 1x7 twist. they all shoot sub moa -.5 at 100 all day long un touched. just a lot of. load development. 200 and 300 suffer with the 223 s in wind naturally and my ability is getting there with the 308. I know there are a lot of people bashing the vtr as a tacticool gimmick gun but honsetly it shoots incredible. I also have a custom built 6ppc and it makes .5-1" at 100 look terrible. so I'm thinking with so much following is the 6br like that at 300+???
Glenninjuneau said:I have a feeling I would be getting the smelly end of the stick on a trade like that :
Just look at that factory action as cash, what ever you can get for it, plus a bit more for the custom. Stiller I found has the least expensive action, the rest are well over $1100, so I saved a couple hundred there. I knew I would replace the trigger on a factory action, so was not concerned about it not having a trigger. The recoil lug comes pinned, so I can do a switch barrel, two fer one kinda deal. Make it a blind magazine and you save a bit on bottom metal. They come with a scope base, so no need to fork out any cash for that. Go custom and don't look back.
Just being curious, how much was that action after you added that trigger to it?
butchlambert
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chevytruck_83 said:
You may end up disappointed then.
I don't mean. 5" at 300. but I'd say that 2"-2.5 with the fcp-k and the 308 on a no wind to light variable wind is norm for them. would comparing the 6ppc to these. at 100, be like comparing them to the 6mmbr at 300? only reason I'm not crazy about just sticking withthe ppc is barrel life.
FroggyOne2
redator action $950,Jewell trigger $230, could save a C-note if I went with a rifle basics ot Timney.
redator action $950,Jewell trigger $230, could save a C-note if I went with a rifle basics ot Timney.About what it would cost to have a Barnard P action with it's beautiful trigger.. I will admit, I am kinda hung on that action..
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