Trued Rem 700 vs Custom Actions

[Nature Boy]

You can polish a turd to a high luster 100 bucks at a time. But when you slice into it, the odor is still there.

 

[Milo 2.0]

If you throw a hundred of each at a target and both have equal accuracy, what's the difference?

Especially if the polished ones are irregular shaped from too much handling and rubbing and their group is bigger.

I've had my share of Rem's trued, they shot well, as good as I myself can shoot. Was not my point, you want a money pit, restore an old boat or a Rem 700.
My last Rem 700 I sold, I had 550 in add ons, true 250, firing pin bushed 100, bolt handle timed 100, salt bath nitride 100. This is on top of an action I pulled from a Rem 700 SS Fluted Ltd Edition rifle, so I overpaid for the action upfront.
It sold for 550.
You shoot what you want, I'll shoot what I desire. At 60 yrs of age, I doubt I'll ever purchase a Remington product again, unless they make some of those older folding knives with antler like grips-handles.

 

[Milo 2.0]

LMAO

 

[urbanrifleman]

These new SS actions they are selling on Budguns for $400 are not the same as a Walmart Remington. They are wayyyyyy better. I think they are 40x actions. They have the holes for the sights.

My gunsmith made 60 rifles for one guy last year. Most were the Stiller action. He said that there was no difference in the amount of cleanup required between the new SS 40x Remingtons from Budsguns than a Stiller. Both required almost none.

I many have to just go with the Atlas for the next build. I like the pinned lug, bolt handle, scope rail, etc etc and by the time you do all that you might as well buy an Atlas. I do have a soft spot for the custom shop 40x with the polished blue, I just like them

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I'd have your smith price all the work to optimize the factory action and add $400 resale value of your factory 700 action. Then compare that to the cost of a custom. Next, consider the resale value. You aren't likely to get much if anything from the money spent truing the Remington whereas, the custom will hold it's value much better.

Now, do you want a rblpre that's reliable with both ppc and br case heads or some other configuration than a Remington? If so, factor that in, too.

You can make a 700 shoot with or very near a custom but is it what you want and is resale value of any consideration...to you or your grand kids when you're gone?

 

[Milo 2.0]

View attachment 1088224 View attachment 1088227 View attachment 1088228 View attachment 1088229 what's wrong with old boats?
89 alumaweld 16x54
Nephew is 6'7" to put fish in perspective.
He's also the reason I have my 6five.
So as far as polishing turds.
Been doing it for 30+ years!
Some times a guys gotta work with what he's got.

Did you watch the vid or not? I want you to watch the vid.
Fantastic job on the boat, looks damn nice.
I just have my opinion on throwing coin at a Rem action, you or anybody else will never change my mind on what I do going forward. I never said a Rem, trued or otherwise will not work, just said it is still a REM. And until you sell one that has had treatments you paid for, you wont understand. Unless the perfect storm is upon you.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Well good read to this point.
The Polished Turd is ?
I have Barnard Actions at $1400 .
I have two Rem 700 SA . Tuned with 2 stage Trigger. Not close to the cost of my Barnards .

They all shoot great .

 

[cf]

Another aspect that I feel is valid to the topic is an actions smoothness to functionality. Which directly effects tracking, cant, and return to battery capabilities, all of which effect precision do to aiming error. Any amount of upset and/or shifting to the rifle or its supporting setup do to functionality, will create certain amounts of aiming error, no matter how significant or insignificant the amount.

this is were the rube is for competition. for a hunting rifle or p dog, gophers just shoot them. if you want to compete and actually be in the top end of things that's were custom comp actions belong. say what you want butt this is my experience at 1k bench shooting. feel free to look at all the major comps. and see what wins you wont see remy or savage very often. cody finch

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Yes custom actions have tighter tolerances. Are all custom actions better than a customized factory 700?....Truthfully, the sad thing is theres a lot of custom actions that need a good bit of work as well.

Just because a person pays $1200-$1600 for an action doesnt mean it's perfect by any means. I'm working on a $1400 action with extraction issues right now. Do a lot of research on any action before buying. Custom actions are NOT all equal.

 

[Bart B.]

I doubt I'll ever purchase a Remington product again, unless they make some of those older folding knives with antler like grips-handles.

In the heyday of 30 caliber target rifles in 3 position matches, Winchester 70's proved smoother, more reliable and accurate than Remington 700 ones. Especially when magnums were used at long ranges.

Check the sizes of the biggest groups in winning and record aggs from long range benchrest events with custom actions.

 

[sdean]

If you already own a 700 then get it trued. A Kelblys Atlas is the next best cheapest step up. A true benchrest gun Bat Panda or Borden.

 

[riflewoman]

To this old crap again....

IF you’re a journeyman TOOLMAKER, and have decent equipment or an understanding employer, you might be able to “true” a Remington to something resembling the accuracy expected from a custom action. Your run of the mill gunsmith doesn’t have these machining skills. They don’t, and you can’t convince me otherwise. The accuracy gunsmiths will tell you to sell the Remington and buy a custom action. Why? Because truing a Remington isn’t an economically viable option. When you’re all done you have a Remington, which wasn’t that good of an action to begin with. Whether it will shoot up there with a custom is a crapshoot.

As for percentages for accuracy...you have to break it down into two columns. Rifle components, and construction techniques.

You can buy the best barrel and ruin it with machining errors, but you can’t take a crappy barrel and win the super shoot by machining skills.

 

[urbanrifleman]

You can buy the tools to do an excellent 700 truing from PTG. They work quite well. Its not rocket science.

 

[Richard Coody]

once again what is the intended use of the rifle?

a trued up 700 or even a savage with a premium barrel and a quality trigger will outshoot most shooters

now for benchrest competition bolt lift and cycling of the action become extremely important. you can't run them when you are disturbing the rifle cycling the action. neither the rem. or savage can touch a custom in this department.

to take either the remington or the custom action to its ultimate potential let the gunsmith work his magic. believe me they more than earn their money.

 

[Evan]

Custom actions bring more to the table than square faces, tight tolerances, and nice threads.

Nothing wrong with a Remington, but it's not in the same league. A modified honda with a big turbo can outrun a ferrari, but only the delusional would say that it's an actual replacement for the ferrari. That is unless you can't or won't afford it, then you modify your honda and emphasize how fast it is in comparison for the money you spent.

 

[urbanrifleman]

a trued up 700 or even a savage with a premium barrel and a quality trigger will outshoot most shooters

A Walmart Savage Axis will outshoot "most" shooters... haha

 

[riflewoman]

Even if you buy the tools, it won’t help if you don’t understand the measuring and machining concepts required. The problem is the machining skill (and corresponding measuring skill) of the average gunsmith not the tooling.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Even if you buy the tools, it won’t help if you don’t understand the measuring and machining concepts required. The problem is the machining skill (and corresponding measuring skill) of the average gunsmith not the tooling.

The PTG tools are done by hand. It's pretty self explanatory. All you need is marking die and the tools and bushings. You don't need a machine. They are really very cool.

 

[riflewoman]

I’m not sure how they can true your action. If the “datum” used is the thread axis, I wish you a lot of luck.

 

[Sniper338]

How many custom actions did you test before forming your opinion ?



" Lots of emphasis gets put on actions, however in depth thinking, I personally conclude an action plays a very small part in overall precision/accuracy. My guess 1% or less. For example, I have a trued rem 700 6BR where I believe I could never shoot the difference if it was a custom action and all else equal. "

I have multiple different custom actions. This is just my observations with the 1 trued 700 action set up I have. The OP isnt about me persoanally though unless I didnt word something right. I still buy custom actions when building a high end rig personally. Moral to the story by all means custom action to help squeeze any accuracy out of the rig you can... but the OP is geared towards how much does that squeeze really result in.