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Viper Actions?

My understanding is that the Stiller Viper action has not been made for several years. Since this was Jerry's flagship action, I wonder if he plans to make them again. My interest in this action was heightened when I saw a nice .30 BR in a local gun shop recently. The rifle was in a fiberglass stock of nice design...perhaps a Kelbly stock. It was a RB/RP w/out ejector and the barrel was marked .30 BR .328 ND Meyer. The rifle was in perfect shape without a mark that I could detect. The owner knew little about its history, but had a asking price of $1600. I believe he would take less. Is this a good deal or not? Thanks, James Mock
 
The action has to be worth at least close to 1000 and add in a stock and trigger. I had a Viper and I liked it. It was smooth. Matt
 
I think they still make them. I know they made SS Vipers as recently as late 2013. Call Russ at Stiller. 972-429-5000
 
I spoke with Russ at Stiller a couple of weeks ago about ordering an action and the conversation got around to their benchrest actions. I asked about the Cobra (I own one) and he said there were no plans to ever offer them again. We talked at some length about the Vipers. He said he was pissed because he worked there and could not get one. The thing is, for the small number they would sell in the course of a year it isn't worth the setup time to do it. They sell enough Predators and Tacs to keep the machines tied up. Don't expect any benchrest actions from Stiller anytime in the foreseeable future.

Rick
 
I don't get it. I doubt it takes more time to make the viper then it does any of the other actions he makes.

I bet it has to do with the Benchrest shooters being fikel bout what they buy.

They change from on brand to another like some people change shoes.

I have a viper and consider it the best that I own.
 
IMO Stiller is no longer a custom action maker. They make the action body and PTG makes the bolts. I have had more problems with them than a stock Remington. Just take them off your radar, they appeal to a different market now. There will be an action on the market in the future with everything that made the old Vipers nice.
 
Greyfox said:
I spoke with Russ at Stiller a couple of weeks ago about ordering an action and the conversation got around to their benchrest actions. I asked about the Cobra (I own one) and he said there were no plans to ever offer them again. We talked at some length about the Vipers. He said he was pissed because he worked there and could not get one. The thing is, for the small number they would sell in the course of a year it isn't worth the setup time to do it. They sell enough Predators and Tacs to keep the machines tied up. Don't expect any benchrest actions from Stiller anytime in the foreseeable future.

Rick
Jerry is shooting rimfire BR now, and is evidently putting a lot of emphasis on it. He's making new rf actions like crazy, as well as spending time building new bolts for them that have a firing pin that goes around the spring, seemingly to prove Bill Calfee wrong in his sap/pas contention. Calfee is of the belief that a pin around spring design is superior to a spring around pin. Jerry seems hellbent on r&d to prove or disprove this notion. He also is building a new 3 lug rimfire action for what appears the same reasoning...a pissing match and to show that he can and will make what the rimfire crowd asks for, at this time. It's his business to run the way he sees fit I suppose.


FWIW, I don't see a quality control problem in any of his actions....just one of time and or priorities. Right now...he's focusing his efforts on rf, at least where br is concerned.


Jerry's a good guy and very capable at what he does. Unfortunately, it seems that what he wants to do right now is good for rf, but not so much for cf BR.
 
Greyfox said:
I spoke with Russ at Stiller a couple of weeks ago about ordering an action and the conversation got around to their benchrest actions. I asked about the Cobra (I own one) and he said there were no plans to ever offer them again. We talked at some length about the Vipers. He said he was pissed because he worked there and could not get one. The thing is, for the small number they would sell in the course of a year it isn't worth the setup time to do it. They sell enough Predators and Tacs to keep the machines tied up. Don't expect any benchrest actions from Stiller anytime in the foreseeable future.

Rick

Guess I was wrong. Maybe I should have taken the SS Viper when they had one for me in Oct 2013. I didn't know the production was going to be suspended. Oh well. Plus, being local, it sucks paying an additional 8.25% vs ordering from out of state. I've been happy with my Panda F Classes.
 
GerryM said:
I don't get it. I doubt it takes more time to make the viper then it does any of the other actions he makes.

I bet it has to do with the Benchrest shooters being fikel bout what they buy.

They change from on brand to another like some people change shoes.

I have a viper and consider it the best that I own.

Gerry,
Russ told me that they could only expect to sell 25-30 benchrest actions per year and that it just wasn't worth the time and trouble to set up for it. Of course, you could add all the different configurations that we want. In contrast he indicated that they would sell 3-400 Predator actions in the same time frame. The pricing is similar, so one can see why they choose to focus on the market for Predators. It just makes good business sense to me.

Rick
 
If you're looking for a Viper, there was a nice complete gun with a Viper action on the sale board a short time ago. Might still be available. I'm looking at a Kelbly repeater or Defiance Deviant. I just want a repeater, so I passed on the Viper. Good luck, Josh.
 
Greyfox said:
I spoke with Russ at Stiller a couple of weeks ago about ordering an action and the conversation got around to their benchrest actions. I asked about the Cobra (I own one) and he said there were no plans to ever offer them again. We talked at some length about the Vipers. He said he was pissed because he worked there and could not get one. The thing is, for the small number they would sell in the course of a year it isn't worth the setup time to do it. They sell enough Predators and Tacs to keep the machines tied up. Don't expect any benchrest actions from Stiller anytime in the foreseeable future.

Rick
Heard the same thing as Rick
I own a viper action and was hoping to order a bolt with a PPC face. Mine is a magnum. I spoke to Russ a week or so ago. No chance of that. Hadn't made them in years and no plans to
 
Tim maybe you should contact Kiff on the bolt.

The viper i have is an early model with a cone bolt. Ive seen newer ones that have a Remington style bolt.



RICK I can understand the point of view on quantity''
THat is a low number. Then again there are less shooters coming into the game these days.

When new shooters come into the game they are encouraged to buy the best , so they buy the current most popular action to build on.
 
Mine is an early cone bolt. But I could chamber the barrels for a rem. Recess if I had a bolt that fit everywhere else.

I'll try to call ptg tomorrow. I would really love ro use this action on a rail platform I have
 
Doesn't Jerry still make a lot of them for the military. Last time I checked the ATF records, Stiller produced more receivers than all the custom mfgs. combined.
 
Yep. Stiller is busy making money not sitting on his hands. The business is for sale if you want to mess with br actions. I bet he'd even sell the viper action business to somebody by itself if you wanted to deal with it.
 
Greetings to all,

It is true we aren't building the aluminum Vipers currently for several reasons - it's our most hand intensive action and only Jerry & Curtis have ever built them. Getting a couple months of their time to build a batch with no interruptions well, let me say that we all need our beauty sleep. The TAC and Predator lines currently dominate our production [4600 last year], back when we built only BR actions 250 was a banner year.

We don't build one - off [some call them 'custom'] actions as our manufacturing process is geared toward making actions efficiently and consistently. We won the contract for the Navy's MK13 sniper rifle program because we gave them their holy grail - the ability to swap barrels and bolts in the field - consistency unique to us. When you look at our tolerances/consistency, availability and price - no one can match what we do.

If you have questions feel free to call or email - 972-429-5000, stiller@viperactions.com.

Russ
 
Russ Rosene said:
Greetings to all,

It is true we aren't building the aluminum Vipers currently for several reasons - it's our most hand intensive action and only Jerry & Curtis have ever built them. Getting a couple months of their time to build a batch with no interruptions well, let me say that we all need our beauty sleep. The TAC and Predator lines currently dominate our production [4600 last year], back when we built only BR actions 250 was a banner year.

We don't build one - off [some call them 'custom'] actions as our manufacturing process is geared toward making actions efficiently and consistently. We won the contract for the Navy's MK13 sniper rifle program because we gave them their holy grail - the ability to swap barrels and bolts in the field - consistency unique to us. When you look at our tolerances/consistency, availability and price - no one can match what we do.

If you have questions feel free to call or email - 972-429-5000, stiller@viperactions.com.

Russ

Congrats on the good work and excellent business,
Perhaps at some point you might be interested in a week of "for the lowly BR guys" and run a batch occasionally? We of all people should understand business practices and requirements, and we'd love to see you cater to us 0.01% of the time :)

-Mac
 
Alex Wheeler,

on your website, the second photo down, on the left side is a fine looking rifle.
Can you give me a rough idea of cost to do a stock like that one for me for my OM 70?
thanks,

Rich
SW Idaho
 
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We don't build one - off [some call them 'custom'] actions as our manufacturing process is geared toward making actions efficiently and consistently.

No disrespect intended.

While this statement may be true in your vision of manufacturing, it certainly doesn't hold up to the rest of the world of custom actions.

I can state for sure that both Defiance and Borden have a different view of and model for manufacturing which demonstrates the flexibility for being able to manufacture all sorts of variations based on the customer's needs and demands. They too, are both efficient and consistent. From Defiance you can have a simple tubular action, stainless steel, single shot, cone breech, small diameter firing pin, RB/RP, RB/LP plus the left hand variations just by writing it up on their order form. The same exists for their sophisticated control round feed, 3-position safety, hunting actions. Not only that, they are timely and within the market price range.

Every manufacturer chooses their own path and we get to choose which one suits us as the consumer/shooter/builder. That's what makes this such a great sport!

Regards.
 
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