Looking to pickup a lefty ARC nucleus or archimedes for a 6mm prs rig. Any opinions out there? They have great rings but haven’t seen their action in person. Thx
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American Rifle Co actions
- Thread starter BB KoncepZ
- Start date
They revise too often for me to want one. OG Nucleus owners were alpha testers at this point.
Dont necessarily agree with the above. both my arch and nuke are tight and smooth AF and almost close themselves. the mech ejector allows you to control where the round goes whether you want it to stay in the action, dribble out onto a table or send it to the next zip code. savage small shank and a barrel nut or shouldered prefits are redily available.
I will add they are over engineered to a fault. dissasembling isnt as straightforward as a true 700 clone. i just dont.
I will add they are over engineered to a fault. dissasembling isnt as straightforward as a true 700 clone. i just dont.
Most innovative actions on the market. If you like controlled round feed they are the best thing going. The Barloc is not worth using as it was a solution to a non existent problem - per Ted he made it to appease those asking for the feature.
Others may prefer different features from other manufacturers. So many good choices you can really get exactly what you want these days. The ARC stuff is top shelf for my feature set.
Others may prefer different features from other manufacturers. So many good choices you can really get exactly what you want these days. The ARC stuff is top shelf for my feature set.
Has anybody bought a full archimedes rifle? Seem like a good price. Not sure what barrel they run tho
I’ve owned one for over a year now. Load the 130eldm at 2,900 and it’s a lazer. I absolutely love my Archimedes so I bought another last bf and built a hunting rifle. Today bought a nucleus for a wife build. My buddies that have them also love them. My complete rifle barrel is a criterion. And I think the xylo is top notch also.
Nuke has had 2 upgrades but the Archimedes has 0.
Even the OG nukes had nothing wrong with them. Just making gradual improvements.
Nucleus is barely the same action as when it launched. Bolt lift and timing is different, integral lug now, bayonet style bolt shroud, bolt stop mechanism completely different…
No one is saying Ted isn’t smart or doesn’t make a good product, but look at the Mausingfield as an example of what happens to ARC actions.
I bought an archimedes earlier this year and really enjoyed it. It wasn’t super slick new but after cycling it a while it turned very slick. The mechanical ejection was awesome. The smooth light bolt lift and shorter throw was also very nice.
I ended up selling it and buying a Falkor so I can run the proof prefits. I also didn’t like the “play” in the back of the bolt throw, it’s loose but not in a bad way, I just like the tighter feel of the Falkor.
The archimedes felt like I could cycle it faster, the ejection was certainly better being able to control the force/distance of ejection. I liked the shorter throw and the bolt knob better on the arch. If proof had prefits for the archimedes I probably would have preferred it over the Falkor……..maybe.
At some point I will probably buy another one.
I ended up selling it and buying a Falkor so I can run the proof prefits. I also didn’t like the “play” in the back of the bolt throw, it’s loose but not in a bad way, I just like the tighter feel of the Falkor.
The archimedes felt like I could cycle it faster, the ejection was certainly better being able to control the force/distance of ejection. I liked the shorter throw and the bolt knob better on the arch. If proof had prefits for the archimedes I probably would have preferred it over the Falkor……..maybe.
At some point I will probably buy another one.
I have a Nuke 2.0 and an Archimedes. Like the arch a bit more. I feel I can run these actions faster than my LPA Fuzion, or my old impact. I am a CRF with mechanical ejector junkie, bighorn and arc actions are my favorite. Ibdo enjoy the fuzion as well.
Lighter bolt lift than my Nuke with the 16# spring, other than that, they're very similar. The Nuke has much easier bolt disassembly. The ARC work well with TT triggers, need a low sear in a BnA to get them to work properly. You'll be happy with either one.
I don’t really. Don’t really take pics of my rifle.
OG nuke, 1.1, 1.2, & 2.0. I have the ladder 3 and all those have the bayonet fire control. Bolts are not interchangeable from OG to the 1.1,1.2, & 2 because the throw is different. All version of Nukes and Archimedes have interchangeable bolt heads.
Some of the changes have been refinements such as bayonet FC, Throw, and bolt release. Some of the changes have been to allow for parts interchange & less skews for ARC. Ted has past the savings along to us.
3 lug bolt fits all 3 lug actions
2 lug fits all Mausingfield's
Same barrel tenon for all actions.
All now have integral recoil lug
I like where it's settled.
I just picked up another G2, Love them. Archimedes is the fastest to run & it's on a 6GT. Nuke isn't far behind and just as smooth IMO.
Took a class with Frank & Mark and one of the guys there had an OG Nuke. It was night and day different than my 1.2. Newer Nukes are a lot smoother. He loved his OG and had a ton of rounds through it. After feeling the 1.2 he was going to get the newer version.
I’ll echo some things above and disagree with others. I have an Arch, and it definitely feels loose to the point of sloppiness…until you run it fast. Abruptly you realize that slop allows you to run the bolt imperfectly and still get perfect function, and an added benefit for me at least is the feedback I get from the action. Because the clearances on the bolt body are so roomy, I can feel dang near EVERYTHING going on in there. Not only can I tell when I ran the bolt on an empty mag, I can actually feel the last round in the mag get picked up, somehow it’s different than all the other rounds.
The bolt feel takes some getting used to, and agreed that bolt tear-down is more complex for the Arch. Takes a couple minutes and three tools for someone who’s practiced it a few times, and honestly I’ve only ever done it to swap the bolt face. The bigger pain for me is changing the barrel, gotta pull the extractor for that. I think that’s something Ted should address in the wrench design, I might even just take it to a machine shop and have a groove cut for it if it’s possible. Might not be, I should look at that…anyway.
The Arch is easy to find “odd” things about. It’s a truly innovative design, and while I don’t find the extra extraction leverage particularly compelling, the reality is that mine runs like a dang dream and I’m 0% interested in buying something different until an improvement on it is available.
I’d LOVE to see Proof start making prefits for it though. Seems to me it wouldn’t
be that hard, but it’s their business to run.
The bolt feel takes some getting used to, and agreed that bolt tear-down is more complex for the Arch. Takes a couple minutes and three tools for someone who’s practiced it a few times, and honestly I’ve only ever done it to swap the bolt face. The bigger pain for me is changing the barrel, gotta pull the extractor for that. I think that’s something Ted should address in the wrench design, I might even just take it to a machine shop and have a groove cut for it if it’s possible. Might not be, I should look at that…anyway.
The Arch is easy to find “odd” things about. It’s a truly innovative design, and while I don’t find the extra extraction leverage particularly compelling, the reality is that mine runs like a dang dream and I’m 0% interested in buying something different until an improvement on it is available.
I’d LOVE to see Proof start making prefits for it though. Seems to me it wouldn’t
be that hard, but it’s their business to run.
I have a Nuke 2.0, Archimedes, and a M5 Mausingfield.
As a whole, theyre the best actions Ive run. I've gone through a fair few over the years, but these three wont ever leave the safe.
Oh, I dont like the rotating Archimedes bolt stop though.
As a whole, theyre the best actions Ive run. I've gone through a fair few over the years, but these three wont ever leave the safe.
Oh, I dont like the rotating Archimedes bolt stop though.
Yeah the bolt stop sucks. A very nice lady at ARC told me they won’t be using it in any future designs, hope she’s right.
I agree with the Archimedes bolt stop comments but there is a technique involved that makes things better which of course I’ve forgotten. It was something like the bolt stop won’t rotate with the bold all the way to the rear. any one remember?
Yep, just forward of the rearmost travel is the key. Still a finicky little thing, especially with a big scope mounted above it.
I had no issues with the bolt stop on my Arch. Once you find the right spot for the bolt (just forward of all the way back). I think I did clip a coil off the spring for the bolt stop detent to reduce the tension and make it easier to turn but don’t remember for sure.
I have a full Archimedes rifle and really like it. When my mcmillan stock failed on my hunting rifle I threw it in a XLR element MG, ordered a 300wsm barrel from LRI and swapped bolt heads.
I used it to take a elk this year. It's by far my favorite rem clone action. Love the mechanical ejector and crf.
I used it to take a elk this year. It's by far my favorite rem clone action. Love the mechanical ejector and crf.
FWIW, I bought a prefit Proof barrel for my Nucleus action from Altus, not sure if they threaded it or not, but headspace perfect.
Are we calling the old G2 the 1.2 now because it doesn't have the integral lug? I don't know that warrants a change, but I do like integral lugs... and flat bottoms, alas. I like the barbell bolt knob a lot. Generally, pretty feature rich... even if they're not glass smooth.
LOL ask 100 people about anything and you will get mixed reviews.
I had one of the first 20 nuke actions… never had a single issue with it. Got in on the archemedies pre order when they came out…. Same thing… worked like a charm. I plan on buying 2 mausingfields in the next year for a pair of hunting rifles.
Yep I got one of those 1.2 4th of July specials. They also had Rock Creek PVA barrels.
I have an interesting perspective that I noticed.
I'll preface by saying that I have 4 Zermatt TL3's, two set up for match rifles, and two set up for hunting rifles, but they have all been moved around so many times, it's hard to say what has been what in the past.
I do know that ONE of my TL3s is significantly smoother than the other 3. Not sure why, but the DLC coating is just different than the others.
After running those 4 actions for probably around 5 years now, I've gotten really comfortable with their operation.
Last winter, I bought a preowned Mausingfield M7 on the Hide and built it into a 25 Creed match rifle. I love everything about it, except the FEEL of Ted's unique bolt handles. When all 4 of your systems utilize one bolt handle...the odd man out just feels like pissing with someone elses dick.
The wild thing...is that, (near as I can tell) the bolt travel from front to back on the M7 is about 1/4" longer than the TL3...and I CAN FEEL IT.
Is there anything worse or wrong with the M7? Absolutely not, but if I was in a pinch and had to sell one...It would be the M7 just to keep my systems consistent.
I'll preface by saying that I have 4 Zermatt TL3's, two set up for match rifles, and two set up for hunting rifles, but they have all been moved around so many times, it's hard to say what has been what in the past.
I do know that ONE of my TL3s is significantly smoother than the other 3. Not sure why, but the DLC coating is just different than the others.
After running those 4 actions for probably around 5 years now, I've gotten really comfortable with their operation.
Last winter, I bought a preowned Mausingfield M7 on the Hide and built it into a 25 Creed match rifle. I love everything about it, except the FEEL of Ted's unique bolt handles. When all 4 of your systems utilize one bolt handle...the odd man out just feels like pissing with someone elses dick.
The wild thing...is that, (near as I can tell) the bolt travel from front to back on the M7 is about 1/4" longer than the TL3...and I CAN FEEL IT.
Is there anything worse or wrong with the M7? Absolutely not, but if I was in a pinch and had to sell one...It would be the M7 just to keep my systems consistent.
Reviews aren't mixed.
People who use them, love them. Bolt stop on Archimedes is annoying but doesn't break. Ever. Proof doesn't make shouldered prefits but lots of other places do. Mechanical ejection works exactly how it's supposed to. Run it slow and it stay in the gun.
This is kinda what I was thinking also. People who dislike them either haven’t run them or have specific complaints about the features. A small number of those complaints are fair (bolt stop is one); some are just preference (bolt feel and knob); some are essentially irrelevant (bolt tear-down complexity, “ARC keeps improving their designs, ugh”).
You’ll see the same discussions comparing any two actions that have different designs. But i just went back and reread this whole thread, and it’s heavily in favor of the Arch. There are a few in the “nay” column, but yeah. I wouldn’t really call even this thread a mixed review.
Mixed? People don’t like that the bolt release is tough and maybe bolt tear down but anyone who has actually used one vs seeing pics on the internet likes em.
The Archimedes is just plain snazzy.
I don’t think I’ve ever lubed mine and it’s still slicker than goose shit after 1k rounds so far.
I just went ahead and jumped on the Nucleus deal.
I dropped and lost the little steel ball in the detent in my Nucleus and ran without it for around 200 rounds and never missed it, probably removed the bolt 20 times in this period. Ordered another from ARC and put it back in and now think I liked it better without it, was easier to turn the knob and never had it back off.
I may clip the spring as you said and try that.
On both my Archimedes I couldn’t find the bolt stop any easier to use. They both rotate freely with positive detent once you figure out where the bolt needs to be. Maybe I’m the oddball but I find it super easy.
I have a Nuke 1.2 and an Arch with the twist bolt stop. The Nuke has always been easier to turn and the Arch was very hard. Based on this thread I pulled them apart and clipped the springs down (~1.5 coils) until they are just finger tight...much better! I did notice that the Arch spring was shorter but with with less coils and a thicker metal...guess that sucker is just stiff.
I have two, a Nucleus I used in a 6CM and a Archimedes I just finished in a necked up 6.5 PRC, both lefty and both are outstanding. They've been entirely reliable and I don't regret buying them at all. I might add that what someone else said about the "smoothness" of the actions is correct. For reliability, they purposefully have some play in the bolts but this means you don't get the same glass-on-grease sensation as you do from some other actions. I've played with both and I don't think you go wrong with either, however I like the thoughtfulness that Ted puts into his actions.
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The actions in the current run of BAs for Black Friday are Nuke 2.0s with the integral lugs correct?
