I’ve looked at building a new rifle and it’s down to these two, you can suggest other actions but I’ve looked at them all and it’s one these two for me. I know the ARC is already being used, so someone must have an opinion. Thanks in advance. I can get the ARC at pre order price.
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ARC Archimedes or Impact Action
- Thread starter Stoweit
- Start date
My Archimedes works exceptionally well. I haven't shot it tons but I like it easily as much as my TL3. Between the TL3 and Archimedes I have plans to buy another Archimedes.
I really like my Archimedes as well... Extremely smooth and fast action. Light fingertip effort to open and close. Lots of extraction leverage if you get a stuck case because of the lever extraction design. Haven't had a single issue with mine.
It's easy to tune for different triggers with the multiple cocking pieces available. That said, it is somewhat trigger sensitive. Mine had a very difficult bolt lift and the firing pin would drag and hang or have a slow fall with a CG mod 22 as the sear was too tall. A bix-n-andy tacsport 2-stage with a low sear works perfectly.
Bolt takedown on the Archimedes is unique, but simple, not that you should be taking it apart very often. If you plan on changing the bolt head frequently for different calibers, it will take longer than swapping bolt heads on a Nucleus or a bighorn TL3 as you have to unscrew the firing pin retaining plug, unscrew the firing pin, remove the bolt handle, and you have to deal with releasing and compressing the firing pin spring, so keep that in mind. Compare that to a TL3 or Nucleus 1.1/2.0 which are tool less to swap the bolt head and the job only takes a minute. Personally, I would not buy an Archimedes if I planned to frequently switch the bolt head for a switch caliber gun.
A friend has an impact and I really like it as well, very smooth action with a more "traditional" feel. Easy to tune the trigger on the impact as well with the hanger, but some stocks may need additional inletting for the hanger.
Also, no running AW mags in the Archimedes while the impact is available with an AW cut.
I will say the impact has less "fiddly bits" than the Archimedes as it's a more traditional design. The Archimedes has a 2 piece firing pin and a threaded firing pin retaining plug that can potentially come loose and ruin your day, so use loctite or vibratite. It also has a small bolt shroud locking plunger and spring you can lose when taking the bolt apart (it's captive in normal use though.)
Both actions have prefits available from many shops if that's important to you.
It's easy to tune for different triggers with the multiple cocking pieces available. That said, it is somewhat trigger sensitive. Mine had a very difficult bolt lift and the firing pin would drag and hang or have a slow fall with a CG mod 22 as the sear was too tall. A bix-n-andy tacsport 2-stage with a low sear works perfectly.
Bolt takedown on the Archimedes is unique, but simple, not that you should be taking it apart very often. If you plan on changing the bolt head frequently for different calibers, it will take longer than swapping bolt heads on a Nucleus or a bighorn TL3 as you have to unscrew the firing pin retaining plug, unscrew the firing pin, remove the bolt handle, and you have to deal with releasing and compressing the firing pin spring, so keep that in mind. Compare that to a TL3 or Nucleus 1.1/2.0 which are tool less to swap the bolt head and the job only takes a minute. Personally, I would not buy an Archimedes if I planned to frequently switch the bolt head for a switch caliber gun.
A friend has an impact and I really like it as well, very smooth action with a more "traditional" feel. Easy to tune the trigger on the impact as well with the hanger, but some stocks may need additional inletting for the hanger.
Also, no running AW mags in the Archimedes while the impact is available with an AW cut.
I will say the impact has less "fiddly bits" than the Archimedes as it's a more traditional design. The Archimedes has a 2 piece firing pin and a threaded firing pin retaining plug that can potentially come loose and ruin your day, so use loctite or vibratite. It also has a small bolt shroud locking plunger and spring you can lose when taking the bolt apart (it's captive in normal use though.)
Both actions have prefits available from many shops if that's important to you.
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So if I went with the Archimedes, where do I get the best prefit barrel. Would prefer cut rifled.
I know a guy that had an arc archimedes. It would not work with 7 different triggers, b n a, tt, xtreme, timney....was told he got 7 bad triggers by arc...
Edit: this was an early action.
Edit: this was an early action.
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It just looks close to the scope in pictures, and been running a Curtis with 60 degree bolt throw. One of the things I liked about the Archimedes was 75 degree bolt throw. When I was younger I had 700 deer rifle and I used to clip the scope with my thumb when cycling it fast. I live in northern New England and I’ve never seen an Impact in person, so I will have to by without trying one. I appreciate all the comments here about both actions because I want to start the build soon.
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Well, not sure if it means anything, but how many used impacts are in the px, vs used or new archimedes?
I'm gonna buy a second impact action, but all I see in the px is curtis actions, some trued factory actions, nuc and arch actions....only one impact in 6.5prc
They come up for time to time in the PX section, I've seen a few, and I rarely even look in the PX section.
I've been scanning the px for a month, only one on there is a 6.5prc complete rifle and a dealer.
Straight Jacket Armory is one, there are many others...
I got one done by Straight Jacket Armory but it was for a TL3 action. So far shoots real good using factory ammo. Running a Proof Competition Contour (4-groove) 26" in 6.5CM.
I’ve heard great things about Straight Jacket Armory, but leaning towards Impact and pre fit from Altus.
The serial number of the action was number 46.
I never tried a Timney trigger.
It went back to ARC with two TT Diamond triggers, one from my ARC Nucleus and one for the Archimedes. Ted called me and said the action would not work with TT Diamond triggers because of their design. He recommended a Timney or Jewell but I do not like either. I Tried the two TT Diamonds, two BnA Tacsport Pros, a Huber Staged break, A RifleBasix, a Kenyon style trigger and a factory Xmark. The Kenyon and Xmark had their own issues but the rest would not work at all. You had to gingerly close the bolt. Ted asked how I normally shoot and I said off a bench, he said I could just close the bolt slowly and the problem is resolved. I sent it back for a refund. I tried most of these triggers with the action screwed into a KRG Bravo and Magpul pro stocks. I also tried cocking pieces 035, 045 and 055.
I went this direction with my 6 creed. Josh with ALTUS is a heck of a nice guy to deal with, and got me squared away in no time.
I have serial #8 and had the same issues along with most of is early arch adopters. They resolved the issues I have run TT diamond, standard timney, and an elftman all without issue now. The standard timney was the only one even remotely usable to start with.
If you want a 2 lug, impact or Lone Peak fuzion.
If you want a 3 lug, terminus zeus or Deadline
My .02
(cough.. AI...cough)
If you want a 3 lug, terminus zeus or Deadline
My .02
(cough.. AI...cough)
I have a TT Diamond Pro on a Archimedes. It works fine and as far as I know all of the trigger issues were resolved.
Ended up getting the Archimedes from a member for a good deal, I put my TT in the action worked perfectly. Just sent it to LRI for a barrel, super excited to shoot it. Thanks for all the advice from everyone.
The Impact actions flat run in any conditions! 3 days of windy desert clay dust and not even a hiccup! Impact all day for me!
Has the Archimedes shown that it can't do the same?
I agree, Impact is great for that, but so are many other actions these days. That feature is not unique to Impact.
It sounds like if you want to be an unofficial beta tester, and run an action that was designed for a problem that doesn’t exist for over 99% of shooters, than the archimedes is your best bet. If you want a proven action that works and is proven, impact is your best bet.
