Not going to be pretty! That said even though I have not had my hands on one of your actions I like a lot of what I am reading about your design. Even if I won Powerball tomorrow I could not allow myself to spend $899 on your action on principal alone, I think you and everyone else that sells an overly expensive action does a terrible job making a compelling argument as to why your action is worth $899 out of of "because". Here is your chance! Cheer's!
So it is not accurate enough to deliver the killing blow with the first shot it needs an extra shot to finish off the wounded that rules out military sniper use? Might re-think that as a not so great marketing idea.
"It’s Rem700 footprint receiver is machined with an integral recoil lug and integral 20 MOA rail." So if you did not target the softest market since the small block chevy you could not sell your action?
"The three-lug, 70-degree bolt uses interchangeable floating bolt heads and accommodates everything from 223 Rem on up to 338 Lapua." So the floating bolt head that everyone has made fun of on the Savage 110 since the 1950's as a cost saving measure and a means to make up for precision machining is not hot and trendy? So why should I not purchase actions like Savage and Thompson Center that use a floating bolt head for far less money?
"The three-lug, 70-degree bolt uses interchangeable floating bolt heads and accommodates everything from 223 Rem on up to 338 Lapua." The three lug bolt has been done many times by many companies factory actions why did you wait this long to do this when you could have done it long ago!
"Receiver and bolt work well with AICS mags but are optimized for incredibly smooth and reliable feeding using AIAW mags and conical breech barrels." Many companies have done three lug bolts and conical bolts and breeches in both 2 lug and 3 lug and trapezoidal designs. Why did you wait this long to do this?
"Receiver-mounted passive (aka mechanical) ejector sends cases out at three o’clock through a large ejection port." Mauser did this as did Winchester and 1903 Springfield enerital ejector along with many other's. Why did you wait this long and why should anyone care?
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Controlled-round feed extractor grips a large portion of the case rim taking full advantage of the patented pivoting bolt handle that easily pulls even the most stubborn cartridges from the chamber." Why should anyone in the precision shooting game care about this since this is often frowned upon by all but serious dangerous game hunters.? I can get the same from a cheap Mauser Action or Savage action I think the 11 and 111 are CRF?
"The pivoting bolt handle can be swapped out for a fixed handle thus converting the action to one with conventional cam extraction better tolerated by highly sensitive triggers." So why go with this design other than to cheapen manufacturing by having a bolt built up from cheap sub components like a Savage or Browning A-Bolt? Everything about this bolt design says "Cheap to manufacture" no matter if one goes with the pivoting bolt handle or non-pivoting handle!
"The entire bolt assembly is composed of only sixteen parts, but can function with as few as twelve, of which two are springs and one is a ball." Again your bolt handle screams cheap and weak design! A Mauser 98, CZ550, Howa 1500, Winchester Model 70 and 1903 Springfield and many other riles have far fewer components that make up the bolt and they are stronger forged one piece designs! Oh and they cost far less than your action costs! So why should I see your design as anything but a cheap to produce design?
"Dual cocking cams reduce friction within the bolt for easier bolt lift." I love this and most of what you have done but explain to people why this is fantastic! I can not even pretend not to like this! LOL
"The entire bolt, even the striker assembly, can be disassembled in the field without the use of tools" I can not pretend to have issues with this but Mauser, Winchester, Howa also do this for far less. Explain why this is huge not so much for competitor but for hunters in the field like say in Africa compared to say a Remington!
"Patented toroidal bolt-lug bearing surfaces reduce stress." This is nothing new other OEM mass produced and custom actions have done toroidal 2 and 3 lug bolts. Explain what this is for those on this site that are not 50 years old and students of history? Why is it a good thing? How does your design differ? What makes it a worth paying for???
What the hell makes you think $899 is a low price that is about as stupid of a statement as someone thinking the 60 count of egg's I bought 3 years ago at Walmart for $2.87 is a barging at $20 or no the lower price of $11.99 recently! How clueless are you as to think $899 is a barging? As much as I like 90% of this design on this point alone I think you are either retarded or suffering dementia!
So now that I have given you a fantastic opportunity for you to actually market the design elements you think everyone should think are great let me ask you some serious questions!
1) What are the levels of concentricity, squareness, tolerance stacking I should expect if I purchase your action?
2)What can I measure your product against so insure that I am getting every dime of my moneys worth?
3)How do I check that you are delivering to me the product I am paying for other than your word?
4)What do I get by purchasing your product that I can not get by sending off my Remington, Savage, Commercial Mauser, Rugger, Winchester Pre-64 M70 etc.... to Gre-Tan?
5) How do I guarantee that if I do not think I have gotten my moneys worth I get a full refund?
6) What barrel and gunsmith do I need to use to guarantee sub 1/4 or 1/8 MOA?
7) What is your guarantee and it had better not be something lame like a 1/4 MOA and definitely not 1/2 MOA? At $899 I had better get one heck of a guarantee!
So while I like the design elements mostly for your action I am looking for some fantastic answer's better than your less than average marketing! If I can not hold you do dimensions and machining standards and engineering standards that you have already lost and your are not worth my time or my money! If your answers are not founded in solid engineering and can not be measured empirically you are not doing well! I gave you some huge softball pitches for you to hit out of the park! This is not an attack!
Would you be willing to put your work up against a factory mass produced action that has been Machined by Greg at Gre-Tan? What about other's precision 'smiths? Maybe have a 3rd party measure the actions? Maybe let a 3rd party test the actions. Clearly it would not be me or you since I am not good enough and you and I both have bias! It would have to be someone that is not paid by either party and is a regional or national champion. I am at my best now at 50 years of age a 1/4 MOA shooter so I am not at all good enough. It would be fantastic if we could involve other's and have a BBQ, Bon Fire, shooting for fun and cheap prizes get together.
My premise is that for anything other than BR $899 to $2500 actions are a waste. That said I am not against them rather I am against the push that makes people think they need this level of gear to have fun and have any hope of doing well in non-BR competition.
My wife was a manchinest and prior to going to work in Engineering, Material Science, Business I was an apprentice in Automotive and Tool and Die. While I am not from Missouri I am definitely a " Show Me" type of guy!
I would love to be proven wrong on this. Why? Because then science, engineering and true learning would reign supreme!!! Maybe having a precision gunsmith handy and a variety of barrels handy would be a good idea. Shoot various actions and barrels with factory premium match grade ammo and also allow pet loads. Maybe have Silhouette, F-Class, PRS, NRA High Power Shooters handy to test all actions.
Lots of cigars, bourbon, beef, pig and chicken handy???? Maybe have different custom actions handy and OEM mass produced actions and the same blue printed handy?
Maybe being able to test rigidity, lock time, harmonics, bolt bounce. I do have a 200Mhz digital oscilloscope so we could with the right sensors measure a lot of variables!
I understand why no manufacture would want to do this though since everyone has nothing to gain and everything to lose!
I sincerely look forward to any answer's you give. I repeat this is not an attack on your product but I do understand why it could be seen as that. I truly like a lot of the design elements you have worked into your design. No one will alloy themselves to be pinned down or backed into a corner with anything like empirical evidence and hard standards. I understand if you chose to ignore me!
