Custom Actions Must Haves vs Nice to Haves

[Hawk in WY]

Based on multiple reviews on here and elsewhere, it is clear there are more than a few very fine actions on the market now.

I often hear very knowledgable folks saying it's personal preference.

My question is what are must-haves versus the nice to haves from the following:

Tolerances which permit prefit barrels
Quick change barrels
Integral recoil lug.
Integral scope base.
3 lug versus 2
60 degree bolt throw
Controlled round feed
Floating, replaceable bolt heads
Trigger hanger
Trigger screws versus pins
What the pros use

I'm sure I have missed a few significant differences between quality custom actions. Please feel free to add to my list.

Customer service is a big one and there seem to be differences there as well.

I have been putting off ordering until new products at SHOT show made this decision for me but that didn't happen.

Thank you for your help with this decison.

 

[wade2big]

The first on your list is a must have.
60 degree is nice to have
The rest dont matter.

Of course you are gonna get different answers from everyone.

 

[2010Ruger]

I’m in the same boat as you and ready to step up to a nice action. So far I’ve narrowed my choices down to either the TL3 or the origin, primarily due to the interchangeable bolt head design. Now I’m just debating weather or not having an integral recoil lug justifies the extra cost for me.

 

[jpcowboy]

I’m in the same boat as you and ready to step up to a nice action. So far I’ve narrowed my choices down to either the TL3 or the origin, primarily due to the interchangeable bolt head design. Now I’m just debating weather or not having an integral recoil lug justifies the extra cost for me.

If you plan on changing your own barrels integral lug is nice.

 

[wade2big]

If you plan on changing your own barrels integral lug is nice.

Arent the origin lugs pinned. If they are then it is no different than an intergral lug to change barrels.

 

[gconnoyer]

Need
-Prefit capability
-Field stripable/maintenanced bolt (swappable bolt heads, firing pin assembly)

Really Want (depending on chamber and usage)
-CRF
-Mechanical Ejector

Would be nice to have
-Trigger screws


The rest dont matter to me. But I run a TL3 based on my list and my usage.

 

[Boatninja]

I am by no means "an old hand" at this stuff but have always enjoyed accurate rifles. My second build was an American Rifle Company Mausingfield action that has many of the things on your list - no trigger related items, 83 degree bolt throw vs 60 and 2 lugs vs 3. My third was an ARC Nucleus - has all but the trigger related stuff and integral recoil lug though it is pinned. I go back and forth over which I like the best, usually natural selection determines this and one will end up staying in the safe more than another, right now the Mausingfield with fewer of the must have/ like to have is winning. I have heard about customer service issues with ARC but I have had no issues soooo no issue.

 

[lennyo3034]

I don’t think controlled feed and mechanical eject are that necessary. And that’s coming from someone with multiple controlled feed mechanical eject actions. I still have feed and ejection problems.

 

[bitbckt]

None of those make my “must have” list, but I prefer integral lugs and scope bases.

That list speaks to the point though: there are so many good options, the differentiators are almost entirely matters of preference.

 

[gnochi]

You said it, different people have different must-haves and nice-to-haves. For me:

Must haves:

• Interesting engineering features
• Prefit barrels, ideally Savage threads
• Quick change barrels (ARC BARLOC counts and works fine for me)
• Replaceable bolt heads (don’t care floating vs not)
• Works with a common inlet without major modification. If it’s not R700 there should be a very good reason.

Nice to haves:

• <90deg throw
• Dual cocking cams
• Roller cocking piece
• Trigger screws
• Trigger hanger
• CRF
• Mechanical eject
• Adjustable trigger sear interface, or inexpensive to replace

Don’t care:

• Integral recoil lug
• 2/3 bolt lug
• What the pros use
• Integral scope base - would not accept anything but 20moa if integral.

If someone made the lovechild of an ARC Archimedes and Terminus Helios, I’d be incredibly happy. For now, I’m using and loving a Nucleus 1.0.

 

[acudaowner]

just getting my first custom action a big horn tl3 and I have to say Its pretty sweet , the money stung a bit but was quickly forgotten for the smooth action and buttery feel .

 

[DairyDictator]

I was in your shoes and the things that were originally important to me were kind of as follows.

Needs:
Mechanical Ejection - FAR easier to keep track of brass when I'm doing load testing, and makes chamber checking a much better expereince.
Savage threads - Cheaper Criterion prefits that perform pretty damn good
Swappable Bolt Head - Was hoping to try and do a switch barrel setup, but it's very hard to get a reliable switch barrel setup with a barrel nut, but it allows me to switch to whatever caliber I want without a whole new action.
Controlled Round Feed- thought I needed this for some reason. Turns out push feeds run a lot smoother and are known to be just as reliable

I went with a Bighorn TL-3 and have competed in a year's worth of matches.
While I don't regret getting the TL-3, I wouldn't do it again. I have a love hate relationship with it. While shooting it recreationally, it seems too easy to bind the bolt at the rearmost position, the bolt knob options are too short (have not tried the brand new ones released recently), and the DLC coating is too easily worn off. That being said, I have had zero failures when it matters. During a match, whenever I'm on the clock the action runs great. My scope is usually on 18x or less so my throw lever is out of the way of the knob during my bolt operation. The feeding is extremely reliable with all kinds of mags. The only kind of mags I have not tried yet are the AI AW mags. It's really hard to fault an action that is just so damn reliable when it matters.

My next action will likely be an Impact. I toyed with a friend's and it is smooth as all hell, but for a few years the TL-3 will do. I might try and spin up a custom bolt knob.

 

[Steel head]

Replaceable bolt head.
prefit capability and/or savage swaps.
mechanical Ejection

These are my main preferences.

 

[Stoweit]

I’ve been thinking about this lately, and I’m down to Impact and Archimedes. Smooth cycling and profit barrels are most important to me. I also want good ejection, so brass doesn’t end up dribbling out.

 

[SonicBurlap]

Virtually none of these are must haves, I consider all of them want to haves, the most important feature for a custom action are tight tolerances and smooth functioning, so the prefit requirement comes closest.

My personal preferences usually include Remington 700 footprint, integral recoil lug, prefits, pinned rails, mechanical ejector, AICS cut, controlled round feed, bolt fluting, bayonet style firing pin assembly, interchangeable bolt heads and bolt handles, side mounted bolt release, and I consider a non rotating gas shield a nice bonus but not a show stopper. I also prefer DLC coating because it reduces the friction of stainless on stainless by a factor of 7.

The Terminus action threaded trigger pins sound intriguing but regular pins have worked fine for me so far. Any number of shooters on this forum will list different preferences from mine, selecting action features is highly subjective, and personal but tolerances that will give you repeatable excellent results is probably the one we all can agree on.

 

[LRI]

Need:

A gun that works for the intended application.


Want:

An endless list fueled by an equally infinite list of opinions driven by the need to talk about something on a forum.


Anymore I try to get my clients to describe to me what they want to use the rifle for vs obsessing over the parts list. It is nothing short of impressive on how far that list evolves from where it started once that basic question is asked/answered.

 

[Steel head]

Want:

An endless list fueled by an equally infinite list of opinions fueled by the need to talk about something on a forum.

 

[kindabitey]

Need:

A gun that works for the intended application.


Want:

An endless list fueled by an equally infinite list of opinions driven by the need to talk about something on a forum.


Anymore I try to get my clients to describe to me what they want to use the rifle for vs obsessing over the parts list. It is nothing short of impressive on how far that list evolves from where it started once that basic question is asked/answered.

After owning/ previously owned a couple of custom 2 and 3 lug actions, I'm having a difficult time justifying them. I'm beginning to lean toward sending a couple of R700 actions I have to you for the next projects.

 

[gnochi]

After owning/ previously owned a couple of custom 2 and 3 lug actions, I'm having a difficult time justifying them. I'm beginning to lean toward sending a couple of R700 actions I have to you for the next projects.

The justification is that once you get an R700 appropriately dialed in to similar clearances, flatness, etc., you’ve spent just about as much money as buying a custom action in the first place, with worse resale value, and the gunsmith needs to have either notes for headspace etc. or have the action in hand to make you a new barrel.

If you *have* an R700 already, though, there’s not much argument for getting a custom instead of having the action you already own trued, except barrel compatibility.

 

[kthomas]

Chad with LRI nailed it, I was going to write a similar post, but he beat me to it.

The only "needs" is that it works as designed, and on command (reliability in any conditions). Everything else is merely a preference.

I have a few different actions from different manufacturers. Some are push feed, some are CRF. Some have mechanical ejectors, some don't. Some have integral recoil lugs and bases, some don't. Etc. Etc. I like them all for different reasons, and they all work as advertised and reliably, which is the big thing for me. I just want it to work damnit.

There's so many great actions out there these days, and while there's some commonality, they all have their own nuances. Like Lowlight says with scopes, "what color do you like more? Red or blue?".