If you don’t need the weight reduction I would go Prometheus for the full top rail. I wasn’t able to get my rings where I would have liked to on my nanook. It did work but depending on the scope and the person you could run into issues possibly.
Kelby's Prometheus Action
- Thread starter B4Maz
- Start date
Interesting. That's not a downside I had considered. Was the issue they were too far forward or back?
first ive heard but could make sense if a youth shooter or maybe female? or a small scope like the S&B ultra shorts? with most adjustable stocks tho could easily go around this. Guess I got lucky but my NRL light hunter rig fits perfect.
For me it was far enough forward. I’m 6’5” with a giraffe neck and like a shorter LOP. Like I said, it worked out for me without any real issue but got me thinking it could be a problem for someone that’s outside of the “standard” dimensions.
With the folder added I was able to get far enough back to work but without the folder and the rear ring slid all the way forward on the rail and the scope slid all the way forward it was right on the edge of proper eye relief.
With the folder added I was able to get far enough back to work but without the folder and the rear ring slid all the way forward on the rail and the scope slid all the way forward it was right on the edge of proper eye relief.
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I agree. I'm not expecting this to make some level of magical difference, but am looking to make something different and on the lighter end of the spectrum this time around.
Figured I would share some news I found out from their website:
1) Looks like the Prometheus can now be ordered as a single shot! (I have a new repeater Prometheus action still in the box, I wish I could trade it for a single shot version... I do live less than an hour from Kelbly's but I digress) @Ian A. Kelbly ? @Ryan A. Kelbly ?
2) Looks like you can now order 75 degree bolts from them as well. Aligning with the recent trend from the other manufacturers.
1) Looks like the Prometheus can now be ordered as a single shot! (I have a new repeater Prometheus action still in the box, I wish I could trade it for a single shot version... I do live less than an hour from Kelbly's but I digress) @Ian A. Kelbly ? @Ryan A. Kelbly ?
2) Looks like you can now order 75 degree bolts from them as well. Aligning with the recent trend from the other manufacturers.
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Well +1 another example of great customer service from Kelbly's.
They are allowing me to trade out my repeater for a single shot variant. Figured I would share/update since I mentioned it here.
@Harman117 I ordered a Prometheus a month or 2 ago after winning a free Kelbly's action cert at a match. After I saw they added a 75° bolt throw option, I reached out and asked to change my order from the 90°. They have been great and fast to deal with from my interactions.
Crossing my fingers I will have the action in hand for the holidays, so I can have it set up for the new year.
Crossing my fingers I will have the action in hand for the holidays, so I can have it set up for the new year.
Good to hear, they're good people
AS WITH most actions, esp custom actions, you will not even notice it after the first day of shooting at a PRS comps is done
Of all my custom actions the Prometheus by far has the lightest lift and close. I honestly don’t even feel the CoC (insert joke here).
I agree with the above. My Prometheus has noticeably the lightest lift & close compared to my nitrided Lone Peaks, nitrided Defiance, 'blueprinted' 700s, and my buddies Origin & Mack Bros.
Huh. That’s pretty cool. Just heard of this thing today. What do you think allows it to have such a light lift/close?
I’m curious about the lighter than the lone peak……. I had a Kelbly nanook and it had a noticeable hitch on close. It was a very nice action but my lone peak blew the Kelbly out of the water for smoothness and light bolt lift.
Surely it isn’t as bad as the AI AT/ATX or AXSR actions? I’m assuming we’re talking about the same hitch on close feeling. My Tac Driver action as a very minor hitch on close and if it’s similar to that, I can deal with it.
Not that it just works it literally saved my life due to its construction! Loading 89grains of 260rem powder into 300nm is not safe kids do not do it at home and especially not in “just any action”. Without getting into details lets just say that 250a-tip sure flew on that day.
Also the guys at Kelbly were insanely good to me with post event issues
so any custom action i buy in the future will be Kelbly.
Also the guys at Kelbly were insanely good to me with post event issues
so any custom action i buy in the future will be Kelbly.
Long bolt knob, light fp spring. Kelbly atlas is the same, I've had a few. More leverage applied to a lesser force of other fp springs, it will indeed feel light.
Not that it just works it literally saved my life due to its construction! Loading 89grains of 260rem powder into 300nm is not safe kids do not do it at home and especially not in “just any action”. Without getting into details lets just say that 250a-tip sure flew on that day.
Also the guys at Kelbly were insanely good to me with post event issues
Pics or it didn't happen
I don’t dork out on actions like some folks do. I want it to reliably feed, fire, extract, eject without binding or causing significant disturbance to the rifle. That said, my Prometheus is noticeably smooootthheerrr. Kelbly says they “hand fit” bolts, so maybe that’s a part? Maybe a lighter spring? IDK
I've got a bare Nanook sitting in the safe. I'll try to remember to throw it in a spare stock and check it out. My LP almost snaps shut, especially on an empty chamber, but I do have a 'hitch' on my LP while chambering a round on occasion, and that has been the case over multiple barrels. My prometheus is pretty new, and I only have 289 live fire rounds on it as of today, and maybe only 300 dry fires through it. I haven't noticed a hitch during dry fire (or live fire) with the Prometheus, but I'll pay better attention moving forward.
The hitch, is it like 1/3 way into bolt closure? If so, almsot all actions have it to some degree, it's the pause of cocking piece handing off from shroud to sear. Very intricate machining can eliminate this to get it perfect, action/trigger timing.
My two fuzions have a lil bit, noticeable when running it very slow, not at all in normal paces. My fuzion-ti on the other hand, it's very noticeable, even when running action fast, thinking bout sending it off for a remedy.
On my LP, it’s like 1/2 the way and locks up. Probably not describing well. When it happens, I can’t close the bolt. But I can open then close again. It’s fairly rare, but consistent enough I notice it. It’s never happened with my other LP or any other action I own or have used, so I don’t think it’s a me problem. This is also an early serial number razor (~200).
I had a razor-ti, non integral lug, like ser# 13. Did not like that action. It just never felt right. Shot the barrel out and sold it.
Measure the movement of your cocking piece to bolt shroud distance. With bolt open, VS bolt closed. You want these #s very close. The difference whether positive or negative values, will determine which way the trigger needs to move, or cocking piece needs cut down.
I’d have to go back and look at my measurements but it was something like .272-.277 amount of fall
Not cocked vs fired
Cocked with the bolt up vs cocked with the bolt closed is what’s being discussed. How much addition compression of the firing pin spring are you doing via bolt lugs when you rotate the handle down.
With a 24# spring, 0.240 pin fall is the standard. Kelbly might be running running more fall to compensate for light spring, prob in conjunction with a lightweight pin assembly.
Does the cocking piece protrude out more with bolt closed VS bolt open? If it does a - negative hanger is what you seek, close to the delta dimension between open VS closed cocking piece dimensions.
I like mine on par with my Impact after having 1200 rounds on mine this year so far ~900 of those in PRS matches. I really didn't know what to expect since I scored mine off a prize table, but I've been very happy with it.
Reliability has been perfect so far and I've liked the 75° bolt on mine. I run a BnA TS Pro X in it and it's been a great trigger. I've had great experiences dealing with Ian over the phone and wouldn't hesitate to buy another or recommend one to a friend.
Reliability has been perfect so far and I've liked the 75° bolt on mine. I run a BnA TS Pro X in it and it's been a great trigger. I've had great experiences dealing with Ian over the phone and wouldn't hesitate to buy another or recommend one to a friend.
A 75°, AW mags and a BnA sounds like a good time to me.
I just remember my gunsmith telling me I set the lugs back 003 on a lapua bolf face atlas 4 years ago in 900 rounds. I didn't run that 300 norma excessively warm. I have had a bad taste for kelbly since unfortunately.
Tbh really digging the cdg but it hurts me to say it out loud. If they made a 60 degree Prometheus I would hard to choose
I just shot a site visit video with the Kelbly guys that hopefully I will have edited and posted in the next few weeks. In the meantime though I do have a few insights on the subject of ignition.
They do hand fit some of the small bolt pieces, most notably the cocking piece, to ensure function with as wide a possible variety of trigger models as well as production lots of triggers as possible. There has been more lot to lot variance in some trigger brands than you would think. After all, triggers are many component parts with a lot of tolerance stacking. They have some edge case triggers they test every action on during this process.
I expect you are right on about the cocking piece hand off. This should be expected with most triggers as the geometry needs to be able to handle triggers that are on the edge when it comes to tolerances. As such, that hand off will be some fraction into the close on most triggers and you feel a change in the bolt feel when that handoff has occured.
I believe all the springs Kelbly uses are 24lbs. They are a bit obsessive about a strong consistent ignition. Ignition is a more important component to accuracy than most realize. It's not just about things going bang reliably every time. This was something they learned back when they were primarily a benchrest company and they are very focused on it. I have only ever heard them speak of 24lb springs in conjunction with their actions and they clearly don't approve of the use of lighter springs though I do understand that many other action companies do this to make this feel lighter and smoother though.
Good to know on fp spring weight. The lightness of boltift must be from all the extra length of bolt handle and cocking cam helix geometry.
I've made the transition to all Kelbly's. Are they the best? Maybe, maybe not. But, customer service from Jim, Ian, and the rest is without question the best. I'm confident they will be around long after I'm gone. Look at Surgeon, Defiance, to a small degree Big Horn, and now Vudoo.
Yup. I had talked to them and they said they want at least .240 fall for reliable ignition.
Unfortunately, 6gt doesn't like to run in AW mags from my ATX chassis with the prometheus, so I just stopped worrying about it and am running normal aics.
I totally understand that and don't blame you on that experience. Some times you get hit with being that 1% failure rate and it really sucks.
I am having to do an RMA today for a Kestrel shot timer that arrived with defective microphones.
AW mags def work best with AI lug style 3 lug actions, or adjustable latch chassis.
Tangent has had my 7-35 for 5 weeks. Shit breaks, fails, missed QC, getting worse and worse as more digital tech is put into place.
Maybe Kelbly can get in to the 22lr game. I'd definitely be interested in that.
Wow, I remember talking to Ian when Kelbly's switched from the gate style extractor to the Sako style they now use. The change had some big cost and function advantages but the biggest concern was ensuring the Sako extractor could not escape and become a projectile in an over-pressure situation. This involved some testing to failure. I think you hit some higher pressures than the test action I saw though. Wow, that is scary stuff. I'm glad everything held together. From an engineering standpoint the deformation on those lugs looks excellent. Lots of defformation before a catastrophic failure. The case head staying intact instead of rupturing is also a big plus both for the case maker and for the case head support on the Kelbly bolt design. Did the lip peice of the case head support that broke loose beside the extractor cut stay contained in the action body?
