Where is the payoff point with a custom action? I’m planning on jumping into a long range rifle, my primary purposes will be to build better marksmanship skills to extend my hunting range, and satisfy the itch to hit far away targets. Not concerned with competition shooting.
I’ve been reading the forum a lot, and there are obviously a lot of high end rigs on custom actions in use by forum members. I’ve been sipping the kool-aid a bit thinking I’d try to jump on a TL3 or Deviant on the PX, but the custom actions seem to hold their value a little too well for my budget.
I’m looking at a budget of around $2700, maybe up to $3K, for a complete rifle with optic and accessories, ready to shoot. Picking up a custom on the PX pushes me to a point where getting good glass becomes difficult. I’m starting to lean back towards a Bergara now, either the HMR or HMR pro. There is an HMR Pro is 6.5CM available locally for $1600, can’t find a regular HMR in 6.5 CM locally right now. For glass I’m thinking Athlon Cronus, so that’s pushing my budget limit, but I can probably do it.
Circling back to the original question, for someone who isn’t competing and running a rifle hard in tough conditions, is a custom action pushing into the territory of diminishing returns? Are there real accuracy benefits from a custom action, or is just the ability to withstand more wear and tear, and a better or smoother “feel” for the operator?
I’m leaving easy barrel swaps and similar qualities found in custom actions out of the discussion, just the operational comparison of the factory vs. custom action is what I’m curious about.
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