Rimfire action design

[my human host]

What action features do you feel contribute to making one rimfire bolt action superior to another in reguards to accuracy potential?

Specifically, I'm interested in locking lugs, action screws, and recoil lugs, as well as the means by which the barrel is attatched to the action.

 

[IPSC]

Re: Rimfire action design

I would say its probably more important to look at overall precision of manufacture...and...the design feature of having a tight target style chamber, where the front of the bullet is close ( or even engages) the first parts of the grooves and lands of the rifling when a round is chambered. I guess some people call this a short-throat chamber.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Rimfire action design

everything else is "hung" off the foundation of the action. i believe a beefy action machined from a good quality of barstock metal should also be considered as the 1st step.

just like with centerfires, the trueing of the action (mounting screws lining up for stock and optic bases, barrel socket / threading in line with the action, the action being straight - interior cavity being equal on all sides in proportion to each other, etc.)

both of those things cost money though. but reliable and true consistancy / accuracy does not come cheap, never did and never will. then everything hung off that action (barrels, lugs, etc) needs to be as pure or it's like putting bald tires on a ferrari.

the mass produced actions (MKII, 22/77, 10/22, XT22, 455 etc.) are just that - mass produced to meet demands, to keep costs low, to keep profits high. don't know the metalergy of the them, but i'd assume the thicker the action, the more can be done with them as far as trueing.

another reason why the 40X, anschutz, coopers, kimbers, etc styled actioned rifle cost a bit more - more care is taken in their creation and better quality metals are used.

 

[my human host]

Re: Rimfire action design

Thanks fellas.

I have a 17 mach 2 I built a few years back on an old Marlin action I had gathering rust. I put it through the lathe and squared up the bolt and action, cut threads for a tenon, and machined a 700 style recoil lug for it. I was working on a whim and went with a cheap Green Mountain stainless blank. The rifle shoots reasonably well, under half moa at 50 and normally around 1 moa at a hundred (calm day). I've only tried 2 different brands of ammo.

I don't currently have an accurate 22lr, though. I'm in the process of trying to pick an action to build off of. I guess I'm a little hung up on having centerfire type features in a rimfire and trying to decide how many of those features are necessary.