Which action in 2024?

[tarheel7734]

So I'm pretty close to building a rifle. In the past I was pretty set on the Zermatt Origin or the Tl3. So in 2024 are these still the actions to go with? I'll probably get Altus to build my rifle as I not currently set up to do it and I have to move soon.

Stocks I'm still looking at the Manners t4a or McMillan a6 or a5 adjustable.

 

[Huskydriver]

Impact, terminus, kelbly, arc...

Depends on what features you want.

90 degree throw or less and go from there

 

[Hawk in WY]

The TL3 and the Origin are at different price points. If you are happy with the lack of options for the Origin, that's a great choice.

The others at the lower price point I have used are the American Rifle Company's Coup de Gras and the Defiance Classic.

The Defiance Classic is a good choice if you are happy with non-integral lugs and rails. I am. You will pay extra for nitriding.

The CDG is a fine, innovative action at a great price point. Read as much of the long thread as you can and be prepared for this action not fitting many stocks and chassis without fitting (trigger hanger interference), limited choices on bottom metal (no bdl) and the magazine that seems to work the best (AW) in the short action not in stock anywhere.

Altus can deal with all these issues so in order, my recommendations are CDG, Origin, Classic.

There are other options but I can speak from experience only for these three.

Given the reply above, I should add I use more Impacts than anything else but that is a bit more premium priced.

I should also add that it's true the various actions offer an unbelievable array of features. For me, the action's job is to move the cartridge from the magazine to the chamber. If it does that reliably, I'm not too bothered by the various features.

 

[KYAggie]

What, exactly, will you be using this rifle for? You will get better answers if people know its purpose.

 

[Milf Dots]

For me, I lust after a Terminus Zeus QC in a folding, left handed, highly adjustable chassis. YMMV

 

[maximusdecimusmeridius]

Defiance ruckus

 

[TheBigCountry]

Impact, terminus, kelbly, arc...

Depends on what features you want.

90 degree throw or less and go from there

Wait a second

You didn’t mention AI










Did you get hacked?

 

[tarheel7734]

What, exactly, will you be using this rifle for? You will get better answers if people know its purpose.

Shooting of course lol jk..

Known and unknown shooting distances from prone, kneeling, sitting and a few other positions. It's a tactile rifle first and foremost. It's a training rifle. I might eventually get into prs, but not sure.

 

[Huskydriver]

Wait a second

You didn’t mention AI










Did you get hacked?

I'm feeling off today


But you're right..... AI or GTFO

 

[owtlaw]

Hard to go wrong with a Zermatt Arms product. I have 3 of them and they are on par with the best of the best and they stand behind their product. Kelbly seems more the newcomer to the party. I have one, it has been great. I have nothing bad to say about them. I almost bought a Defiance but couldn't justify the ridiculous price.

 

[giumau1]

Get in line for a CDG…

 

[kthomas]

Impact, terminus, kelbly, arc...

Depends on what features you want.

90 degree throw or less and go from there

This.

So many great actions out these days. Hard to make a bad choice. It just depends on what features you desire.

 

[tarheel7734]

This.

So many great actions out these days. Hard to make a bad choice. It just depends on what features you desire.

I have no idea. I'm so used to just shooting what we are given as far as bolt actions, I've never really had much an option to really think what I want other than a stock vs chassis, and the acessories and optic.

 

[Superjet]

You won’t regret an Origin

 

[tarheel7734]

You won’t regret an Origin

Is there any benefit of a tl3 over an origin?

 

[Rob01]

Is there any benefit of a tl3 over an origin?

Not really. An integral recoil lug and a different bolt handle angle. Both are easy to swap bolt heads and barrels. I have a couple TL3s but I got a deal on them so I am happy but I would t turn down an Origin.

 

[Guns&WhiteWater]

Is there any benefit of a tl3 over an origin?

I have a TL3 and one of my friends has an Origin. The TL3 is definitely the smoother action. Not sure if it’s because mine is 5 years old and his is relatively new and not broken in, but the difference is noticeable.

Have a 737 on the way from SPR, so curious as to how it runs compared to my TL3.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I’m building on a Solus. Too poor for the high dollar stuff

 

[Superjet]

Is there any benefit of a tl3 over an origin?

Straight bolt handle, integral recoil lug, 3 different tang thicknesses, and you can pick your ejection port side are the differences between a TL3 and Origin. I have both and don’t really notice a difference between the two.

 

[kthomas]

I have no idea. I'm so used to just shooting what we are given as far as bolt actions, I've never really had much an option to really think what I want other than a stock vs chassis, and the acessories and optic.

Actions are so good these days, you may as well flip a coin.

ARC, Lone Peak, Impact, Terminus, Defiance, Kelbly, Zermatt, etc.

Hard to recommend one specific one without knowing your preferences, but any of the above is a great action.

 

[Thorbeast]

Depends on budget really. Solus can be had for sub 700. Origin and CDG are 900ish. Terminus, impact, TL3 are all 1350ish.

In practical terms, they are all great and will work well, you can spend more, but I don't think you really get more. Sure, there are differences, but we are really splitting hairs at this point.

Personally, if I'm on a budget, I'd rather get an origin or Solus and put the extra money into a scope, compared to spending more on an action and less on a scope.

 

[godofthunder]

I am a Zermatt guy, partially because they're 10 minutes from my house, but partially because they're really solid actions that you can buy off the (typically) from any number of retailers. Parts are everywhere, prefits are everywhere, even Aero went with the Origin tenon because there are so many barrel options.

CDG looks great, but it's heavier and I have to put all my money up front then wait.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

Here's a thought. Because there are hardly any bad choices wrt actions, consider building on what is available for immediate purchase the day you order. Also, you might consider Southern Precision Rifles (bugholes.com) as your builder. This is not to take anything away from Altus at all. I've dealt with Russ and Greg at SPR. They're great. Give 'em a call.

I've owned (for centerfire) Tikka, Stiller, Defiance, and Terminus (not including the '70s-era Ruger M77). Defiance Deviant and Terminus Apollo are still in the safe - an upper-tier action and a more entry-level action.

Both wear Bartlein barrels and TriggerTech Diamond triggers. There's no difference in accuracy. There's a difference in feel, of course, since the Terminus is a 60-degree throw. There was nothing wrong at all with the Tikka and Stiller actions... I moved on because I could.

 

[Rob01]

Also I will add that today I would not buy any action that will not accept a shouldered prefit.

 

[wind gypsy]

The off the shelf prefits and available stocks (foundation particularly) make impacts very attractive IMO.

 

[Holliday]

I’m building on a Solus. Too poor for the high dollar stuff

I haven’t seen one close, but that looks like a good action for the money.

 

[rothgyr]

I'm currently running a TL3 and Lone Peak Fuzion on my guns. The Fuzion "feels" more solid, and just has momentum when working it fast. The TL3 feels a bit smoother when cycling actual bullets, but less so when doing dry fire. The CRF just works so nicely, vs the Fuzion needing to slip over the case rim at the end. We're talking about minuscule differences here.

Overall, I prefer the Fuzion for the "feel", and the mechanical ejector drives me nuts. I throw my bolt back backward in PRS, and my brass flies a million miles away with the TL3. Yes, it's a training thing, but my preferred discipline is letting the bolt fly, so I'm looking at switching that TL3 out to another Fuzion.

My smith has been using an ARC CDG for a few months and has had me try shooting it. It's very impressive - along the same lines as the TL3 with feeding and extraction. If you can find something in stock or a short wait time my personal favorites are

1. Lone Peak Fuzion
2. Impact
3. Zermatt TL3
4. ARC Coup De Grâce

 

[roostercogburn98]

I haven’t seen one close, but that looks like a good action for the money.

It is a nice action for sub 700 bucks. I have played with mine some, but still patiently waiting for Bugholes to finish my barrel so I can shoot it.

Fit and finish are clean, and action runs smooth. The fact it is a rem700 footprint and takes shouldered prefits (Origin), or barrel nut style is a big plus. Plenty of options for changing barrel down the road. My only complaint is I wish they would make a 223 compatible bolt head. Maybe one day.

I figured spend moderately on action, heavier on barrel and glass like mentioned above. The barrel is a Brux, and the glass is a NF 2.5-10. It will be an 18 inch 7-08 for hunting and some steel pinging here and there. It was not bought to be a competitive style gun though.

 

[steve123]

I don't keep up with the custom actions much anymore. How do the older ARC Mausingfields compare to the newer actions?

 

[kthomas]

Also I will add that today I would not buy any action that will not accept a shouldered prefit.

If you have a regular gunsmith, every action is capable of taking a "prefit". They only have to measure the action once.

 

[kthomas]

I don't keep up with the custom actions much anymore. How do the older ARC Mausingfields compare to the newer actions?

Very favorably.

My M5 is probably my favorite action still.

 

[Rob01]

If you have a regular gunsmith, every action is capable of taking a "prefit". They only have to measure the action once.

That’s not a prefit. That’s taking measurements and making a barrel for a rifle. I have had that done before but now I don’t have to as I can order from anywhere and get a true shouldered prefit.

 

[kthomas]

That’s not a prefit. That’s taking measurements and making a barrel for a rifle. I have had that done before but now I don’t have to as I can order from anywhere and get a true shouldered prefit.

Yes, there's more options if you want to source barrels from multiple gunsmiths.

I stick with one gunsmith, and he's taken my action measurements once, and I can now order shouldered "prefits" from this specific gunsmith straight to my door. Just wanted to bring this up for the sake of the OP.

 

[RTH1800]

With the number of great builds slightly used on the market today I have no idea why most would build a rifle. Buy one at 50% of what the build cost and shoot it. Very few guys " doing their first new build" know what they actually will like anyway.

 

[clefairy]

You can always RO a match and ask guys to run their bolt guns.

 

[FuhQ]

I’m building on a Solus. Too poor for the high dollar stuff

I can afford whatever I want, but I’m still building on a Solus, just because Im curious about them, and to see what’s up with them.

I’ve bought a lot of really expensive shit in my life, that fell apart and wasn’t worth the money. And on the flip-side, I’ve bought a lot of cheap shit that should have fallen apart, and didn’t… That has taught me that you don’t always get exactly what you pay for. And not everything that costs less is a cheap POS. And I’m curious to see how the Solus stacks up.

So far, I’m impressed, but still waiting on a barrel.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I can afford whatever I want, but I’m still building on a Solus, just because Im curious about them, and to see what’s up with them.

I’ve bought a lot of really expensive shit in my life, that fell apart and wasn’t worth the money. And on the flip-side, I’ve bought a lot of cheap shit that should have fallen apart, and didn’t… That has taught me that you don’t always get exactly what you pay for. And not everything that costs less is a cheap POS. And I’m curious to see how the Solus stacks up.

So far, I’m impressed, but still waiting on a barrel.

I agree and venture out to see what is out there. Hell, I’ve got Remington Model 7s tricked out by one of the best gun shops around. That’s a plural on the tricked out 7s.

 

[FuhQ]

I agree and venture out to see what is out there. Hell, I’ve got Remington Model 7s tricked out by one of the best gun shops around. That’s a plural on the tricked out 7s.

I’ve got a safe full of factory & custom 700 builds. But for $650-700 you can’t touch a blueprinted 700 for that in today’s market. Plus, the fact I can buy prefits and build it at home with no smith fees and lead times… And it’s better than any factory action in just about every way possible, is hard to argue with. Plus it’s built like a tank, stripped action (just bolt & receiver) is over 2 lbs, and the integrated 20 MOA rail, and it’s machined from a solid billet of 416r stainless, and black nitride finish. What’s not to like?

It was a bit sticky at first, but I put some Aeroshell 33 on the lugs And raceways, and did a bunch of dry runs, and now it’s smooth as glass.

 

[Rob01]

Yes, there's more options if you want to source barrels from multiple gunsmiths.

I stick with one gunsmith, and he's taken my action measurements once, and I can now order shouldered "prefits" from this specific gunsmith straight to my door. Just wanted to bring this up for the sake of the OP.

Yeah if you want to stick with one smith and one action then that is fine but it's also a limiting factor where you don't need to have one today. He can get an Origin and buy a shouldered prefit from any number of companies or smiths. And then if he got another Origin he can move multiple barrels between the two if he wanted. Just much more versatile than being stuck with one action and one smith.

 

[kthomas]

Yeah if you want to stick with one smith and one action then that is fine but it's also a limiting factor where you don't need to have one today. He can get an Origin and buy a shouldered prefit from any number of companies or smiths. And then if he got another Origin he can move multiple barrels between the two if he wanted. Just much more versatile than being stuck with one action and one smith.

I agree, prefit ready gives you a lot more options. If that's a factor for the OP, then it's worth strong consideration. And thankfully many current actions have this feature.

 

[Shoots 700's]

I have (3) TL3's so you might know my answer. Easy barrel swap and plenty of prefits to chose from. Swapping bolt head is easy when going from .473 to .380

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I have a TL3 and one of my friends has an Origin. The TL3 is definitely the smoother action. Not sure if it’s because mine is 5 years old and his is relatively new and not broken in, but the difference is noticeable.

Have a 737 on the way from SPR, so curious as to how it runs compared to my TL3.

That's why. I had a TL3 and still have an Origin and it's the opposite. Both are great I just like the way the Origin runs so I wouldn't ever sell it. I have a few others also and all of the main ones are great but Zermatt has such a good CS attitude and ability it's definitely the one I recommend first.- Origin so popular for a reason.

 

[7mm]

No mention of a Bat Machine action?
I think they make the best available actions on the market. With kelbly being second. Then terminus and defiance, although defiance really pissed everyone off with the price increase.

Bat has a new action called the Hammerhead that has a shorter bolt throw if thats your thing.

 

[kthomas]

No mention of a Bat Machine action?
I think they make the best available actions on the market. With kelbly being second. Then terminus and defiance, although defiance really pissed everyone off with the price increase.

Bat has a new action called the Hammerhead that has a shorter bolt throw if thats your thing.

The BAT igniter looks interesting. And I've always wanted to try their Model TR.

 

[7mm]

The BAT igniter looks interesting.

Yup igniter is a great action. I just prefer integral rails.

 

[Hennig]

Out of all my custom actions I’d recommend (that are currently easy

3lug - CDG, Zeus in second
2lug - Fuzion, Mausingfield

Actions I wasn’t impressed by - Impact 737

 

[Mars87]

No love for the Mack Bros Evo?

 

[kthomas]

No mention of a Bat Machine action?
I think they make the best available actions on the market. With kelbly being second. Then terminus and defiance, although defiance really pissed everyone off with the price increase.

Bat has a new action called the Hammerhead that has a shorter bolt throw if thats your thing.

Just looked up the Hammerhead - that looks like a real intriguing option going forward, once its released.

 

[Secant]

Integrated lug, integrated rail, ‘on the shelf’ availability of shouldered prefits, and stock/chassis compatibility are the most important “features” for me. Lone Peak Fuzion would be my choice if buying today. Maybe a Terminus Zeus if there was one stocked, but I wouldn’t preorder, and I’m biased to have had good experiences with Lone Peaks.

Impacts are very popular, and I’m on the edge of grabbing one, but I prefer not to have trigger hangers. I have a Ruckus that’s been good, but I wouldn’t buy post Defiance buy-out. I’m sure Kelbly, Bat, etc are good, but I want to be able to hop on the internets and buy a prefit from whoever I want.

Depending on what features you want, there’s likely at least a couple actions to chose from that will be good.

 

[DubfromGA]

I'm a month into the wait for a Coup De Grâce, 6GT barrel & AW mags.

Xylo chassis is here, scope is arriving today. Dies, brass, bullets, powder & gauges are here, too,.

Probably going to use A.R.C. for mount, too.