rifle action opinion request

Joe Portale · August 18, 1999, 10:29 PM

Howdey all,

As I mentioned in a past post, I am planning on building a rifle for myself. After some research I can't seem to decide on what action to choose. I have looked at the venerable Remington 7000, Rugers and some others. I was hoping that some of the more experienced folks could offer their opinion.
Thanks in advance

------------------
Joe Portale
Sonoran Sidewinder
Tucson, Arizona territory

Art Eatman · August 19, 1999, 08:45 PM

I've sorta got my stinger out against Rugers. I bought a 77 in .223, and it had the tort-liability unadjustable trigger. Had to then buy a Timney. Humph.

You didn't say what use, what cartridge. If it's a cartridge requiring a long action, the Mark 10 used to be a good Mauser-type action, and relatively inexpensive.

No knock on the Rem 700, but the Sako is another to check out. As I've said before, most of my stuff is too old to use as a comparison. Today's machinery is better, more accurate and more precise; but there is less completion in the final finish and polish...

Are you after particularly light weight, such as a mountain rifle? Or more for fun-type bench-rest?

I guess a primary criterion for the action in a "labor of love" is stiffness. Next, the quality of whatever trigger you use. If after-market, I'm impressed with my Canjar. It's like breaking a glass rod; I can bounce the butt pad on the floor and its 2-lb pull still won't go off. The Timney I put on my Ruger still could use some very-fine stoning.

Oh, well. Give us a few more clues about your expected uses, cartridge, etc.

FWIW, Art

Joe Portale · August 21, 1999, 06:17 PM

Art,

Thanks for the response. I was planning on using a 30.06 or .308 cartridge in this hmebuilt. I building the rifle around a Remington 700 stock that I am carving myself.
Primarily the rifle will be used for bench rest shooting. I haven't given much thought to changing out the trigger. I have looked at Sako works and am still undecided. A buddy said that Mauser actions are fairly inexpensive. I translate that to mean I'll be spend a lot of time with the dremel and stones. I would like a action that will not need a great deal of work out of the box.

------------------
Joe Portale
Sonoran Sidewinder
Tucson, Arizona territory

Art Eatman · August 22, 1999, 07:52 PM

Folks here on TFL have commented that the .308 makes a better target rifle than the .30-'06. I've never worried over a .308, so I dunno.

The .308 would take a short action, which would be a tad stiffer. It is generally more efficient with a shorter barrel than would be best for an '06. So, you could get a heavy or heavy-fluted barrel of around 20" or 22"; again, stiffer than a 26" tube.

Before spending any money, why not hunt some back issues of the magazine catering to BR shooters? (Dunno the exact name.) Contact some of their folks? Maybe they have a web site?

FWIW, Art

Art Eatman · August 22, 1999, 08:25 PM

Hey, Joe: Got off my lazy duff and searched. Try http://www.benchrest.com and browse around. I particularly like the Blackstar site...Hall actions are a bit pricier than I need...

Later, Art

Joe Portale · August 22, 1999, 09:22 PM

Thanks for all the info Art! I have a real nice piece of mesquite that I've been drying for a couple of years to make the stock from.
I'm ready to go, I just need to decide what action to get. Decisions, decisions.

------------------
Joe Portale
Sonoran Sidewinder
Tucson, Arizona territory

zot · August 23, 1999, 12:21 AM

Mauser 98 is a simple switch to a heavy barreled 30/06, and only a magnum cartrige
could beat it,.308s in Mauser 98s never seem to feed well for me, you can get CZ actions
in excellent shape for under a $100, or Bruno
or Waffen SS, get one dated pre-war their
metal is stronger than a 43 to 1945.the actions are stronger than most rifles made today, I beleive this. and you can detail
Mausers into works of art and still stay under the cost of a Remington 700 with bells and whistles. I LIKE Mausers, seen one I liked that was synthetic stock, heavy barrel
and the all metal was a smooth parkerized
black.

HankL · August 25, 1999, 09:58 PM

Joe, You still haven't looked into the Sako?
It will work,it will save you time, and it will most likely save you money!
IMHO Hank

Big Bunny · August 26, 1999, 12:30 AM

Joe the trouble with building a rifle is that it becomes too complicated for some who add on bits ad $$ infinitum.
The only one I did was a synthetic stocked M96 Swedish 6.5x55 mauser,Leupold 3/9 scope,take off old wood, degrease clean for 4 hours, then $$... recrowned/shortened the barrel, Timney trigger, floated barrel. Ready! But it still cost half the cost of a newie....Im really happy with it, but I will never do it again.(But have a go if you really must.)

------------------
***Big Bunny***

Joe Portale · August 26, 1999, 09:22 AM

HankL, I have been doing some research on the Sako's and they do look pretty good. The Sako listed (only one) in the Brownell's catalogue is a bit pricey for this project. A friend of mine is making arrangements for me to sit down with a rifle maker that he knows for a chat. That should prove interesting.

Big Bunny, I am carving my own stock. That's how all this started. I agree that this type of a thing can get out of control if one doesn't know when to stop. I'm trying to keep this simply since it will be my first rifle. Thanks for the advice.

------------------
Joe Portale
Sonoran Sidewinder
Tucson, Arizona territory

HankL · August 26, 1999, 10:39 PM

Joe, You are doing your work now. Have fun and enjoy the final product! Shaving every sliver of wood from that stock is always a challenge and a great accomplishment!
Best to you and all others who work in wood!
Hank

August 18, 1999, 10:29 PM	#1
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Howdey all, As I mentioned in a past post, I am planning on building a rifle for myself. After some research I can't seem to decide on what action to choose. I have looked at the venerable Remington 7000, Rugers and some others. I was hoping that some of the more experienced folks could offer their opinion. Thanks in advance ------------------ Joe Portale Sonoran Sidewinder Tucson, Arizona territory

August 19, 1999, 08:45 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I've sorta got my stinger out against Rugers. I bought a 77 in .223, and it had the tort-liability unadjustable trigger. Had to then buy a Timney. Humph. You didn't say what use, what cartridge. If it's a cartridge requiring a long action, the Mark 10 used to be a good Mauser-type action, and relatively inexpensive. No knock on the Rem 700, but the Sako is another to check out. As I've said before, most of my stuff is too old to use as a comparison. Today's machinery is better, more accurate and more precise; but there is less completion in the final finish and polish... Are you after particularly light weight, such as a mountain rifle? Or more for fun-type bench-rest? I guess a primary criterion for the action in a "labor of love" is stiffness. Next, the quality of whatever trigger you use. If after-market, I'm impressed with my Canjar. It's like breaking a glass rod; I can bounce the butt pad on the floor and its 2-lb pull still won't go off. The Timney I put on my Ruger still could use some very-fine stoning. Oh, well. Give us a few more clues about your expected uses, cartridge, etc. FWIW, Art

August 21, 1999, 06:17 PM	#3
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Art, Thanks for the response. I was planning on using a 30.06 or .308 cartridge in this hmebuilt. I building the rifle around a Remington 700 stock that I am carving myself. Primarily the rifle will be used for bench rest shooting. I haven't given much thought to changing out the trigger. I have looked at Sako works and am still undecided. A buddy said that Mauser actions are fairly inexpensive. I translate that to mean I'll be spend a lot of time with the dremel and stones. I would like a action that will not need a great deal of work out of the box. ------------------ Joe Portale Sonoran Sidewinder Tucson, Arizona territory

August 22, 1999, 07:52 PM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Folks here on TFL have commented that the .308 makes a better target rifle than the .30-'06. I've never worried over a .308, so I dunno. The .308 would take a short action, which would be a tad stiffer. It is generally more efficient with a shorter barrel than would be best for an '06. So, you could get a heavy or heavy-fluted barrel of around 20" or 22"; again, stiffer than a 26" tube. Before spending any money, why not hunt some back issues of the magazine catering to BR shooters? (Dunno the exact name.) Contact some of their folks? Maybe they have a web site? FWIW, Art

August 22, 1999, 08:25 PM	#5
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Hey, Joe: Got off my lazy duff and searched. Try http://www.benchrest.com and browse around. I particularly like the Blackstar site...Hall actions are a bit pricier than I need... Later, Art

August 22, 1999, 09:22 PM	#6
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Thanks for all the info Art! I have a real nice piece of mesquite that I've been drying for a couple of years to make the stock from. I'm ready to go, I just need to decide what action to get. Decisions, decisions. ------------------ Joe Portale Sonoran Sidewinder Tucson, Arizona territory

August 23, 1999, 12:21 AM	#7
zot Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 1999 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 566	Mauser 98 is a simple switch to a heavy barreled 30/06, and only a magnum cartrige could beat it,.308s in Mauser 98s never seem to feed well for me, you can get CZ actions in excellent shape for under a $100, or Bruno or Waffen SS, get one dated pre-war their metal is stronger than a 43 to 1945.the actions are stronger than most rifles made today, I beleive this. and you can detail Mausers into works of art and still stay under the cost of a Remington 700 with bells and whistles. I LIKE Mausers, seen one I liked that was synthetic stock, heavy barrel and the all metal was a smooth parkerized black.

August 25, 1999, 09:58 PM	#8
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Joe, You still haven't looked into the Sako? It will work,it will save you time, and it will most likely save you money! IMHO Hank

August 26, 1999, 12:30 AM	#9
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Joe the trouble with building a rifle is that it becomes too complicated for some who add on bits ad $$ infinitum. The only one I did was a synthetic stocked M96 Swedish 6.5x55 mauser,Leupold 3/9 scope,take off old wood, degrease clean for 4 hours, then $$... recrowned/shortened the barrel, Timney trigger, floated barrel. Ready! But it still cost half the cost of a newie....Im really happy with it, but I will never do it again.(But have a go if you really must.) ------------------ *Big Bunny*

August 26, 1999, 09:22 AM	#10
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	HankL, I have been doing some research on the Sako's and they do look pretty good. The Sako listed (only one) in the Brownell's catalogue is a bit pricey for this project. A friend of mine is making arrangements for me to sit down with a rifle maker that he knows for a chat. That should prove interesting. Big Bunny, I am carving my own stock. That's how all this started. I agree that this type of a thing can get out of control if one doesn't know when to stop. I'm trying to keep this simply since it will be my first rifle. Thanks for the advice. ------------------ Joe Portale Sonoran Sidewinder Tucson, Arizona territory

August 26, 1999, 10:39 PM	#11
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Joe, You are doing your work now. Have fun and enjoy the final product! Shaving every sliver of wood from that stock is always a challenge and a great accomplishment! Best to you and all others who work in wood! Hank