Blue printing actions

Toddco · February 25, 2010, 04:19 PM

Looking for thoughts on blue printing. I have a new .243 and it is a good shooter. I would like any input or experience on how much more accuracy may be obtained from truing the action to the bore, etc.

Thanks much,

Toddco

Scorch · February 25, 2010, 04:26 PM

More info needed.

What kind of action?

How far do you want to go? Simply true up the bolt face/lugs, or full blueprint?

How much are you willing to invest?

There are a few true machinists/rifle specialists on this forum, longriflesinc comes to mind right off the bat. Pnce you provide more info, they will probably contribute to the conversation.

LongRifles, Inc. · February 25, 2010, 08:52 PM

If I may. . .

www.longriflesinc.com

click on "process" at the top.

Now to answer your question. If you spend a zillion dollars tuning up a remington and hang a junk barrel of the end of it you'll have a gun that is minute of backstop instead of minute of mountain behind the backstop.

If you do all that and have a barrel fitted from a quality manufacturer by someone who understands accurate rifle building expect the gun to shoot inside of your abilities.

It's all relative but it all starts with a GREAT BARREL. I cannot stress that enough.

As someone who's been building scratch built high end custom rifles for the last 13 years I feel qualified saying that. It's not conjecture or speculation, it's experience.

Hope this helped.

Chad

**Unclenick** · February 26, 2010, 06:41 PM

If you have a good shooter and are satisfied with that, don't mess with success. If you are trying to make an improvement using the same bedding and the same barrel or using a soft floppy thermoset plastic stock, then there is only some chance you will see an improvement. Blueprinting is one of those things like case preparation that has to be done for peak accuracy, but whose benefits can be lost in the noise of common problems in the other areas I mentioned.

zoomie · February 26, 2010, 06:58 PM

This might be a little off-topic, but I think it's at least tangential to the original post...

LongRifles, Inc: If a customer called you for a project and they wanted you to put a [insert high end maker here] barrel on their un-blueprinted Remington 700 action and then bed it in a McMillan stock, would you? Or would you insist they blueprint along with that work? Is the truing a cornerstone to the project or an optional bonus?

LongRifles, Inc. · February 28, 2010, 12:21 AM

This is an easy question for me to answer. As a practice I don't do "piece work" at my shop. I much prefer to have total control over a build rather than "do this but not that."

The reason is when it leaves the shop I want to know its going to perform to expectation. I take a very personal interest in the rifles I build. It would be difficult for me to just stick a barrel on a receiver and then send it out the door. It may shoot great, but it'd bug me because it probably wouldn't be exceptional.

My intent when I wrote in this thread was to simply state that if a guy is on a fixed budget, spend the money on the best barrel you can afford before you go spending "oodles" on action work. You'll be much further ahead.

Thanks.

Chad

February 25, 2010, 04:19 PM	#1
Toddco Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2009 Location: Stony Plain, Alberta Posts: 108	Blue printing actions Looking for thoughts on blue printing. I have a new .243 and it is a good shooter. I would like any input or experience on how much more accuracy may be obtained from truing the action to the bore, etc. Thanks much, Toddco

February 25, 2010, 04:26 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	More info needed. What kind of action? How far do you want to go? Simply true up the bolt face/lugs, or full blueprint? How much are you willing to invest? There are a few true machinists/rifle specialists on this forum, longriflesinc comes to mind right off the bat. Pnce you provide more info, they will probably contribute to the conversation. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 25, 2010, 08:52 PM	#3
LongRifles, Inc. Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Black Hills of S. Dakota Posts: 195	If I may. . . www.longriflesinc.com click on "process" at the top. Now to answer your question. If you spend a zillion dollars tuning up a remington and hang a junk barrel of the end of it you'll have a gun that is minute of backstop instead of minute of mountain behind the backstop. If you do all that and have a barrel fitted from a quality manufacturer by someone who understands accurate rifle building expect the gun to shoot inside of your abilities. It's all relative but it all starts with a GREAT BARREL. I cannot stress that enough. As someone who's been building scratch built high end custom rifles for the last 13 years I feel qualified saying that. It's not conjecture or speculation, it's experience. Hope this helped. Chad __________________ LongRifles, Inc. "More than a business, This is a lifestyle." www.longriflesinc.com

February 26, 2010, 06:41 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	If you have a good shooter and are satisfied with that, don't mess with success. If you are trying to make an improvement using the same bedding and the same barrel or using a soft floppy thermoset plastic stock, then there is only some chance you will see an improvement. Blueprinting is one of those things like case preparation that has to be done for peak accuracy, but whose benefits can be lost in the noise of common problems in the other areas I mentioned. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

February 28, 2010, 12:21 AM	#6
LongRifles, Inc. Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Black Hills of S. Dakota Posts: 195	This is an easy question for me to answer. As a practice I don't do "piece work" at my shop. I much prefer to have total control over a build rather than "do this but not that." The reason is when it leaves the shop I want to know its going to perform to expectation. I take a very personal interest in the rifles I build. It would be difficult for me to just stick a barrel on a receiver and then send it out the door. It may shoot great, but it'd bug me because it probably wouldn't be exceptional. My intent when I wrote in this thread was to simply state that if a guy is on a fixed budget, spend the money on the best barrel you can afford before you go spending "oodles" on action work. You'll be much further ahead. Thanks. Chad __________________ LongRifles, Inc. "More than a business, This is a lifestyle." www.longriflesinc.com

February 26, 2010, 06:58 PM	#5
zoomie Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: GA Posts: 1,864	This might be a little off-topic, but I think it's at least tangential to the original post... LongRifles, Inc: If a customer called you for a project and they wanted you to put a [insert high end maker here] barrel on their un-blueprinted Remington 700 action and then bed it in a McMillan stock, would you? Or would you insist they blueprint along with that work? Is the truing a cornerstone to the project or an optional bonus?