Best titanium action

[.300 RUM Guy]

Plus one for Pierce action.

Just received my long action a week ago. Well machined, great fit & finish.
Cycles smooth, nicely ceracoated. I have the New lightened Titanium version. It is very light. 16 ounces. Has 4- 8-40 threaded scope mount locations as well as 2 pinned locations for the mounts as well as a pinned Ti recoil lug. Mine has the "New" nicely fluted Titanium bolt, one of the first. Also added their new mid sized teardrop alum.bolt knob, on the swept back ti handle. It will be used on my current 7mm build.

Dealt with Jim Nordhof at Pierce. Very nice & informative person. Answered all my questions, by phone & by email. Great buying experience. Quality product, & customer service.
Already saving up for another one.

Are you able to post a photo? I'm seriously considering a Ti action and bolt from these guys and I'd like to see your "swept back" bolt handle and alloy teardrop knob, as, IMO the bolt handle is mighty ugly, yours sounds good though! I'd love to see a photo if I could, thanks.

 

[.300 RUM Guy]

Nothing different to the gunsmith. It only wears from use from the user. It takes awhile and for the average hunter they should last for generations. Then there are the guys that shoots hundreds of rounds a year or are constantly changing scopes or taking them out of the stock. The threads are not as tough as regular actions. Those are the guys that would be better served with a chromoly or stainless action.

Have you had first hand experience with this? I'm by no means a 'volume' hunter, I might be a 10 - 20 rounds a year man, however, would like the lightness of a Ti action and bolt for hill/mountain work. They're one heck of a lot of money... would they suit what I'm after, or do you think I'm gonna wish I'd never seen one?

 

[Litehiker]

Does anyone make a titanium action with 3 bolt lugs?
I've been to the Pierce site and there is no mention or the number of bolt lugs.

Eric B.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Pierce Engineering, Lansing, MIchigan. Wire EDM titanium 700 action. Best there is but be prepared to wait. Pierce is always busy,

 

[SidecarFlip]

Does anyone make a titanium action with 3 bolt lugs?
I've been to the Pierce site and there is no mention or the number of bolt lugs.

Eric B.

Call them, they will build to your specifications.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Sorry about the double post, I don't frequent this site much. BTW, Pierce builds their actions for all the major custom players including Red Rock among others.

 

[J E Custom]

I am a big fan of Titanium, But in my opinion it is not the best material for receivers. It has its place and does save some weight (4 to 6 Oz compared to CM or SS)In some competitions it is almost a must, but there are other ways to save weight without sacrificing anything.

I own a Titanium revolver that I realy like and it is All Titanium except the barrel liner and a few internal parts. It is extremely light weight but if I need any parts, I am out of luck because no one is hardly making Titanium firearms. I am sure that the cost of manufacture is part of that, but it does not lend it's self to heavy use durability.

I nether recommend or reject it's use Because of other issues that are easily solved by using conventional materials, so everyone should own one and decide for themselves.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[lancetkenyon]

I do not know of a 3 lug TI action. But here would be my choice for which to build off of:
1. Lone Peak Fuzion TI or Razor TI (I have one Fuzion TI in hand, 1 in production, but shot many others)
2. Mesa Precision Crux
3. Pierce (I have shot 3,and all seemed to get sticky bolt lift with moderate loads) TI on TI I think is the culprit.
4. R700 TI

 

[Litehiker]

"Ti on ti I think is the culprit." (of sticky bolt lift).
Well if you look at a Browning A-Bolt or X-Bolt stainless steel receiver the bolt heads are not stainless, (stainless galls against stainless) but instead a chrome moly steel. Most of the stainless receivers are built like that for the same reason. I think Ti has the same tendency for galling against itself.

But a sheep hunter's dream rifle may be the following:
1. titanium receiver and bolt
2. carbon fiber wrapped barrel
3. carbon fiber wrapped stock
4. aluminum scope rings

And big full curl+ sheep to shoot at!

Eric B.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'm with JE Custom. I have a Titanium receivered Savage (yes Pierce build them any way you want them) so long as you have the money, but, the weight savings is tiny compared to the cost. I did it do ti but I won't again. BTW John Pierce is an F lass Grand Master. Very interesting fellow to talk to and I like their shop atmosphere too. You walk in right into the machinery, no front office, no receptionist, nothing. I went with Pierce because they are close to me (100 miles so I do my thing in person).

While John shoots F Class and builds actions for many builders, his real bread and butter is race engines. Always a bunch of in build big blocks sitting around and at least one in the dyno room.

My Savage is under 7.5 ponds scoped with 4 in the belly. Wears a Bartlien No. 2 contour barrel, Swarovski scope. titanium action and bolt and a Manners custom built carbon Fiber stock, hydrocoated by Pacific Hydro in Kuiu. I built it about 10 years ago and back then it was north of 4 grand but, you get what you pay for like anything else.

If you ever decide to deal with Pierce on an action or complete build, expect to wait. I waited almost a year for mine. John and crew don't hurry anything.

 

[tm7554]

Does anyone make a titanium action with 3 bolt lugs?
I've been to the Pierce site and there is no mention or the number of bolt lugs.

Eric B.

Yes Fierce Arms

 

[Litehiker]

Thanks TM. I'll look into it.

 

[MPHREI]

"Ti on ti I think is the culprit." (of sticky bolt lift).
Well if you look at a Browning A-Bolt or X-Bolt stainless steel receiver the bolt heads are not stainless, (stainless galls against stainless) but instead a chrome moly steel. Most of the stainless receivers are built like that for the same reason. I think Ti has the same tendency for galling against itself.

But a sheep hunter's dream rifle may be the following:
1. titanium receiver and bolt
2. carbon fiber wrapped barrel
3. carbon fiber wrapped stock
4. aluminum scope rings

And big full curl+ sheep to shoot at!

Eric B.

I'm loving this thread guys, I've got a mad scientist dream cooking in my head, if I can ever afford it...

There are some finishes that can be used to help prevent galling. Tiodize (anodizing on ti), DLC etc. You can also make sure to use some dry lube, but you will get wear on ti if you shoot thousands of rounds; even Grade 5 6/4. I'd recommend you get familiar with the different ti alloys if you go that route so you know the benefits and limitations.

If y'all have a ti action watch any direct ti to aluminum interaction. They are far enough apart on the periodic table that if untreated can lead to some galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar metals. You should be OK with steel, but I'd coat anyway just to be on the safe side.

 

[Litehiker]

Well, I've decided to stay with the Browning X-Bolt Pro with its stainless action and barrel.
That this means is that I'm selling my current 6.5 CM X-Bolt Pro and buying one on 6.5 PRC for its longer range (I live in Nevada) and greater energy for cow elk or - at 300 yards or less - a bull elk.

Yes, it's a "semi-custom" rifle, having a fluted barrel, bolt and bolt handle, factory lapped barrel and CF stock but even so I have to wait until August to get one. None in-country as yet.
But, I do have a new scope on its way for this rifle - a Bushnell Elite LRTS 4.5 - 18 x 44 illuminated. At 28 oz. it's light enough to put on a mountain rifle like the Pro. I already have the 30 mm Talley rings in burnt bronze Cerakote so all I need is that rifle.

Eric B.