Schuerman Arms

[Dzaw]

Anyone ever heard of / have any experience with Schuerman Arms???

Their rifles look to be awful pricy for a "semi custom"

The action design intrigues me, but I have some major concerns. The goal of true CRF being integrated WITH a a bolt face that encloses the cartridge head is a neat thought, but the way they did the lugs looks scary to me. Almost a "flipper" type design that retracts when the bolt is turned. This is thir soloution to the full bolt body vs broached raceways debate.

It just doesn't look like these "flipper" lugs could be made to get good, consistant full bearing, and even if they did, the sheer fact that they move by design brings up concerns about their ability to keep the bolt face locked into position snugly and soundly enough to really maximize accuracy...

Any thoughts?

http://www.schuermanarms.com/page4.html

 

[winmagman]

Neat looking idea, but I think you're right about having concerns.

I think it would be tough to get consistent headspace with something like that, has to be a little play to allow the lugs to flip out and even a couple of thou. could compromise accuracy.

Could also make for a bad day if a little dirt or crud got in there and didn't allow one or two of the lugs to flip out. OUCH.

Just a couple of thoughts from looking at the pics, maybe they have all the bugs worked out and it could be the real deal, hard to say without playing with one.

Chris

 

[Black Diamond 408]

That design is not new, ive seen it before on some european military rifles. They may have improved on it though. I would like to see one up close. The locking lugs are set on a cam so they have to move, no springy thingys, lol. Lots of enginering went into this design. Three lug actions are stronger than two lugs, full bolt actions have the one draw back, they tend to be heavier than a raceway cut reciever. If a case ruptures in a 700 type receiver there can be gas blow back down the raceways, full bolt receivers dont have them so the gas has to go out through the blow holes. Wby would have a better action if they just would make the lugs solid, get rid of the 9 lug system, but its thier signature. These rifles look very nice, lots of detail.

Dave

 

[wildcat338]

I had a chance to handle a few of thier rifles at the 2005 SCI Convention in Reno. They were very nice rifles and the action was VERY smooth in the ones I tried. The locking lug design looked to be similar to the ones on my Sauer rifles the difference would be that the lugs on the Sauer's is located in the rear of the bolt the Sauer rifles I have are very accurate rifles and the action is glass smooth.

I do agree about the rifle being overpriced to me anyway and that was the only reason I didnt get one. Just my $.02!

 

[Dzaw]

Interesting...

Seems there is a precedent for both safety and accuracy....

Hmmmm.....

Very pricy, but an intriguing design. Weight can be controlled with the judicious use of titanium, but there again, they're already costly in the extreme...

Very interesting indeed.

 

[wildcat338]

Dzaw,

I totally agree with you on the price of this rifle
I just went to thier price page and had to pick my jaw off the ground when I saw the price. That is just a crazy price if you ask me $4200+ you could build a couple of full custom rifles for that price. Thats at least a $1,000 more than they were back in '05 I believe they were around $3,000-3,200 i'll try to find the brochure. It really is an interesting action though.

Aloha!

 

[älg]

Sauer has used a similar technique in some of their classic rifles- smooth bolt with some kind of retractable lugs.

very smooth-

 

[rcol317]

I'm responding to an old thread, was looking to try to find out about what happened to Schuerman Arms, it appears Dale went out of business, He's gone for all I can tell. Sad because I have one of his early rifles # 42. Bought it because I believed it is one of the strongest action I could find and wanted to push 300 RUM. Mine shoots 1/2 MOA out to 800 yards regularly with 180 gr and 210 gr VLD's and have taken many trophies past 500yds with it. I'm sure he didn't make $ because he made every part for the rifle but the barrel, I thought it was a true custom rifle. Maybe over engineered but an awesome smooth and strong action. Anyone know of an action available I'd love to buy one for a future build.