Custom Actions

Hi

I am looking to build a custom rifle and wanted some advise on custom actions. I am looking at the Difiance rebel, deviant tactical or kelbys Atlas tactical. The kelbys Atlas tactical seems to be the most value for money. The aim is to use the rifle for tactical type competition and occasional hunting. Really need an action that is accurate and reliable in the field.

Mo

It's difficult to use the term 'accurate' with regard to actions since it is the total system which which yields accuracy. However, a poorly designed and manufactured action is not useful when building an accurate rifle.

We benefit greatly from the increased number of excellent actions available to us here in the U.S. Which included some imports as well. This makes it difficult to select just one action to be at the top of the list when there are several which are top rated by the folks who use them, both gunsmiths and shooters. Here is the survey from the PRS website. This survey was published in April of 2017:



I've built off of hundreds of Defiance actions, both the Deviant and the Rebel. I prefer the actions with an integrated recoil lug as opposed to the pinned lugs. This eliminates two surfaces you have to clean up to be perfectly parallel for the accuracy to be the best.

There is nothing wrong with any of the other top rated actions so the Atlas will work fine with the exception of the lug in my opinion. Impact Precision is the new project from Wade Stuteville who made his name at Surgeon before it was sold. I've worked with all of the actions above plus several others which can be included as well. Use a good gunsmith who understands quality and accuracy, select one of the best barrels of which there are several, buy a stock that fits you perfectly, especially considering the number of positions and contortions you need to expect in tactical matches. The best adjustable or chassis may be the answer. I shoot both.

Enjoy your project!

sable tireur said:

It's difficult to use the term 'accurate' with regard to actions since it is the total system which which yields accuracy. However, a poorly designed and manufactured action is not useful when building an accurate rifle.

We benefit greatly from the increased number of excellent actions available to us here in the U.S. Which included some imports as well. This makes it difficult to select just one action to be at the top of the list when there are several which are top rated by the folks who use them, both gunsmiths and shooters. Here is the survey from the PRS website. This survey was published in April of 2017:

View attachment 93905

I've built off of hundreds of Defiance actions, both the Deviant and the Rebel. I prefer the actions with an integrated recoil lug as opposed to the pinned lugs. This eliminates two surfaces you have to clean up to be perfectly parallel for the accuracy to be the best.

There is nothing wrong with any of the other top rated actions so the Atlas will work fine with the exception of the lug in my opinion. Impact Precision is the new project from Wade Stuteville who made his name at Surgeon before it was sold. I've worked with all of the actions above plus several others which can be included as well. Use a good gunsmith who understands quality and accuracy, select one of the best barrels of which there are several, buy a stock that fits you perfectly, especially considering the number of positions and contortions you need to expect in tactical matches. The best adjustable or chassis may be the answer. I shoot both.

Enjoy your project!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. We have some decent gunsmiths in South Africa hopefully they will be able to do justice the action. I plan on running a Bartlein barrel and possibly a KRG or MDT Chassis.

Ive heard that the integrated recoil lug is better but also read that if you not intending to do quick barrel changes than possibly not worth the extra cash. Is this true?

The Kelby's is a two part bolt. It's silver soldered together. I would buy one that is all made from one piece? Murphy's law says it will come apart when you need it most..
Most makers state if it's one piece.. if they don't it isn't...
Check this one out I like it..
http://www.lonepeakarms.com/fuzion/

mosh338 said:

Thanks for the response. We have some decent gunsmiths in South Africa hopefully they will be able to do justice the action. I plan on running a Bartlein barrel and possibly a KRG or MDT Chassis.

Ive heard that the integrated recoil lug is better but also read that if you not intending to do quick barrel changes than possibly not worth the extra cash. Is this true?

Click to expand...

That's one of the limited view points. I and others who build contend that the integral lug takes two surfaces out of the accuracy equation. This eliminates the potential for two additional surfaces to be ever so slight out of true or parallel to the action face and barrel shoulder/perpendicularity to the bore line by not having the washer-type lug to deal with.

I've used both the MDT and the KRG chassis with great success. Don't give up on having the lug bedded though...

Enjoy the process!

ADDED:

Murphy's law says it will come apart when you need it most..

Click to expand...

How many two-piece have you personally seen come apart?

I've been doing this for a lot of years and only seen one and it was under severely questionable circumstances.

Regards.

sable tireur said:

That's one of the limited view points. I and others who build contend that the integral lug takes two surfaces out of the accuracy equation. This eliminates the potential for two additional surfaces to be ever so slight out of true or parallel to the action face and barrel shoulder/perpendicularity to the bore line by not having the washer-type lug to deal with.

I've used both the MDT and the KRG chassis with great success. Don't give up on having the lug bedded though...

Enjoy the process!

ADDED:



How many two-piece have you personally seen come apart?

I've been doing this for a lot of years and only seen one and it was under severely questionable circumstances.

Regards.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the the info! Think I may consider the Deviant tactical. Looks like a great action. I have found one but it has a 0 MOA rail. Might have to consider getting special rings to give me the cant.

just had a .280 AI built on a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter. I found a donor in .270 Win and had the barrel pulled and a 24" 1-9 twist Shilen match standard contour barrel put on. My gunsmith worked his magic on the trigger and glass and pillar bedded the stock and floated the barrel. I put a 4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle on it. I am tickled how this thing turned out. The price I put in it is within your range. Minus the optics of course.

huntaxhunta said:

just had a .280 AI built on a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter. I found a donor in .270 Win and had the barrel pulled and a 24" 1-9 twist Shilen match standard contour barrel put on. My gunsmith worked his magic on the trigger and glass and pillar bedded the stock and floated the barrel. I put a 4.5-14x40mm Leupold with the B&C reticle on it. I am tickled how this thing turned out. The price I put in it is within your range. Minus the optics of course.

Click to expand...

I am also building a 280AI hunting rifle at the moment but used my old remington 700 action. I stripped my old 300 wm and put a Bartlein light varmint barrel on it. Still waiting for it to be completed though. My new build though will be more for competitive shooting.

don't forget to look at the Curtis axiom

defiance deviant gets my vote. I just built a 28 nosler on one and it is by far my favorite action. All my future builds will be on a defiance.

I would take a look at the Bighorn Actions also. If using strictly aics based mags, their origin action looks to be a pretty good value.

I presently have 3 rifles built using Defiance Deviants ( .223, 6x47, and a 6.5saum) and a 4th rifle being built on a Defiance Ultra Lite (another 6.5saum with lite weight barrel for a pack hunt rifle) . With the integrated recoil lug and the scope rails being integrated too makes for a solid action. I find them to be very slick actions.

fisherman983 said:

don't forget to look at the Curtis axiom

Click to expand...

This is one that has many improvements over many other actions and will be my next custom action because of these design improvements.
There is nothing i can find that I don't like about it.

I would give this action a hard look before making a decision.

J E CUSTOM

I think Curtis missed the boat a bit on the extractor. IMO it should have been down lower, and they have room due to the three lug design, to better clear big scopes.The ejection port is huge so there is no potential issue with hitting the bottom. It would have also put it closer to directly across from the ejector.