BLUEPRINTED 700 vs. CUSTOM ACTION

[mtp29464]

I have decided to build a new deer rifle. I'm not going to use this rifle for competitions, just for hunting. Are the custom actions worth the extra expense compared to a Remington 700 that has been trued by a good gunsmith? Everything else being equal, trigger, barrel, and stock. The only real difference I see is the bolt release, and possibly the extractor.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[jimbires]

have you seen these ? I know the guy has a thread on this forum too , but I have this thread saved . I'm thinking on one of these for a hunting build . I just can't see how you could buy and true a 700 action for this price .

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/classic-hunter-receivers-by-tl.3940082/#post-37108504

 

[martinakl]

A blueprinted Remington is perfect for a hunting rifle and can be more than accurate enough for hunting applications.

I like to buy/sell/trade and I learned real quick, any money saved on Remington vs custom will be more than lost in resale. If you keep rifles forever, not really a concern. If you have a donor action, it may make sense.

 

[jimbires]

how much does a rem action cost ? $400 how much to true it up ? the action I linked to is $500 , but you need to buy a trigger .

 

[martinakl]

$400 should get you an action. $100-$300 for blueprint (wide range of prices/quality). There's other extras like bolt fluting, handle threading, etc. that add up and really get you close to custom price range.

If I wanted a budget friendly rifle build. I'd start off with a Remington 700 long Range. Keep everything but the barrel and screw a new barrel on. On sale, they can be as low as $600-$650. Sportsmans Warehouse has a SS model, that runs a little more. Hard to buy an action, stock, and bottom metal for that price but could be done watching the classifieds.

Limited to long action calibers but there at least these models available:
1) standard bolt face (25-06, 30-06)
2) magnum bolt face (7mm mag/300 win),
3) magnum bolt face/ultra mag feed lips (300 RUM)

 

[MudRunner2005]

have you seen these ? I know the guy has a thread on this forum too , but I have this thread saved . I'm thinking on one of these for a hunting build . I just can't see how you could buy and true a 700 action for this price .

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/classic-hunter-receivers-by-tl.3940082/#post-37108504

I can buy and blueprint a 700 action for less than that. I buy used cheap 700 ADL rifles for $300-350 for donor guns. And my smith only charges me $250 to blueprint, fit and chamber a barrel, re-crown, tune the trigger (I normally do this myself), DevCon bed the action, and float the barrel. And if I'm using a factory barrel, he hand-laps it for me and cuts a recessed target crown included in the same price. Everything is single-point lathe cut, and it's very high-quality work.

I know this is not the case for everybody, and not everybody has a local smith that has great prices and exceptional turn-around time, so, I do realize that for some folks the $600 action would be the better way to go.

However, you have to know, that just because it's a custom action doesn't mean that it's not in need of a check to make sure it needs squaring up. And I would highly encourage everyone who buys a custom action have their smith check the action for squareness just to verify it doesn't still need some work before proceeding with the build.

This is also a good option, and the prices are cheaper if you get in on a group buy. They advertise them on here from time to time...

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/ptg-...extreme_fp_assy_and_knob_color-black_anodized

Another good option for a custom action is the Curtis Axiom...

http://www.curtiscustom.com/product/axiom-4/

 

[FEENIX]

I have decided to build a new deer rifle. I'm not going to use this rifle for competitions, just for hunting. Are the custom actions worth the extra expense compared to a Remington 700 that has been trued by a good gunsmith? Everything else being equal, trigger, barrel, and stock. The only real difference I see is the bolt release, and possibly the extractor.

Thanks for your comments.

I had a similar scenario two years ago and went with a custom action. To me it was worth it.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have 5 fully customized rifles using R700 trued actions. All are .3 MOA or better rifles. All were donor actions from previously owned rifles. Only 1 was bought at a pawn shop specifically for a build. Paid $250 for a beat up BDL LA that I used the action and bottom metal from. Sold the stock and trigger for $50.

If I was looking to buy a new action, I would probably go custom over a new R700 and true it. But a cheap used R700 would be a consideration.

 

[wilkup]

I can buy and blueprint a 700 action for less than that. I buy used cheap 700 ADL rifles for $300-350 for donor guns. And my smith only charges me $250 to blueprint, fit and chamber a barrel, re-crown, tune the trigger (I normally do this myself), DevCon bed the action, and float the barrel. And if I'm using a factory barrel, he hand-laps it for me and cuts a recessed target crown included in the same price. Everything is single-point lathe cut, and it's very high-quality work.

I know this is not the case for everybody, and not everybody has a local smith that has great prices and exceptional turn-around time, so, I do realize that for some folks the $600 action would be the better way to go.

However, you have to know, that just because it's a custom action doesn't mean that it's not in need of a check to make sure it needs squaring up. And I would highly encourage everyone who buys a custom action have their smith check the action for squareness just to verify it doesn't still need some work before proceeding with the build.

This is also a good option, and the prices are cheaper if you get in on a group buy. They advertise them on here from time to time...

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/ptg-...extreme_fp_assy_and_knob_color-black_anodized

Another good option for a custom action is the Curtis Axiom...

http://www.curtiscustom.com/product/axiom-4/

I've got a guy that puts together rifles like you mentioned but will also flute my barrel and thread for a brake too.
Ordered a blueprinted PTG action with their oversized fluted bolt. Jury's out, but I'm crossing my fingers.
I had been holding out for a Curtis Axiom SA with mag bolt face for over a year and finally caved cuz I need a new rifle now.
OP - if you're gonna keep it, doesn't matter. If you wanna resell at some point, custom will bring more money. Good luck and enjoy. I'll let you know on the PTG if you want.

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[Garycrow]

I've got a few built on blueprinted M700's and several customs. Any more I'll just buy a custom. Blueprinting means many different things to different people, but to really blueprint a remington M700 and bring it up to the standards of a good custom it'll cost more than just buying the custom in the first place. What passes for blueprinting for a lot of gunsmiths is squaring the face of the action and lapping the lugs. Real blueprinting means cutting the receiver threads oversized, squaring the bolt face and lugs, bushing the firing pin hole, plus a host of other things too numerous to mention.
I don't use remington triggers so the trigger included with a M700 action is worthless to me.

 

[4xforfun]

PT&G was selling New blueprinted and trued Rem 700 SA's with trigger for like $375.00 last summer. All that it needed was to have the bolt bushed for our application, and I am thinking that it may even be an option there, also.

Tod

 

[Alex Wheeler]

What kind of accuracy will satisfy you? A remington can be made to shoot with a custom. In a real hunting rifle you wont be able to shoot the difference. More than likely an un trued 700 will shoot better than most are capable of. I have barreled up some really bad actions that still shot a solid .75 moa. If your looking for better accuracy I do recommend going through the action. The trued actions from PTG are pretty good, at least the few I have worked with were. One thing for sure, you will never regret buying a good custom action.

 

[FEENIX]

One thing for sure, you will never regret buying a good custom action.

YEP!