Exactly! I do not like to complicate things unnecessarily; that's why I responded as such ...
Custom actions, are they worth it?
- Thread starter adam32+P
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Tom264
Well-Known Member
Thanks Akmtnhnt .
I know this will not settle anything with regard to the OP's original question, but come on customs are so sexy. One of our well known and respected members posted these pics when I was contemplating a build. I'm glad I was compelled to order one.
Tom264
Well-Known Member
Yeah!
L
L! I had to do a double-take.
From my understanding yes you can put a pre-fit on a a tikka. Tikkas only come in one length, but bolt stops need to get changed for different lengths and bolts if going to a different shell head size. Preferred barrels might be a place to start
Bryan litz and jayden Quinlan have gone through this in podcasts if you want a better understanding.
I am pulling these numbers out of my memory if you want accurate info you will have to learn from people smarter than me.
With a 3rnd group there is 70% expected variability in group size from actual stable dispersion size.
10rnd group 35% variability
20rnd. 25%
30rnd. 15%
50rnd. 5%
If you really want to grind your gears on something buy or find someone that has ab wez hit rate calculator. I am willing to bet most guys on this forum would say to themselves "I spent how much time and money on rifles chasing group size to only increase my hit rate a very small percentage".
I try to get the rifle to go from Patterns to groups, then all shots touching, and finally to bullets laying on top of each other. I shoot three-shot groups because those 4th and 5th shots get the barrel super hot. Some of the factory barrels do not do well with a lot of copper in the barrel. Super hot barrels can walk, not to mention shooter fatigue on hard kickers.
Next is to cool the barrel and shoot three, three-shot groups in a row of what I think is a tuned load. This has to be followed up by several more trips to the range, different days, different wind conditions, and different temps to see if the "tune" holds, paying careful attention to the first cold bore shot.
There is a lot more to the system, but this is the simplified version that has stood the test of time for decades for me, there are a lot of ways to skin a cat. I think that you just have to have a system that gives you repetitive results and most of all, confidence in your ability. If you can test your "tuned" load at 500 yards, it is going to give you incredible confidence in being verified or send you back to the drawing board trying to figure out why that super accurate load fell apart.
Last edited:
Maybe a custom action is the way to go. Never given much thought about it. Life is short and minds even shorter being 75 and almost 76. To me is the setting up the action is truing it, Triggers, bedding, springs, lug, Stocks that fit you, personally. I get long action too, not short actions. I have just starting to having wildcats built for me.
In the middle of things, started to move my home that my family had been there about 120yrs.
Took down my reload table and equipment and moved them to Montana. Figuring on using my son place to reload at inside and area that was closed off. His wife figure out she wanted to move in and set and office. So that shut that down. Plenty of land at his places, So I design a shed that can be transported if need be. The building is about completed or will be dried in before I leave. So after a couple of months I'll get back, and finish the insides I'll be able to start reloading again finely.
Mike, we took one of these "portable" buildings, made reloading benches on each side, then put windows in the front to shoot out of with 1.5" plywood tops, 1.5" floor, added incredible insulation, heat, and AC. We shoot in all kinds of weather.
My non-trued 700s are in good stocks, and good glass shoots are incredible. When groups get 1/2", I am looking for the load to have lost its tune, throat wear, etc. I do have customs in 6 PPC, 6 BR, and a flock of BR variants with multiple barrels per action to compare. Replacement of the firing pin/spring and custom recoil lug is as far as I will go.
Alignment with the bore Axis/throat is where much of the accuracy starts and ends, and we proved this on a variety of different kinds of actions that were never trued.
If you have disposable income, buy a custom action for the joy and pride of ownership. I like the custom actions that have proven to be tried and true and whose owners have a well-known reputation for honesty and integrity, Borden, Stolle, and Bat are my personal favorites.
Guys that can reload at the rifle range, out of the camper shell on their truck, pull behind trailer, separate table etc, tune their barrels' accuracy to an incredible level....I cannot stress this enough. Many men never think of reloading at the rifle range, it is a very different mindset, and those who think outside the box on this issue, see HUGE dividends on the first trip to the range!
My non-trued 700s are in good stocks, and good glass shoots are incredible. When groups get 1/2", I am looking for the load to have lost its tune, throat wear, etc. I do have customs in 6 PPC, 6 BR, and a flock of BR variants with multiple barrels per action to compare. Replacement of the firing pin/spring and custom recoil lug is as far as I will go.
Alignment with the bore Axis/throat is where much of the accuracy starts and ends, and we proved this on a variety of different kinds of actions that were never trued.
If you have disposable income, buy a custom action for the joy and pride of ownership. I like the custom actions that have proven to be tried and true and whose owners have a well-known reputation for honesty and integrity, Borden, Stolle, and Bat are my personal favorites.
Guys that can reload at the rifle range, out of the camper shell on their truck, pull behind trailer, separate table etc, tune their barrels' accuracy to an incredible level....I cannot stress this enough. Many men never think of reloading at the rifle range, it is a very different mindset, and those who think outside the box on this issue, see HUGE dividends on the first trip to the range!
stxhunter260ai
Member
Totally get it! I was just curious what your or others feeling was of statistical significance. I'm a data analyst by profession, so I look at AB testing and statistical significance a little different than others.
It always amazes me the small groups that are posted out of hunting weight rifles and seeing what competitive shooters are shooting on a regular basis. I should probably start a separate thread talking about statistics and analytics.
stx, I don't think that it will go anywhere for a LOT of reasons.
Jeff siewart has a bunch of info available free on bulletology.com, or his book Ammunition demystified if you really want a deep dive.
It's kinda like putting lipstick on a pig! You still got a pig!! I've transitioned to all but a couple custom actions and will never look back. Might not shoot any better at all but worth it to me. Especially if you have a next generation to inherit them.
