NEW Ultralight BAT Vampire Action

[Alex Wheeler]

Im excited about this one
Long action repeater, std or mag bolt. Anodized aluminum action body with hardened steel insert for the lug seats and threads. Nitrided bolt body. Integral lug and 20 moa pic rail. CFE9 mag box inlet. Fits Remington pattern stocks, you just need to square up the inlet. This action shape should be very stable in the bedding. 25oz. on the scale. (yes Im begging for a BR version)
I have checked it for straightness and lug contact. Its very good. Getting an insert installed that straight is impressive to me.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

More info

BAT Machine’s New Superlight Vampire & Bumblebee Actions « Daily Bulletin

Here is what high-end hunters have been requesting for years -- an ultra-lightweight mag-fed action with Benchrest-grade smoothness, engineering, and craftsmanship.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[Tidus56]

That's similar in weight it a lone peak action!

 

[Alex Wheeler]

300 PRC
Bat Vampire aluminum/steel action
McMillan game hunter, carbon fiber shell, enhanced edge fill
#5 Lilja 9tw 3 groove 24" with Harrell's brake
Jewell trigger
CFE 9 Wyatts box
Hawkins floor plate
7lb 5oz without optics

 

[808caliber]

300 PRC
Bat Vampire aluminum/steel action
McMillan game hunter, carbon fiber shell, enhanced edge fill
#5 Lilja 9tw 3 groove 24" with Harrell's brake
Jewell trigger
CFE 9 Wyatts box
Hawkins floor plate
7lb 5oz without optics View attachment 221715

How do you feel about having to bottom load vs top load due to the cfe box? Man that action is sweet.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I prefer the bottom load. Top load is more "fumbly" if thats a word. You just open the floor plate drop a couple in and close it. You can use a stagger feed box if you want. I use only cfe boxes anymore, they feed so much smoother. You can however setup a cfe box to top load, you need to tweak the feed lips and spring and it works fine, but I still drop them in the bottom, faster and easier for me.

 

[snox801]

Nice, why not just a ti action? Is the cost less?
I just had my pierce finished. With a pierce ti action
26" proof sendero, manners eh5, slab brake and I juts got a quick weight and was 7.6pbs with scope. But have a new scale to use because I'm not sure the one I have is accurate.

 

[snox801]

My long action with bolt was 19.3 onces.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Ti is fine. But I prefer steel. The hardened thread insert gives this action the pressure handling ability and durability of steel, and the part of the action thats not under any load is aluminum to save weight. Best of both worlds. Plus its a Bat, theres a reason they are at the top in most BR matches.

 

[snox801]

K, wasn't sure I see these lightweight actions all the time and wonder why not ti.
When you say durability what do you mean? Round count or increase in max load. I haven't found a downside to my ti action yet compared to my steel ones. But I don't shoot matches either.

 

[snox801]

I know most use steel bolts with ti action to help stop filling but I've only had that once and was my fault but got it fixed ASAP and they didn't charge me for recoating.
I can say I love my pierce actions but boy I wish I had more money to own one of each

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Ti stretches about 3x more than steel under the same load. In my experience I have reached heavy bolt lift sooner on Ti than steel actions. You will notice it more with a magnum bolt face than a .308 boltface due to the increased thrust. I also see more wear on the lug surfaces. This is not a deal breaker, but I do prefer steel in all cases but the most ultralight sheep rifles. If I can meet a weight without using Ti, I will go that route. The lightest rifle I have built is on a 100% ti Pierce. Its a sweet rifle.

 

[snox801]

Thanks that's what I was wondering. Lots of brand loyalty but no good reasons behind it. That make perfect sense. My 6.5 works great and my new one is a 30 Sherman so the improved case should help limit some of that.
These two were for backpack rifles and then decided that a creed was just a little under powered for an elk at say 600 for my liking. I would if I had to but decided bigger was the way to go.
Some day I wanna build as light as I can. To everything. Just like these two but do a pencil thin steel with all weight remover barrel and standard lightweight stock. The eh5 adds some weight but I love the stock for hiking and offhand shots.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Manners UC is 17 oz, you can learn to like it for the pound it will shave off