Bolt-Rifle Action Lengths - Real Benefits of a "Short Action?"

[Mn Fats]

A "short" action will generally result in a receiver that is about 1 /2" shorter than a standard length action, ie 30-06 !ength.

I have heard many people regurgitate sound bites as to why that 1/2" is material. These range from "a short action receiver is stiffer" to "follow up shots are faster" to "it's an important weight savings".

Balderdash.

If the "short '" action is stiffer to a degree noticeable by any other than a handful of snipers and competitive shooters around the world, than you aren't comparing to a comparable quality longer action receiver. If you are one of a handful of snipers and competitive shooters around the world for whom an apples to apples comparison would yield an edge, you're off the hook.

If the difference of half an inch in bolt throw is material to you, then you really ought to be shooting a semi -auto. If you frequently hunt driven game and can take several in the same day and live in a jurisdiction where a semi-auto rifle is illegal, you're off the hook.

If the weight difference between the two receivers is sufficient to merit that as a major consideration, then you are doing stuff that requires you to be fit enough where that difference really won't matter, because you are in fact as fit as the butcher's dog. If it really does matter and you are headed up the mountain with a $5,000 carbon fiber barrel 4 lbs rifle, then you're off the hook.

In any other circumstance, you are either needlessly obsessing over nothing or making a millstone out of a pebble.

Im not sure what "Balderdash" means, but I love this answer. I was thinking about responding to this, then found my exact thoughts, only written better.

I should have just qouted you and wrote "This."

 

[Newtosavage]

Just as a point of reference: on my scale, a Savage 10 sporter in a factory synthetic stock weighs 6 1/2 pounds while the Tikka T3 Lite weighs 6 1/4 pounds.

I have owned several Tikkas and several Savages. I have one of each in my safe as I type this. For whatever reason, the Tikka always feels a LOT lighter than the Savage, even though I get the same results as you when I put them on my scale. They are both light rifles. That's the good news. But when I head to high elevation and plan to hike literally all day long, the Tikka will get the job every single time.

 

[Varminterror]

@MrBorland - maybe the subtext was too subtle, or maybe you’re unfamiliar with the colloquialism... “a camel is a horse built by committee.” The premise being when you objectively pile together great aspects of design, sometimes the whole is lesser than the sum of the parts.

 

[sage5907]

I have owned short action rifles and the only real complaint I have with them is that the short cartridges are hard to handle in cold weather with gloves on. I have really big hands with long fingers and I can load and unload long action cartridges in the dark with gloves on and never make a mistake. Cartridges like a 30-06 are easy to handle in a long action while cartridges like a 308 Winchester are short and stubby and more difficult to handle in the dark with gloves. When I go hunting I either go in the dark or come back to the vehicle in the dark.

 

[cdb1]

For some reason I like more LA cartridges than SA cartridges. And my favorite SA cartridge, 6mm-.284 would be chambered in a LA rifle if I had one. I don’t understand your obsession OP about the subject matter of this thread, and that’s okay. I’m obsessed with the sleeve length of my suits and sports coats and also with my dress shoes and dress cowboy boots(they absolutely must have a mirror shine). There are many people I know that cannot understand my obsessions.

 

[Newtosavage]

For some reason I like more LA cartridges than SA cartridges. And my favorite SA cartridge, 6mm-.284 would be chambered in a LA rifle if I had one. I don’t understand your obsession OP about the subject matter of this thread, and that’s okay. I’m obsessed with the sleeve length of my suits and sports coats and also with my dress shoes and dress cowboy boots(they absolutely must have a mirror shine). There are many people I know that cannot understand my obsessions.

Mirror shining cowboy boots seems like an oxymoron to me, but I'm with you on the sleeve length thing. LOL

 

[taliv]

I had a crisis in January cause I bought an Apple Watch in dec and it messed with how the cuffs hung under my suit sleeves. Drove me crazy.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Now that you have clarified the use of the rifle as 95% benchrest I would say that the CTR would fit you nicely. I would define that barrel contour as medium. I've looked at those rifles closely but never purchased one. What you don't want is a light contour barrel for the range. My Howa #2 Mini is too light for more than about 5 rds. Heat causes the POI to start walking away from the POA after about 5 rds. Best solution for a sporter is a light contour. For both range and hunting a medium barrel is best. For benchrest a heavy barrel is optimal. I also have a heavy #6 Howa 1500. That is strictly a benchrest rifle.

I think the CTR is a tactical rifle so extended range and 1 MOA accuracy would be expected. Also light enough for tactical operations.

Personally I wouldn't worry about action length unless I was going for a dedicated sporter. The Howa Mini is about 6 lbs. and a Grendel would be the one to have for a LW sporter.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I had a crisis in January cause I bought an Apple Watch in dec and it messed with how the cuffs hung under my suit sleeves. Drove me crazy.

You know those are made in China, right?

 

[taliv]

I have my shirts custom made in Hong Kong too. So they should be compatible.

I wish there was a long action magazine as good as the aics and just like 300thou longer.

Defiance makes an xm action that is between short and long. It’s worth looking into if you’re doing something custom

 

[cdb1]

Mirror shining cowboy boots seems like an oxymoron to me, but I'm with you on the sleeve length thing. LOL

I said dress cowboy boots. Work ones get conditioned but never polished. Don’t have a picture of my serious work boots.

 

[jmr40]

In the pursuit of building lighter, more compact rifles there are many things that can be done. No one thing makes a huge difference, but together can make a significant difference. There are some weight cutting measures that also have negative side effects and some add considerably to the cost of the rifle. Going to a short action is one way to lose 3-4 oz with no additional costs. While 3-4 oz doesn't seem like much, and alone isn't, but it is the cheapest way to lose the most weight with the least negatives.

You can flute the barrel and bolt, you can hollow out the bolt handle, you can shorten the barrel, or you can go with a smaller contour barrel. You can use a blind magazine, use lighter bottom metal, replace the stock with a Kevlar stock, use lightweight aluminum mounts and choose a smaller lighter scope and lose 3+ lbs compared to other rifles. But all of those other options either add additional costs, or have compromises of their own.

All of the other options can also be done to long actions and you can still end up with a pretty lightweight rig. But when you start shooting more powerful cartridges in extremely light rigs you have to deal with excessive recoil. I have a Kimber 308 that will be under 6 lbs scoped. But recoil in that light rifle is exactly the same as a 7 1/2 lb 30-06 which is about as much as I want. Not many people would want to shoot a sub 6 lb 30-06 just to gain 100-150 fps at the muzzle.

 

[taliv]

Above left is a standard aics mag with a 6dasher in it. Although this will work, it’s not super reliable. To improve feeding (since it’s so much shorter than the magazine) a spacer is put in the center aics mag with a special follower.
On the right is a mag that fits in a long action with the 300nm cartridge. This illustrates why although 6,5cm length cartridges will work in a long action, im uncomfortable with the feeding when you’re running and gunning high speed. Maybe if someone made a spacer and follower...

 

[chicharrones]

You know those are made in China, right?

If it's electronic tech, it's pretty much a given it's made in China. No matter what brand is on it.