Custom Action: Rem 700 Clone or No?

[Unicorn_Prince]

I plan on building likely a 6.5 PRC or possibly a 6.5-284 Norma for hunting and would like suggestions on an action to use. I'm leaning towards a Nesika Hunter (http://nesikafirearms.com/hunter_action.html) but am still very much open to suggestions. Are there better options than a Rem 700 clone I should look at? Leaning towards no as it seems most custom stocks will fit these easier. The only hard requirement is it can't have an integral picatinny rail. Thanx

 

[Varminterror]

Even among 700 Clone Customs, you’ll find a variety of action footprints which will require changes to the stock inlet. “Fitting in the stock,” in that case, is different than “dropping in without inletting or other modification.” But MOST stock designs on the market will accommodate a 700-ish footprint with only mild modifications.

A guy has to consider the fact there really are no other action designs being “cloned” in the market. The 700, tube style design isn’t the best design for every application, but it certainly seems to meet a particular price point balanced against an overwhelming majority of applications. For hunting, the lightweight, tube design is a distinct advantage.

For the money, there’s nothing about the Nesika action which would convince me it is worth owning over a Defiance, Impact, or Surgeon. An action with a pinned lug, bolt-on rail, and Savage-style extractor for the same as or higher MSRP than an integral rail and lug model doesn’t make sense to me.

Personally, for lower cost and upgraded features, I’d not even blink to look over a Nesika for a Defiance. Glen got a lot right in the redo. For $200 more than the Nesika Hunter, a guy can get a Ruckus with drop in barrels (headspace controlled actions), integral lug, integral rail, and M-16 type extractor, or for about $150 LESS than the Hunter, the Defiance Tenacity has an integral lug, drop in barrels, and the M16 extractor...

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

@Varminterror thanks. Definitely looking at Defiance more seriously now. Their website certainly does a better job selling their product than most others. I didn't realize there are Defiance models without integral rails, which is my preference.

As far as other clones, well, I wouldn't have to get a clone, I could get a Tikka for example. But, it just seems most smiths like to work with the Rem 700 footprint. However, a good smith in my area will be a topic for another day.

I've been hunting with a Remington 700 in 300 WM for 20 years and like that style just fine. Although it may be because I don't know anything else.

 

[LocoGringo]

I built a custom rifle for my son on a Defiance action and am quite pleased. It looks like Varminterror covered things pretty well.

I'm not sure if it matters to you, but Defiance makes the actions for GA Precision rifles under the GAP name (unless that has changed since I did my son's rifle). From what I hear, they are an excellent rifle maker with a lot of satisfied customers.

 

[Seamaster31]

Nesika actions are high quality, and often found on the line of a benchrest match. I do not think you would go wrong in choosing one. Many actions have their fans, and rightfully so, but there is nothing wrong with starting with a trued Remington 700 action for a hunting rifle either. I have found that the recent 700 actions are quite good as they are and take a bit less machining to true them that the older 700 actions. Either a 700 action or a quality clone will make life easy when it comes to aftermarket parts such as triggers or a stock, or gunsmithing if desired.

 

[Nature Boy]

What’s your budget?

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

What’s your budget?

I'd like to keep everything under $3k

 

[Mauser lover]

Just my opinion here, and it is probably worth what you paid for it, but... I'd try to start with a Mauser-style action. Now let me beat a hasty retreat before everyone starts throwing rocks...

There actually are a few manufacturers out there that do Mauser-type actions, but in all practicality, your needs will probably be met by something with one of those wimpy extractors.

Just a suggestion that you may not have thought of yet.

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

Mauser-style action

@Mauser lover I'm happy to look at anything at this point, as I said. Do the Mauser receivers have a better extractor than the Defiance actions? I'll see what I can find now online. In your opinion, why go Mauser over an upgraded clone?

 

[Mauser lover]

@Mauser lover I'm happy to look at anything at this point, as I said. Do the Mauser receivers have a better extractor than the Defiance actions? I'll see what I can find now online. In your opinion, why go Mauser over an upgraded clone?

So, the company "Mauser" right now produces nothing I am remotely interested in. Gotta clear that all up.

"Mauser-style" or "Mauser-pattern" as I use the term refers to features that were developed by or derived from Mauser products.

At the top of the list as far as I am concerned is the "controlled feed" extractor. Not a benefit in my mind as far as actual feeding is concerned, but extraction. You'll probably never have an issue in all practical situations.

"Controlled feed" is actually an option (or will be? or was?) from Deviant. Some of the other differences between the Remington-style and Mauser-style go toward the Remington, but the big extractor is my big thing.

 

[Nature Boy]

https://www.americanrifle.com/shop/product/mausingfield-bolt-action-2?category=5

I have one of these

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

@Mauser lover thanks that helps. I can expand my search a little now

 

[MCMXI]

Following on from @Nature Boy, you might want to consider the Archimedes receiver from American Rifle Company. I handled one recently and it's very well engineered with an abundance of excellent features, but if a locking bolt handle is important to you it's not a good choice.

https://www.americanrifle.com/shop/product/archimedes-bolt-action-138

 

[Steve S.]

I have a factory Model 70 EW and a Kimber 84M Custom Classic both in .308 - all factory. Both will shoot 1/2“ groups all day with hand loads in front of a capable rifleman - if they were custom super deluxe mucho $ “Super Slick” brand actions, I could not group any better with them. Point being that most any choice of any of the custom action manufacturers is going to do what you want it to do on a target, so just get what you like. Then you have all of the other variables such as smith, barrel, stock, glass, reloads - and the most important variable - your shooting skill level. You cannot go wrong with any of the high end customs - just make sure you do your homework on the detail minutia and you like what you purchase. Make sure that you are spending your money on components that you will be satisfied with as the sum of the end product - some of your best fun will be the homework, the choices and the anticipation of the building process - then great times lay ahead at the range and in the field.

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

I have a factory Model

if they were custom super deluxe mucho $ “Super Slick” brand actions, I could not group any better with them

@Steve S. That's a good point to remember that most of these rifles are more accurate than I could possibly be and plenty reliable. However, I find myself being quite picky. If there were a $600 off the shelf version having EVERYTHING I wanted that would be fine. But, as I refine my search I'm noticing that many rifles I'm looking at are quickly surpassing $2k. I figure for a little extra money why not build one that is truly custom to me?

 

[LocoGringo]

Steve S. is right. Half the fun was thinking about what I wanted to accomplish for my son and doing research and learning about a lot of options. I would also stress that you go with well known, established companies.

I originally ordered a Lawton action and was defrauded by the shop manager. Apparently, after the original owner died, the widow didn't keep a close eye on the company and the shop manager continued taking orders with 1/2 up front and soon after absconded with the money. It hurt and lesson learned. Do your research.

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

Steve S. is right. Half the fun was thinking about what I wanted to accomplish

@LocoGringo Couldn't agree more. I've spent most of my free time theadt few weeks researching all sorts of aspects of what I want and it has evolved quite a bit. Emailed a couple gunsmiths and waiting to hear back to narrow down what I want

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

What I want for now is just a trued Rem 700 with a barrel if the smith can get the chamber i want. I'm still looking at the Deciance actions but that may wait for a different build.

 

[Nature Boy]

If you’re settled on a trued 700 as the basis for your project I’d suggest giving Long Rifles Inc. a call.

They have invested a lot in their capabilities to do this job to a high level of precision

 

[taliv]

i'm very curious why your only hard requirement is excluding one of the best improvements in the past decade. why?


"can't go wrong with any of the high end customs" - this conventional wisdom is really not true in the practical sense. scan through the past few years of custom rifles for sale on snipershide and it will quickly become obvious that most people who ordered a custom rifle had no friggin clue what they were doing and the result was less functional than a stock mass produced rifle, at 3x the price. people simply don't understand the rational behind the options, and which options go with which other options.
beyond that, most of the custom actions suffer from numerous defects. the machining is usually top notch, as are the materials. and they are typically over-engineered for strength and stiffness, but the relatively tiny user base means they don't really get the bugs shaken out before production. awful lot of design flaws that most users never see because they never shoot, or only shoot slowly from the bench.

if you buy a new 700 and pay a gunsmith to true it, you're wasting a lot of money. you can prob buy a used trued 700 for less than a new one, and let someone else waste their money.

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

i'm very curious why your only hard requirement is excluding one of the best improvements in the past decade. why?

Simply if I'm paying a premium price for something, I want it to be functional (which I'm sure it is) as well as aesthetic, which for me it is not. My current rifle has significantly more recoil energy than the one I plan to build and it shoots just fine sans integral rail.
That being said I will check out the custom builds for sale as you suggested. Good advice, thanks

 

[Varminterror]

I’ve been down the blueprinting Rem 700 road, and in a certain era, it was a fruitful path. Today, there’s no way I’d waste that money. @taliv nailed it, if you want a blueprinted Rem 700 action, buy one used - let that sunk cost fall to the sucker who spent it.

 

[Nature Boy]

buy one used - let that sunk cost fall to the sucker who spent it.

That’s a strategy that works for custom actions as well. Same for optics. More bang for the buck.

As it relates to trueing an action, be it custom or commercial, who does the work matters. There’s a difference between a guy like Chad at LRI doing it vs. me doing it in my tool shed.

 

[taliv]

Simply if I'm paying a premium price for something, I want it to be functional (which I'm sure it is) as well as aesthetic, which for me it is not.

you're saying you like the look of screwed on rail? can't say i've heard that one before, but whatever floats your boat. just keep in mind the two advantages of that integral rail are 1) it adds stiffness to the action, especially when you have a large almost open ejection port, and 2) when you're trying to figure out why your zero keeps shifting around, eliminating the integral base as the culprit is pretty helpful. i've also seen a base screw that was ever so slightly too long and was scraping the bolt lug causing an accuracy issue, but i won't count that as a 3rd lol

 

[Unicorn_Prince]

you're saying you like the look of screwed on rail?

@taliv not exactly. I am saying I do NOT like to look of the picattiny rail. I have no doubt it does add stiffness to the action. However I'm not planning on shooting large caliber magnum and if my 300 WM doesn't need an integral rail to shoot sub 1.00 MOA then I'm confident this rifle won't either.