Titanium action builds

[TradLife406]

Built my first precision gun a few years ago. I didnt prioritize weight as much as I probably should have. 6.5 PRC. Shoots great but it's 13.5lb. Which for a prairie rifle isn't horrible if the walks aren't too bad. But elk hunting Saturday it about killed me Even the longer prairie walks aren't very fun.

I'd like to build something similar but get closer to 10-11lb finished and scoped. I don't want to go featherweight and lose the shootabilty. Not going on a sheep hunt and I have zero plans to go elk hunting again.

I used the Bighorn Origin which weighs 50 oz which about three pounds! That's crazy!

Figure if I just went to a Ti action I'd save two pounds easily. Even if I keep the 24" barrel Carbon 6 sendaro and can. Which I do like the longer barrel but I'd probably drop down to 22"

Looking at the Defiance Tix and Antix. Maybe medium but I haven't had an issue with the 156 Bergers and a short action.

Going to a shorter bolt throw would be nice too.

Using an AG stock that's about 30oz. I looked at the XLR chassis and really wouldn't save any weight there but I'd probably go that route for the built in arca rail.

Any input or pics? Any cons other than price going to a Ti action?

 

[ID_Matt]

Are you sure that origin weighs 50 OZ?? Website says 31 oz for a short action.

 

[hereinaz]

The lite steel actions don’t lose anything to TI in my mind. You can build a rifle with a steel action and barrel and stay under the 10 pounds scoped if the components are watched carefully.

 

[TxLite]

I haven’t used titanium but as has been stated, some of the steel actions are actually pretty light. The pure precision skltn comes to mind and is actually pretty economical and accepts prefits. I haven’t used one but everything I’ve read has been positive.

 

[Brucebarker024]

The short origin definitely doesn’t weigh 50 ounces. What’s your current setup?

Mine weighs 9.9 pounds as follows-
Bighorn origin (short)
24 inch proof prefit
Triggertech primary
Hawkins hunter dbm
Ag composites alpine hunter
NF nx8 4-32
Warne mtn tech rings
Swfa level
Diligent defense LT-I

I’ve only handled two titanium actions and they both felt very gritty? If that’s the right word, would bind easily and felt rough. Personally I’m going to stay away from them.

 

[Mike D Texas]

After owning a Titanium action, I won’t buy another. Yes it’s light but as mentioned nowhere near as smooth as a nitrided stainless action.

And it’s not necessary to reach your goal weight.

We built a 300PRC for a buddy of mine; Pierce Shadow action, 20MOA rail, 24” Benchmark Sendero Light barrel, Manners Pro Hunter Stock. Bare rifle is 6#,12oz. With a NX8 4-32 and NF UL rings is 8#-14oz.


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[wyosam]

I think titanium actions are for when you’re trying to get a little more weight off an otherwise lightweight build, much cheaper ways to get to your goal without using an expensive action that feels cheap because it’s gritty/rough feeling. I’ve handled a few, including one that was pretty much a stupid expensive no expense barred build (don’t recall what action it was)- all felt more like a Savage or Ruger American than anything high end.


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[Quicksilver]

8lbs 4oz without bipod, tikka action with UM lightening mods, 18” c6 barrel, xlr chassis, trijicon 2.5-15x44 scope. Don’t need all those expensive and fancy parts to build a lightweight setup. After the lightening and bolt knob, the action is 2oz heavier than an XM and actually lets you load longer bullets.

 

[waspocrew]

Where are you getting 50 oz for the Origin SA? Per Zermatt, it's only 28 oz. A Zermatt Ti SA is ~ 21.5 oz.

What scope/mounts are you using? Bipod, can, etc? Might have some other areas to consider dropping weight. Going from a steel to Ti action is an expensive way to save only ~ 7-9 oz.

 

[83cj-7]

LPR .300 Win Mag, Anti, 22” Bartlein 3B, NF 4-32, McMillan Hunters edge sendero, HS Precision mag system. Weighs exactly 10lbs with suppressor and 3 rounds.

 

[The Fish Box]

Has anyone ran the defiance ti-x yet? I’m curious if the dlc coating makes it feel smooth unlike other titanium actions.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Has anyone ran the defiance ti-x yet? I’m curious if the dlc coating makes it feel smooth unlike other titanium actions.

Can't speak on that but Lone Peak is nitride and they're nice. No experience with DLC.

 

[wind gypsy]

Pierce Shadow, Falkor LW7 are a couple i'd look at before considering Ti.

 

[TradLife406]

Are you sure that origin weighs 50 OZ?? Website says 31 oz for a short action.

Maybe I'm on crack, somewhere I saw it was 50. But it was another website...


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[wind gypsy]

Even the beefy full integrated rail/recoil lug actions are usually sub 40 oz. Id trust the weight listed on the website to be at least close.

 

[Article 4]

The lite steel actions don’t lose anything to TI in my mind. You can build a rifle with a steel action and barrel and stay under the 10 pounds scoped if the components are watched carefully.

Agree - there are a ton of options that can save weight and many like Defiance, BAT machine that come in right around 22-28 oz depending on configuration...and save you about 500 bucks - there is perhaps about a 6-8 oz difference in weight with Ti. Sheep guns, yes.

Your smith will probably thank you too if they have to do any work on the Ti action for anything. Ti is tougher on the tooling.

 

[The Fish Box]

Do the titanium actions wear in or do they just stay sticky for life? I have had some steel actions that were cerakoted, started sticky till about a hundred rounds and then smoothed up.

 

[Article 4]

Do the titanium actions wear in or do they just stay sticky for life? I have had some steel actions that were cerakoted, started sticky till about a hundred rounds and then smoothed up.

Generally all actions will wear in over time. Ti can take a little longer due to it being so much harder. Cerakoting will generally tighten tolerances, especially if the tech is heavy handed.

 

[The Fish Box]

So ultimately after use a titanium action will smooth out then?

 

[HONEYBADGER]

I have had a couple Ti actions, I wont own another one. They are never as smooth and I had a couple give me problems in extreme cold. Just not worth it, especially now that some of the top manufacturers make lightened steel actions with a negligible weight difference.