Easy at home install, or minimal and quicker install at a local Smith.Something that keeps coming up that I find a little odd.
"Buy a custom action to use with prefit barrels"
I don't quite understand buying an action for its tight tolerances and then not having a barrel custom fit to it.
It seems very similar to buying a custom rifle and then running whatever ammo is on the shelf through it.
4. Longevity. A tikka or Remington action is not made to be ran hard for years like a custom action. After the second barrel you could start to see galling in the lugs. So if you shoot a lot you could end up needing another action.
For me its just one more thing I do not have to worry about. This is from someone who shot a blueprinted 700 for 2 years in the PRS. At the end of my second barrel it was sloppy as could be and the lugs started galling pretty bad. Did the rifle shoot great? yes! Would it have been just fine for a hunting rifle? yes!
So for me the longevity and smoothness is the biggest reason to go with a custom over the Remington's or Tikkas. They are both a great bang for the buck though and if you are not shooting a lot then it might not be worth the additional cost. Tikkas are better than 700s out of the box but if you think that you might move to a custom action in the future then the 700 footprint is hard to stray away from.
Before it gets asked I do have a buddy right now who is 1.5 barrels in on a tikka and he is having galling issues. Very small sample size but with the smaller diameter action and smaller lugs it makes sense that there would be a little more pressure on the lugs. I still think they are the best factory action on the market at this time and they are just not designed for years of use and abuse. Not really a ding on the action just something to be aware of.
I like it! I would also argue you would have the exact same results with a Tikka action and prefit barrel.Why don't you just @ me if you are going to talk about me
Custom action. Prefit Barrel. Factory Ammo.
30-round aggregated data (LINK HERE)
Median 3-shot group: 0.469 MOA
Median 4-shot group: 0.534 MOA
Median 5-shot group: 0.601 MOA
Median 10-shot group: 0.790 MOA
Median 20-shot group: 0.906 MOA
Aggregate 30-shot group: 1.085 MOA
I've posted a bunch of other groups shot on paper with that set-up (LINK HERE to a handful of groups in your zero check thread). Consistent 1/2 - 5/8 MOA 5-shot groups with a 10-shot MV SD of 13 fps. Yes, you can make slight numerical gains with better ammo, and maybe marginal gains with a "better barrel", but not noticeable for hunting/field/practical/etc. type shooting.
When you need barrels changed, it becomes a pain to mail off an action to a smith every time. Much more convenient to keep the action in use and just order barrels in advance to maintain uninterrupted use. If you don't shoot a bunch, don't mind having the action away for a few weeks/months, or have someone local that fits you in, that might not be an issue for you.
Something that keeps coming up that I find a little odd.
"Buy a custom action to use with prefit barrels"
I don't quite understand buying an action for its tight tolerances and then not having a barrel custom fit to it.
It seems very similar to buying a custom rifle and then running whatever ammo is on the shelf through it.
4. Longevity. A tikka or Remington action is not made to be ran hard for years like a custom action. After the second barrel you could start to see galling in the lugs. So if you shoot a lot you could end up needing another action.
I'm not a gunsmith but this is what I know (or think I know at least).What is the difference between a shouldered pre-fit barrel for an action built to specs and a barrel "custom fit" to an action that was confirmed to measure to the same specs?
I thought the only difference was confirmed measurement of action for headspace which becomes irrelevant if the action is built to spec?
My sample size is much smaller then yours.For every one that is getting a “custom” because it’s better- are you just ignoring the trigger issue? Remington based triggers are absolutely one of the least reliable, most susceptible to debris/ice/snow of any trigger system made. None of them are truly drop safe. This is not just factory R700 triggers- all 700 compatible triggers have this problem by nature of the design.
I'm not a gunsmith but this is what I know (or think I know at least).
There is tolerance in those specs, and nothing is "perfect." A pre-fit barrel will be cut (theoretically) for the mid-range of an action specification. Most will be perfectly fine but there is always the possibility of being out of spec due to tolerance build-up with the action and barrel coming from two different places.
Hopefully, all the people installing their own pre-fit barrels are using headspace gauges. Those will cost you about $20-60 per caliber in addition to the barrel.
A smith will be cutting your chamber and headspacing it to ensure it's correct. He or she has the advantage of having both pieces in his/her hands at the same time.
I also have more confidence in a gunsmith with a good reputation cutting a better chamber than a factory worker cutting pre-fit chambers for a customer they will never see or talk to.
I hate the feel of a tikka. They just feel like a POS imo, I know they supposedly do what they do.
It would take something large to push me over the edge to tikka.
I'm more matched to you in how I feel about ARs just being a tool.
Idk man.The action feels like a POS? What about it feels that way? Because i think it's just the opposite compared to basically any other rifle off the shelf.
Something that keeps coming up that I find a little odd.
"Buy a custom action to use with prefit barrels"
I don't quite understand buying an action for its tight tolerances and then not having a barrel custom fit to it.
It seems very similar to buying a custom rifle and then running whatever ammo is on the shelf through it.