Looking at doing a build for a hunting rifle. Just wanting to know are there any advantages to using a custom action,say stiller predator as opposed to using a stainless rem 700.

Once the 700 action is trued/blueprinted is it the equal of the stiller???

For a fine hunting rifle the 7XX actions by Rem lack features and detail that make it wanted.

I prefer the machined look of an older Winchester or mauser.
The 7xx's lack CRF, safeties on the firing pin. I want the forged, machined metal of upscale work.

I learned to appreciate that effort by growing up in my dad's tool and die shop and knew what a 'Bridgeport' meant.

Oh geez........

My most honest and most often not asked for opinion is:
Buy the action you like, that suits the build you want. A mountain rifle is far from a beanfield rifle. What I like for thick northern hemlock woods and swamp is different than an out west rifle.
Remington, Winchester, Savage, or a custom built similar are the usual suspects. Ruger deserves respect as well.

I know my smith charged me $250 to true my Remington SA 700SS. Bought the donor used for $500. Sold the barrel for $75 and the trigger for $40 iirc. I see now you can just get new SS700 SAs for sub $400.

I'm very pleased with the route I went and can't answer the OP's question but this looks like a good way to go?

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/ptg-...sa-blue-printed-action-bolt-fp-assy.html

A stock 700 is a good basis for your hunting rifle. Some peoples idea of truing ain't my idea. I doubt you could see on paper what "truing" will do. I have custom and standard receivers. My stock receivers have not kept me from taking game. If my rifle shoots 1" MOA with a clean, dirty, hot, or cold barrel,. I'm good to go.
Now if you are shooting rats at 600 yards, it is a different story.

Agree with Butch. If it's to be a hunting rifle, just buy a Rem 700 donor, true the action face and maybe resurface the lug if needed and get after building.

Yeah. A 700 action on the cheap and sending it off to be barreled that includes "trueing" would be the way I would go next time.

I'll disagree if a smith like Jim Borden or Greg Tannel blueprints a 700 you will almost certainly see a difference on paper if the shooter is up to the task, there may be some actions that will show very little difference but some that may see a big difference!

I will agree that "truing " is thrown around pretty loosely theses day!

Now for a hunting rifle you may not see or need the difference!

I'm not big on rolling the dice.......
YMMV

No. The only comparable aspect of both would be one is a clone of the other.

I've had/have two tricked out.
Blueprinted, Winchester type safeties, one had a Sako extractor and a ruger bolt stop and laminated stock. The other a lone wolf stock and adl magazine, done up Rem-age style.
My taste tho runs toward tang safeties and 60 degree bolt lifts.

From a pure cost perspective, you can obtain a 700 and have the threads single-point recut, bolt face trued & bushed, face trued, etc by Greg Tannel and still be out ahead of one of the clone actions.

That said, I think some of the clones have some real advantages, not to mention better resale value of that's a consideration. My next build will start with a Defiance. It all comes down to your own budget and desires.

I've went the custom, blueprinted 700, and "trued" 700 route on builds, going the trued(squared, threads, lugs, face) more. Can't tell a difference in any to be honest, so will go with trued from now on. The only issue I had with blueprinted was the tight tolerances being a little stiff for a while. They all shot well with one of the trued coming out on top accuracy wise. FWIW, that's all pertaining to hunting rigs. The Smith's work is most important when you're dealing with a good tube from the start IMO.

Good Luck

loder

CRF is over-rated and not required by most.
many supposed 'crf' rifles fail to function as true CRFs.

Firing pin safeties also overrated mostly because muzzle control is the most important
and only trustworthy safety measure.




Why, have actions from billet failed you?

You could put a billet and forged action next to one another (both machined and final finished to the same high spec)
and nobody would be able to tell the difference visually or functionally.




I don't consider the drilled bolt handle on the mauser as upscale work.
I doubt any respectable custom shop trying to keep their name would either.