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If you were building a new build using a custom action and not a reworked factory action what are the top contenders in 2017?

Are there any without going titanium any lighter?

Some I'm considering are Defiance and Curtis axiom.

Thanks

Defiance, Bighorn, Borden, Surgeon, BAT, all make great actions!
Borden and Defiance will likely be your lightest without going TI

Extractors can be different depending on maker some have 1 pc bolts others 2 pc just depends what your looking for!

+1 The Defiance Rebel with some of the lightening options is my preferred platform followed by Borden for price=value and weight.

The PTG/Stiller actions are a fair price too if you want to start on the economy minded side of clones.

I like Defiance quite a bit - lots of options, well made, quality materials, tight tolerances, etc.

I have one of their Rebel actions with the CRF option and am impressed with it. It has some other bells and whistles but their CRF is well designed and executed.

You mention Titanium, you might take a look at the Fierce Ti Edge which is a Sako 85 clone. They offer complete rifles but will also sell you an action as a component.

If going Ti I'd be looking at the Lone Peak Arms Razor action, really a nice action and decent price.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^ is the correct answer! PERIOD.

Whatever has integral rails or bases.. none of that attach bases with screws nonsense.

And preferably with integral recoil lug as well.

lol.....Some folks might not need or want the industrial looking overkill tacti-cool Picatinny system
on a hunting rig.

Re; 700 clone, D'Arcy Echols elected for a Borden to build his daughters .260 >
anyone who knows the exceptionally high stds of Echols & Co. would conclude..' enough said'.
If one has any doubts, D'Arcy has also personally indicated the high std of a Borden.

Borden

I have a Timberline & Alpine action. They are exceptional.

Don't forget Pierce.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...hoots-in-the-ones-with-factory-6br-ammo/

You can also have Defiance put whatever serial number on the action you want, too.

Picatinnys are not needed, but handy if you change scopes often.

However,

My Sakos have their own dovetail mounts
My double square bridge Mausers have their own dovetail mounts
My Steyr has their owns dovetail mount
My Tikka T3 has its own dovetail mount

Drilling the receiver for a mount is a cost cutting measure..

+1

I have a couple of Defiance Rebels. Most if not all of the lightening options are included in the base price. I just received an LA that weighs 27oz, and my short action was a bit over 24oz if I remember correctly.

Drilled receivers allow an owner flexibility to change between mounting systems.
(while changing scopes in the past , at times I also changed the mount)

and for the person who chooses to get custom snug machined-fit mount fasteners and equal quality
fit mounts to team up with a precision action, it aint one of the cheap options.

Without getting to fondle any , is there any that are buttery smooth?

I have one rifle built on a stiller and it's far from smooth.

If you want "buttery smooth" in a component action, MRC 1999, hands down. The two LH MRC 1999 rifles I have are hands down the smoothest actions in the house. Have a new MRC 1999 LH SA action sitting a the local toy store to pick up on Saturday for another build. And, did I mention that they are available Left Hand ?

Having said that, my Stiller TAC300 action smoothed out a lot after 500 cycles of the bolt. Slathered the bolt with oil. Put 100 cycles on it. Wipe oil off bolt and action. Rinse/repeat 5 times. The bolt fluting will look two tone. But, once most of the black finish wears off the contact areas, it smooths out pretty well. Not like the MRC. But definitely "mo betta"...

The MRC actions where know for gritty actions in the beginning.. they where sold as gunsmith ready, not many civilians got that memo when they purchased them giving them a bad rep.

We could agree to disagree

A double squared mauser fitted for Talley mounts, I dont see the need for flexibility of changing mounting systems in the future.

And getting custom made bases precision fitted to a "round bar" is expensive... I´ll give you that!
However the action manufacturer should have done it right the first time.

Machining the action for a integral mounts and recoil lug does not take a lot of extra time or expense in materials.

Most choose to cut cost.. There is a long way up to a $4-5000 M98 action.

Just picked up my first early (~2003?) MRC raw action this afternoon... Yes... Very rough compared to the late model rifles I referenced above.

I prefer smaller objective dia. scopes mounted lower than Talley height.
so greater flexibility in scope mount choices is important to me.




Plenty guys are satisfied with a drilled custom action, meaning Borden and others are doing it right,
though I accept no customer maker can please everybody.