Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Stiller action question

I am going to built me a M700 in 7-08 LH as they are not made. Wile looking at the innerweb I see that the Stiller actions are already blue printed while ordering a LH M700 Stainless is around $430ish. The difference from having the Stiller Predator (Hunting) action is $995 while the M700 is $430. It makes sense to get the Stiller Predator action and already have it blueprinted. Also the Stiller has the M700 footprint so I assume it will fit in a M700 stock like a Mcmillan?

Of course this is for mainly target shooting etc but I do go hunting however I shoot year around anyway. Does it make sense to go with a Stiller Predator or just get a LH M700 and see what it cost to get it blueprinted as I need to get a barrel installed. (I have the McM stock on hand).

Just wondering out lout what you all are doing as the blueprint is going to come near to the Predators.

Stiller all the way. No brainer smooth,trued and yes 700 footprint get a good quality barrel.

well I see you can buy a M700 SS LH in .308 for $380 at buds. Obviously this would work but what kind of action work will someone need if they got this rifle?
I have a M700 LH matte .223 with a stainless Douglas barrel and it shoots light out, However its been a while since I jad this built bu Mickey at Coleman Rifles.com but he's gone so thinking
I need to get a 7-08 build as they are not making them for us leftys. Since I already have the McM stock...just buying the action and then send it off to a gunsmith for a rebarrel...what would I need to have done to the action?
Blueprint or is there any minimal work I can have done. Not really looking for a full custom but again this is a hunting rifle so I will get it bedded and a barrel etc.

Thanks...maybe those custom action are really for long range shooting eh?

Nothing wrong with the m700 action. I have them myself and have several Stiller’s. Don’t know where your located but around here. It runs 275 and up for trueing action bolt lugs face of action depends some like to change extractorand get the bolt flitted.Just my own opinion I would spend a little more on the Stiller action. I do think the accuracy is better but saying that I have a few trued 700 action that’s a flip of the coin. I have had great luck with Brux Barrels and I am sure any quality barrel will do the trick. And you don’t have to have it trued a lot of 700 shoot fine out of the box. Have fun on your build

I have done rifles both ways. My last 4 have been built on Stillers if that tells you anything. I think they are the perfect start to the rifle you are describing.

If it's only $250-300 for the Stiller, I'd go that way and have a best of build.

Saying that, I'd bet that rebarreled 308 would be just fine too for a hunting rig. You could possibly sell the stock to offset some upgrades?

If you want "all the work done" to a factory Rem 700 action, you get pretty close to the cost of a Stiller. Give or take. I've got one Stiller action (TAC300). It's not going anywhere. Side by side with a factory Rem 700 action, you can "feel the difference."

I would not mind stumbling across a TAC30 action at some point down the road to build a really accurate hunting .243 with 1:8" twist barrel.

https://www.kelbly.com/actions-steel-atlas.html

dave

I have three builds, sold a fourth on the M700 that were blue printed and have had two Stiller builds. All rifles are sub .5 MOA. I have a 300 WM on the board now in the Predator and it’s lights out. Either will be accurate but the 700 may not be quite as smooth. If money is a concern, I would focus on the barrel first. That being said, I’m stirring about another 280 Ackley build as I sold my first regrettably and I’m mulling the same question. Looking at a Defiance also as I just like to keep exploring new frontier for myself. Keep us abreast of your decision.

Cali,

Yeah that is another thing I can do...put the .308 towards a Mcmillan and be done (or Greyboe) and see how it shoots.
BTW the $250-$300 Stiller is the difference between those two actions I want to get however I do not have a Stainless so these two if bought will do.
Maybe the .308 vanilla will do for the RH lad but me...there are no 7-08...good excuse to buy? lol

To my way of thinking...the M700 action will need work or maybe not but we hardly know. But if we got a full action worked it will be close to a Stiller...
And I am not getting younger by any means so I worry what my family (besides my son) will think when I am gone lol.
And my son is a RH shooter and I am a lefty so all rifles will need to be tripped!

The custom actions I have are true sub .5" actions...something I cannot say for those standard actions and but we all know we like to get actions that shoot nearly good.
My .223 M700 is a 1/8" twist and nearly everything shoots in that dang rifle that was built out...which I like.

dave7mm,

I read all of Kelbly website and it was an interesting read. Not sure if you know this but they are warranty all of their stuff. Does that mean they only warranty the complete rifle we buy from them? I read the M700 barrel will not fit on the Atlas action so obviously we buy barrels from them. My guess is if you buy their barrels and Atlas action might as well do the trigger. What about the mounts and the scope which seem proprietary to them. The also sell Bell and Carlson stocks..surprising to me but hey they all work.
Again I am looking at the Light Varmint hunting package...they did not say but from my point of view the cost is a weighting factor for me.
Perhaps an email to them is due.

Thanks.

If you reload the Stiller has a longer mag box.

A barrel replacement for a Kelbly is the same as a Stiller. Both have to be threaded, chambered and crowned. Scopes and mounts are available elsewhere as with the Stiller. I've used a few of both.
I personally think a blueprint is a waste of money. Your accuracy is in the barrel, trigger, and bedding. Most folks don't know what all should and is done in redoing a receiver. A lot of it is BS. If you insist on either a "blueprint" or custom. It is a no brainer, go custom iof nothing else than resale value.

Have not built as many rifles as Butch but I agree stock 700 just true the front of the receiver and lap the lugs. Where you will see a difference is in re-sale value if that matters. For a target rifle no question a custom is the way to go.

To Butch's point - on a budget, you can have an accurate build on a 700, w/o all the extra work, odds are you cannot shoot any difference in the field, IMO. Now if you want the best, go Custom action, you will have pride, a smooth action, and it WILL be accurate, if all is well with the other components, the assembly, and lastly when shot by a good Indian with good arrows FWIW, I had a few "Trued" or Printed 700s....and the last, just had a smith screw on a good Bartlein with NO action work done, and it shoots better than me. When the budget allows, you will not regret a custom action, IME. Resale....that's another topic.

valad
I have multiples of both.Trued M700s and full on custom actions.
The customs hold value better.
I have used Kelbly alot over the years.
Just did some replacment bolts for actions that are 30 yearrs old.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/13205342/1
If you have questions about there stuff.
Call them.
dave

I would buy a Shilen rather than a Stiller. Same price but the Shilen has a better extractor plus you can swap bolt heads.
At same price there is the Bighorn Origin which also has interchangeable bolt heads and good extraction/ ejection system.
Also you can switch barrels using a nut system on both.

valad
I have 3 of these.
Well mine are the Rebels not the Tenacity.
One as a single shot 1000 yard BR rifle and two as repeaters.
A smooth a rifle action you will ever find.
Best primary extraction ever...
https://defiancemachine.com/actions/tenacity/
They dont have the left hand just yet but they will.
Hard to believe price.
Confused yet?
dave

valad
Then theres always these guys.

http://pacifictoolandgauge.com/546-ptg-blueprinted-remington-action-combo-s
dave

Dave, the PT&G is not a bad deal. I was lucky a year or 2 ago when they had these for $380 and mine came with the 1 piece bolt. As far as I know, these are new Remington receivers, mine was.

This is my $380 receiver from PT&G.

Yeah,....... that's how I kinda came up with the numbers.

$3-400 action plus $3-400 worth of "blueprint" - $1000 worth of custom...............

Butch
I dont have any receivers from PT&G.
My M700s were almost always guns at one time.
But I do have several of there bolts.
My smith will sometimes use the Dave Manson tap mandrill tool.
Actually had several of my 700s have the bore hole opened up and then ordered over sized bolts from PT&G to "fit"
Kinda depends on the 700 action to begin with.
Some are pretty good.Some others not so much.
dave

valad
Dont forget this guy.
https://bordenrifles.com/custom-actions/alpine-and-timberline-actions/
I actually had a Alpine and sold the rifle after it was built.
Nice action.

dave

What type of rifle are you putting together? Weight, stock and so forth?

Ever heard of or seen the ARC Nucleus?

Take a peak. Got em on the shelf. We also have a scorching deal on the ARC LRI HTR Mausingfields. You want the ultimate action? That one checks a whole lot of boxes.

Happy to help.

C.

Well, I have custom actions ( Shilen DGA, Bat, Borden, and Nesika). Also have two blue-printed 700 actions. Got several 700 actions that only were faced along with the bolt face and using a ground lug. They all shot under .5 in @ 100. Had a br gunsmith tell me a stiller wasn't as true as a blue- printed 700. Bolt clearance is another matter but minor. Invest in a better barrel and kiss the 700 action and bolt face and use a ground or custom lug. Much more accuracy in the barrel than action anyway.

What would one be "giving up" using this vs one of their other repeater models?

Thanks.

When I first heard of Stiller (our of Texas) I did a search and several manufactures came up. One of those was Kelbly''s and I just took a look and see them at $4200 for the Atlas Tactical rifles. I generally like the Atlas without the 20 MOA. Anyway apparently someone got the Atlas rifle for $2700 (2017 from what I remembered) and my thinking was for about $500 more I'd have a true action right from the start. But looking at Kelbly website it appears they jumped nearly $1500 to today's rifle.

Actually my couple of trued M700 actions do shoot in the dime size but I got those probably 7 years ago so obviously the price was reasonable back then...unlike today custom actions. Couple that with me being a lefty (I do not have Stainless actions only Stainless barrels) it will not be easy to trip this gun anyway so I will just be content with my builds and if I want a 7/08 I will get the M700. I already got the McM stock that I can use too. So I think right off the bat I will use this and see how it goes...obviously there are not any lefty's in 7/08 as far as I know. Yeah I have a Tikka LH in .223 and this does shoot buy holes but has plastic on it and is sized for a LA. I'd like to have a true SA.

I am at the age where I am going to get rid of some rifles in the near term as I cannot possible shoot them all anyway. So my thinking was get an action/rifle already trued from the factory but I think this is more than what I want to spend nowdays.

All of those actions that everyone is throwing out I may eventually get one for my son as he is 15 now but if only he would stop chasing girls lol. For me I am content...I just did not realize these actions were 2x a custom M700 and maybe these guys are a little proud but this is capitalism...if they can do it they will do it. Like I said I have found trued M700 to be excellent and not every rifle needs to be trued. People are still using standard rifles to fill their freezer anyway.

mathman: I generally like rifles like M700 to be around 7 to 7.5 lbs without scope and bullets. So if can come to around 8.5 lbs or a little less with the McM stock. Again not looking for a benchrest rifle but we all like accuracy in our rifles.

I could swear I saw Buds Gun Shop have a LG Stainless .308 action for like $390 or so but I cannot see them now. Looking at PT&G they have the left stainless for $647. How are these actions? I recall reading that PT&G is not to stellar but that is on parts.

BTW thanks for all who contrubuted to this thread and via PMs. I think I will got for an action since I have the McM ...I just get a trigger (always had Remmy triggers) and barrel and see what happens. Definitely alot of things to think about. BTW I just pulled out the McM stock this week and its set up for a Sporter barrel sized .223 so not sure what size barrel I can use.

Anywa the PG&T looks interesting but are they truly blue printed?

65BR, you can mess around with tangs and ports and bolt handles/knobs, and the fluting on the bolts, on there other actions.
You can also ask for a long tennon.....I did this on my Rebel BR gun.
Im thinking the tenacity looks like the picture and thats it.


dave

Mr. Dixon,
Thanks for that as I had not heard of them.
Interesting looking is a understatement...
Two points.
Dont think ive seen an action with that many parts on it before.
Theres alot of crap on it thats for sure.Im sure it all works very well....

The bolt handle.
I cant abide that thing.
It looks like something someone stole off of Herman Munsters hot rod.

dave

valad,

One more for you.
These are interesting as they are a 3 lug action and have a 60 degree bolt lift.
https://www.whiddengunworks.com/barnard-model-s-action/

dave

Dave, the bolt handle and knob looks to have been borrowed from my antique Shakespeare baitcasting reel.

LOL....That's funny.

Dave- thanks, about what I figured. That action looks nice "as is"

call Jim Borden at borden rifles....he will sell you one of his actions and install a hart barrel for you also....then send it to Alex Sitman at masterclass stocks and have him install the stock...you will end up with a first class custom rifle

The choices for a 700 based action are numerous here are a couple more for consideration.

On a budget, Brownells has a Gunwerks in left hand: Gunwerks 700 action

For Cadillac 700 based actions and not much more than the above, roughly $1,000/action you could buy the GA Percision (GAP) Templar, Templar V2 or Tempest 700 based actions. These come in left hand. Action designs are by Glen Harrison of Defiance Machine LLC. Mr. Harrison was the founder and former president/owner of Nesika Bay Precision before selling it to Dakota Arms. He has quite a history in action design. You mentioned you probably shoot more than hunt and Nesika Bay Precision actions were considered the cat's meow in the competition world.

GAP Actions

GAP is located in KC, MO and makes some quality rifles as well. Although many of their rifles use the Templar action some are built on a tuned standard Remington 700 action as well.

For what it's worth when barreling/chambering the 7-08 Rem to a less expensive action, if that's what you choose, most if not all will true your action and verify concentric tolerances. With a super match grade barrel and $500 action, I'm sure it would be a shooter for target and hunting. It's all up to what you want out of a firearm.

Good luck on your quest.

Mine is, they start with a bare un-threaded receiver. It looks to be trued inside and out and fresh threads. Mine has the one piece bolt and it feels like a custom action or at least the tactical versions as far as smoothness and tolerances. The bluing is good, better than a standard 700 CDL. Will it out shoot my partially trued actions? Probably but it will out shoot me so I may never know.

Bought a lefty action from bud's and screwed a Hawk Hill barrel on it. Shoots very small groups with no load development work. That action wasn't trued or anything, just had barrel installed. Not really slumming it going that way. In fairness it is a heavy Hawk Hill barrel.

Lefthand 700 SS SA at bud's for $381.

Ugly is an understatement.........