Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats The Very Best Action

Prezactly!

On the question of “first class things”

I had a pair of boots made-to-measure. Ruined me for off-the-shelf boots.

Had a suit made because nothing off-the-rack really fit. Big difference.

Going to run errands in my old Corvette was a lot more fun than driving the Subaru which it replaced.

Business class is much nicer than cattle class.

And so on.

What is your planned weight for this rifle?

MM

MM
Action 42oz (with alloy options), synthetic stock 22oz, barrel 34oz, scope 10oz. So far 6# 12oz then add some fat: NET no more than 7# 4oz. w/o ammo or sling

I’m glad that you’re building “your ‘perfect’rifle” because true artistic craftsmen are an exceedingly rare breed these days. D’arcy Echols is that in spades, a true artistic rifle craftsman of the preeminent order! I’m sure that your rifle will be perfect for you.

It wouldn’t be close to perfect for me however. 😉. Therein lies the foundation for endless hours of debate on the perfect cartridge, caliber, scope, truck or rifle because what might be perfect for me would be worthless to you.

There are no perfect rifles except for the rifle that always faithfully brings home meat without failure……that rifle doesn’t get sold it gets lovingly inherited so that future generations remember the best of times and the men that taught them how to hunt. Those are the ONLY perfect rifles…..perfect rifles have their own soul.

RinB,

What scope and rings are you planning?

If those weights are accurate, it sure seems like you should be able to hit 7 pds 4 oz.

No argument from me...I am just pleased that someone can afford to do what I cannot.

Provided you post pictures for us to ogle.

Aces & J S
The only reason I can afford and justify the expense is that I have sold all of my other hunting rifles.

I have spent way too much time and money exploring different cartridges. The 6.5-284 up thru the 30/06 are all pretty much the same. I include in that mess all the big 7’s. Then there is the 375 H&H. There is a place for a 300 Win as well.

I had a buddy who had a rifle for every imaginable contingency. Unlike, golf where you can carry 13 clubs, he only carried one at a time and after he found one he really liked then he didn’t touch the others.

For what it is worth I think you have taken the right approach.

How is the Defiance CRF action treating you? Any downsides? I'm looking at one myself.

I think you should build your perfect rifle and enjoy the hell out of it. 👍. I’ve got a few rifles but I always reach for the same ones depending on the game. I’m terribly sentimental so I’m not likely to EVER be a one rifle man. I’d feel naked if I didn’t have a bunch. Each have their own purpose and personality. 😁

I’ll shut up now and enjoy the details of your build. I apologize for getting it off track.

So what are the chances Echols will produce this action in stainless?

Aces
I enjoyed your comments. For BG I think two or three are plenty. For NA two.
I have come to believe, as Brad has written, that cartridges are much more similar than different. For my general use I want a 120-150 bullet moving around 2900-3000 AND not with maximum loads of a single magic powder. I don’t want to run at maximum.

If more is needed for NA then get a 300Win, period.

For big stuff a 375 H&H is the world’s standard and for many good reasons.

K Kid
Chance of stainless receiver is 100%. He isn’t making them with anything else. Bolt is 4340 which is pretty much the industry standard. Results in very slick operation. I believe the rings and tgfp are CM as are some other smaller parts.

JStuart
About 15 years ago I went thru my safe and counted actions barrels and stock blanks plus other parts for over 20 projects. I was shocked because I instantly understood why I didn’t have the money to go hunt Dall’s sheep or do anything else. Those projects would have paid off my mortgage.

So I had a sale…never regretted that. I paid off all my debt. Best thing ever.

I understand the quest for the best. I've gone down that rabbit hole with several kinds of tools and toys. That said, custom rifles often turn out a lot like custom homes, which is to say not quite like the original blueprint and not nearly as good as the original dream.

When I read your original post, the question that came to my mind was which of those actions weren't reliable enough? With a trued or custom action and a custom barrel I assume they were all accurate enough for big game....

I agree with you and Brad because that’s about how my BG arsenal looks… .308, .338, .35Whelen. The Whelen will live on my Trawler when I take it north. I’m in the fortunate position in that I am the family armorer and as such I make sure the other 3 members of my family are similarly equipped. 😁. That’s my excuse anyway….😁

TexPhot.
You are correct about several things.

1. It is more than likely to get anything “custom built” wrong the first few times. I have a buddy who designed a set of house plans. He is a builder and told me it took about 3-4 builds before he got it the way he envisioned it.

2. There are many less expensive ways to get a reliable accurate rifle (Tikka). But I have been fiddling around with my version of perfect for 40+ years and over many many attempts. I don’t have any vices, horses, boats, motorcycles, or other expensive hobbies. A single rifle isn’t an expensive deal like a horse. I go hunting and just don’t like packing around things I don’t really like. Silly but harmless.

God bless you my friend and I’ll enjoy watching your dream rifle come together. 👍

So receiver is stainless and rest is not?

I’m always surprised at the lack of stainless options in the CRF custom actions.

Very true! Rifles don't require much in the way of maintenance, especially compared to motorized transportation. Rifles also only need to be fed a little ammo when the mood strikes, unlike a live animal which requires constant upkeep. Also a rifle won't buck a person off if they don't shoot it enough, the opposite for an un-rode horse. In addition, storage of a few rifles is relatively simple. Dollar wise, even a top end rifle really isn't that bad when compared to the price of a lot of other hobbies. Overall a custom rifle affliction is, like you say, a harmless, and may I add fun hobby.