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+1 for Defiance Machine
there is also Surgeon if you are feeling spendy. If a Remington, make certain the serial number begins with A, B, or C, so I am told by Randy Melvin of Bull Mtn Rifles. If you are in a hurry there are going to be more stocks cut for a Remmy readily available, though the defiance and surgeon have the same footprint and would work after stock fitting.

Bergers Hybrids and LRBTs are not as fussy for seating depth.
The 6.5mm 140g Hybrid will be out very soon.

dave

Snowwalker/Dave: Thanks!

Got a lot of good ideas here..

Bob, if you haven't decided on an action, I would go with the 700..had a Sako break a spring and it bound up the action tighter than a drum...put the rifle out of action for mth.s...

WCH: Thanks for that advise. I went out to the smith yesterday.....he basically said use the Remington action....lots more stock options,bases,everything.He said it might e tough to get a stock in my choice for the Sako,depending what I want.

Turns out the shorty Remington he had there had a 223 bolt face, so I am going to have to order up an action....now my mind is spinning a bit.I might order a Defiance....it won't need blue printing or anything other than the barrel job.
I left the barrel there while I get the parts assembled.

Also dropped off my old 270 for a new tube installation....barrel is just gone and I was in denial for over a year.....

Your really going to like a Defiance, you can get a Rem 700 drop in or their model SA which has a longer barrel tenon,so order your stock accordingly!

The Defiance action with the long tennon is what GAP calls the Templar action.McMillian knows what that is....

Just as a thought Bob.
A M700 in a 222 bolt face is the cats meow for turning it into a 6mmPPC.
Yes never let a good 222 Rem bolt go to waist when you can have to smith open it up to the most accurate round ever.
Need to have a Sako extractor installed as well.
The PPC doesnt have the reach of the 6XC that is true.
But under 300 it has no equal for accuracy.
NONE.
Might be just the ticket for you Bob for a walk around carry rifle, play target rifle that will beat the crap out of the locals at the range with little tiny groups .....just sayen..

dave

That Defiance action is not that good looking to me. It looks like a 700 with an old Firestone Town and Country snow tire on the top of it.



How much is this "walking varminter" going to weigh?

Ackley/Dave: Thanks for the tips here....might be time for one of these ultra-mega PF actions...

If I'm not careful, this thing might turn out pretty nice!

You dont like the M700 or the M700 foot print.
We get it.
Have you ever handled a Defiance?

dave

I think you need to look at the 6.5x47 with the small primer pocket Bob.
It can be necked down to 6mm.
dave

Now that you have to buy an action; Find a doner rifle and part it out.

New Haven M70 Classic
Tubb firing pin
Tubb firing pin spring
Tubb cocking piece
Jewell trigger
McMillan Stock

Have your smith sugar up an action and screw on your barrel. With all your M70 experience it will be a natural fit to hunt with the 6XC in a M70 platform. All the Tubb parts are available at SSS the home of the 6XC.

Many nice custom actions out there but a good custom Winchester still gets a lot of respect from others at the range and can shoot with the best. Also that big Nightforce will be sweet on top of a Winchester Express, Sako Varmint, or Hunter stock...

No one cares what you think...and you have nothing to offer to this thread, you need to get a clue!

Defiance' Rebel med action is really their SA with a long tenon, not sure if the port is any different, Templar is just Gap's house name for their actions and it does have a longer front tenon, also made is a Rebel with a true 700 footprint , for any stock cut for a 700, another option to consider is .062 firing pin over the standard .071 as it helps eliminate pierced primers in higher pressure rounds!

Alot of different options with Defiance!

Liking this idea. Bruce Artus and Kreg Slack a couple yeas back were shooting out to 3000 yards with a .308 A.I. and 264 Win Mag, based off M70s. Artus said they'd pretty much hold a flame to most custom actions...

What's not all that fine about the Defiance design is the spring loaded ejector and the tiny, non CRF, extractor and perhaps more.

On the other hand the finish on it seems to be 'good machinery'. Its just that for a walking varmint rifle I would prefer a neat action like the Sako, or a High Wall.

Back in the 50's I got M70's for serious target competition and hunting along with a 99. Then in the 60's I heard that Rem. was where it was at accuracy wise and I got some 40X's for competition. If I knew now that the bolt handles would fall off from use I would have stayed with the M70 or perhaps some other well made design.

Savage normally I am a CRF guy for my BG hunting out of force of long habit.

But the Defiance is a very well made rifle action of PF design,does not need to be blueprinted,and from what I know of them, make up into a very finely accurate rifle.I am not really concerned that this is not a CRF action...I'm certain it will work just fine.

I fully expect this to be a heavier rifle than my BG rifles, and a bit of weight will not bother me with this one. I fully expect it to go in the 9 pound category,and for the country I have in mind, and the intended use, the extra weight may come in handy.....I want it for hitting little animals at distance and the weight may be helpful for that purpose.

Out west, I will just sling the thing up,big scope and all,and start walking....

With a rifle like you propose on a 'benchrest' looking action it would good to own.

Once in a while we fall into one that will shoot well too. Here is one.



I was up in that spot just today and the wind was light for a change. All I saw were crows however. No coyote answered!

Back in the 50's is when they stopped usuing M70's for serious target competition.

dave

Bob,
So many custom after market parts for the 700, not so many for the Sako.