Are there any real advantages of using an action from the Remington Custom Shop for a project over a std 700?

Same actions but finish might be a little better (surfaces kept level and true). Custom shop rifles are, generally speaking, just assemblies of different combinations. GD

When you say "surfaces kept level and true" would that include the bolt face and lugs?

Some have mentioned elsewhere that it was their impression that the CS actions were trued.

The custom shop received standard actions then trued them up and d&t the mounts themselves. How much the receivers were trued probably depended a lot on the time period and which gunsmith was doing the work.

I would say your gunsmith can face off the receiver and check the bolt and lugs for square as well as the custom shop did.

My gunsmith refuses to install a new bbl on most bolt actions without checking the receiver face and squaring it up if needed. He said about half of the M700 receiver faces need to be touched up, about half don’t.

Are these one of PTG receivers from the custom shop inventory?

This one is a used gun I bought off a seller here in Canada. Not sure the history prior to that as he didn't buy it new.

A friend who puts barrels on a lot of actions told me that the last few 700’s he’s worked on were so good that he didn’t need to do anything to them

IMO there is NO reason to use a custom shop action over a standard 700 action, the only custom shop action I own (a 40X) had to be trued by my gunsmith and I had to send the bolt to Gretan rifles for the bolt to be bushed........the only advantage for me is that I got the single shot action I wanted

Same answer.

I bought a rifle recently built off a CS action. The finish is definitely better than an SPS type action.

Start with a custom action from a reputable maker. You’ll be miles ahead of the game from the start.

I would go the custom route if I were to do it again. Between getting the bolt bushed and trued? Striking distance of a custom clone.

Last few 700s I bought were from the "new" company. The bolt handle was in the right place to provide primary extraction and the lugs both had good contact. I think they're doing a pretty good job now.

None of the custom shop actions I have rebarreled were any different than the standard actions with a couple of exceptions. The exceptions were that the visible surfaces were better polished and true, and the actions had good primary extraction. Other than that, "custom shop" just meant non-standard features. GD

I don't think I need a custom 700 clone action for this project. I've not had any troubles with factory 700s in the past.

This Custom Shop donor should suffice.

No

if you can afford it buy a BAT action its clone of a Remington but much much better. if your a right hand shooter get a right bolt / left port i have a Bat bench rifle that is a switch barrel 6 BR / 6.5 Creedmoor fun to shoot .

They pull actions off the shelf and uses them. They may polish some, but that would be the only difference. I usually touch up the front of the receiver ring, but .005" is the most I've had to cut. Lapping bolt lugs? Why?