At Hawkins we’re lucky to associate with loads of firms and see quite a few shares, actions, optics, triggers, and parts come via the store in our effort to verify every little thing is appropriate with our merchandise.
Due to this we frequently get questions on full rifle builds and customized actions from our prospects. So, we figured why not cowl the anatomy of a customized motion and use actions we readily available to point out you what a few of the variations.
Right here we are going to go over the totally different function units and terminology you may encounter whereas spec-ing out your motion. We may also go over what motion cuts and can work with which Hawkins backside metallic.
Remington 700 Clone Actions
For this text we’ll be speaking about Remington 700 (REM 700) clone repeater actions. Images for this text are of the Lone Peak Arms Fuzion Titanium, Zermatt Origin (lengthy motion), Impression Precision NBK (brief motion), and an American Rifle Firm Coup De Grace (CDG).
We shall be as thorough as attainable, but when we missed your favourite motion tell us and we are able to probably cowl it in one other article or Hawkins Precision video. (Hyperlink YouTube)
Recoil Lug – Built-in or Separate Recoil Lug
Very first thing up entrance is the recoil lug. That is what presses as much as the again facet of the recess in your inventory, and what transfers recoil to the inventory whereas defending the motion screws. The motion physique and recoil lug are additionally what your barrel shoulders as much as.
They arrive both machined into the motion physique, or ideally pinned if they aren’t integral.
Usually, there are some value variations between these choices. Actions with an integral recoil lug take extra machine time and thus are costlier. Actions with a non-integral recoil lug are simpler to fabricate and usually have a lower cost level.
For instance, the Zermatt Origin has a non-integral recoil lug that may be pinned to the motion. The Impression Precision NBK’s recoil lug is machined into the motion physique. Customary Remington 700 actions include non-integral recoil lugs.
Tenon Threads
Previous the recoil lug, contained in the motion you’ll see the tenon threads. That is the place the barrel mates as much as the motion. Nowadays most customized actions have standardized their tenons so you should buy pre-fit barrels. Which implies you’ll be able to set up a barrel your self with a barrel vise and an motion wrench.
This permits gunsmiths to supply prime quality barrels already chambered and able to go on actions with constant barrel tenon dimensions. An excellent instance is the TS Customized’s Net retailer the place you’ll be able to choose up a barrel that’s already chambered and able to set up on the motion of your selection.
Pre-Match Barrels
There are two various kinds of pre-fits: shouldered and barrel nut. Although in 2024 shouldered pre-fits have gotten the norm and most popular by most shooters. With a shouldered pre-fit you need to be capable of set up a barrel with out headspace gauges, however it’s at all times good to test with a go/no-go gauge.
Barrel nut pre-fits for actions with Savage barrel tenons are additionally a well-liked selection. You have to a barrel nut, barrel nut wrench, motion wrench, and headspace gauges to finish this set up. Criterion Barrels has a great video on the topic – Hyperlink
Each are good choices, however don’t be afraid to ship an motion to your gunsmith. There are not any authorized points with sending an motion to your gunsmith and they are often dropped within the mail with out concern. Good smiths may also report the tenon dimensions in your motion and be capable of make extra barrels for it down the street while not having the motion in-hand.
Motion Our bodies – Supplies
Motion our bodies there are typically made in three widespread materials choices: Stainless Metal, Titanium and Aluminum.
Stainless Metal – Nearly all of actions are comprised of stainless-steel and most firms at the moment are providing light-weight metal actions for hunters. For instance Lone Peak affords a Fuzion, Fuzion Alpine Minimize, and Fuzion Titanium.
Light-weight metal actions can have areas of the motion lower away to make them lighter with out compromising the integrity of the half. Different examples of sunshine metal actions are the Impression NBK, Defiance AnTi, Kelbly Atlas Lite or Nanook, Stiller Wambat, and so forth.
Or you will get stainless-steel actions which are designed for extra competitors and vary use that aren’t lightened.
Titanium – If you wish to go mild, perhaps a Titanium motion is in your future. We are going to cowl coatings beneath and how one can choose a Titanium motion with the correct coatings, however whenever you’re counting ounces it’s exhausting to beat the burden financial savings of a Titanium motion.
Firms making Titanium actions embody Lone Peak Arms, Pierce Engineering, Mac Bros, Impression Precision, Zermatt Arms, Pure Precision, and Gunwerks.
Aluminum – Aluminum actions have been fashionable in F-Class and Benchrest for many years attributable to their steadiness of weight and rigidity. Many have metal inserts for threads and locking lugs. Some examples of Aluminum actions could be the BAT Machine Bumblebee, which is comprised of 7075 T6 Aluminum. Kelbly additionally makes many actions out of aluminum.
Motion Our bodies – Coatings
Receiver our bodies will be DLC coated, or Nitrided, or they will come within the uncooked. Nobody at Hawkins is a fabric scientist, however coatings can enhance the hardness of the fabric they’re utilized to and enhance the corrosion and put on resistance, whereas making them slicker/smoother.
On the Fuzion Ti the Titanium motion physique is DLC coated, and the bolt our bodies are nitrited. This implies they don’t have a grabby feeling that uncooked titanium can have. Having personally run this motion looking and at NRL hunter matches for the final 3 years I can say these run nice and are very {smooth}.
The Origin has a DLC coated bolt head and a Nitrited receiver and bolt physique. Which additionally runs very easily.
Usually, if you need a smooth-running motion, DLC coating or nitride is most popular. If you happen to’re searching for a uncooked materials look it’s possible you’ll sacrifice smoother operation for esthetics. The smoothest working actions are typically DLC coated stainless-steel.
Picatinny Rails – Integral or Screw/Pinned
Up prime, most actions both have the picatinny rail machined into the motion or they’ve mounting factors to screw (and generally pin) a pic rail on the motion. These mounting factors is the place you may additionally mount scope rings on to the receiver.
The machined in pic rails clearly can’t come unfastened, however screwing and pinning rings on to your motion does supply a weight financial savings.
With virtually all customized actions and high-quality scope rings you shouldn’t have to fret about lapping scope rings and alignment points. Which means you’ll be able to set up a set of Lengthy-Vary Hybrids or Featherweight rings on to your motion, avoid wasting weight, and be all set.
That stated, if you need the truest alignment and should not nervous about weight, a 1-pc mount on a totally machined, integral rail is the most suitable choice.
Motion Cuts for Backside Steel – BDL
On the underside of the motion there’s a number of methods they are often set-up. That is the place pairing your backside metallic to the inner field or journal lower is essential.If you happen to’re desirous to run a BDL, your motion might want to have feed lips machined into the motion physique. In case your motion has feed lips, ideally it will likely be lower to accommodate a Wyatt’s Prolonged Inside field. These will help you maximize cartridge general size as inside bins from Wyatt’s outside are longer than a typical Remington 700 type inside field.
Wyatt’s has two choices for inside bins, an MBE which is a stagger feed field and a CFE, which is heart feed. Aspect word, CFE bins additionally don’t require feed lips however can be utilized in actions with feed lips.
For backside metallic, the M5 Oberndorf is lower to take Wyatt Prolonged bins already, whereas the usual Oberndorf is about as much as take normal size bins. Although they are often modified by your gunsmith to take prolonged bins should you’d like.
Motion Cuts for Backside Steel – Magazines
In case your motion isn’t lower with feed lips like an Impression 737R, then they’re set as much as run magazines comparable to a Hunter flush journal or an AICS sample journal. You’ll doubtless additionally see on the spec sheet if the motion is lower to just accept an AW journal, which is a real double stack type 10 spherical brief motion journal we see most at PRS matches.
Nonetheless, in case your motion accepts AICS magazines that’s usually the straightforward route. An AW lower motion simply provides you extra choices.
Within the lengthy motion size, actions lower for CIP size magazines will permit you essentially the most Cartridge General Size for loading heavy for caliber bullets lengthy. CIP (3.850) size magazines are the longest AICS sample magazines obtainable as of the publishing of this text. If they aren’t, it’s doubtless they’re set-up to take 3.715’ size magazines.
Additionally, in case your motion has feed lips you can even nonetheless use AICS sample magazines. The cartridges will simply current between the feedlips, however the journal won’t make the most of them to retain something.
Good choices on backside metallic for these are our Hawkins M5 DBM and our Hunter DBM.
Bolt Our bodies
There are typically two forms of bolts you’ll discover on actions: 2-lug motion or a 3-lug. Two-lug actions are a 90-degree bolt throw and usually have a lighter feeling bolt carry. The three lugs are usually a shorter bolt throw, however with a commerce off with extra needing extra umpfff to carry the bolt.
Bolt our bodies can are available absolutely machined, single bolt items or have floating or swappable bolt heads. For instance, the Lone Peak Arms bolts are a totally machined bolt physique. If you happen to have been trying to run a barrel swap set-up on a single piece bolt motion you’d swap the bolt with the right bolt face bolt and alter barrels.
Swappable bolt heads is an alternative choice for making a swap barrel set-up. Good examples of those are American Rifle Firm (ARC) and Zermatt actions. Swappable bolt heads help you have one bolt, however swap bolt heads if you need go to from a typical .473 bolt face to say a magnum, and so forth.
Ejection/Extraction
Typically, actions will function both a M16 extractor or managed spherical feed. The M16 extractor is a well-liked improve for manufacturing facility Remington 700s because the design is robust, dependable and straightforward to exchange as wanted. These typically come on push feed type actions the place the extractor snaps over the case rim whereas it enters the chamber whenever you shut the bolt.
On managed spherical feed actions, the rim of the cartridge slides underneath the extractor when the bolt pushes the cartridge ahead. Which means should you withdraw the spherical earlier than it fully enters the chamber it will likely be held in place by the extractor/bolt.
For ejection of circumstances, you’ll be able to both get a plunger ejector that’s spring loaded and frequently presses in opposition to the again of the case from when the spherical chambers till it bolt slides far sufficient to the case to eject from the motion physique.
Mechanical ejectors use a tough cease that hits the bottom of your case whenever you run your bolt again and ejects the case.
Plunger ejectors have a tendency to depart a pile of brass in a single spot however will should be changed very heavy use (like actually heavy use) whereas mechanical ejectors typically gained’t fail however fling brass as exhausting as you run the bolt.
Bolt Knobs
The final determination it’s possible you’ll make in your customized motion are bolt knobs. Actions can include smaller/lighter bolt knobs for looking rifles. You might have considered trying a big bolt knob for a contest rifle.
Zermatt affords quite a few bolt knob choices to help you customise your motion to your rifle. We’ll embody some examples of what you’ll be able to select from right here.
ConclusionAnd that’s the anatomy of an motion on a excessive degree. Hopefully seeing these motion options enable you to along with your motion buy. It’s a good time to be into precision rifles as there’s loads of good choices on the market!