Just curious. I thought I saw an article that said that D'arcy Echols now was building his own action (LX-1). But looking on his website I don't see it there.

Just curious if anyone here owns one, and if so what is it like?

I have one on order.

Here are some pics of the LX-1.

Left and right hand?

I'm pretty sure he offers both. What are the top two?

He did send me a photo of a LH, I just can't post it for some reason.

Why the radius on the bottom of the recoil lug?

The 1st run of complete receivers was limited to 14, All but 1 of those, a standard bolt-face 30-06 bolt face left hand receiver has not been committed to a Legend yet but I know it will be soon. I plan to make a much larger run in late summer and these actions will be for sale. So far I don't have a set price as I'm still working out the details of production cost on two major parts. Still in the last of the R&D stage.

The LX-1 is a combination of several actions in evolution, an amalgamation of what each one of those systems had to offer. The concept now a reality has some sturdy legs.

Not everyone is going to like it. It weighs a bit more than a G Series Model 70 as its longer due to that .500 length Bullet Ramp.

Purist will damm the use of 416 Stainless for the receiver as most of the other parts are Carbon steel. The advantages however outweigh the nostalgia

Many are going to gasp at the price when I finally settle on it. Precision and attention to detail come at a cost. It is however an honest attempt to build a better than average sporting rifle receiver that will not require running down the demons that give a rifle builder insomnia. I've been sleeping pretty well lately.

At this time the action comeS complete with a set of rings either 1" or 30mm as part of the initial price and set up for specific cartridge case design. There is Long action that has an internal magazine box length of 3.630 and a standard length action that has an internal magazine length of 3.430. To date the magazine geometry and rails are machined for the 25/06 up through 35 Whelen, 264 Win Mag to 458 Win mag in the standard length.
Then the 300/375H&H and the wide mag for the 7mm STW up though 458 Lott. The 257 Wtby up through the 375 Wtby will function as designed in at least one of these magazine configurations and lengths.

At this time there is no magazine, follower or rail geometry set up for the 6.5 or 300 PRC, 375 or 416 Ruger or any of the Nosler or Ultra Magnum line of cartridges . Currently I have no plans to set them up for the 404 Jeffery or 416 Rigby.

The barrel threads are 1.062 x 16 TPI, Blue printing has already been completed. Similar bolt face to the Enfield, Springfield and 70,
cone breech ? wouldn't have it any other way.

The scope rings can be removed in 30 seconds and replaced in the same amount of time. You can of course switch from a 1" scope to a 30mm for what ever reason you require. The dovetail bases have .010 inclined plane machined into them the help keep the reticle as close to middle of the elevation adjustment center as is reasonable with our forever changing stable of current Super Scopes.

The bolt shroud and 3 position safety is a spin off on both the 98 design and the Mod-70 as well as features a substantial gas flange.

The bolt is currently machined with a screw on bolt knob with the integral root of the bolt acting as a 3rd lug if things go wrong.

The trigger is very much what the Mod-70 always wanted to be.

The bedding footprint is more than ample, flat bottomed with straight tapered sides to allow precise bedding by hand or bedding material

The bolt stop acts internally as a gas block and as very rugged bolt stop. Carrying over some designed features reminiscent of the early Oberndorf stops.

Bottom Metal? well lets just say it cost more than $200.00, No 1 piece design ? and 3 damn screws (what was he thinking ? ).

Firing pin, yes it has one made by Greg Tannel with some very fine input from him in the design concept.

Initial assembly and range work have been very, very satisfying. Ser # 0001 was in Mozambique last month and accounted for 3 Buffalo and is in Zambia as I type getting another proper field test.

To use 2-1/4" round stock instead of 2-1/2"

Looks great! Nothing short of World Class!

Anybody that bitches about price needs a jalapeno, gasoline and saguaro enema.

You've done a mountain of R&D on this and your time and attention to detail needs to be compensated.

Love the bolt shroud threads!!!

Now, as soon as somebody mentions the word "reasonable", I'll ready the cactus...

Phenomenal effort, love the scope mounting system.

Get a few Picatinny rails on that thing you might have something.

John

quote:

Anybody that bitches about price needs a jalapeno, gasoline and saguaro enema.

You've done a mountain of R&D on this and your time and attention to detail needs to be compensated.

Hahahaha! Tell us how you really feel James.

Serious action there by a serious rifle builder!

Somebody say Picatinny??

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the boss on the front guard screw for?

Blind screw hole???

James
No it's not blind. I always wondered why the M-70 allowed more than enough thread purchase on the middle and rear guard screw holes yet only about .180 on the front screw hole ? Always seemed to work, but again never being able to leave well enough alone the boss will get you a full .250 plus in thread length, simple to allow for the boss in inletting with a piloted counterbore

As to the Picatinny ? You can see it was drawn up in Solid-works and even laser printed. You want this option ? No problem, by all means please feel free place an order for at least 20 receivers with the Picatinny rail. In quantity anything can be made to happen.

quote:

Originally posted by DArcy_Echols_Co:


As to the Picatinny ? You can see it was drawn up in Solid-works and even laser printed. You want this option ? No problem, by all means please feel free place an order for at least 20 receivers with the Picatinny rail. In quantity anything can be made to happen.

I'll get right back to you on that order.

In all seriousness, I wish you all the best with the action. It is a small market, but one that you know as good as or better than anyone.

John

Why not make the scope rings with the recoil lug on the solid side? Regards, Bill

Bill you could

I only ask because that would always be my preference; right behind having the ring seat against a full width step.
I like the external bolt stop. I like the bolt construction; with the integral extraction cam and bolt handle base. I like the two piece bottom metal and the three screws.
All in all, not an ugly action! Regards, Bill

Bill thanks for the comments, sent you a PM

Just curious, what are the advantages of 416 stainless over carbon steel? Looks to be a wonderful design.

The lack of radical movement in heat treat and having the receiver and bolt made of different materials allows for a very smooth operating action.

how close to montana footprint

Looks terrific. Please tell us your view of the 3 screw bottom metal, and why that's preferable.

Well I can confirm that it will go into my Legend stock (I wonder how that managed to happen)with some build up work required under the rear of the bolt stop. The Montana, Pre and Post 64, the RMR and others all are similar by the nature of the beast. The guard screw hole spacing will vary, mag well and box position will vary some what.

I must admit that my tax bracket might very well be too low to afford one but I can still admire and appreciate the dang thing!

Oh my, what an absolute thing of functional beauty!!!!!

Thanks,
Zeke

I'm not D'Arcy but I like the three screw because it lends greater integrity to the whole. Regards, Bill.

Thank you Bill. I realize the question might’ve seemed snarky, but I did not intend it that way. I thought I could learn some thing about why the choice was made, because we usually think of upgrading to the one piece metal on custom guns. Sparked my curiosity.

It will be interesting to see this action all barreled up and sitting in a nice piece of walnut.

It is also interesting to think about this new action in terms of longevity on the American Market.

Looking at Europe you have relatively small countries that have supported custom gun builders for quite some time. Very Expensive guns to boot. (When was the last time you priced a shotgun built by Ivo and Tullio Fabbri).

On the other hand you have the Big United States marketplace, but looking at the past you have a graveyard full of failed gunmakers, starting,, as I seem to remember, with The Koch - Peterson KP-33 Mauser, and I don't know how many other mauser type guns, and also a number of Winchester 70 type guns up to the Dakota Rifles and the Roberts action, and a host of others
as well.

There are a few that have seemed to hang on. I think the Saterlee is still being made and the GRanite Mountain Arms still hangs on.

What is the magical formula for a custom type action to take hold and stick around in America?
Why do people pay a guy like David Miller $25,000 to fix up a Winchester Classic 70 action when they could buy a much better action and use it the way it is. Or pay a guy like Duane Wiebe to fix up an old rusty mauser action when they could get a New Granite Mountain Arms or Satterlee action thats better in every respect.

Why are american sportsmen (and women) so cheap when it comes to guns (I admit it myself) when they go out and buy $50,000 pickups and pay 10s of thousands of dollars for hunting trips.

Bottom line How does a new action like this one from Mr. Echols become permanently successful? Is it what the gunmaker likes, or is it what the customer likes? Or is it price, or something else.

a work of art......well done sir.

Kolo Pan that is well said.

I can only speak for myself but after modifying, re-engineering and correcting the very same issues on action after action for the last 25 years .......... This continued path just seemed senseless with the access to great modern technology just up the street. What is that definition of insanity again ?


Without any doubt it cost more to do it this way. But when you're 7500 miles from home paying $2000.00 a day to have lunch under a tree the last thing I'd want is a second best rifle. How you define 1st 2nd or 3rd is solely up to you.

I feel, and again this is only my opinion that in the last 50 years we have lost sight of, bastardized and excepted mediocrity in basic elemental design concepts of the bolt action receiver. Collectively we have dumbed down the idea of what really is necessary for basic function.

This stuff is not rocket science or I wouldn't be able to understand its basics.

I don't want to corner any market on better mouse traps, Personally I'm just tired of reinventing the wheel again and again and again. So this my attempt at that better trap. Sink or swim it's been a hell of a ride.

To quote of the Young Brothers "Its a long way to the top if you want to Rock and Roll"

D'Arcy, I would think the front boss might ? Theoretically Manage recoils abit better if it had a flatter rear surface ?

Although it looks like the action probably has enough built in design feature to adequately handle recoil.

Phil you crack me up !!!!!!!!

Good

Slightly off topic, but what do y’all think about making an action and or barrels from LC200N AKA Cronidur 30? It is a nitrogen steel, incredibly tough and will not rust no matter what you do to it. It was designed as a ball bearing steel for space craft. It is being used in the knife industry because of those great qualities. If a premium gun maker like Echols were to use this, I think it would add an extra level of panache and benefit.

Probably not. If it can't be free machining it's not feasible.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Probably not. If it can't be free machining it's not feasible.

https://www.zapp.com/fileadmin...LC200N_Datasheet.pdf

Here is the data sheet with that info.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Probably not. If it can't be free machining it's not feasible.

https://www.zapp.com/fileadmin...LC200N_Datasheet.pdf

Here is the data sheet with that info.

Have you ever tried machining 56-60RC metal? There are a lot of metals that have some properties that are great, but you need to be able to afford it and machine it.

Outstanding and very impressive! Being a native Utahn from Orem, I did, however, have to look up Millville to learn that it's in Cache Valley.

So far I have tried Black Nitride and I like the effect coupled with the rest of the parts being caustic blued. There are a number of PVD coatings I want to try at Richter Precision. Some will use Cera-kote but had better not coat the race-way and rails as it will gum up the works pretty quickly.

You could use Black Electro-Nickel