I know very little about custom rifles. I have a rather simple question - when clients and gunsmiths are building 15k plus rifles why do they choose old actions. What is the benefit of an old action that a modern cnc built action cannot produce? Why choose argentine pre WWII action over granite mountain action?

Mike

Practically? There really is no good reason other than it is what the customer and the smith want.

When you are going to this level many want a connection with the past, with the craftsmanship of an age long gone. It's kind of like asking why ride a vintage Harley when modern bikes are so much more refined. If you have to ask then you would not understand.

I like old things; old shotguns, rifles, furniture, houses, tools, watches. I like the idea of using something older than me that still functions like new and works just as well as the latest. I like the idea that there is history attached to the object even if I don't know just what it is. For these and other reasons I prefer an '03 Springfield or mod 98 to a modern version. Not rational perhaps but that's my reason/

Jerry Liles

Mike,

Many customs are built just because they got the action cheap.

Of course a Granite Mountain must be better in many ways over an old military action.

CNC is just a numerical control of a machine. It has almost nothing to do with the specific quality of the part produced except perhaps it will be a dulicate of the previous one or more to spec.

I think Jerry hit the nail on the head. One of the biggest reasons to build a custom rifle is so that you can have what YOU want. I build mostly varmint rifles and most are on 700 Rem or cnc/edm 700 clones, But then I have never been charged by a wounded prairie dog!

On the CRF demand:

I found a new place to hunt and I had picked out what I thought was the best spot for opening day.

Early that day I walked in the dark to "my" spot and there was already a hunter sitting there!

As I approached he got up and started walking past me. I asked if he was leaving and he said is rifle was jammed.

It was a push feed Rem 760!

In my case it was the wanting a lean, sized right 7x57. The Swede, properly worked, seems to fill the bill.

I like the older stuff too.
I would be happy to have a rifle built on a granite mtn action too,
But the old mausers with the thumb cut and even sometimes with the Nazi eagle proof marks are just cool !
...tj3006

Boxhead that's a beautiful rifle. Who did the stock work?
Gunsmithing in the old countries was a family affair with the trade skill passed on to the next generation in the family. Pride in manufacturing hand made parts one at a time with the family and individual reputation always on the line. Themselves being the harshest critics. Some of the companies work was exceptional rivaling custom shops. They built the best product they could without looking at high speed production with profit being the highest priority. Gun afficianados in the field and the shops conspired together to build an heirloom quality product. Not the bean counters of today who sit on boards with zero experience. Wars greatly hampered production especially the high end luxury items. Pre war commercial Mausers were the finest example of that period. Their quality bests custom guns of today. Argentine was one of the beneficiaries of those actions not only in quality of manufacturing from material and execution but in genius engineering. As Paul Mausers intricate design and purpose driven action became bastardized to cut cost, speed production,all aspects were driven downhill. Many are still labeled Mausers in some form or another but NOT equal. Astute rifle loonies know better. Hence the desire for certain actions.
Todays CNC production makes manufacturing much easier, but you still need an artisan to really put it together. That's where the money variance comes into effect and not all gunsmiths are created equal. There is nothing wrong with farming out certain work as long as the finished product is up to par meaning excellence . We are lucky in the U.S. by having the finest group of custom gun builders. Check out the American Custom Gunmakers guild show and it's members. You will be impressed.
Granite MT. Arms Mausers are built to better standards than the originals. In materials,tolerances, heat treatment etc.. Satterlee, and a few others in Europe. In fact we had regretfully now deceased two gunsmiths that really knew their way around the Mausers and built them in their shop from scratch. Fred Wells in prescott,AZ. and David Gentry in MT.
I personally have several Winchester custom shop rifles which are similar to my Dakota which I give a small edge. But my GMA is in a league of its own. I believe it has become the standard for high end Mausers. If CRF is your choice.
If strictly accuracy is your game then you follow the leaders on the benchrest circuit with actions such as Stolle,Nesika, Hall, Wichita, Borden, Stiller etc...
Whatever your nitch is, there are people to fill it. You just have to find the right one with your taste and budget.

Thanks Duane for the insight. Has FZH or Satterlee ever produced the action in left hand. I am just trying to broaden my horizons.

FZH does, I'm currently looking at it on my bench

For me, it is a coin toss between an OM 70 and some of the better M98's.

You have about the same investment with either, OM 70 is $650 and up a bit, but everything is done. The 98's will need about $400 or somebody like Duane Wiebe or Jim Kobe's attention.

Thanks to all of you.

There is only one way to know which is best for your intended use and that is to have used some extensively and developed the knowledge.If you have not you can take the advice of someone who has.My advice is to at least get an action with a cartridge specific,one piece bottom metal.You don't want the action riding on top of a rectangular piece of sheet metal.Also consider the weight and size of the action for your cartridge choice and the effect on the balance and overall weight of the rifle.The trigger is important too.No matter how well the action feeds you still need a strong trigger.If you had the bolt handle replaced make sure the guy who did it knows how to weld.I had one come apart and left in my hand as I was dry firing once.It turned out that the fellow or shop who supplied the action screwed up.Also it would be smart to consider a small operation who specializes in actions alone.

I was at the range this morning shooting a sporterized 1903 Springfield. It reminded me that this action is much unrated. They are an incredible smooth action and, personally, I think the cocking knobs are pretty cool too.

Ditto about the 1903 being underrated.

I think the fact that a military action takes considerable gunsmithing to make it just-so is well known. A top tier modern action costs more to aquire but can take less work to bring up to snuff. So, as I understand it, one way to go is with a low cost surplus action and higher cost to work it up. The alternative is to go with a higher cost modern action and lower cost to work it up. You can also start with a modern consumer grade action, the M70 for instance, and apply further gunsmithing to enhance it. Actual end result and cost of action work would be by quotation from the man doing the work and some specialize in or prefer specific types of actions.

Boxhead's Swede is a good example. That does not have the original safety, bolt handle, nor bottom metal. The rear bridge has also been reshaped and the feed lips removed. I can only imagine the amount of work done to the action in areas and ways we cannot see but which, nonetheless, could be extensive.