Dear Sirs,

I searched long and hard on these forums before asking this question. My apologies if it has been asked before.

I am just getting into bolt action rifles. I have a plains game rifle on the way and now I need a DGR.

I would really like to build one. I realize I can buy a CZ 550, but what fun would that be.

In researching actions I came across the Charles Daly/KBI Mauser 98 offerings. Except for the ridiculous button on the trigger guard which I assume is a safety (and makes me want to vomit) it looks/sounds like a set-up that I might like.

Specifically, the safety on the reciever. It appears to be similar to the ones on a Sako instead of that 3 position/wing type deal.

It's pretty cheap @ $400 bucks. Is it just a total piece of garbage?

Thanks

Howdy and welcome,
te daly actions, for all the flak, will be a fairly stout, perhaps lower quality, mark X action. For the money, howwever, you can buy a montana rifleman long (not ph) action, and have the proper safety, and actually speak to someone that will talk with you about your end requirements, rather than a fairly rude, underinformed sales slug of a company that merely BOUGHT a name.

if you like them, by all means get one..

the legacy sports may be a better choice than the kbi/daly.

jeffe

Welcome. Since this is the big bore forum I guess your are wanting the 375 H&H action and those have not been brought into the USA yet. KBI says late August or September. When they arrive you can do anything from a bare action in the white to a barreled action, blue or stainless or a complete rifle.

My only two issues with the action are that it is a standard '98 size opened up in the front for the 375, not the rear so there is not much choice in aftermarket bottom metal unless you want to spend money changing an already expensive product to fit; and the safety is a trigger safety and more money has to be spent to get a firing-pin safety if that is what you like.

The button in the trigger guard is the floorplate release.

Another thing that can bite you if you don't watch out is that the cocking piece is different dimensionally than a stock Mauser and may not work with an aftermarket Mauser trigger without more mods. That affects (but not prohibits) your choices in after market safety assemblies as well.

That being said, they are priced right and what fun would it be if it was just right out of the box?

My 458 Win uses the Daly action with a Douglas barrel. It did take a few mintues on the rails to make it feed perfectly but I'm happy as can be. I'd keep shopping though, I think you can get that action much cheaper. The gunsmith that built my 275 Rigby says he can build a complete rifle with B&C stock in 375 or 458 for around $900. He nust be getting the actions considerably cheaper than $400.

Regards,

Standard caliber barreled actions go for as little as $269.00, maybe less some places i don't know about. The bare actions should be less. I paid $175 several years ago for a polished blue 375 H&H barreled action and they can't be too awful much higher.

Thanks guys. I should have mentioned that the action is intended for a .416 Rigby.

I found a cz550 action in .416 with a 2 position safety by an outfit called American Hunting Rifles out of Brownells but the price was a little high.

Speaking of safeties. If I may respectfully ask, what is so great about the 3 position safety? I know that in the 2nd position you can still work the bolt, but so what? What does that have to do with dangerous game. All of the 3 position safeties that I have handled feel clunky and awkward. They are so un-streamlined (imo) and they look like they are waiting to snag on something.

Anyway, thanks again.

That action is about $500-$550 if you shop around and it is much better suited for the Rigby. There have been 416s made on standard Mausers but not worth the cost.
A lot of people don't like a three position; they prefer a two position but one that blocks the firing pin when on safe. The third position ( and sometimes the "safe" on a 2-position)locks the bolt so you won't accidently catch the handle and open it on a piece of brush when stalking. Very poor timing to have a gun out of battery.
The one one the CZ doesn't lock the firing pin. Not a big deal unless you want it to be one.

I recently got one of the charles daly barreled actions in 300 win mag for a friend. Overall I was impressed with it, it looks to be of very good quality, well finished. They're made by Zastava in yugoslavia, the same place as the old mark x. I don't know how having charles daly instead of interarms stamped on the side of the same action makes the daly lesser quality. I would buy one for myself if I were in need of a decent mauser action. I have two of the montana rifleman actions in my safe and I have to say the daly is much better finished. I was a bit disappointed in the finish of the MRC action, it's pretty rough.



However, as mentioned, the Daly action is too small for a 416 rigby, although it has been done. The CZ550 is a better choice.

Gun parts corp. has them listed on their website. Both actions and barreled actions. They have lefthanded and SS versions also. Prices start about $290 bucks and go north the more exotic you want. I was thinking about getting an action in SS and building a .450 Rigby with a Laminate stock and a SS barrel - I think it would be the perfect gun to take to africa if and when I can go...

Toolmaker

Hey thanks toolmaker, that gun parts corp site is a good one. It kind of got me back on track. I was about ready to give up and try and find a servicable Ruger 77 in .416 Rigby, but now I am not so sure. How bad can the .458 win mag really be performance wise?

Things were a lot easier a few days ago when I didn't have a clue and thought that my Sako TRG-1 in .375 H & H would be all the rifle I would ever need.

Browningguy- I would sure like to contact your gunsmith if you are willing to refer him.

Sure thing, contact Norman at nmyers03@comcast.net .
His web page is:
http://www.heritagecustomarms.com

Let him know that Jeff in Houston referred you, he's a good guy to work with.