Rod

After seeing what you folks have done with a hunting action, is there any chance you could make a reasonably priced single shot bolt action for building benchrest rifles? Seems like a single shot should be a breeze to engineer after working out the bugs in the 1999. I was looking at the CG milinium action on Sinclaire's websight and though you guys should be able to do that and and less than their $1000 price!

cgdavid: We talked about this at the shot show with a number of folks. Here's our current thinking on a possible solution. For the single-shot, the BOM (bill-of-materials) would lose the bottom metal, the follower, the follower spring and the magazine box. In place, we would engineer a snug fitting plug (alloy tbd - but probably aluminum for weight) that fits the well and includes a channel just below the bolt bore. The bottom surface of the plug would be flush with the receiver bottom and be retained by the stock when the action is bedded. We could mill out a huge channel lengthwise along the bottom to lighten it further. The upper (cylindrical) channel would completely clear the bolt when cycling, but position a cartridge laying on the channel for perfect feeding. This would NOT be a CRF solution, but the claw extractor snaps over the rim with little effort and is well-known for its excellent extraction. The standing ejector would work as in magazine-fed actions.

The idea is avoid modifying the receiver. This way it retains its value and flexibility for future projects and we don't have to carry excessive inventory (expensive) or design new tool paths (really expensive).

For any other comments or suggestions, let's start a new thread called the M1999 Single-shot.

So, here is the new thread.....

Rod

This is my first reaction so its not well-thought out.....

First, instead of plugging the bottom, I'd like a solid, integerated bottom. Mostly, to increase rigidity.

Second, the ejection 'port' needs to wrap further around the top. Again for rigidity.

Third, Go to a Rem style housing rather than the win with the integrated 3 position safety. Probably in aluminum.

Forth, a rem or Sako type extractor. No real good reason that I can think of other than I am not used to seeing claw extractors on paper punchers.

Finally, and I'll stop here for now, Build it for a Rem 700 style trigger.

I had always thought that the manufacturing process for the M1999 would not make it suitable for BR type actions. Maybe I was wrong?

The "single shot", retained but plugged magazine well, with a claw extractor that has to slip over the cartridge sounds like an abomination to me. I understand the issue about keeping inventories down and protect investments, but this sounds so full of compromises that I can't see the value.

In one of the other M1999 threads, a varmint hunter suggested something much more sensible. Seems like there used to be a M700 look-alike available at one time, but no longer. He asked whether MRC would be interested in building somethink like this, forgetting the trigger since most people would use after market triggers anyway. I have the feeling the market is bigger for varmint shooting than for BR.

FWIW - mike

The Montana action is a good design for a hunting rifle. The benchrest crowd look for other things than CRF etc. I know I�m one of them

The big difference betveen a single shot and a action with a cut for the mag. is often that there is a lot more metal left behind the bottom lug. The feed ramp steal a lot of metal and the action will flex more when fired.

I strongly suspect that the market for a single shot action is not as big as for the different models that are made and are planned to be made.

Stefan.

For a single shot target action there is little doubt that the primary requirement is perfect alignment of bolt, threads etc. The second requirement is simplicity of the bedding surface. Third is rigidity to support a heavy floated barrel.
It has been amply demonstrated over the last 25 years that the 40x remington is adequate on all counts except the first (unless you are lucky). Many highly regarded custom actions are nothing more than 40x clones with minor changes.
I will say that the 1999 action,as it is, is probably entirely adequate for anything outside of short range BR. As is the M70 Winchester. I think it could be used to build a very nice varminter or long range target rifle. In a caliber suitable to the task I think 1/4 moa would be attainable. For a BR action though some changes would be necessary.
First the bottom of the action. I would design it as a solid bottom of course. To do this the bottom would be thickened by .100 commencing right behind the recoil lug. The bottom would be flat all the way back to the rear of the existing magazine well. Behind this I would make it round (wait 'til I'm finished!). It would be fitted with a carrier for a Remington style trigger which would be screwed onto the rear of the action. The front guard screw would remain in it's present location and a second screw added about .750 ahead of the front of the trigger hanger.
The size of the loading port could be reduced but to do so means changing the contour of the top of the action. I don't really think this is necessary (remember the 40X)and the existing contour is attractive (accurate rifles are allowed to be attractive).
There is really nothing wrong with a long extractor. It will work at least as well as a Sako type. The ejector slot could be omitted and a spring loaded plunger used instead. For most target or varmint hunting use an ejector of any sort is actually unnecessary. In other words the boilt could be used mostly as is.
I personally like having a safety on the bolt of my target rifles. A two position that does not lock the boltis fine. When a cease fire is called and it is necessary to unload, it's nice to be able to engage a safety and avoid an accidental firing when unloading. This can happen with the 2 oz triggers set fine.
In bedding this action into a stock I would float the tang and use a wood screw at the rear of the trigger guard. I bed all my 40Xs this way and they shoot very well. The slightly reduced in area recoil lug could be augmented by the step at the rear of the flat if the rifle was built in a heavier recoiling caliber. I would make the bottom metal 1 piece I think.
This action would be quite suitable for building varmint/target rifles up to around the 16 pound level. It could work quite well for a 10 1/2 pound BR rifle. It would be just a little different (always a plus!)and nice looking.
The steps taken in machining the castings could be done in such a way as to keep things as straight as possible. Actually the present 1999 actions look pretty good in this respect.
Obviously the molds would have to be different for this action and there would be some changes in the machining sequences etc so there would have to be a market for at least 600 of these to make the project viable. No reason to think pricing would be much different than the existing actions and I would take 10 so there's a start. Regards, Bill.

Well, its clear that the title of this thread is a misnomer. As one old downeaster once said, "Ya cain't get there from here."

Good input all. I'm afraid a new design is probably at the back of the list...what list?

Oh, let's see... finish out the SA and LA/LH, Wrap up CAD on WSSM and start (and then finish) the mini. In LH & RH. Finish up the PH in RH & LH. AND while supporting the transition to production for all the above... What was I supposed to do again?

Oh yeah, design an action for a market we obviously know nothing about. This territory is pretty well covered, I thought. Doesn't Nesika Bay, Hall, and Stoll-Panda focus in this area?

Rod,
This market is pretty well covered by the companies you mentioned. In the same way the market for M70 style actions is pretty well covered by Dakota (not).
The Nesika Bay, the Hall, The stolle etc. are all fine actions and for around the 1100 dollar mark they should be. I just feel that there is a market for a single shot priced like the 1999 repeaters. And of the same quality.
It is my belief that the open bottomed actions will work quite well for target/varmint style rifles such as I frequently make but I would like to have an affordable single shot made like I described. I don't much care about a mini!
When it comes to single shot actions we are limited to the high dollar actions (nice to be sure). Or using old 40Xs or Savage110Vs.
Oh, you don't have to design the action. That's already done!
Seriously, if you ever decide to make them I'll buy some. If you don't I'll still buy the repeaters! Regards, Bill.