I am currently looking at Dakota actions as replacement for my failed attempt at Hein's actions.

Can someone give me a run down of the strengths and weaknesses of their actions? I have tried the search feature but have found little information.

Also can anyone share their experiences with the Dakota barrels? Seems like for the price going with the barreled action is not a bad deal.

Dak.76 Action:
http://www.huntamerica.com/dakota/

what length receiver are you considering?

270 win........would that be a std length or long?

Howard, this will tell ya...
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6755

Might be interested to know that, a certain "Legend" Utah riflesmith,told me he had little regard for Dakota actions.
....now, dont shoot the messenger folks!
none the less, In Heinsight, at least you would have a realworld flesh&blood warts n"all Dak76 in your safe.

There has been an animosity toward Dakota rifles since they first came out, some gunsmiths seemed to base their antagonism on issues more concerned with the financial success of Don Allen, rather than any shotcomings of the sctions, themselves.

While "some" did not/do not like them, others, such as Al Lind of WA state DO recommend them, it seems that personal issues have a lot to do with this. I have a very nice Dakota 76, bought new when Don Allen was still in charge and, after some minor tweaking, it is a superbly accurate, beautifully balanced rifle that functions perfectly.

I would tend to say "buy one" and then get a top smith to build your rifle on it, a Jim Dubell-Chic Worthing build would, IMHO, be right up there with anybody's creation and superior to a lot of stuff one could buy.

quote:

Originally posted by Trax:
Might be interested to know that, a certain "Legend" Utah riflesmith,told me he had little regard for Dakota actions.

Yeah I know he doesn't. I also know other smiths who don't like them. Yet those same smiths love the M70 which is a mass produced action not built to near the tolerance standards of the Dakota. Silly me I know but I have always thought it had something to do with the amount of money those same smiths are able to charge to bring the M70 up to their "standards".

Howard, I bought a one new in 1995 and have had no problems. I don't thing you will have a problem getting one in a timely fashion unlike the Hein or some other high end actions.

We have been using two wildcats - the 375/404 - built on the Dakota 76 action. For so many years and have had no problems whatsoever.

It seems quite a number of British custom makers are building rifles on Dakota actions lately.

Highly recommended.

Maybe JohnS will post as he is quite well-versed on the action. If I recall, the 76 action is missing a bulge(?) that the 70 has that affords the latter better anti-binding qualities, but according to John, it can be easily added. jorge

I think that most of the adverse stuff you hear about the actions is based solely with Don Allen. I realize he is no longer here, and bad practice to bad mouth the guy. But, he was a stockmaker and more of a business guy. He allegedly STOLE that action design from a very well known and respected metalsmith. He took a lot of unearned credit for an ACGG rifle that was supposedly his "last rifle".

With that in mind Howard, they are decent actions but you can buy a better one, the model 70 for a lot less and have a better finished project.

You buy a Mod 70 or a Mauser knowing that you will spend money bringing it to the level it needs to be. Why do you pay a lot of money for a custom that needs considerable work at additional expense?
Butch

I paid them my deposit nine years ago...and still have nothing for it. I can't see much difference between that and your experience with Hein.

Personally, I would buy something from a person like Jerry Stiller, who IS a stand-up action maker with good products and great delivery. Or is that GREAT actions AND service? And if Jerry didn't make exactly what I was wanting, I'd rely on his recommendation as to who I should trust to deal with.

quote:

Originally posted by Howard:

quote:

Originally posted by Trax:
Might be interested to know that, a certain "Legend" Utah riflesmith,told me he had little regard for Dakota actions.

Yeah I know he doesn't. I also know other smiths who don't like them. Yet those same smiths love the M70 which is a mass produced action not built to near the tolerance standards of the Dakota. Silly me I know but I have always thought it had something to do with the amount of money those same smiths are able to charge to bring the M70 up to their "standards".

Howard,
could it be that a dak76 still requires some proper finishing & accurizing,just like a mass produced M70?
I considered buying a dak76 action yrs ago,and was told that it still needed work. whether that work is entirely required depends on what quality level a smith operates to, and what a customer wants and is willing to pay.
I eventually decided on an fully trued Argentine1909,,cause it just made so much more economic sense.
By the time a good smith charges a customer for setting up an action for grinding and truing and other corrections to triggers,safeties,bottom metals, he may as well begin with a $500 receiver rather than a $2000 receiver.
I am aware that Echols goes all over an M70 to true just about every surface, as well as, his tunning refinements to the safety and trigger.
If I had to buy a dak76 that possibly still reqiure those things be done, Id sensibly rather begin with an M70.
>>
If building a high grade single shot, it would be different,
It would be money straight down on a Hagn receiver, rather than trying to improve&refine a Ruger#1.

Keep in mind that Howard is in need of a lefty action. His choices are rather limited for a CRF.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
With that in mind Howard, they are decent actions but you can buy a better one, the model 70 for a lot less and have a better finished project.

Jim I value your insight. Can you tell me why the M-70 is a better action?

quote:

Originally posted by Trax:

Howard,
could it be that a dak76 still requires some proper finishing & accurizing,just like a mass produced M70?
By the time a good smith charges a customer for setting up an action for grinding and truing and other corrections to triggers,safeties,bottom metals, he may as well begin with a $500 receiver rather than a $2000 receiver.
I am aware that Echols goes all over an M70 to true just about every surface, as well as, his tunning refinements to the safety and trigger.
If I had to buy a dak76 that possibly still reqiure those things be done, Id sensibly rather begin with an M70.

I don't know. Maybe it does but I kind of doubt it. That is one of my questions. Also any design strengths and weaknesses.

Also please keep in my that my son and I want matching firearms and also want them to be at least somewhat unique. If not for that we could simply run down to Sportsman Warehouse and walk out 30 min later with a pair of matching 270 Ruger Hawkeyes.

Hi, I read the link to Dakota and found that they harden the actions to a Rockwell 28-32 hardness. Could anyone with real world experiance tell me what most other actions are hardened to. I seem to remember Mel Forbes telling me his were in the high 30 s to 40s but I could be wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by Howard:

I don't know. Maybe it does but I kind of doubt it. That is one of my questions. Also any design strengths and weaknesses. ...

Howard,
like I said, the dak76 receiver I looked at buying a number of yrs ago,needed correcting(to reach the standard I prefer).
You need to know what std. you want your rifles built to, then youll better know if a dak76 requires correction or modification.
IIRC, poster Rip, needed to have the barrel tention thread on his dak76 action recut/corrected.
Newly manufactured-GMA mauser actions($3k) still require considerable dollars of tuning and finishing if one intends creating a true premium rifle, so I would not be too quick to doubt that a dak76 could require similar effort.
There are definitely varying standards & concepts of the term "custom" out there .
You could get a simple barreled action Dakota76 and have it stocked.
Other folk may want better bottom metal,,maybe a Blackburn, some may then go further and specify the smith improve some of the geometries on the Blackburn,
Others might opt for a full custom one of/single creation bottom metal,which in the case of an integral box Mauser, can cost $2000+.
Too much for bottom metal some might say?
That depends, some simply want the best bottom metal to go with their best $4k precision action,$2.5k integral featured barrel,$2k walnut, $4k stockwork, $1.5k QD mounts and $2k scope.
Its all relative to what one wants or needs, and what one is prepared to spend, or ultimately, can afford.
The trick is, the higher the std. you want, the harder it is to find someone who can:
> comprehend such standards,
> be capable of creating such standards
> be capable and willing to reliably deliver the product.