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Gunsmith rant- Cool starry bra

VG SERE

VG SERE

Yellow Skull
Joined
May 28, 2020
Member Number
1621
Messages
204
Found a needle in a haystack a .224 1-7 Sendero Bartlein barrel in stock. Only thing better would have been a Bartlein gain twist.

Found it at a respected smith with a solid review history.
Smith can chamber and thread it no prob. I need to send in my action, no big I didn't see mine listed for pre-fits.

8 week turn, which is awesome. (trigger/ optic both backordered for who knows how long)

I asked if they'd install since they have my action and barrel anyway.

5 month turn on installs.

I can't figure it out, other than they just don't want to do it. Which is fine it's their company. But WTF?

Headspace is just math, and they are probably tweaking one or two parameters on a program they use everyday all day. I'd still test fit and check headspace on a new program, but I'm an idiot. So these guys are so good they don't need to test fit it. They tweak a couple things in their program chuck it up and let the machine eat, all in under 8 weeks. Awesome

Then it takes 3 months to screw on the barrel, and throw a gauge in? I suck and triple check everything and still it only takes me 10 minutes or so to toss on a pre-fit.

So why don't I do it myself? I'll be $150 in for a gauges and a action wrench. ( I have a barrel vice and action wrench, just not the right one).

Rant over, thanks for listening.
 
I would say if they are worth anything at all, they are installing and testing headspace before the barrel even comes out of the lathe.

Did you call and talk to them or is that what a website says?
 
665.0coupe said:
I would say if they are worth anything at all, they are installing and testing headspace before the barrel even comes out of the lathe.

Did you call and talk to them or is that what a website says?
Click to expand...


Email conversation
 
VG SERE said:
Email conversation
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Yeah, thats dumb.

I would say you don't need to buy gauges to double check his work when you torque the barrel on yourself, but if he can't take 2 minutes to torque the action to the barrel after he machines it then maybe you do need to double check it.
 
What action and chamber? I am starting to do pre-fits for certain actions, but I still prefer to have the actual action in hand to get a warm fuzzy actually closing the action on gauges, and to make 100% sure the markings time correctly. My timeline would be exactly the same for doing the barrel work as it would be barrel work and installing the barrel.
 
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All of the smiths I know are super busy. PRS is really taking off and it seems there's some new gucci caliber every few weeks. I got mine done in a shorter amount of time, but had to pull a favor and next time I won't wait so long when I'm getting close to getting the barrel shot out.
 
300sniper said:
What action and chamber? I am starting to do pre-fits for certain actions, but I still prefer to have the actual action in hand to get a warm fuzzy actually closing the action on gauges, and to make 100% sure the markings time correctly. My timeline would be exactly the same for doing the barrel work as it would be barrel work and installing the barrel.
Click to expand...

ARC Nucleus and .224 Valkyrie. Happy to send the action.

Before anyone asks. The answer is ammo.
 
IEATRKS84 said:
all reputable gunsmiths are super busy right now, he probably doesnt want the work. Or the reamer guy and the install stock guy are two different people with two different lead times
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I would guess this. The reamer line started 8 months ago and the stock line starts now and your 5 months in line.
 
I thought we were just talking about a barreled action also. I think there is some miscommunication or something. No way it should take 5 months to torque a barrel onto an action.

On a side note, if the OP wants to build something on a 308 bolt face Nucleus action, I have one I want to let go.
 
Yes, just torque it on. I actually picked up the barrel from this company. (Was tough finding a barrel!) Again company has a solid rep.

Think I'll have them machine the barrel, and ship it back. If the trigger/ optics make it in, I'll be able to play with this toy over the summer which would be huge. I'll probably buy the wrench, and see If I can borrow/ rent gauges.
 
665.0coupe said:
On a side note, if the OP wants to build something on a 308 bolt face Nucleus action, I have one I want to let go.
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Why are selling yours? I haven't shot a Nucleus yet, but I've been damn impressed by the thought put into it. I'm changing the bolt face over to valk,a it's so damn easy!
 
VG SERE said:
Why are selling yours? I haven't shot a Nucleus yet, but I've been damn impressed by the thought put into it. I'm changing the bolt face over to valk,a it's so damn easy!
Click to expand...

I'm selling it because I've switched to an Impact 737.

I had a lot of problems early on with light primer strikes. I've had every weight firing pin spring they offer and a 21 pound is the only one that is reliable for me. That makes the action not very smooth and the bolt lift heavy. For a fun gun or a hunting gun I wouldn't mind, but for a PRS gun it makes it more difficult to stay on target with the heavy bolt lift. The mechanical ejector also throws brass out in the 1-2 o'clock direction. The mechanical ejector also throws it different distances depending on how fast and hard you run the bolt. This caused me to loose a lot of brass during matches.

Overall I like the action and I've thought about making a coyote gun out of it, but I really don't hunt that much and I need the money for reloading components more than I need the action.
 
IEATRKS84 said:
Yeah same thing. Imagine a shop with 4 guys in it. One guy is the reamer guy. One guy is the install action guy. One guy is the scope guy. They all have their own lead times.
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I imagine a one man shop where the same guy is the reamer guy and the barrel putter-onner guy..... Putting the barrel on is part of the barrel job, and literally takes less than two minutes.

I still think there is some lack of communication going on.
 
VG SERE said:
Why are selling yours? I haven't shot a Nucleus yet, but I've been damn impressed by the thought put into it. I'm changing the bolt face over to valk,a it's so damn easy!
Click to expand...

They absolutely put a lot of thought into it, thought solving non-existent issues!. My personal opinion, they are over complicated. There's some really reliable actions that are still dead simple, LPA Fuzion, Impact 737, etc.
 
I may get shit on by some for running remage nut pre-fits, but damn is it nice to not rely on a smith.

I'd guess that after the barrel guy gets done, it goes in the line for the trigger guy.

If they can do the barrel in 8 weeks and that's acceptable, have them do it. Install your own trigger and optic. Not really possible to get the optic positioned perfectly without you being there to ensure eye relief anyways.
 
Chevy_man said:
I may get shit on by some for running remage nut pre-fits, but damn is it nice to not rely on a smith.

I'd guess that after the barrel guy gets done, it goes in the line for the trigger guy.

If they can do the barrel in 8 weeks and that's acceptable, have them do it. Install your own trigger and optic. Not really possible to get the optic positioned perfectly without you being there to ensure eye relief anyways.
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They aren't building the whole thing, just machining and (not) installing the barrel. I have a couple barrel nut builds and a prefit should be even easier. Spin it on and torque it. Done.

I clarified further and yes they can machine and cerakote in 2 months and then it's up to 3 additional months to install the barrel. Not a big deal, I was just salty because I know it's a easy 10 min step. I also know that math is math and as long as it's machining to spec it'll shoot, that's the whole idea behind prefits (and 99% of machine work).

I should probably have the action wrench for this anyway, the valk is kinda of a gamble/experiment just because ammo is easily available, and components are tough right now. Gives me a pretty low stress toy to play with. If the shelves were full, this would probably be a .22GT.

I'll do a thread once I have all the parts in hand.

ARC Nucleus left hand action with Valkyrie bolt face
Triggertech Diamond curved pro left hand trigger
KRG Xray left hand chassis w/ ARCA rail
Bartlein .224 1:7, sendero contour finished at 24" and threaded
MDT AICS Valkyrie mags
Athalon BTR Gen 2 4.5-25 IR/Mil
The whole MKM catalaog. Lever, level, flip up caps, and mount (can't recall the name) reminds me of a SPHUR, but way less $$$. Never heard of it.

Should be a most excellent way to entertain myself and waste money. If all the parts get here in time I'll try to shoot it a couple local comps for fun. Most of the stages are under 700yds with only 1 stage over 1k. I'll give up way more hits from lack of skill than I will from lack of gun. :laughing:
 
665.0coupe said:
I'm selling it because I've switched to an Impact 737.

I had a lot of problems early on with light primer strikes. I've had every weight firing pin spring they offer and a 21 pound is the only one that is reliable for me. That makes the action not very smooth and the bolt lift heavy. For a fun gun or a hunting gun I wouldn't mind, but for a PRS gun it makes it more difficult to stay on target with the heavy bolt lift. The mechanical ejector also throws brass out in the 1-2 o'clock direction. The mechanical ejector also throws it different distances depending on how fast and hard you run the bolt. This caused me to loose a lot of brass during matches.

Overall I like the action and I've thought about making a coyote gun out of it, but I really don't hunt that much and I need the money for reloading components more than I need the action.
Click to expand...

I've been trying to find a lone peak in 223. Ended up getting a great deal on a Defiance BA, but I still want a lone peak. I was all on the impact band wagon but decided lone peak was what I wanted to try. Still looking for one
 
Texas97 said:
I've been trying to find a lone peak in 223. Ended up getting a great deal on a Defiance BA, but I still want a lone peak. I was all on the impact band wagon but decided lone peak was what I wanted to try. Still looking for one
Click to expand...

I bet 95% of my barrel work has been for Fuzions over the last couple years. Great actions and they are really popular here.
 
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