Blueprinted actions

[SJB358]

Okay, school me guys. I was BS'ing the other day with one of my oldest and closet buddies. We were kinda jaw jacking about doing some gunsmithing stuff on our own. I brought up blueprinting and asked if he knew what it meant, exactly. We both understood lapping/trueing lugs for full contact, and other kinda of mods, but Blueprinting escapes my knowledge.

I bring this up as Jim just mentioned it another thread and figured I would ask. Scotty

 

[BK]

I'm no expert, but I think it mean making sure everything is a square as possible... lugs making full contact, tightening tolerances on the barrel and receiver threads, squaring the face of the barrel and action, and probably 50 other things I don't know about. Midway's website has a few videos of some blueprinting projects you can do yourself.

 

[SJB358]

Thanks Kurt. I will still research on my own, just wondering exactly what it means to most of us gun nuts. Scotty

 

[jimbires]

I hope I allowed to post a link to another forum , if not please remove it . thanks Jim


Scotty , here you go . Jim
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... mcr-73667/

 

[JD338]

Scotty,

Kurt is spot on. The action is squared up and concentric to the barrel. The bolt lugs are squared up for 100% contact eleminating torque on the bolt face.

JD338

 

[Scott Spencer]

Just a +1 to the other posts. I've only had one rifle ever done and I honestly can't tell if it is any different or better than my factor rifles with no work done on it.

 

[DrMike]

he action is squared up and concentric to the barrel. The bolt lugs are squared up for 100% contact eleminating torque on the bolt face.

+1

 

[SJB358]

I hope I allowed to post a link to another forum , if not please remove it . thanks Jim


Scotty , here you go . Jim
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... mcr-73667/

Jim, thanks for the link to those videos! Now those were very informative and helpful.

Thanks for the info guys. Just learned a whole bunch today. Scotty

 

[velvetant]

Recut the receiver threads so they concentric with the centerline of the receiver.
Yes that make them a little oversize but is not a problem since you cut the barrel threads to match.
face receiver.
machine the lug recess.
lap lugs.
Fill firing pin hole and drill to correct dimension and centered.
Some people drill out and use a bushing.
machine bolt face.

Nice thing is you only have to do it once no matter how many barrels you go through.

 

[jimbires]

I hope I allowed to post a link to another forum , if not please remove it . thanks Jim


Scotty , here you go . Jim
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... mcr-73667/

Jim, thanks for the link to those videos! Now those were very informative and helpful.

Thanks for the info guys. Just learned a whole bunch today. Scotty

Scotty ,your welcome . this guy lives about 100 miles from me . I've never met him , but I've pretty much decided that I will use him as a smith the next time I need one . he just seems like a stand up guy .he has a very good reputation on the long range forum . Jim

 

[usmc 89]

Recut the receiver threads so they concentric with the centerline of the receiver.
Yes that make them a little oversize but is not a problem since you cut the barrel threads to match.
face receiver.
machine the lug recess.
lap lugs.
Fill firing pin hole and drill to correct dimension and centered.
Some people drill out and use a bushing.
machine bolt face.

Nice thing is you only have to do it once no matter how many barrels you go through.

That's pretty much it I'm no smith but I have watched my smith do this procedure on my rem 700. If you have ever seen a stock rem 700 barrel and action be removed and see what the threads look like and how much play there is you will understand why it helps to redo them and make them honest. That is the reason I started using proprietary actions. Once you buy a rem action and spend the money to make it right your close to the price of a custom action ie lawton stiller and surgeon rs or rl. Remember it will cost the same to install a barrel on a honest action as it does one that isn't. Don't get me wrong a correct remington will shoot with the best of them sometimes.

 

[SJB358]

Recut the receiver threads so they concentric with the centerline of the receiver.
Yes that make them a little oversize but is not a problem since you cut the barrel threads to match.
face receiver.
machine the lug recess.
lap lugs.
Fill firing pin hole and drill to correct dimension and centered.
Some people drill out and use a bushing.
machine bolt face.

Nice thing is you only have to do it once no matter how many barrels you go through.

That's pretty much it I'm no smith but I have watched my smith do this procedure on my rem 700. If you have ever seen a stock rem 700 barrel and action be removed and see what the threads look like and how much play there is you will understand why it helps to redo them and make them honest. That is the reason I started using proprietary actions. Once you buy a rem action and spend the money to make it right your close to the price of a custom action ie lawton stiller and surgeon rs or rl. Remember it will cost the same to install a barrel on a honest action as it does one that isn't. Don't get me wrong a correct remington will shoot with the best of them sometimes.

That makes a ton of sense Jeff. Now I see the light! I never thought of the extra work involved with making a decent action, great. Scotty

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Scotty ,your welcome . this guy lives about 100 miles from me . I've never met him , but I've pretty much decided that I will use him as a smith the next time I need one . he just seems like a stand up guy .he has a very good reputation on the long range forum . Jim

His accuracy package is an excellent deal and he's only 150 miles from me and 40 miles from where I hunt in Pa.

As you've mentioned, he does seem approachable and knowledgeable. I have not met a smith within 50 miles of my house that did not have a large ego and a bevy of unhappy customers.

I've been thinking about a 338-06 for awhile using a M700 action. I hate my lack of self-control when it comes to these type of things.

 

[SJB358]

I've been thinking about a 338-06 for awhile using a M700 action. I hate my lack of self-control when it comes to these type of things.

Self control? Ha? I forgot where I put it. Probably next my love for new Remingtons! Scotty

 

[Guy Miner]

"Once you buy a rem action and spend the money to make it right your close to the price of a custom action ie lawton stiller and surgeon rs or rl."

Yup. I had my .308 built on a Rem short action back before most of the current crop of custom actions were available. In the meantime the customs have become the way to go. No doubt in my mind about that.

Many rifle builders simply won't install a high-dollar custom barrel on an action that hasn't been "blueprinted."

 

[usmc 89]

Your right guy mine won't do it.

 

[BK]

I gotta find a reasonably close/local rifle builder. I've been pondering a build on a Defiance action, but there are so many freakin' options it makes my temples vibrate in frustration. Thinking about a build similar to Jeff's coyote chaser... reasonable heavy/stiff fluted barrel, McMillan A-series stock, in .243 AI.

http://www.defiancemachine.com/

 

[Desert Fox]

"Once you buy a rem action and spend the money to make it right your close to the price of a custom action ie lawton stiller and surgeon rs or rl."

Not necessarily. Unless you ask Greg Tannel to fully accurize your action. My Smith Jim Gruning will charge $250 for blueprinting an action. Remington action can be had for about $350. Most Remington clone custom action start around $900.00. The $300 savings will buy you a Jewel trigger or a custom bottom metal. If you want to build a rifle on a budget, Remington is still the way to go.

Both of this rifle were built on a budget.

How accurate are they?

308-10 shot group at 110 yards

308-3shot at 510 yards

6.5-284 Norma 5 shot group, the one on the left. That 's the 308 on the right.

6.5-284 Norma 3 shot at 510 yards

 

[usmc 89]

I gotta find a reasonably close/local rifle builder. I've been pondering a build on a Defiance action, but there are so many freakin' options it makes my temples vibrate in frustration. Thinking about a build similar to Jeff's coyote chaser... reasonable heavy/stiff fluted barrel, McMillan A-series stock, in .243 AI.

http://www.defiancemachine.com/

thats glen harris i believe. i have not seen the defiance action but did see his pheonix action great stuff!

 

[usmc 89]

"Once you buy a rem action and spend the money to make it right your close to the price of a custom action ie lawton stiller and surgeon rs or rl."

Not necessarily. Unless you ask Greg Tannel to fully accurize your action. My Smith Jim Gruning will charge $250 for blueprinting an action. Remington action can be had for about $350. Most Remington clone custom action start around $900.00. The $300 savings will buy you a Jewel trigger or a custom bottom metal. If you want to build a rifle on a budget, Remington is still the way to go.

Both of this rifle were built on a budget.

How accurate are they?

308-10 shot group at 110 yards

308-3shot at 510 yards

6.5-284 Norma 5 shot group, the one on the left. That 's the 308 on the right.

6.5-284 Norma 3 shot at 510 yards

good shooting,
yeah your right if your on a budget a remington is the way to go but if your buynig a used remington for 350 and truing it for 250 thats 600 and im sure you can find a used lawton or stiller for around 650-700 if you look. get a hold of snowy mountain rifles and see if they have any first generation actions left, identical to the lawton and they were blowing them out for $550 when they had them. the action on my 30-338 is a snowy mountain but it wasnt $550.