Who makes a good CRF builders action these days?

[Rifleman97]

There’s fewer and fewer CRF actions available every year. Last year, defiance discontinued their CRF upgrade, and a year or two ago Mausingfield went out of business. As far as I could tell Montana doesn’t sell bare actions, or even a single rifle with a wood stock anymore, and Mauser’s 98 barreled actions are about as expensive than 2 fully custom rifles combined for some reason.

Is there any option for new manufactured true CRF actions anymore? The Zermatt ones aren’t really true CRF either, as they snap over the case as you close the bolt, meaning while unlikely, it’s technically possible to fail to extract a stuck case from the extractor snapping over the rim.

Is it too much to ask for just a basic CRF action for less than 3 grand, without having to buy an entire rifle and throw away all of the parts except the action? You used to be able to just buy a Defiance and for $150 upgrade it to true CRF for a whole action, of really high quality, for $1500-1750 ish.

There’s a lot of reasons to like controlled round feed even outside of DG hunting. Double feeding is impossible, which happens frequently on poorly built push feeds like the ruger Americans. You can more quickly eject all the rounds from a magazine, without having to do the entire bolt stroke or open up the bottom on hinged floor plate designs. You can slowly pull the bolt back without dropping the case when shooting off a bench with expensive brass you don’t want to ding up with their no spring design.

Like I know it’s more expensive but Winchester is able to sell entire CRF rifles with 3 position safety and a wood stock for like $1500, how hard is it to make just a builders action for under 2k?

If we band together and yell loud enough you think we could get Winchester to go the bergara route and offer a builders or barreled action?

This post is mainly a rant more than a question, feel free to use this place as a way to vent your frustrations on something you want to see available as well. I’m glad Mauser/rigby still exist, but as a professional woodworker I really want to build my own gun off of a quality action, and fit the stock to myself, and not spend 10 grand on just the action. The rifle I want doesn’t exist so I want to make it myself.

 

[roklok]

Not sure I agree with your point about the Zermatt actions. The majority of CRF actions will snap the extractor over a chambered case, so in theory they could slip over the rim upon extraction. I don't own or know much about the Zermatts but if that is your reason for disqualification most of the other actions you are mentioning would also be disqualified as not being "true CRF".

I disagree as well with your assertion that double feeding is impossible with a CRF. It certainly is possible, and in some situations (short stroking the bolt short of the standing ejector, picking up new round with round still on bolt) it is more likely.

I agree it is a shame that more new options are not available, but as long as there are cheap and plentiful 1917/P14 actions available not an issue for me. They can be made into beautiful and reliable DG rifles.

 

[mdwest]

CRF is definitely getting harder to find as well as significantly more expensive when you can find one..

The trend these days is to build knock off Rem 700 actions with AR15 style extractor systems (solves the old Rem 700 broken extractor problem).. and kinda offers a more positive and reliable extraction than what most push feeds offer..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

A dangerous game CRF rifle that doesn't snap over is half a club. I won't hunt any animal that can kill me without a rifle that will close the bolt on a cartridge dropped in the chamber.

I paid $350 for a Brno vz.24 action barreled in 30-06. Then I built a very nice 404 Jeffery with it for about $2500. I don't have a problem buying some old war horse and dolling it up. Actually, I find it more gratifying to resurrect something that's half dead than buy a new gun or action.

 

[Rifleman97]

Not sure I agree with your point about the Zermatt actions. The majority of CRF actions will snap the extractor over a chambered case, so in theory they could slip over the rim upon extraction. I don't own or know much about the Zermatts but if that is your reason for disqualification most of the other actions you are mentioning would also be disqualified as not being "true CRF".

I disagree as well with your assertion that double feeding is impossible with a CRF. It certainly is possible, and in some situations (short stroking the bolt short of the standing ejector, picking up new round with round still on bolt) it is more likely.

I agree it is a shame that more new options are not available, but as long as there are cheap and plentiful 1917/P14 actions available not an issue for me. They can be made into beautiful and reliable DG rifles.

The extractor on the zermatts is made intentionally very weak so you can use it as a push feed. On my Winchester 70, it’s just about impossible to use it as a push feed. The zermatt also doesn’t have a full length extractor.

as for your example of potential double feeding, your example isn’t possible in the Winchester 70 I have, it may be possible in others. But with the timing of the physical ejector stop, the spent case ejects before the extractor gets back far enough to grab a new round. That may not be the case on every rifle with CRF, but I assumed it was and it should be. The physical ejector is in front of where the rim is so that the old casing has no physical way of being in the action by the time the bolt is back far enough to grab the next.

On my model 70, it might be technically possible to push feed a round but if it is, I wouldn’t be trying it. I always just push the round down a little bit as I place it in the action so it picks it up from the magazine.

 

[Rifleman97]

A dangerous game CRF rifle that doesn't snap over is half a club. I won't hunt any animal that can kill me without having a rifle that will close the bolt on a cartridge dropped in the chamber.

I paid $350 for a Brno vz.24 action barreled in 30-06. I built a very nice 404 Jeffery with it for about $2500. I don't have a problem buying some old war horse and dolling it up. Actually, I find it more gratifying to resurrect something that's half dead than buy a new gun or action.
View attachment 682397

That’s a cool build and a cool story. But I personally want something that, as far as I know, doesn’t really exist. I want a stainless action and barrel. No reason really, I just like that look and want the option to be able to make one, and then make my own stock for it that is a perfect fit for me, physically but also visually

 

[Rifleman97]

A dangerous game CRF rifle that doesn't snap over is half a club. I won't hunt any animal that can kill me without a rifle that will close the bolt on a cartridge dropped in the chamber.

I paid $350 for a Brno vz.24 action barreled in 30-06. Then I built a very nice 404 Jeffery with it for about $2500. I don't have a problem buying some old war horse and dolling it up. Actually, I find it more gratifying to resurrect something that's half dead than buy a new gun or action.
View attachment 682397

Following up, I want something kinda like this, but with iron sights and CRF, no muzzle break, maybe a barrel band, no fluting, heavier profile barrel, etc. I’m sure someone has made what I’m talking about at some point but there’s non for sale I can find right now, especially not in a chambering I want

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The extractor on the zermatts is made intentionally very weak so you can use it as a push feed. On my Winchester 70, it’s just about impossible to use it as a push feed. The zermatt also doesn’t have a full length extractor.

as for your example of potential double feeding, your example isn’t possible in the Winchester 70 I have, it may be possible in others. But with the timing of the physical ejector stop, the spent case ejects before the extractor gets back far enough to grab a new round. That may not be the case on every rifle with CRF, but I assumed it was and it should be. The physical ejector is in front of where the rim is so that the old casing has no physical way of being in the action by the time the bolt is back far enough to grab the next.

On my model 70, it might be technically possible to push feed a round but if it is, I wouldn’t be trying it. I always just push the round down a little bit as I place it in the action so it picks it up from the magazine.

Try pushing a round into the magazine while running from a pissed off wounded buffalo. Especially tricky when 1) ground is uneven and vegetation is thick; 2) your gun wears a scope and; 3) you're wearing pants full of shit. I want to be able to throw a round in the open chamber of my empty rifle and make it fire NOW without having to look down at the gun and stick my fingers in it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Get yourself a mil surplus Mauser, have a stainless barrel made, and crekote the action with a stainless look. Personally, I can never get used to a stainless rifle set in fancy wood. Like a woman Wall Street trader showing up to work wearing a suit and tie with leopard print hotpants, mesh stocking, and stiletto heels.

 

[Wyfox]

Defiance just reintroduced the CRF.

Deviant CRF (Controlled Round Feed)

Like the Deviant Tactical, the Deviant Elite has an integral scope base and recoil lug and is perfect for competition.

defiancemachine.com

American Rifle Co is still alive and strong, Ted just discontinued the long action Mausingfield.

I had a Zermatt TL3 for several years, very reliable even completely covered in layers of dust riding in an atv. It doesn't snap over, the cartridge rim pops into the bolt under the extractor like a CRF. It also has a mechanical ejector. You'd probably want the Origin or SR3 with feed rails for BDL style mag.

In my opinion the whole CRF thing is over rated. Unless your laying on your back shooting upside down... a quality pushfeed with m16 extractor is extremely reliable for a "client" rifle.

 

[Rifleman97]

Get yourself a mil surplus Mauser, have a stainless barrel made, and crekote the action with a stainless look. Personally, I can never get used to a stainless rifle set in fancy wood. Like a woman Wall Street trader showing up to work wearing a suit and tie with leopard print hotpants, mesh stocking, and stiletto heels.

Yeah that’s fair, but I still like the look. I have a gun in cerekote meant to emulate stainless and it looks good from 10 feet away but up close it just doesn’t look good.

 

[Rifleman97]

Defiance just reintroduced the CRF.

Deviant CRF (Controlled Round Feed)

Like the Deviant Tactical, the Deviant Elite has an integral scope base and recoil lug and is perfect for competition.

defiancemachine.com

American Rifle Co is still alive and strong, Ted just discontinued the long action Mausingfield.

I had a Zermatt TL3 for several years, very reliable even completely covered in layers of dust riding in an atv. It doesn't snap over, the cartridge rim pops into the bolt under the extractor like a CRF. It also has a mechanical ejector. You'd probably want the Origin or SR3 with feed rails for BDL style mag.

In my opinion the whole CRF thing is over rated. Unless your laying on your back shooting upside down... a quality pushfeed with m16 extractor is extremely reliable for a "client" rifle.

That’s awesome! Shame it only comes with nitride finish, might have to call them up and ask if they can leave it stainless.

I’ll probably never in my life hunt dangerous game in africa. Plains game probably, but never dangerous. But I was raised on surplus mauser 98’s, winchester 70’s. When I bench shoot I LOVE the mechanical ejector for being able to pull the bolt back slowly and grab the case as it starts to stick out of the action to put back into my hand load case. My weatherby drives me a little nuts as if I do the same thing, it just drops the case in the action and I have to reach in and dig it out, which with the magnum cases of the 257 weatherby filling up so much of the opening, can be a bit difficult to dig out sometimes without tilting the rifle.

I, personally, do not “need” CRF, but it’s pretty much all I’ve ever owned for bolt guns and therefor it’s what I’m used to and what I like/prefer, both for looks (I love the big full length extractor) and for how I shoot.

 

[Wyfox]

In that case I think the Zermatt SR3 would fulfill your needs. Another good option is just buying a Winchester 70 classic for $1000-1500 and use the action for a build.

 

[Paul K]

The M1 Garand, M16, M14, AK47 etc. are all push feed and they are used for things that shoot back.

Paul

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That’s awesome! Shame it only comes with nitride finish, might have to call them up and ask if they can leave it stainless.

I’ll probably never in my life hunt dangerous game in africa. Plains game probably, but never dangerous. But I was raised on surplus mauser 98’s, winchester 70’s. When I bench shoot I LOVE the mechanical ejector for being able to pull the bolt back slowly and grab the case as it starts to stick out of the action to put back into my hand load case. My weatherby drives me a little nuts as if I do the same thing, it just drops the case in the action and I have to reach in and dig it out, which with the magnum cases of the 257 weatherby filling up so much of the opening, can be a bit difficult to dig out sometimes without tilting the rifle.

I, personally, do not “need” CRF, but it’s pretty much all I’ve ever owned for bolt guns and therefor it’s what I’m used to and what I like/prefer, both for looks (I love the big full length extractor) and for how I shoot.

If you like Mausers, you will love Springfield 1903. Smooth as silk and the bolt almost closes itself. Trim lines too.

 

[Choupique]

Springfield 1903 is an excellent action design. It'd be awesome to have a commercially mass produced 1903 on the market.

Unfortunately with the cost of manufacturing, I don't think we'll see CRF mainstream again. Ruger and Winchester will hopefully always be options as they currently exist, which is fine for me. I like both of them.

The reality is, a tikka style push feed action is what sells. Its ultra smooth, ultra accurate, cheap to build, and done correctly extremely reliable. I personally wouldn't feel nervous with a tikka dangerous game rifle. Ugly as the thing is, they flat out work.

 

[mdwest]

That’s a cool build and a cool story. But I personally want something that, as far as I know, doesn’t really exist. I want a stainless action and barrel. No reason really, I just like that look and want the option to be able to make one, and then make my own stock for it that is a perfect fit for me, physically but also visually

If youre patient and diligent, you can find Winchester 70 stainless classics in 375 H&H reasonably cheap and just use the barreled action as the baseline for your project (if you're not wanting a DG rifle, you can find stainless classics in 30-06, etc inexpensively as well)..

Its been a long time, but I picked mine up for I think $650.. and as recently as this year Ive seen one listed for about $1K that was in very good condition..

buy a winchester safari stock off of ebay for a couple of hundred bucks.. now you have your stainless barrel and action sitting in a walnut stock.. or have a customer maker make one for you (although a custom made and fitted stock is going to be much more expensive).. have a barrel band fitted, etc.. and you're 90% done on your intended project..

Heres one at a very good price, chambered in 300 RUM.. which could easily be rechambered or rebarreled into a 404J or most any other DG caliber..

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1095184195

 

[Wyfox]

Springfield 1903 is an excellent action design. It'd be awesome to have a commercially mass produced 1903 on the market.

There was but they have been discontinued now. Springfield/Mauser hybrid design.

Mausingfield Bolt Action: Short Action / Open top

www.americanrifle.com

 

[Choupique]

I always liked the look of those actions but I'm not a fan of 700-style triggers which unfortunately is what nearly all boutique "custom" actions are made for. That always gave me pause with that action and kept me from commiting to a build. I elected to get a new production model 70, which has a similarly trashy trigger design but was far cheaper than a mausingfield build.

I really like the original mauser military triggers, particularly the m1896 Swedish mauser triggers. They are 2 stage and I've always found them agreeable for target shooting, and they are reliable above all else. Same for the original model 70 triggers.

I never was a "glass break no creep ultra light" trigger guy. Even for long range work, I prefer a 2 stage. I guess if I owned any purely target rifles, I'd like the 700 style triggers. But, I don't. All my rifles are working rifles and above all, I want them to go off when I need them to and not go off when I don't want them to.

 

[Rifleman97]

I always liked the look of those actions but I'm not a fan of 700-style triggers which unfortunately is what nearly all boutique "custom" actions are made for. That always gave me pause with that action and kept me from commiting to a build. I elected to get a new production model 70, which has a similarly trashy trigger design but was far cheaper than a mausingfield build.

I really like the original mauser military triggers, particularly the m1896 Swedish mauser triggers. They are 2 stage and I've always found them agreeable for target shooting, and they are reliable above all else. Same for the original model 70 triggers.

I never was a "glass break no creep ultra light" trigger guy. Even for long range work, I prefer a 2 stage. I guess if I owned any purely target rifles, I'd like the 700 style triggers. But, I don't. All my rifles are working rifles and above all, I want them to go off when I need them to and not go off when I don't want them to.

I recently had a trigger job done on my vanguard which uses a howa trigger to be 2 stage 14 ounce pull weight, and I am definitely a convert for 2 stage triggers. 14 ounces is just enough it doesn’t go off by accident, and light enough that it doesn’t really give me a chance to pull off from the target or flinch in anticipation. You can buy 2 stage triggers for remington 700, but I get what you mean. I don’t trust the factory triggers on 700’s either. You used to be able to send your 700 bolt to someone and they could convert any 700 style action to a winchester style wing 3 position safety, not sure if people still do that or not. I haven’t looked into that in years.

If youre patient and diligent, you can find Winchester 70 stainless classics in 375 H&H reasonably cheap and just use the barreled action as the baseline for your project (if you're not wanting a DG rifle, you can find stainless classics in 30-06, etc inexpensively as well)..

Its been a long time, but I picked mine up for I think $650.. and as recently as this year Ive seen one listed for about $1K that was in very good condition..

buy a winchester safari stock off of ebay for a couple of hundred bucks.. now you have your stainless barrel and action sitting in a walnut stock.. or have a customer maker make one for you (although a custom made and fitted stock is going to be much more expensive).. have a barrel band fitted, etc.. and you're 90% done on your intended project..

Heres one at a very good price, chambered in 300 RUM.. which could easily be rechambered or rebarreled into a 404J or most any other DG caliber..

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1095184195

That rifle is very tempting, if someone would buy my current 30-06 already I’d consider placing a bid lol. As for the stock, I can make my own and plan on it. I don’t make stocks professionally but I do woodworking full time so I can definitely use my fully equipped shop to make my own the shape and design that I want.

The price on that for right now isn’t bad but I’ll be curious to see what it get’s bid up to before it sells, lot can happen in the last few hours.

I haven’t decided on a chambering yet, I’m really wanting a 416 Rigby, I don’t think I’ll ever get to go DG hunting in africa but I just love that round and it would be fun to shoot one. I like the big boomers even if I don’t actually need one. However I’m not really sure the winchesters can have their bolt face opened that much. Maybe, but I’m not sure. 416 rem mag does pretty much the same thing but it doesn’t have the “cool” factor I am craving.

Also I did some research and defiance does not offer the Deviant CRF in .590 bolt face either, so no rigby on that.