40X vs 700 action?

[manbearpig]

does the solid bottom of the 40X receiver provide significant real-world accuracy potential, or can equal accuracy be achieved with a trued 700 action and quality aftermarket barrel?

are the 40Xs more accurate guns primarily because they have better QC, are trued/assembled by hand in the custom shop, or is the solid bottom receiver also a contributing factor?

anyone have any thoughts on the 40X vs 700?

 

[tiriaq]

...are the 40Xs more accurate guns primarily because they have better QC, are trued/assembled by hand in the custom shop, or is the solid bottom receiver also a contributing factor?...

The solid bottom is likely less important. Keep in mind that there are repeating 40x rifles.

 

[manitou210]

The 40x is a stiffer action with no magazine, if your building a .223rem I don't beleive ia reg 700 would be any differance but if your building a 7mmwsm I opt
for the 40xb

 

[Leeper]

I have built true benchrest rifles based on open bottomed 700 actions and, while they were competitive, they were more sensitive in all respects than their solid bottomed cousins. Stiffer actions offer greater potential. Keep in mind, I base this on having built a number of true BR quality rifles using both types of action. A properly sleeved 700 is no longer an open bottomed action and is probably fully equal to the 40X in this configuration.
Plainly, there is a point at which the action is "stiff enough" and there is little if any advantage to beefing it up past that point. A look at successful custom actions and the dimensions thereof is illustrative of this.
Real world? It all depends on what real world you are asking about. In the varmint hunting fields, it probably doesn't make much difference. In the BR world, I would say it certainly does.
If I selected a 700 action on which to build a competition rifle, it would be because I couldn't find a 40X at a reasonable price. Regards, Bill.

 

[manbearpig]

it will be either .308 or .300wm.

my dilemma is basically that by the time you factor in the cost of the 700 action & stock (i already have these, but technically they did cost me money at some point), truing the bolt/action, aftermarket trigger, quality aftermarket barrel and installation then you are getting up there in cost. would it be more logical to look for a used 40X?

and hopefully without turning this into the usual remington vs savagefest:
as a less expensive option, how does starting with something like the Savage model FT/R compare? the bolt head is more or less self-truing, barrel changes are easy, flat bottomed receiver, and the target Accutrigger is not bad.