Ultimatum U300 action

guntech

guntech

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I just installed a barrel on an Ultimatum U300 short action. This is the first time I have seen one of these Canadian made actions...

It appears to be an excellent action. The design has been well thought out and beautifully finished... this action required a barrel tenon length of 1.025" (1.060" diameter) with 20 threads per inch.

The only suggestion as a gunsmith is I would prefer the thread length to be 100 thou shorter and for the action to have a thread clearance cut so the barrel would not require it. The shorter tenon just so head space and barrel measurements would be less than one inch and the normal 1 inch depth mic that every smith has would suffice... 16 threads per inch would also be faster for the smith to thread as well.

But it is a beauty of an action.
 
They will be changing the action looks like they discontinued the u300 and they're coming out with something new in the fall. Looking forward to see the new feature new action. Threaded for savage style prefit barrels. The other action similar to this is the bighorn tl3 action also something I would consider for a floating bolt head action. I'm going to hold out on buying an action until I see the new ultimatum. You're the second gunsmith I've heard give praise about the u300action always nice to hear first hand feedback.
 
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I didn't shoot it but handling it before and after barreling I didn't pick up on that... I think all 3 lug actions have a bit heavier lift over 2 lug actions.
 
I just remember reading that here somewhere. The idea of an action that takes prédit barrels and swapable bolt heads is very appealing to me. I would love to have 1 action, 1 stock, 1 scope, 3 barrels.
 
Tikka223 said:
I just remember reading that here somewhere. The idea of an action that takes prédit barrels and swapable bolt heads is very appealing to me. I would love to have 1 action, 1 stock, 1 scope, 3 barrels.
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I'm doing this with my current build. Remington 700 Long Action, McGowen prefit with Remage nut, McMillan stock, Accurate Mag DBM 3.850", Nightforce scope. I will be sticking with .375 H&H derivative cases, this way I can to barrel swaps between several calibers using the same bolt and one set of go no-go gauges. I'm starting with one barrel and I'll see about adding a couple more calibers. Being able to switch between 7mm Remington Mag, .338 Win Mag and .375 H&H would make for a very versatile platform. We'll see how it goes.
 
Christ any action will take pre fit barrels. Just have your gunsmith fit 3 shouldered barrels and save the hassle of barrel nuts, gauges, extra wrenches, etc. A shouldered barrel head spaces correctly every time... The fact you can change a bolt head easily is nice however.
 
Never understood why ppl get such a hard on over prefits with a barrel nut. A shouldered barrel will fit every time on a switch barrel gun with out head space gauges and ugly nuts.
 
Shawn_338 said:
Never understood why ppl get such a hard on over prefits with a barrel nut. A shouldered barrel will fit every time on a switch barrel gun with out head space gauges and ugly nuts.
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Your right about shouldered barrels but that is the exact point you'll have to send your 3 blanks to get chambered and head spaced up by a smith at $250-$300 per barrel ontop of the price of each barrel. A cut rifled prefit chamber to your reamer spec is at most $600 all in. The cost savings on chambering is tremendous. Not to mention the shipping cost back and forth to and from the smith.
 
308BAR said:
Your right about shouldered barrels but that is the exact point you'll have to send your 3 blanks to get chambered and head spaced up by a smith at $250-$300 per barrel ontop of the price of each barrel. A cut rifled prefit chamber to your reamer spec is at most $600 all in. The cost savings on chambering is tremendous. Not to mention the shipping cost back and forth to and from the smith.
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Not to mention lead times. Good luck finding more than a few smiths that can turn around a barrel in a couple of weeks or less.
 
I don't see a problem with the longer tenon really and prefer it over a short one when hanging long heavy barrels , no different to measure over a shorter one if you have a good depth mic set and lots of custom actions are over 1" anyways .

Can't wait to see what they come out with in the fall I've talked to them a few times about action design and what shooters like in custom actions and I'm sure they are going to have a nice product to offer with all the feedback they received.

There are lots of guys that like the idea of being able to use savage prefit barrels and saving a few bucks for the barreling and get to do some of the work themselves .
 
coyote said:
There are lots of guys that like the idea of being able to use savage prefit barrels and saving a few bucks for the barreling and get to do some of the work themselves.
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This is what it's all about for me. I'm not a gunsmith, I do have some machining experience but I don't have access to a lathe or milling machine. Prefits allow me to build my own rifle, fully customized with any part I want, from the ground up. Would a gunsmith do it better? I sure hope so. Would it be faster and more convenient? Not likely. In the end I do take pride in my work and there's a much greater sense of accomplishment in doing something yourself than paying someone else to do it for you.

Prefits seem promising for the future. McGowen is in the game, Shilen recently got in, Criterion and Pac-Nor also make them. Even Proof Research and Carbon Six make carbon fiber wrapped prefits. I'm sure many more will join in. If anyone can put an AR-15 together, I don't see why we can't do the same with bolt guns.
 
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I have been running this action since last fall. The first bolt was very heavy. They went and redesigned the internals and lighted it up a lot. I have around 1100 live rounds and 1500 dry fire rounds. It has smoothed out nicely and feeds perfectly. I played with a KS 3 lug last weekend and my Ultimatum had a lighter lift.
They are working on some great upgrades to the next version. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Ryan
 
coyote said:
I don't see a problem with the longer tenon really and prefer it over a short one when hanging long heavy barrels
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You can hang a very heavy and very long barrel on a 700 action with no problem. Any advantage of a tenon a quarter inch longer is theoretical at best.
 
To increase rigidity of the barrel/receiver connection, a longer tenon does little or nothing. An internal seat or a coned seat does a lot more but adds complexity. This is seldom popular with 'smiths and since any advantage is difficult to demonstrate, there is little reason to do it.
 
So if the shoulder aligns the barrel and the tenon keeps it in place a short tenon thats strong enough should be best since any runout in the tenon will produce more misalignment stress the longer it is. The shoulder is lining it up in spite of where the tenon might want to point it
 
Good to hear these actions have been well received.

I have been debating which way to go for this winter's project; an ATR Modern Varmint or build my own precision bolt gun. Since I am no machinist the Savage pre-fit system is very appealing, as is the Rem 700 trigger system and stock/chassis options.

Will be following the new action as it get released. Hopefully it's also in the same price range.
 
It looks like the website been updated. Doesn't look like too much of a design change they kept the same name. I would have thought the would change that, added a trigger hanger, instead of our attaching directly to the action, no mention of the bolt lift love to hear some feedback, I personally don't like the square recoil lug design would have preferred a Holland style angle to it for easier bedding. However priced very competitively.
 
308BAR said:
It looks like the website been updated. Doesn't look like too much of a design change they kept the same name. I would have thought the would change that, added a trigger hanger, instead of our attaching directly to the action, no mention of the bolt lift love to hear some feedback, I personally don't like the square recoil lug design would have preferred a Holland style angle to it for easier bedding. However priced very competitively.
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I think their website is still showing the old U300 action, their new 'deadline' action is still under development by the sounds of it.
 
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