Vote: impact precision or defiance action
- Thread starter Mike112288
- Start date
I own both and both are equally nice but my vote goes to the defiance, bolt lift and smoothness are close to equal. I’ve shot my defiance in some pretty dirty conditions and never had an issue. The impact is very nice as well, I just like the options you can get on the defiance.
Built on both..carry and sell both. Both very nice actions indeed. Prefer the impact action as it comes nitrated and being so it doesnt run the risk of maring the lugs like the defiance do if you run them uncoated. Impact tennon threads are certified as well so barrels can be done up and even engraved and sent to customers that have them and they can torque them on and everything lines up. Tennon fitment can be kept tight as well unlike the surgeon or defiance too as they maintain tolerances to a higher degree. Like the trigger hanger on the impact as well for ease of trigger removal and cleaning or if need be replacement during a match quickly if the trigger goes down. End of the day both are high quality and will do the job very well
What are you going to use it for? Hard to suggest without knowing any of your criteria or intended uses.
For PRS (or any extended shooting sessions in really adverse conditions), I would recommend the Impact between those two.
The Defiance can definitely be super smooth. Get the raceways polished and the action either IonBonded or Nitrided and it will be hard to top it. One of my smoothest actions is a polished and IonBonded Defiance. A known "issue" with the Defiance is the tight tolerances which can cause the Defiance to bind in really sh*tty conditions over extended time frames. An advantage to the Defiance is that you can spec the action and get it pretty much any way you want it. Impact comes as is. My ELR rifle (.300NM) has a Defiance, which I have been really impressed with.
The Impact from all reports is a solid action. Certainly more tolerant of the dust/adverse conditions. Also a 50/50 action, bolt lift/close and "smoothness" will be similar to a well spec'ed Defiance. Advantage is the trigger hanger, to time the trigger. But a Defiance with a timed trigger (or adjustable sear engagement + sear height like the BnA Tacsport) will be comparable. Another advantage to the Impact is the ability for a gunsmith to make you a shouldered barrel without ever seeing your action.
I'll throw out a wild card option - Lone Peak Fuzion. It's another great 2 lug push feed action. Got one for the wife and I'm really impressed with it. Runs excellent in the dust and also held to tighter tolerances such that a gunsmith can spin you up a barrel without seeing your action.
Need to know what you want it to do and what you value in an action to better steer you in the right direction.
For PRS (or any extended shooting sessions in really adverse conditions), I would recommend the Impact between those two.
The Defiance can definitely be super smooth. Get the raceways polished and the action either IonBonded or Nitrided and it will be hard to top it. One of my smoothest actions is a polished and IonBonded Defiance. A known "issue" with the Defiance is the tight tolerances which can cause the Defiance to bind in really sh*tty conditions over extended time frames. An advantage to the Defiance is that you can spec the action and get it pretty much any way you want it. Impact comes as is. My ELR rifle (.300NM) has a Defiance, which I have been really impressed with.
The Impact from all reports is a solid action. Certainly more tolerant of the dust/adverse conditions. Also a 50/50 action, bolt lift/close and "smoothness" will be similar to a well spec'ed Defiance. Advantage is the trigger hanger, to time the trigger. But a Defiance with a timed trigger (or adjustable sear engagement + sear height like the BnA Tacsport) will be comparable. Another advantage to the Impact is the ability for a gunsmith to make you a shouldered barrel without ever seeing your action.
I'll throw out a wild card option - Lone Peak Fuzion. It's another great 2 lug push feed action. Got one for the wife and I'm really impressed with it. Runs excellent in the dust and also held to tighter tolerances such that a gunsmith can spin you up a barrel without seeing your action.
Need to know what you want it to do and what you value in an action to better steer you in the right direction.
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- Location
- Calgary Ab
^ This
- Location
- British Columbia
FYI there are prefit options for the Bighorn TL3, Curtis Custom, Defiance and ARC products. I would not give the Impact the advantage in that regard ad a main selling feature
I was thinking of another varmint caliber. I like to plink at steel targets and shoot small varmints occasionally. 6.5 creedmor looks interesting but prob don’t need it. I like how the impact precision action looks on the bolt stop side of the action but I gotta say the defiance looks more appealing all the way around. I played with a defiance action for a few minutes last year and I like the idea but I gotta say my bighorn has a nicer feel when working the bolt. It’s a different feel but seems to glide more freely. The impact precision’s rear tang and bolt handle don’t look appealing. I know that is knit picking. The rest of it looks great though. The other thing is I’m starting to think it’s not a good idea to have a stainless action and bolt uncoated cuz of galling or whatever that is called. I like the stainless look but nitrided or dlc coating appears to be a good idea for the inside of the action
If you get a Defiance, I strongly recommend you get the raceways polished and get it in a finish like IonBond (DLC) or Nitrided. May also be worth considering getting the bolt turned down a thou or so. It will feel very slick if done that way. Turning the bolt down will help make it a bit more resilient to the grit.
The Impact comes as is - no customization, but comes great as is. The trigger hanger gives the benefit of "timing" the trigger to an action, which makes a big difference in how the action feels.
Might be worth a call to Insite Arms and have them talk you through the options. I would have them spin you up a barrel while you are at it, they are the only gunsmiths I would trust in Canada to spin me up a barrel. When you are spending that much on an action, may as well get the barrel done right.
I think most gunsmiths will tell you that Defiances vary enough to cause a potential headspace difference between actions. Unless something changed recently, I would confirm that with some other gunsmiths.
you could do a lot of prefits for a lot of different actions and be pretty close if your ok with ok accuracy and barrel Tennon fitment. Hard part will be finding a reputable smith to spin one up and send it and guarantee it without having your action present as you stated.
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- Location
- British Columbia
PM sent sir
Both are great options I don’t think there is a wrong choice here.
My Impact just showed up and I am very impressed with it.
The trigger hanger, nitried finish, (integrated lug and rail is the same on both actions ) played a role as well as the option to order pre fits, even though I am not going pre fit for the first tube.
My Impact just showed up and I am very impressed with it.
The trigger hanger, nitried finish, (integrated lug and rail is the same on both actions ) played a role as well as the option to order pre fits, even though I am not going pre fit for the first tube.
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