BAT 3 lug actions

R

reelxprs

New member
Hey All
I might have an opportunity to purchase a Bat 3 lug action. What is the opinion of those who have used or own one. Several people I have asked
said they have hard bolt lift and closing.
Thanks
Jeff
 
What are you planning on doing with this action? Fun, hunting or competition - if so, specifically what discipline? This will help get you more reliable information.

Stanley
 
Bolt lift is tuff compared to a 2 lug bat but better than some. Is still a bat so its smooth as silk and top notch
 
Here is BAT's website - if you have not already been there. http://www.batmachine.com/

All my competition rifles (3 = LV, HV, Hunter) are now 3 Lug. Compared against the two other BAT 2 Lugs that I have felt; I would say the 3L and 2L have the same smoothness. The 3 L advantage is less bolt movement, but at the cost of increased force. However, when I resize correctly and have the right trigger hanger bar (I think that is what it is called) it does not disrupt the rifle in the bags. My HV is a chrome molly. The other two are stainless. My chrome molly action is more smooth than the stainless. I do not know if that is due to the material or the fact that it is 5 years older which means it is simply broke in more????

There are a couple numbers to pay attention to: Firing pin protrusion and firing pin fall. I do not have my data book in front of me - so do not want to post what those numbers are without being 100% certain.

If I had one complaint (this is not a complaint against BAT - more of a complaint of me loosing focus and being stupid) - it would be the rare instance the cocking piece and shroud went the wrong way on me when I was taking the bolt apart. Advice: always go away from the cocking ramp - it does not take very much force to go the wrong way with the cocking piece and make you say lots of bad words. I now have BAT's firing pin removal tool and am able to quickly put it back where it needs to go. If you do go with the 3 Lug - this is worth the insurance. http://www.batmachine.com/batactions/firing-pin-removing-tool/

For me = I am completely happy with my 3 Lugs and have no plans on looking for anything else in the near future. However, if you know of anybody with a 3 Lug, within driving distance, it would be worth the time to go there and see if you like it before you spend the $. Hopefully others will respond so you can get more opinions to make your decision. Not sure if any of this helped or not, but if you would like to talk more about the 3 Lugs send me an e-mail and we can exchange numbers. Good luck with your decision

Stanley
 
Jason
Thanks for info. I have gone to a 3 lug on my rimfire BR gun and really think it performs better. I remember from years ago that the 3 lug Wichita action
was the one to have.
Jeff
 
Bat 3 lugs were all the rage a few years ago. Not so much anymore. We can add them to the list of benchrest fads that were advertised to change the world but fell just a little short such as Moly bullets, double vane flags, gain twist barrels, tuners, XBR, Lt-32, Edge stocks, March Scopes, and so on and so forth. Some ideas do have some merit, but not quite matching the hysteria attached to them. Oh well, I guess it's good for the economy....;)
 
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I think Goodgrouper has been smoking something.
Top shooters have been winning with everything on his list.
Nothing wrong with a BAT 3 Lug at all.
Todd Tyler
 
TylerT said:
I think Goodgrouper has been smoking something.
Top shooters have been winning with everything on his list.
Nothing wrong with a BAT 3 Lug at all.
Todd Tyler
Click to expand...

Well, Colorado is right next door.....;)

But seriously, top shooters win with anything on or off this list.
I know Todd likes moly (which hardly anyone uses), and I like XBR (which hardly anyone uses), and they were both touted to change the benchrest world when they first got started. My point was that a lot of things in this game are advertised as "gotta have's" and then after awhile, the hysteria seems to settle down as folks realize the only thing that shoots like a laser is a laser, and there aren't any magic snake oils that will turn you into a top shooter.
Will a Bat 3 lug shoot better than a two lug? You'll have a hard time proving it!
 
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Bat 3 lug actions

I have a 3 lug Bat they are really good actions ,
Someone mentioned a Wichita action I have the 1375 it also is a good action.
If your a slow shooter {picker] the Wichita will work OK Just some hard bolt lift
The Bat has a roller on the cocking piece to make it cock easier.
 
I have to agree

TylerT said:
I think Goodgrouper has been smoking something.
Top shooters have been winning with everything on his list.
Nothing wrong with a BAT 3 Lug at all.
Todd Tyler
Click to expand...

with Todd many times over. As much as i disagree w/ the 3 lug design, many of the the current shooters in the group game are all shooting 3 lug BATs. The 3 lug is much more manageable w/ the cocking cam roller now that any of the previous 3 lugs. But a 2 lug is still smoother yet, with a roller, and blind-folded, I would bet not a single one would be able to tell the difference in the bolt travel difference 2 vs 3. Mind games.
 
So David youre saying the 3 lug bat doesnt have a shorter bolt lift than a 2 lug? That was the whole point in the roller- the 3 lug has to cock the firing pin the same distance with less bolt throw. Same with like a browning how they tout the shorter bolt lift- they dont mention the horrendous effort it takes over spreading that lift out over more rotational degrees like a 2 lug. I have 2 and 3 lug bats and the 3 lug definitely has less degrees rotation to open the bolt
 
Dusty Stevens said:
So David youre saying the 3 lug bat doesnt have a shorter bolt lift than a 2 lug? That was the whole point in the roller- the 3 lug has to cock the firing pin the same distance with less bolt throw. Same with like a browning how they tout the shorter bolt lift- they dont mention the horrendous effort it takes over spreading that lift out over more rotational degrees like a 2 lug. I have 2 and 3 lug bats and the 3 lug definitely has less degrees rotation to open the bolt
Click to expand...

Should it be 60 degrees vs 90 degrees?


.
 
What I am saying

Dusty Stevens said:
So David youre saying the 3 lug bat doesnt have a shorter bolt lift than a 2 lug? That was the whole point in the roller- the 3 lug has to cock the firing pin the same distance with less bolt throw. Same with like a browning how they tout the shorter bolt lift- they dont mention the horrendous effort it takes over spreading that lift out over more rotational degrees like a 2 lug. I have 2 and 3 lug bats and the 3 lug definitely has less degrees rotation to open the bolt
Click to expand...

is that 30* of lift difference is not the reason they are winning. Nor does it make the actions cycle any faster. IMHO.
 
To get to the rationale behind the use of more than two lugs, I think that it is useful to review an article that was written years back, by Creighton Audette, and published in Precision Shooting magazine. In short range benchrest I believe that , quality brass, close fitting chambers and dies, as well as careful management of FL die settings tend to minimize the effect that he described. In the article, he pointed out test results that showed that when the thin and thick sides of case bodies were aligned with bolt lugs (in their closed position) there was less shot dispersion than when they were oriented at 90 degrees to the lugs. From this he inferred that wider lug contact, and more lugs, distributed around the bolt face, minimize the effects of imperfect brass on shot dispersion. I am working from memory here, so feel free to correct any mistakes.
 
Boyd Allen said:
To get to the rationale behind the use of more than two lugs, I think that it is useful to review an article that was written years back, by Creighton Audette, and published in Precision Shooting magazine. In short range benchrest I believe that , quality brass, close fitting chambers and dies, as well as careful management of FL die settings tend to minimize the effect that he described. In the article, he pointed out test results that showed that when the thin and thick sides of case bodies were aligned with bolt lugs (in their closed position) there was less shot dispersion than when they were oriented at 90 degrees to the lugs. From this he inferred that wider lug contact, and more lugs, distributed around the bolt face, minimize the effects of imperfect brass on shot dispersion. I am working from memory here, so feel free to correct any mistakes.
Click to expand...

You are correct Boyd. That very article spawned the theory that 3 was better than 2. However, theory and real world results don't always agree to the extent that somebody trying to sell you something would have you believe. That was my point and precisely why I said one would have a hard time proving a 3 lug will shoot better than a 2 lug. Obviously, a 3 lug made to BAT's specs will be a fine action, and it will shoot to BR standards. But will the theory of it translate into a world changer........it hasn't. It won't. But if Tony started winning with one, folks would probably assume it was due to the 3 lug and everybody would have to have one all over again. Meanwhile, they'd be forgetting that 90% of all the other titles, trophies, and records were shot with a 2 lug. It's funny how things work like that sometimes.;)

Thinking out loud here: It would be fun to call Bruce and ask what the ratio of 3 to 2 lugs actions sold is now compared to a several years ago......
 
I had purchased a 3 lug BAT last year about this time and the serial number was 13xx if memory serves me correctly. I do know that the serial numbers from BAT translates to the number of the particular action the number is stamped into. I would almost bet that the BAT model B or SV would be there best selling action, with the 3 lug close behind. Just a guess though.
Gene Buckys sure shoots them well. I think the 3 lug is all he will use. There must be a reason???? Lee
 
Hey Guys
This is the kind of discussion I wanted to get started. Like I said earlier my wife's 3 lug rimfire gun shoots very good and the short bolt throw is great!
The closed bolt play is almost nonexistent. This is got to help consistent accuracy. I feel like it would be beneficial on my 30BR score gun. Closing the bolt
on my current antique 30BR gun upsets it in the bags so what difference does it make to re-adjust.
Thank you everyone for your input.
Jeff Fountain
 
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