Time Action

M

Mooseyard

Guest
I have a chance to buy a Time Precision action on a rifle, and it seems like a good deal. I just don't hear many people talk about the Time Actions. Are they ok? This gun will just be a back-up/addition to the rimfire collection. I think it's priced right, but just want to hear what you guys have to say about them.
Thanks
Jess
 
Mooseyard,

I have two Time Precision rifles .. one a RF and one a 6PPC. Both are superlative rifles. Art Cocchia (Mr. Time Precision) designed and built the rifles. Art is a very ingenious fellow, and the RF action is unique, and in my book a wonderful action. I do not have the stats on the number of RF actions he built, but all of his rifles were custom guns, hand built, and to your specs. around his action. My RF has a Jewell trigger, Shilen barrel, and a great BR stock.

RE: Rimfire action. There are two points of impact for the firing pin. The firing pin strikes two sides of the cartridge (180 degrees apart). The reason for two impact points is, as Art put it: "positive and consistent ignition." The action is similiar to the Rem. 700 action, and very substancial. The barrel is screwed into the action. Art provided numberous spacers with his guns, so you could adjust the head space as needed. Most of the actions were left port/right bolt for right handers (vice versa for lefties). Loading of shells is an art ... no ramp ... that said, once you use it, you will either love it or hate it. I happen to love it

Personally I have always enjoyed my Time(s) and in fact will never sell them. The RF was always an excellent gun ... way back when it would shoot 250's (mid '90's) when the shooter did his job ... and let's face it, 250's were not all that common at the time. The PPC, I think, is as about as good as light BR centerfires get (5 shot 3/16" groups at 300 yards).

One word of advice: never ever dry file a Time RF .. it will ruin the chamber. For that reason I remove the bolt or leave a spent cartridge in the chamber when it is stored.

BTW: I see Time Precision is still in business, but not sure if the actions are the same today as in the past ... you would have to call and check that out, to make sure we are talking about the same RF action.

Not sure if this answers you questions, but hope it puts some things in perspective. Doug
 
In addition to not having a loading ramp, it has no ejector so you have to reach in and flip out the empty case with either your finger or some other tool. The action I owned had a very sharp bolt raceway so I ended up with several cuts on my finger at the end of a match.
 
Time Action ... Ken

Ken,

Rigth you are, I forgot there is no ejector ... never bothered me .. became a simple flick of the finger to provide the ejection ... my action did not have any sharp elements, so it never seemed to be a problem. Frankly, the whole process became a matter of habit, and automatic.

BTW: I usually loaded and unloaded quicker than most who had ramps and ejectors. Go figure. Just a matter of what you get used to. However, being cut up would not be something I would get used to. Then again, my first BR RF was a Time, so I cut my teeth on it.

My "backup guns" are a Suhl 150 & a 40X, both have a nice ramps and ejectors. I find the process to take about the same time with all of them. Again, it is what you get used to. Most will find the Time a bit cumbersoome at first, until it becomes second nature.

Ken, good recollection. Best wishes and thanks for the addition, Doug
 
Time Precision rifles

Mooseyard,

I would like to second what Doug said about Time Precision rifles. They are quality from top to bottom. I have three Time rimfire rifles that I've been shooting for 15 years without a single problem. I have both the all steel action, and the aluminum sleeved action. They both perform the same, but I prefer the round bottomed steel action for reasons I can't explain.

With the right barrel they will perform with any custom rifle on the market today. I recall, a Time won the 2003 ARA nationals.

As mentioned the Time has no loading ramp and has no ejector. The no ejector is a bonus if you don't like having spent rounds flying all over your shooting bench when you are shooting. I just take the spent round off the bolt face and place them in a cup. No mess, and I don't hit the guy next to me with ejected rounds. I hate having ejected rounds flying down the back of my neck from the bench next to me when I'm trying to shoot.

Some people can not get use to inserting the round directly into the reversed coned chamber. In poor light it can be hard to see, and even harder to get the round in if you have fat fingers. This is especially true when you are hurrying trying to finish a target with time running out.

Ken mentioned sharp edges on the bolt raceways. This (problem?) and the lack of a loading ramp can be aided with a little milling on the port opening and bolt raceways. Just open up the port to let in some light and make room for your fingers, and radius the edges of the bolt race ways. The action is so strongly built taking out a little medal, even a lot of medal, will not hurt a thing. Anyone with a milling machine should be able to do this.

With the Time, you get the right bolt, left port configuration, (or opposite) and you get forward locking lugs which is a much better design than the mid or rear locking lugs found on other custom and factory rimfire actions. And of course the duel firing pins at 12 and 6 O'clock.

Hope this helps! Good luck and good shooting
 
Thanks everyone, the Time in Question comes with a Shilen barrel and trigger complete for $900. I think I'm going to jump on it! Thanks for all the help.
 
Time

Mooseyard,

I think you can see from the "Time Owners/Users" there are two camps: either you love 'em or you hate the loading operation. Fellows where I shot said the same thing.

No one questions the quality of the action, or the potential of it. As in all good BR guns, the barrel / chamber /crown /bedding have to be right. For sure the action will not let you down. Action easily accepts Shilen and Jewell Triggers. The action has very susbstancial and easy to torque bolts.

As an aside: I found my Time would shoot almost any good ammo .. if you adjusted the head space and tuner to accomodate. I shot Federal, RWS, Eley, Lapua, and Focchi ... all performed up to the level of the quality of ammo.

BTW: If you feel the barrel on the gun you are looking at needs changing, several smiths can make one ... or you can always contact Time Precision:

4 NICHOLAS SQUARE
NEW MILFORD, CT 06776
PHONE 860-350-8343
FAX 860-350-6343
EMAIL timeprecision@aol.com

My Time has one of their "Super Tuners" .. and I noted on their web site that they are still making the tuners. Sorry, I do not know if they are smithing the guns, but assume that is the case. I have always had super service from them. Looks like they have the full line up at: http://www.benchrest.com/timeprecision/index.html

Best wishes with your transaction, Doug
 
A help with the loading, go to Radio Shack, or an Auto Parts store, buy one of the little plastic Fuse installers for the old Automotive type glass tube fuses. Slip that over your case, start the case in the chamber and a little pull it slips right off, close the bolt and you are ready to go. Once you have done it a couple times, nothing to it and you don't have to get your fingers in the port to load.
 
I have won a bunch of wood with my rimfire Time. The brand new original barrel wouldn't shoot so I sent it to Butch for a Lilja barrel without any spacers. Hongisto hates them but he will be glad to make one into a very good shooter. I always install a band-aid on my flicking finger before a match with no cutting problems.

If you shoot alot of sighters or practice alot at your home range, your finger will get sore so the band-aid is mandatory.
Dale McClure
 
Time And Sore Fingers

Mad5757:

Bob Griffin mentioned the fuse holder from Radio Shack for putting cartridges into the chamber.

On the other end of the fuse holder, there is a round piece of plastic, about 5/8" long at a 90 degree angle to the fuse holder, which can easily be used to pluck out (eject) the spent shells. It saved me a lot of wear and tear on the fingers.

I too love my Time, and learned from Art how to use the fuse holder to put in shells and take them out. After a bit of practice, it seemed to flow as smoothly as a ramp and ejector. Keep on "racking up the wood" with your Time. Best wishes, Doug
 
I always used my big fat fingers/band-aid with great success.
I also have a single strike firing pin which really improved my scores and made it much easier to cock.
 
Mad 5757

Did you file off the 12 o'clock pin and cut off the firing pin spring? If so, how many coils did you remove from the spring or maybe I should ask how many coils did you leave on the spring?
 
I bought a new firing pin from Time and kept the original firing pin and spring in case it didn't work or I screwed something up.
I filed one of the pins to half it's length. That way it still helps guiding the firing pin fixture when it slams into the end of the bolt on the inside. This way you can use it at 6 o'clock or 12 o'clock. My gun shoots best with the pin at 6 o'clock.
I removed the original spring and replaced it with a spring for a 40X rimfire. The Time bolt is a very close copy of a 40X bolt. Wolff Springs has 40X springs in stock. I got the lightest spring and did not have to trim any coils at all.
The bolt is now very easy to lift.
Dale McClure
 
Well guys I ponied up the money and sent it out to the guy today. I should have the rifle next week sometime. I'll let you know how I like it when it gets here. Just from looking at the pictures, I'm amazed at how huge the receiver is. I'm looking forward to this.
Thanks for all the help.
 
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