Blueprint Build: Precision Bolt Action Zermatt

2 months ago

Caleb and Alex team up at Brownells to build a custom 6.5 Creedmoor bolt-action rifle from the ground up! Using a Zermatt Origin action, Proof Research barrel, KRG chassis, and Vortex Razor HD optic, they cover trigger installation, headspace checking, chassis mounting, and final assembly. Watch as they go through the entire process and complete Alex’s first bolt-action build!

What You Will Learn

In this video, you'll learn how to build a bolt-action rifle from start to finish, with step-by-step guidance for first-time builders. It covers key components like the KRG chassis, Proof Research barrel, and Zermatt Origin action, and walks through installing the trigger, torquing the barrel, checking headspace, and mounting the scope base. You'll also see how to properly assemble the action into the chassis, with tips and tools explained along the way. Whether you're new to gunsmithing or just curious about the process, this is a great hands-on overview.

Benefit

Watching this video gives you a clear, hands-on look at how to assemble a precision bolt-action rifle, even if you’ve never done it before. It breaks down each step with practical tips, helping you understand the tools, techniques, and components involved—so you can build with confidence and avoid common mistakes.

Introduction

Hi everyone, Caleb here from Brownells. Today, I'm joined by Alex, and we're diving into something exciting—building a bolt-action rifle from scratch. It’s Alex’s first time tackling a bolt gun build, though he’s got a few ARs under his belt. Let's walk through the process together.

Getting Started

Alex may be new to bolt gun building, but he’s no stranger to shooting them. Today, he’s on the other side of the experience—assembling one himself, on camera no less. No pressure, right?

To keep things simple, we started by laying out the core components of the build:

Chassis: KRG chassis
Barrel: Proof Research barrel
Action: Zermatt Origin
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
Trigger: TriggerTech Diamond
Optics: Vortex Razor

Let’s get to work.

Installing the Trigger

The first step was mounting the TriggerTech Diamond. We set the action up in a vice using padded jaws to protect it. After positioning the trigger, we used a polymer punch to tap in the pins—tight, but manageable. No marks left behind thanks to the nylon tools.

Pro tip: we used the Sons of Liberty Gun Works punch kit for this. Though it’s designed for ARs, it worked perfectly here.

Preparing the Action

Before mounting the barrel, we had to remove the ejector from the Zermatt Origin action. Our action wrench doesn’t clear it, so out it came with a simple Allen wrench. The ejector is held by a set screw underneath the action—easy access and quick removal.

Barrel Time

Next, we switched to our Short Action Customs barrel vice, one of our favorite tools thanks to its Arca-rail mounting system. We wrapped the barrel with a strip of paper for protection, inserted the proper bushing (1.2-inch in this case), and clamped it down.

A small dab of moly-based grease (we used Brownells Action Lube Plus) on the threads helps prevent galling and makes future disassembly easier.

After that, we slid the recoil lug into place, aligned the indexing pin, and hand-threaded the action onto the barrel. From there, we torqued it to about 50 ft-lbs using the Short Action Customs torque wrench.

Headspace Check

With the barrel torqued in, it was time for a headspace check. We inserted a no-go gauge first—perfect, the bolt didn’t close. Then came the go gauge—bolt closed smoothly. That’s a solid confirmation that our chamber is safe and properly machined.

Reinstalling the Ejector

We dropped the ejector back into the action and re-secured it with the set screw. Simple, but essential.

Then, we tested the trigger’s safety function—everything checked out. We verified that it wouldn’t fire on “safe” and functioned properly on “fire.”

Mounting the Scope Base

Next up was installing the scope base. We used a base with integrated indexing pins for extra support. We added a small amount of Loctite Red 271 to each screw (short screws in the front, long in the back), snugged them up, and torqued them to 20 in-lbs using a star pattern.

Dropping into the Chassis

The final step was inletting the barreled action into the chassis. Rather than doing this on the workbench, we moved back to the vice for stability. The clamp base of the Brownells vice made it easy to reposition during the install.