Remington 700

[songdog]

I have a Remington 700 chambered in .30-06 with a black synthetic stock which is about 12 years. I would like to replace the stock with a better thumbhole custom stock and replace the barrel as well. Do you have any suggestions/advice on where I should start looking? I did a search on Google and found some info but thought I would check with y'all first. I really like the McMillan Remington 700 thumbhole hunter stock... I suspect a heavier target/bull barrel would improve the accuracy of this rifle quite bit from its out-of-the-box accuracy.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[RELH]

Songdog;

From Your questions I am assuming that you do not have any experience on stock bedding and swapping out a new barrel on your Rem. 700.

I am going to give you some advice that may save you a few bucks and still get you a rifle that will shoot under 1 inch groups at 100 yards.

Go to the Brownells web site and take a look at the Shilen pre-threaded barrels they offer for the Rem. 700. The #2 barrel contour should match your factory barrel very close. If you purchase one of these barrels, get your stock also. Take your rifle, new barrel, and stock to a local gunsmith that has a rep for doing good rifle work.

Have him lap your lugs and fit your barrel, cut to lengh and crown, and then glass bed the barrel-action to your stock. Then he will need to re-blue the barrel-action and you end up with a new looking rifle that should shoot under 1 inch at 100 yards with several different loads.

Do not let someone talk you into doing the barrel change and stock bedding unless you have experience doing this. Darn good way to ruin your rifle and the money you spent is down the toilet. Plus you have to buy a finish reamer, go & no-go gauges, barrel vise and action vise and that will cost you more then what a honest gunsmith will charge to fit a pre-threaded Shilen barrel.

You can get other match barrels, but your gunsmith is going to charge you for threading the barrel and rough chambering and finish chambering. His time is money out of your pocket. On a pre-threaded barrel, most of the labor is already done for the gunsmith and he only has to hand finish the chamber and check for headspace.
I do not see the need for a bull barrel on that caliber as it would be a heavy rifle to lug around, but if your heart desires a bull barrel, Brownells does offer the same barrel in more heavy barrel diameters.
I have used the Shilen pre-fitted barrels on about 20 Remingtons and Mauser actions over the years and not one of them has failed to shoot under 1 inch and down to 3/8 inch on several.

RELH

 

[songdog]

RELH,

Thanks for the great tips and suggestions! You're spot on about my knwledge of gunsmithing as I have zero experience in stock bedding or swapping out a new barrel! I printed your response and will take it to a reputable gunsmith in my area whenever I get ready to "trick out" a my ol' Rem 700... I plan to check out all of your recommendations and appreciate you sharing the information. I hope I can return the favor someday!

 

[RELH]

Good luck on the mods. When completed, post a pic of the rifle and target.

RELH

 

[hossblur]

Not trying to start anything, I am really curious. Wouldn't you be better off, and even maybe cheaper if you simply bought the gun you are trying to get? I know when I started playing with my 1911, I could buy tricked Kimbers cheaper then what I wanted to do. Am I off base?


When they came for the road hunters I was not one so I said nothing. When they came for the oppurtunists I was not one so I said nothing. When they came for the public land hunters I was not one so I said nothing. When they came for me there was no one left to say anything!

 

[songdog]

Hossblur,

Great minds think alike! I thought about buying a new tricked out custom rifle as well and still might do that very same thing. But, there is something about us hunters/shooters/gun nuts that like to try out new toys and tinker with our old ones... I'm looking at a couple of new rifles with the latest "bells and whistles" which would make for a more accurate rifle. I'd prefer a .300 WinMag or .300 WSM for a new hunting rifle instead of another .30-06. I currently shoot a Browning A-Bolt chambered in .30-06 as my primary hunting rifle and usually use my Rem 700 in .30-06 as my backup. That is why I'm thinking about tricking out the ol' Rem 700..

My brother and I are in the process of building up a new Ruger 10/22 to use on prairie dog shoots. We got a really nice thumbhole stock with a heavy bull barrel and upgraded trigger. It SHOULD shoot like a competitive target rifle when we're done (I HOPE!!!)...

Tinkering with my ol' Rem 700 is something I may or may not do depending on the final cost. You are absolutely right as it may not be worth re-building... Thanks for the reply and advice!

 

[Cahunter805]

Are you handloading for your rifles? IMO most of the older rem 700 can be a very good shooter with some handloads. You could also just buy a new stock and have it bedded for your current action. Get the trigger tuned and I bet you will be happy with it as a shooter.

Where are you located?

 

[RELH]

Songdog;

You can get that Shilen barrel and have your gunsmith chamber for any caliber you want, you do not have to stay with the 30-06 caliber. Both the 308 and 30-06 barrel could be chambered to 300 Win. Mag. The gunsmith will need to open your bolt face to mag dia.

RELH