What Remington actions are reliable?

[GetReal]

Couple years ago I built a 6 dasher on a stainless Rem 700 action. Put a 28" stainless douglas barrel on it that mic's 0.900 at the muzzle. Put it in a MPA chassis, spec'd out the action screws, etc etc. Never could get it to shoot good. So eventually , I went with a kelbly Atlas action, had southern precision torque down one of their barrels, put it in that MPA chassis , and it shoots great ( my handloads)

It would probably be too wide open a question to ask people to explain why the other rifle wouldn't shoot good, so my question now is what generation Remington actions are worth building a rifle on. Its an S-65xxxxx serial action.

Thinking about building another mild caliber rifle on this action.... havent decided what... target rifle... something. But want to make sure this action isn't junk.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[round]

What are the barrel specs on the old rifle, new specs on the new rifle, bullets, velocities, etc ?

 

[GetReal]

What are the barrel specs on the old rifle, new specs on the new rifle, bullets, velocities, etc ?

Pretty sure the old rifle was a 308.

As above... havent decided on the new rifle.

My question here is what Rem 700 actions are reliable. Im told some are, some arent.

 

[CJ6]

Was the action blueprinted ?

 

[GetReal]

Was the action blueprinted ?

No. Pulled the old bbl, put on the new.

 

[Springer2]

The 700/40X Remingtons have been used as the basis for target rifles for decades. Even some of the current target actions use the basic dimensions of a 700; action screw spacing, trigger group mounting, etc.

 

[BoydAllen]

There are no reliability issues. If you are going to spend money on a project, I suggest that you start with having the action fully blueprinted by a smith that builds successful competition rifles and who does that work on a regular basis. I would also say that putting a chassis rifle together without bedding the action is a crap shoot that is likely to leave some accuracy on the table. You may also find that selling the action as is and putting the money into one of the many clones is a better option.

 

[L.Sherm]

Boyd is spot on. I just sent LRI a Rem Model 7 I'm sick of fighting the primary extraction ( zero)

 

[6.5 forever]

I'm sure there are good actions and bad Rem 700 actions built thenvery same week thru out it's history.

 

[jelenko]

I've seen a few competent gunsmiths who have worked on a lot of Rem 700's say that those with a prefix of R or RAR are almost as good as a good custom.

 

[6.5 forever]

No. Pulled the old bbl, put on the new.

If you remove a barrel it's worth it to get it blue printed.

 

[rdremsek]

Couple years ago I built a 6 dasher on a stainless Rem 700 action. Put a 28" stainless douglas barrel on it that mic's 0.900 at the muzzle. Put it in a MPA chassis, spec'd out the action screws, etc etc. Never could get it to shoot good. So eventually , I went with a kelbly Atlas action, had southern precision torque down one of their barrels, put it in that MPA chassis , and it shoots great ( my handloads)

It would probably be too wide open a question to ask people to explain why the other rifle wouldn't shoot good, so my question now is what generation Remington actions are worth building a rifle on. Its an S-65xxxxx serial action.

Thinking about building another mild caliber rifle on this action.... havent decided what... target rifle... something. But want to make sure this action isn't junk.

Thoughts appreciated.


View attachment 1737949View attachment 1737950

Probably should have used a good cut rifled barrel like brux kreiger I tried a Douglas years ago didn't shoot I'd never buy one again I built a 6 dasher on a rem action with a brux barrel and a good trigger bedded it to the stock and shot a 1.425 inch groups at 600 yards

 

[greisdor]

Picture of the lugs on the bolt and action?

 

[L.Sherm]

I've seen a few competent gunsmiths who have worked on a lot of Rem 700's say that those with a prefix of R or RAR are almost as good as a good custom.

The primary extraction sure as hell isn't.
The newer RR maybe truer at the bolt face and lug abutemants but there pin fall, cocktail on close and primary extraction still sucks and the bolt sure doesn't run like a good custom.

 

[K22]

Was the action blueprinted ?

^^^^^ This should always be considered when replacing a barrel for a precision rifle. At least this is what my smith advocates.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've got 5 or 6 RR action only one has any decent primary extraction and that's the one on my 20BRA. Do they shoot yes they do but by the time you do much work at all on them you might as well get a custom

 

[L.Sherm]

Theres " blueprinting" then there's blueprinting. How many guys blueprint fix the primary extraction, pinfall it already sucks and if they touch the lug abutemants it makes it even worse.
I've heard Alex talk about recutting the cooking ramps and helix on every 700 he touchs.

 

[nakneker]

I’m not a gunsmith. I have had a few rifles built on Remington actions, I always have them blue printed. To what degree depends on the gunsmith and what he finds or the opinion he offers. I asked Alex Wheeler to give a 700 action I sent to him the five star spa treatment, do as much he could. I don’t know everything he did but that action is the basis for a 25x47 that shoots in the 2s.

Zack with ODCR did the same with a 25-284 on an old Remington 700, that rifle also shoots itty bitty.

My personal preference is older 700s, whether or not there’s anything to that I don’t know but I’ve had pretty good luck with older 700 actions.

I’ve since decided the best value for price and quality is to ditch blue printing a 700 and just buy a basic custom. Kauger is what has gone on my last half a dozen builds. By the time you pay for a 700 action and the blueprinting is just about a wash unless you get the action at a very good deal.

 

[L.Sherm]

I'd buy a Mac Bros before I buy another 700, a little more step up Defiance Classic, Kauger or Kelbys

 

[L.Sherm]

By the time you pay for a 700 action and the blueprinting is just about a wash unless you get the action at a very good deal.

And you will never probably get close to what you have in them