Best route to "x" caliber

[Racingjoe27]

Hello all,

Been reading here for a long time but finally decided to join so I could ask a question.

I'm wondering what is the "best" way to get to a non factory caliber? For example, Remington doesn't offer a 700 in .260 rem. so what's the best way to get there? In reading through the "guns of the week" section a lot of people seem to prefer a true'd Remington action however most people will suggest a custom action when doing a build.

So is it better to buy a donor rifle (in say .243/.308), scrap all the unused parts, and have the action worked over when rebarreling, or buy a custom 700 action and parts to have a rifle built?

Thanks in advance for your help.

P.S. let's say that the end use of the rifle is irrelevant for this question

 

[Cort]

I have approached this requirement from 3 different directions. It depends on what the accuracy requirement is.

1. A shooter - I bought a beat up Remington 700 in the correct action length and bolt face. I then bought a barrel nut and barrel from Jim Briggs at Northland Shooting Supply in the caliber that I wanted and assembled my rifle. This one shoots pretty well and I had a great time putting it together.

2. A good shooter - I bought a beat up Remington 700 in the correct action length and bolt face. I then gave it to my local smith who squared the action and lapped the bolt lugs. My smith then fitted a custom barrel that he chambered to the caliber of choice. I don't believe he recut the action threads. This one shoots very well.

3. A really good shooter - I bought a Remington 700 clone action, Jewell trigger, McMillan stock and a high end barrel. My gunsmith then fitted everything together. This one really shoots. I just wish the shooter would learn to shoot ;-(

Each option cost more than the previous option. However, each rifle fills its expectations. If "extreme" accuracy is a requirement, then I recommend a clone rather than truing a donor action. Your cost for the clone will be close to the cost of the trued action but the bolt fit will be much better in the clone.

There is no one answer to your question. Have fun and good shooting.

Cort

 

[abishai]

The # 1 thing to do is to get a good gunsmith ! A trued remington, or savage action put together right will do anything you need. That being said, after you get a custom action built you will never go back. # 2 build a heavy gun (22# ish) . 1 1/4 " barrels are your friend and dont cost any more. # 3 get a stock with a 3 " fore end . # 4 get high end high power glass , think nightforce 12x42. # 5 practice , practice, practice............. 1/2 minute X's are earned

 

[NorCalMikie]

If it "doesn't" have to be built on a Remington action, think Savage.
Swap the bolt head, spin on a chambered barrel in your choice of calibers and you're set.
Don't like that caliber next week? Swap barrels again and you're back to shooting. It goes on and on from there and the best part? NO smith involved that you have to wait for. 8)

 

[Preacher]

Mikie,
When did you ever have to wait on a smith 'O)

 

[NorCalMikie]

Yes, I've had to wait on a smith because he was out hunting but the work I had done was WELL worth the wait. (if you think a week is a wait)
I've got a "Good Man" that I can count on to get my work done.
And when you find a Good Man that will do what you ask and even give his opinions if he thinks you're a little crazy, stick to him like glue and love him like a brother. Good men are hard to find!

 

[Larryh128]

That was good advice from NorCal Mikie on both posts.

 

[Lapua40X]

I have approached this requirement from 3 different directions. It depends on what the accuracy requirement is.
1.
2.
3.

Looks to me like cort has a perfect score on this question. Can't add anything to those words of wisdom.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Bottom line is, build it on the action you want. If you're set on a Remington action, go for it. It's your $$ so spend it the way you want.
I just happen to prefer the Savage action because I can swap barrels, stocks, boltheads and change it to just about any caliber I want. No sending it off to a smith and waiting for who knows how long to get it back. :
Savage barrels can be switched in about 10 minutes. Bolt heads another 10 minutes and you've got another caliber rifle.
Don't like that caliber? Switch. 8)
Not a thing wrong with Remington but Savage is much easier to work on. And, it's a DIY rifle. ;D

 

[dansig]

Savage barrels can be switched in about 10 minutes. Bolt heads another 10 minutes and you've got another caliber rifle.
Don't like that caliber? Switch. 8)
Not a thing wrong with Remington but Savage is much easier to work on

wow that's a lot of time... With a barrel clamp and action wrench it takes me about a minute to switch barrels on my Stiller action.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Danzig, how long does it take to switch bolt heads?

 

[dansig]

Danzig, how long does it take to switch bolt heads?

I don't switch bolt heads, if I want a caliber that needs different boltface I either switch guns or bolts.. takes a few seconds...

 

[NorCalMikie]

Got to take it out of the bag/case, take another gulp of coffee, find your barrel nut wrench, decide which caliber barrel you want to replace it with.=10 minutes or less. No use being in a hurry.

 

[mikecr]

I'd go Savage for performance as good as any on the cheap.
For a fancy wood/metal/trigger special gun, I would start with an aftermarket action(something like BAT).

 

[Racingjoe27]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful responses. As convenient as the savage sounds, I'm more of a person who likes to have a dedicated "tool," ie my deer shotgun is a slug gun only. Plus, I can always make room for another one in the safe.

Now I'm wondering if you can quantify "shooter," "good shooter," and "really good shooter" in terms of accuracy/moa?

At this point I'm leaning towards a custom action, however the idea of having one worked on would allow me to get exactly what I'm looking for in an action

 

[dansig]

the Stiller Predator is like the remington 700 action, the only difference is that the Stiller is just so much smoother and better built.

buying a reminton 700 action and having your gunsmith work on it will make it just as expensive as the Stiller but never as good.

with my Stiller and Krieger match barrel in .308 I shoot .2-.3" groups at 200m (3shot)
with trued Remington you might get .4-.5" groups.

and if you sell the gun a remington is always just a remington no matter how much work you have done.. a custom action is always custom and will sell for better price.

 

[Erik Cortina]

the Stiller Predator is like the remington 700 action, the only difference is that the Stiller is just so much smoother and better built.

buying a reminton 700 action and having your gunsmith work on it will make it just as expensive as the Stiller but never as good.

with my Stiller and Krieger match barrel in .308 I shoot .2-.3" groups at 200m (3shot)
with trued Remington you might get .4-.5" groups.

and if you sell the gun a remington is always just a remington no matter how much work you have done.. a custom action is always custom and will sell for better price.

I disagree with the accuracy difference between a trued Remington and a custom action. I think you will get the same accuracy out of both. Barrels are more of a deciding factor than actions.

But I do agree that it will be still a Remington. I personally like the Kelbly Atlas.
But there are other good ones. Borden, Defiance, Stiller, etc.

At this point I'm leaning towards a custom action, however the idea of having one worked on would allow me to get exactly what I'm looking for in an action

What is it that you are looking for in an action? Why would a worked over 700 offer it and not a custom? I think you have it backwards. Custom actions are called "custom" for a reason. ;D

 

[LHSmith]

I disagree with the accuracy difference between a trued Remington and a custom action. I think you will get the same accuracy out of both. Barrels are more of a deciding factor than actions.

But I do agree that it will be still a Remington.

I totally agree with Erik.
I completely disagree with Dansig on the accuracy potential of a trued Remington. Score matches are still won by competent shooters using Remington actions over customs (reference IBS match results archives). In fact there are 2 records that still stand that were achieved using a Remington action (Doc Ed's 722 in- fact). The first perfect 250-25x scores were also shot with a Remington (in 6 ppc) in both LV and HV in the early 90's......yet with the proliferation of custom actions and bigger 30 cal bullets in the score game, not a single "perfect" score was shot in 102 registered IBS matches in 2012.

 

[Racingjoe27]

At this point I'm leaning towards a custom action, however the idea of having one worked on would allow me to get exactly what I'm looking for in an action

What is it that you are looking for in an action? Why would a worked over 700 offer it and not a custom? I think you have it backwards. Custom actions are called "custom" for a reason. ;D

Things like the bolt lever/knob. Some actions have angles/knobs that don't particularly work for me or my shooting style. Or say I'm looking for a particular bolt face/extractor/ejector combination, with a custom I get whatever the manufacturer uses. Just things like that.

Now, if I could call up jerry stiller and say I want a short action repeater with, x, x, x, and x features and have him build it... I would jump on it and never look back

 

[NorCalMikie]

Like they say in the hot rod business, "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?"
In the gun business it's $$ and how long do you want to wait?
A year or two + would be normal.
Build a Remington or Savage, shoot it for a while, see what you like and dislike about it, make a list than order up the rifle of your dreams. 8)
You can always off the Remington or Savage "after" you get your dream rifle.