Help with a new rifle please

[Haz223]

Hello,

I am brand new to the forum and I am looking for some help.

I just purchased a used benchrest rifle. I am considering taking up benchrest shooting but I would like to learn more about this rifle before I begin. I have not shot this gun yet. I wanted to wait to clean it first. Here is what I know about it.

Remington 700 action - no safety, no bolt release

heavy stainless barrel with S.G. 6x44 NK .262 stamped on it.

non factory recoil lug

it looks to be pillar bedded in its fiberglass stock


Things that came with it.

set of 3 redding dies used for forming brass - reads 6mm x 44 B R - form 1, 2, and full dies

Sinclair 6mm B-R Rem micrometer seater die

about 100 rounds of brass marked 300 savage - necked down to 6mm

15 rounds of loaded ammunition using coated 68 gr Berger HP, 29.5 gr vv130, CCI standard primer (supposedly)

a Sinclair neck turning tool


I have several questions about this rifle:

1. What cartridge is 6mmx44 and where can I find reliable loading data for it?

2. Can I put a factory safety and bolt release on this rifle without much problem?

3. The guy I bought it from said that it uses 250 savage brass but all the brass I got with it says 300 savage on it. What would be the proper brass to use to form new cases?

4. He also said it was made by speedy Gonzalez and it has a Douglas match barrel on it. Is there anyway I can confirm this? I looked it over and only saw the S.G. 6x44 NK .262 stamping on it.

5. He gave me some targets that he shot with it and they are approximately 1/8" groups at 100 yds. Would this rifle be close to competitive at that group size?

6. What things would everyone suggest I buy to use with this rifle? I have read the speedy cleaning tips on brownells and it looks like I need:

cleaning stuff
Lucas 2 piece bore guide
Butch's bore shine
hoppes 9 + black powder solvent
sweets 7.62
some proshot bore brushes
I have a Dewey 22 rod already

reloading stuff
Sinclair press (I have a rock chucker now)
bullets, going to try Berger first I think
vv130 powder
benchrest primers? (not sure about these)
primer pocket uniformer
22 degree chamfer tool
chronograph

gun stuff
scope (I have a Leupold vx II 6-18 on it now)
safety
bolt release
cheek pad?

Thanks to everyone for the help

 

[M-61]

Well, you sure joined the right site. Good luck with the new rifle.

 

[jonbearman]

Sinclair has the stuff you need.Call them and get a catalog.Grafs ,russ haydon,powder valley for your powder and primer needs as the stuff comesin,you must watch it daily.Midway has alot of stuff. Welcome to the forum that is the best on the web.

 

[jonbearman]

Look at gun of the week index,look for week 38 Joel kendrick.He has an outstanding article on your caliber which they reference as the 6mmbr-long.He set a record with this cartridge and he says your barrel will last over 2000 rounds easily.He shoots moderate loads with more velocity with lees powder at 3000 fps and beyond. Good luck and let us know how she shoots.

 

[JohnMill]

Best I can tell you have a rifle made for Hunter Benchrest but if those groups are right you could do well in group. Before you buy bullets, determine the twist of the rifling.
If you shoot at Waterman, call the Rifle/Pistol comm. chair. If you have never shot there call anyway. Alarge group of very knowledgable shooters.

John

 

[Lapua40X]

"Remington 700 action - no safety, no bolt release"
I find that a bit strange; like unusual. If you have no bolt release then you must also not have a bolt stop. I can't imagine an action that simply leaves the bolt floating so it can fall out the rear of the action.
I do know of some BR rifles that don't use a trigger housing bolt release but have a bolt stop/bolt release mechanism on the side of the action.
I'd be interested in seeing pics of your action ......
You'll find that, in most instances, BR rifles don't use a safety. They're never intended to be loaded unless they're on the sand bags and prior to or after firing the chamber flag in an open chamber is often all that is used. That isn't to suggest that you shouldn't add a safety, only to explain why your new rifle may not have one installed.

 

[NateHaler]

I just purchased a used benchrest rifle. I am considering taking up benchrest shooting but I would like to learn more about this rifle before I begin.

Why would you buy something before even knowing what it is? I suggest you go to a benchrest match in your area and see if anybody there might be inclined to help you.

 

[JohnMill]

Hey Jon that article (gun of the week Joel Kendricks 6x44) was very informative. My info was from 20 years ago. Haz U should read it.
Many people that accurize or rebarrel to make a Rem700 into a target rifle, replace the trigger(group) with a jewel, shilen or hart trigger w/o a safety. They also remove the mechanism for the bolt stop/bolt release and replace it with the sinclair #bolt-w, #bolt-b or something similar.

 

[jonbearman]

I read the whole article and it was nicely written.Now I am curious as all get out to try and build one.I like challenge's.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Lapua40X, many hunter class rifles of old, had no boltstop release. The XP-100, 600 and 660 Remingtons didn't either. The shooter had to use a knife blade or, a small screwdriver to depress the boltstop.

 

[Lapua40X]

Lapua40X, many hunter class rifles of old, had no boltstop release. The XP-100, 600 and 660 Remingtons didn't either. The shooter had to use a knife blade or, a small screwdriver to depress the boltstop.

Yes, I agree. Although I doubt it, we could very well be working with a sixty year old action that's been worked into a 6mm BR. But the "bolt stop" on those rifles, when depressed, is the bolt release. Perhaps we're splitting hairs here - and if so I apologize. I'm only concerned that we may be trying to help a new shooter here and have no idea if he's relying on good or bad information with respect to his new purchase and I believe it's important that he is not misled.

 

[M-61]

"Remington 700 action - no safety, no bolt release"
I find that a bit strange; like unusual. If you have no bolt release then you must also not have a bolt stop. I can't imagine an action that simply leaves the bolt floating so it can fall out the rear of the action.
I do know of some BR rifles that don't use a trigger housing bolt release but have a bolt stop/bolt release mechanism on the side of the action.
I'd be interested in seeing pics of your action ......
You'll find that, in most instances, BR rifles don't use a safety. They're never intended to be loaded unless they're on the sand bags and prior to or after firing the chamber flag in an open chamber is often all that is used. That isn't to suggest that you shouldn't add a safety, only to explain why your new rifle may not have one installed.

I actually have a 700 actioned BR rifle made of me in 1975. It has a SHBF and the bolt will fall out of the action if it were opened and held upwards. It might be 'unusual' today but back then it wasn't. And of course, no safety.

 

[JohnMill]

Not a 6BR. It's a 6mmx44 (6x1 &3/4). See bearmans post on this thread,of course Haz223s OP and by all means everyone should read Kendricks "gun of the week" post.
I do have to say that anyone that sells a new BR shooter a gun that requires that kind of brass forming gymnastics didn't do him any great favors.
When I started BR I got a 40XBBR in 6PPC, with no bolt stop and no safety. I did have good advice and so avoided a 6x47 (necked up 222 Rem Mag), an accurate but tempermental round.
The good news is Haz has an accurate BR rifle to shoot. Go shoot that sucker!!

John

 

[weewilly]

First thing find what twist the barrel has. Speedy Gonzales was a very good rifle builder and also at one time made very good bullets. The rifle he built for me was a 30by 47 and was built on 700 Rem. The trigger was lightened and had no safety or bolt release on trigger but the bolt was removed by pushing down on bolt stop on left of bolt with small screwdriver or punch. The rifles were built for hunter benchrest and is probably twist for 150 gr. bullets as this was the bullet Speedy made and shot. A friend had a 30by44 and it was set up for same bullet. Hunter class was shot with 6 power scopes limiting the accuracy compared to group rifles with up to 45 or more power scopes. weewilly

 

[JohnMill]

I been thinking about the twist and wonder if it's not a 14 (for 68gr bullets). No need for heavier bullets for Hunter gun distances and I never saw a heavy 6mm bullet shoot .125 groups. Not saying it's not done (by everyone every day) but I haven't seen it.
John

 

[Haz223]

Thanks for the great responses guys

I read the article and didn't see any case dimensions for the 6mm BR long so I can't compare them to what I have now.
The brass I have now is 1.737" long. The beginning of the neck (near the case mouth) is 1.517". The distance to the end of the shoulder is 1.343.

It uses a 300 savage case which has the same head dimensions as 250 savage and .243 as far as I can tell.

Does anyone know where I can get more information about the 6mm BR long so I can compare the dimensions?

As far as the bolt release goes, it has the bolt stop in it (the lever that is pinned in the action up near the bolt with the spring in it) but it doesn't have the connector bar that goes down to the trigger guard. I don't think I want to use a screwdriver everytime to depress the bolt stop in order to remove the bolt. I'm going to get a factory bolt release from midway for 5 bucks and try it.

Who makes a good safety? I seen that Jard had one.

I'll have to wait to check the twist until I get a bore guide.

 

[JohnMill]

Hey Haz,
The only way to get your case dimension will be to cal Pacific Tool and Gage or JGS Precision (I think) and see if they will fax you a copy of the 6x44 printChances are you won't be able to make heads nor tails out of it but just take your time and you'll figure it out. I was going to recommend against the safety but then you clued me to you level of knowledge ie 300 savage case has the same head dimensions as the 250 savage and the 243. There must be a hundred (or hundreds) cases that are that head dimension. It may be the most common one that we use.
If you use that phone number I sent you I'll give you a list that you can use to educate yourself. Also you need to go to the range with a more knowledgeable shooter. Or go with the guy that sold you that rifle.
John

 

[Haz223]

I sent an email to jgp precision and to redding, no answers yet. I seen that they both had 6x44 BR listed in their chamberings, but couldn't find any other info about it. Thanks for the help so far everyone .