Remington 700 Short Action

[BZR]

2 questions for the group.

What is the largest cartridge that can be used in the short action,SA)? Will something as large as a 6.5-284 or 284 fit in and out with a long low-drag bullet loaded up?

Will a 700 SA support the weight of a 30-32" straight-taper barrel?

Cheers
BZR

 

[222Rem]

Will a 700 SA support the weight of a 30-32" straight-taper barrel?

Cheers
BZR

1)Depends on diameter of the barrel.
2)If it is large diameter you might have to sleeve the action.
3)Have a face to face with good gunsmith.They are the pros if you trust him to build you rifle you should trust his judgment.

 

[LHSmith]

.284 size with VLD will probably fit IF you load single shot.
30" bbl may work if you extend bedding 2" or so into barrel.

 

[BZR]

Thanks for all the info 222.

I was leaning towards a 1.25" straight taper.

What all is involved in "sleveing" the action?

 

[222Rem]

What all is involved in "sleveing" the action?

It is done primarily to stiffen the action, and also to create a larger bedding surface . The sleeve is nothing more than a chunk of aluminum or steel bored out to fit the action. The action is epoxied inside the sleeve.

 

[dennisinaz]

A 6.5x284 loaded with 142 SMKs is at least 3" long when loaded so that you have full .264 diameter at the end of the neck. This obviously won't come close to fitting the magazine. I just checked a sampling of bullets- Not even the 108 Lapua will fit the magazine. I build them on long actions for this reason. Go with a .260 if you want a 6.5.

 

[pintopete]

I don't know about the 6.5x284 but I can tell you that a handloaded .257 Roberts and a 6mm Rem will end up too long if the bullets are seated long to achieve a reasonable .010 or .015 off the rifling. Both of these are based on the 7x57. This situation is especially true where the magazine will be too short. Ken Waters wrote of this a bit in his pet loads articles and eventually built a 3" .257 rifle based on a 1917 Enfield action. Hope fully this info will help you for comparison. I suspect, as others have said, you will need a long action. Good luck, Peter.

 

[smike308]

I have a couple of questions along this same line of discussion. Can a .473 boltface be opened up to accept the WSM head diameter? Next, if that is possible, will that cartridge family work through a Rem short action as a single shot? TIA for any insight anyone can provide.

 

[dennisinaz]

Yes and yes

 

[fivering]

If you want to build a repeater in 6.5x284, you will need a long action.
I have shot a Rem 700 SA 6.5x284 for the last 5 years using VLD 140's loaded out to engage the lands, loading single shot, and it works just fine.

 

[smike308]

Dennis--Thanks for the response. Much appreciated.

 

[Rustystud]

BZR:

Buy a Custom Clone or a Custom action. The money spent up front will be much better the the money spent down the road fixing a Remington action. After fixing hundreds of Remingtons this is the best advice I can give you. A short action may or may not eject a loaded round with VLD bullets seated out. The factory magazine well will not accept any cartridges over 2.808 to 2.812. The Wyatt extended magazine will give you another .110 but requires opening up the front or back of the action that should be done by a qualified smith.
Rustystud