Remington factory 308 barrels - 5R worth it?

[A7Dave]

I'm helping a friend get the best bang for the buck. Looking at factory Remington 700s to target shoot at 600 yards. For his budget, I think the various heavier barrel .308s look like a good bargain. Is is worth a few more dollars to get one of the "mil-spec" factory 5R barrel rifles? One of the guns with the HS Precision stock. Seems like there are options in 5R and regular varmint/heavy barrel contours.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Thanks.

 

[rockhound78]

If you could find a Rem xr-100 in 308!!! Otherwise , you need an answer from someone a lot smarter than I am with regards to rifling profiles.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I bought a 308 Varmint a number of years ago. It shot great at 600 yards. It had a lot of freebore. Either barrel will be good to start shooting with. After a couple thousand rounds you will want to replace it.

 

[Ned Ludd]

All the barrels I use are Bartlein 5r. The 5r is a very good land/groove configuration, but you're dealing with an additional issue in the new factory barrel. I've seen borescope images of factory barrels that looked like someone drove a tiny tank over the top of the lands; i.e. - chatter marks like you wouldn't believe. Some shot well, some didn't.

I don't know what to expect in a factory Remy 700 5R barrel, and it is what it is, regardless of what it looks like inside. Only borescoping it can answer the question, and it still might shoot well even if it looks bad. Whether the 5R rifling configuration would be worth the extra $$$ to me would depend on how the barrel looked inside, and how it shot straight out of the box. It's also possible to get a factory barrel that doesn't look so great inside in other [different] land/groove configurations, so going with the 5R doesn't necessarily make the barrel immune from those issues.

 

[dthomas]

If he isn't set on the Remington I would take a serious look at a tikka

 

[Downhill]

Got a R700 5R. Freebore was way out there. Removed .375 from chamber end and reworked it all (chamber, threads, blah,blah). Actually shoots very well with SMK 175's now.

 

[JimT]

I have a Model 700 Milspec 5r in .308 and it shoots very well. It pretty consistently shoots 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. It’s an RR serial number and as knowledgeable gunsmiths on here have noted they are very straight. Mine has very good lug contact.

 

[Rube Shooter]

+1 for what Walter said.
I have an older 700 VS, mid 90's production, in 308 and it would be a good start to do what you are looking for without spending a lot of money. I have shot mainly hand loads and I can get sub MOA results out of it when I do my part.

 

[davidjoe]

I'm helping a friend get the best bang for the buck. Looking at factory Remington 700s to target shoot at 600 yards. For his budget, I think the various heavier barrel .308s look like a good bargain. Is is worth a few more dollars to get one of the "mil-spec" factory 5R barrel rifles? One of the guns with the HS Precision stock. Seems like there are options in 5R and regular varmint/heavy barrel contours.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Thanks.

That’s a very high value option, but the barrel contour that Remington actually uses on the complete 5R rifles, and even barreled actions sold through outlets like Euro Optic, is simply a Rem police contour, cut shorter. The M24 profile or even the 40-X is not what it is, but that is probably because the 5R barrel is hammer forged, and already at the maximum optimal steel thickness.

I think they are very accurate and well below a price that could be matched putting together separates.

 

[JimT]

https://www.guns.com/news/review/remington-700-mil-spec-5r

 

[cjames]

I had a 700 5R Milspec in 308. It was a BIG TURD!!! On a good day it was 1 1/2" rifle. The barrel looked like it had been rifled and chambered with a hammer drill. It was horrible. I showed it to Stick Sparks and he said it was "Moon Craters". It had chunks missing from all the lands and chamber was crooked and the entire barrel had porosity all the way down. Sent it back to Remington they said the rifle was in spec. Sold it, got a Savage in 6.5 Creed and have never looked back.
Now that being said, I have the same rifle in .223 and it is a shooter. The barrel looks as good as any factory barrel I've personally seen.

 

[JimT]

I’ll take pictures of my Milspec bore and post them. In the meantime:

 

[A7Dave]

If he isn't set on the Remington I would take a serious look at a tikka

I was thinking Tikka as well, but I think that the Rem is a best bet regarding after market parts. Tikka's have a great reputation.

 

[A7Dave]

Appreciate all the comments. What I'm really hoping for is that he can find a used heavy barrel 700 for a great price and then he can replace the barrel down the road. Thanks for the Savage 6.5 Creedmore plug as well - I had recommended that to him as well. It will be a contest between his wallet and how long he wants to wait for a deal to come along!

 

[lotech]

I've been working with a Rem. Mil-Spec .308 5R for several years. While very accurate with some bullets, it has a bit of freebore and some bullets must be seated pretty far out (longer than magazine length) for best accuracy. However, with a Federal Match load or handloads using the 168 Sierra MK, my rifle, but not always me, is capable of five-shot 100 yard groups in the 1/2" to 5/8" range.

 

[sanus]

My rem 700 R5 milspec in .308 win shoots well with 155gr Berger vld hunting and also likes a bunch of other bullets set at mag length (i added the HS bottom metal and mag system to replace the fixed box mag).

I was running 168amax but ran out of those bullets and will switch to 168 eldm’s when I shoot out the vld’s.
Overall my R5 has shot really well, it’s not bad for a factory rifle.

I switched the trigger for a Timney and that helps a lot too.

 

[lotech]

There was an article in RIFLE magazine a couple or so issues back about heavy barrel 5R Remingtons in .308 and .300 Winchester Magnum.

 

[sanus]

There was an article in RIFLE magazine a couple or so issues back about heavy barrel 5R Remingtons in .308 and .300 Winchester Magnum.

Yer May 2020 edition looks like the one....

 

[Idaho-45]

I have one of the 5R 308's also. Mine is the first Gen Stainless model. Its very accurate, & I love it. some years back, I loaded up a few of the Sierra "accuracy load" for their 168 SMK's. Five shots made one ragged hole!!!! It also shoots the Nosler 175 CC's well also, with Varget. I think you'd be very happy with one. I liked mine so much, I got the 223 version also. It's turned into my favorite varmint rifle!!!!! And, yes, I also swapped out the factory triggers for Timneys..........

 

[cjames]

I've read the first Gen's were the best of the bunch. I don't know if it is true or not but I have also read that they had Rock Creek barrels.