barrel or action first?

T

tpende

Guest
im sure this has been asked many times but if i want to start customizing my rem 700 xcr in .308 wheres the more accuracy to be gained? replacing the barrel im guessing, but can truing or getting an aftermarket action help more?
 
tpende said:
im sure this has been asked many times but if i want to start customizing my rem 700 xcr in .308 wheres the more accuracy to be gained? replacing the barrel im guessing, but can truing or getting an aftermarket action help more?
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are you handloading? if not start there IMHO. If you are, maybe start with trigger re-working and bedding. From there if you are not satisfied, do the action work and replace the barrel together. Of course above is just my opinion. Ron Tilley

(this would gain more attention on the factory/hybrid forum)
 
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+ 1 for the realoading!!!! You would be amazed at how well a tuned factory gun will shoot.

This is obviously not going to be a bench gun, so I see no need to buy an aftermarket action. You have the best factory action on the planet, and once trued up by a GOOD gunsmith, it will shoot with any custom action on the planet. You may not be able to shoot as fast as you could with a fancy multi-port custom, which, IMO is CRITICAL in 1K benchrest. But, for your needs, who cares about speed. You want accuracy!!! And besides, if you look at the 1000 yard equipment lists, if it's not a custom action, IT'S A REMMINGTON!!! Ok, I admit, Savage is comming on strong lately, but , the remmy is still KING!!

Also, have it bedded by the same GOOD smith. Even if it already has an aluminum bedding block, have him skim-bed it. Have the smith work or replace the trigger, if needed.


Now.........you still think you want it to shoot better............have a new tube put on it.....BY THE SAME GOOD SMITH!!!!

Again, I agree with Ron about learning to handload. Use the same methods as a BR shooter. Good equipmet, good measuring tools, case prep, ect......

But as far as buying a new action.........save your cash!!!

JMO, of course....

Good Luck,
Tod
 
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I share Ron's and Tod's opinions...

precision handloading, trigger and bedding. Add to that a good scope with enough of magnification to aim small.

Think adding a Jewell trigger was maybe the best $200 I ever spent....
 
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Here Is A Different Approach

I naturaly do things a little differently than most folks so here is how I would go about it.

In my opinion the barrel will give you the most accuracy improvement but it needs to done second.

The first thing I would do is call Dave Kiff and orer up a new bolt.You want it 0.704 in diameter with the 0.062 firing pin and a coned nose on it.Order up the firing pin at the same time and get a bolt shroud in the color of your gunstock.While your on the phone get the longest bolt handle he sells also in the color of your stock.This will set you back $200 but you can then sell your original bolt in the classifieds for $125 in one day.

That $75 investment just saved you a ton of money!!!! If you add up a bushed firing pin at $64 a Bushed bolt at $150 plus you don't need to work over the shroud your bucks ahead.The bolt was virtually free.

Now put your action and bolt parts in a box and address it to Greg Tannel.You want the double pinned recoil lug he does as well.That alone will save you from buying another tool and your bedding won't get wrecked.

When it comes back the barrel tenon will be slightly larger so now is the time to buy that barrel.This is the cheapest way to properly set-up a Remington as a tack driver in my opinion.If you do all the steps individually you'll be out big bucks.
Lynn
 
tpende said:
im sure this has been asked many times but if i want to start customizing my rem 700 xcr in .308 wheres the more accuracy to be gained? replacing the barrel im guessing, but can truing or getting an aftermarket action help more?
Click to expand...

This is a difficult question. With a factory rifle the problem is lack of consistency across the board. You may have a very true action from the factory or maybe not. You may have a very good barrel that has the capability of above average grouping, or you may have a below average barrel. Some very good advice to do a few things like bedding and trigger to see what potential it has before doing action truing or barrel replacement. The action needs to be properly bedded whatever you mind up doing so it's not wasted to do that first.
 
Lynn,

Do you think the new bolt will make that much of a differance?? The smith who built my Dasher (rem 700) said I, too, should get a PT & G bolt. I have already had my bolt bushed by Gre-Tan and everything is trued up, but I am having some othe issues with my bolt. I know that the new bolt would take care of those problems, but do you think it will shoot better?? I have pretty much finished my load development for it. All I have left is to play with the neck tension a little bit. In good conditions it is shooting 3/4 to 1 inch at 300. I would like to shrink that a little more, if possible! ;)

Sorry about the hijack.:eek:

Tod
 
Tod Soeby

Tod
Go to the gunsmith forum and look for a post started by myself entitled Boyd Allen Bolt Shroud Question?

Also put your finger on top of your current shroud and dry fire the gun.Does the bolt drop or does it stay put?

Do the teflon tape on the shroud trick and look at a target 100 yards away.Take your bolt removal tool with you and repeat the test several times.If it doesn't make any difference your good to go in my opinion.
It is just so much cheaper on a new build to start with a new bolt I wouldn't do it the other way.
Lynn
 
okay, so im thinking bedding and trigger job. as far as bedding is this something i can do well myself? or is it pretty complicated. the trigger is a 40X trigger. its about as good as i would like it to be, but ive never even squeezed a trigger that was under 1.5lb so i think ill take it in to be polished and trued.


as far as the firing pin bushing. its my understanding that all that does is allow you to fire more powerful rounds without the primers blowing out. or does it do more? also seeing how im a machinist and all that good stuff is there any easy work i can do the her that doesnt require removing the barrel? ive already made darn sure the base screws are straight and overly strong. (six 8-40's)
 
Tpende

How is the rifle shooting right now? Also do you turn necks on any other calibers?
Lynn
 
ive never messed around with neck tension or neck turning. i neck size them, trim to length. chamfer the neck and primer hole, clean the mprimer pocket, run a nylon brush into the neck a couple times and load em up.


how much does it help to sort loaded rounds out by wieght and shoot them in that order? im going to be using lapua brass, berger 185 VLD's,cci primers, and not sure on the powder yet


i have yet to shoot it. its been avg around 20 below with the wind up here that past couple weeks. but do they ever shoot good enough?
 
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