Got a new VLS Thumbhole in .223!

G

Ginner

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Got a new VLSS Thumbhole in .223!

I was thoroughly disgusted with the rifle with the first two boxes of factory ammo.Then the groups started shrinking, FAST! Went from about 1.25" at 50yards:mad: to .375 at same:(. Then I clearanced the stock for a true full float and worked through a few handloads with new Winchester brass. The last 5 shot group I fired at 100 yards was .360:).
It has the Xmark pro trigger which I have not yet checked for pull weight or adjusted but it feels like about four pounds and has a nice break. The only minor complaints I have to correct is the pitiful fit of action to stock and the firing pin hole must be a little oversized because every round that I have fired from it has a little burr from flow around the pin. Don't like that because it's hard to read pressure when they all look high. Factory loads and even starting level handloads all have flow but the lighter loads have rounded edges to the primer.
 
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Then I clearanced the stock for a true full float and worked through a few handloads with new Winchester brass. The last 5 shot group I fired at 100 yards was .360.
Click to expand...

I owned one of the regular model VLS 700s with the blue finish and non-thumbhole stock. Did not shoot worth a hoot to start with. Free floating the barrel did wonders!

A shop near me had one of the VLS thumbhole stainless 700s in .223 last time I was there. If I did not already have two .223 Model 700s , 700LTR and 700SPS with HS stock!
 
Ginner: Is your Rifle the handsome stainless steel, thumbhole Model 700 VLSS-Thumbhole?
The 2,008 Remington catalog shows the thumbhole stainless steel model with that numeric and letter designation.
I am glad your Remington perked up for you with that simple fix!
A 5 shot group at 100 yards measuring .360" is very good accuracy indeed!
Among the several 223's I own is one that was called the Model 700 VLSS back in 2,004 when Remington made a limited run of them. It has the gray laminated stock and all stainless action and 26" stainless barrel - no thumbhole stock.
This Model 700 VLSS has shot groups (5 shots at 100 yards) as small as .405".
I put this Rifle together with a silver Leupold 4x12 AO variable scope mainly for night Hunting of Fox and Coyote.
So the lower power scope on this Rifle has somewhat limited the accuracy to date.
This Rifle has been very consistent in its shooting and I have often thought of putting a 6.5x20 scope on it to see what kind of accuracy I could get with more scope power on it.
I am sure I could get a grouping in the 3's with this Rifle and more scope power on a calm day!
I am using the Nosler 50gr. Ballistic Tip in this 223 by the way.
Wishing you continued success with your Remington.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
Ginner: I forgot to address the oversize firing pin hole situation on your Remington.
I have a couple of recent manufacture Remington bolt action Rifles that have "slightly" oversize firing pin holes in their bolt faces!
This situation was diagnosed and verified by my Riflesmith friend!
He measured the firing pin hole.
His reading of the situation is that its not a dangerous condition.
I don't know!
But I was rather concerned when I first noticed the catering of the firing pin indentation of fired rounds - both factory rounds and my "mild" handloads!
As you have alluded to the handloader faced with this situation must then rely on "reading" the edges of the fired primers for pressure indications!
My 2,004 era stainless Model 700-VLSS does not have this condition.
Use caution and be observant in your handloading with your new Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
PS: I hope that Remington soon corrects this condition in their bolt action Rifles!
This will be a good project for me tomorrow - I am going to try to measure the firing pin hole of my two "oversized" Remingtons and compare it to my "non-offending" (correctly sized firing pin hole) Remingtons.
If I can obtain measurements it will be interesting to know the difference in firing pin hole sizes - in say, thousandths of an inch.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
You know your Rem's

It is in fact a VLSS thumbhole as per your description. I took my son & nephew to the range yesterday to test more loads (6 different bullets) in the VLSS. Shot a .440 with 60gr Nosler ballistic tips & Varget; 5 shots @ 100yds in the breeze. This rifle seems to have a lot of potential. I cannot wait to get it bedded and to cut the trigger pull to 1.5-2 lbs. There is so much slop around the recoil lug that if I loosen the action screws it will move about .1 b
ack & forth!
P.S. The 6mm Rem is the finest deer cartridge available;)!
 
VarmintGuy-Did you get to measure those pin holes?

VarmintGuy said:
Ginner: I forgot to address the oversize firing pin hole situation on your Remington.
I have a couple of recent manufacture Remington bolt action Rifles that have "slightly" oversize firing pin holes in their bolt faces!
This situation was diagnosed and verified by my Riflesmith friend!
He measured the firing pin hole.
His reading of the situation is that its not a dangerous condition.
I don't know!
But I was rather concerned when I first noticed the catering of the firing pin indentation of fired rounds - both factory rounds and my "mild" handloads!
As you have alluded to the handloader faced with this situation must then rely on "reading" the edges of the fired primers for pressure indications!
My 2,004 era stainless Model 700-VLSS does not have this condition.
Use caution and be observant in your handloading with your new Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
PS: I hope that Remington soon corrects this condition in their bolt action Rifles!
This will be a good project for me tomorrow - I am going to try to measure the firing pin hole of my two "oversized" Remingtons and compare it to my "non-offending" (correctly sized firing pin hole) Remingtons.
If I can obtain measurements it will be interesting to know the difference in firing pin hole sizes - in say, thousandths of an inch.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Click to expand...

This condition does bother me a bit. You seem to be well versed in all things Rem so I would like your opinion on pins. I saw an aftermarket pin in the Midway catalog(I think) that was oversized OD. Also, it appears that lighter weight, higher spring pressure mods are common to decrease lock time; are they worthwhile?
I don't know if you saw my other post but you are correct about my.223 being a VLSS Thumbhole, at least that's what the sales receipt from Grices says, but the box says VLS.? It is all stainless, brown laminated thumbhole stock with the triple vented foregrip, X-Mark trigger, 26" varmint barrel w/recessed crown. I have pics on my phone but, being a total newbie, I haven't a clue how to post them.
 
Remove your bolt and ship it off with $60 to Gre'-Tan Rifles and get the firing pin bushed, you'll never regret it. I bought a .204 XR100 and that's what I did before ever firing it.

Tom
 
Ginner: I have been awful busy of late - pardon my slow resonse.
I got a very good measurement of .0755" on the offending (allows slight cratering to develop with factory loads and below max handloads!) XR-100 bolts firing pin hole.
Then I measured a non-offending Remington 700 bolt from a 2,002 vintage Rifle and it measured .0700"!
So.... apparently the larger by .0055" firing pin hole will allow this slight cratering to develop???
What should a firing pin hole measure, in excess of the protruding part of the firing pin itself?
Or, how much clearance should there be around the firing pin once it is protruding through the firing pin hole?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
Thanks for the comeback VarmintGuy. I just pulled the pins from my 6mm and the .223 and my findings were the same as yours, within .0005. Both rifles had the same pin dia.
It turned out to be a good exercise anyway because I've never taken either bolt apart before and found out that my method of shooting gun cleaning solvent into the openings in the bolt followed up with Rem oil is definitely not the way to maintain a bolt. What a cruddy mess thirty years of hunting has left in there! Spotless and freshly oiled now,though. Guess I was just scared because I don't have the right method and tools to take it apart.
It's also nice to see Remington hasn't been completely sitting on their laurels as I also noticed the VLSS has a stiffer spring and the pin is considerably lighter with an X shaped shaft instead of the older models solid round stock.
Not sure yet, I'm leaning toward Tom's suggestion but I may have to wait 'till winter because the 'chucks are just starting to wake up around here and I can't bear to be without the gun.
 
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