rem 700

H

hailey

Guest
Need a little help getting my rem 700 shooting better.I bought a rem pss in 223 it has shot some pretty sad groups in calm wind around 2"-3" at 100 yards,tried just about all bullets and powders in it and still nothing.Got the barrel re-crowned and bedded helped a little are there any other accuracy part i can put on it myself.I dont want to rebarrel it yet thought there might be a way around it.
Thanks.....
 
I got a PSS shortly after they went from the wood stocks to the HS synthetic stocks, and although it shot okay with Rem factory ammo it would not shoot worth a hoot with handloads that should have worked. After fiddling and fumbling around I removed the stock and could see on the finish of the action and the bedding block that the bedding was all screwed up. I drilled a bunch of ~3/16" dimples into the bedding block then bedded it in Brownell's Acra Glas gel. That required re-floating the barrel, but it was well worth it. The skin on the HS stocks is very thin so I had to slather some black died epoxy into the barrel channel to cover up the exposed foam.

After that and some trigger work it could shoot 1/2 MOA for 10 shots to 300 yards with a 20X scope and 52/53 gr match bullets and a stiff dose of VV N135. It could but didn't always, which had something to do with the guy yanking the trigger.
 
hailey,

Don't expect any heavy bullets (62 grains or more) to shoot well in your Rem. 700 unless your barrel is at least a 1-10 twist. Factory barrel is probably 1 -12' or 1-14" twist.

- Innovative
 
Hailey: Sorry to hear your Remington has a bad case of the blahs!
I just acquired a new Remington 700 in caliber 223 Remington - its the SPS-V model.
I bought this Rifle right at the beginning of Big Game season here in Montana and I have been so busy that it has been to the range just once to date.
On that date I got it sighted in (on paper) and was able to fire one 5 shot group with it using ammunition made for another Rifle, before snow began falling and destroyed visibility.
That group (5 shots at 100 yards) measured .372".
I have a Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope on it.
I can't wait to take it out again and try it out some more once these hellacious winds die down.
My load consisted of H 335 powder, Federal 205 M (match) primers, LaPua cases and the wonderful Berger 52 gr. MEF bullets.
What power scope do you have on the Remington now?
What is the best grouping you have been able to obtain after your modifications?
Oh and by the way I use 45 inch/pounds of torque on my action screws.
Does the barrel seem smooth and uniform when you clean it?
Is the scope a "trusted" (previously proven) performer.
Put some ink on the recoil lugs and work the bolt up and down about 12 times - lets see if they are making equal or uniform contact. I use Sharpie Pens for this - it cleans off easily with Hoppes once you get a "reading".
2 to 3 inch groups is deplorable and unacceptable.
Please also try the 52 grain Bergers in your Rifle if you have not already.
Lets get to work on this Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
Varmintguy

The scope is off one of my bench guns it a sightron 36x w/locking screws never had a problem with it before but did find when i put it on the rem 700 i almost ran out of left windage i thought it was the bases that was causing this.I always shoot match bullets the Gentner 52s or the berger 52s with powders ranging from 133--varget with all groups no smaller than 2" at 100 yards(after)the re-crown and bedding job.. I can see on the bolt the top lug is only touching about 1/2 looks to need cleaned up.
 
Stephen Perry said:
Larry. Any reason you chose Acra Glas Gel over the original. Your method is correct just wondered why you picked the gel.

Stephen Perry
Angelers BR
Click to expand...

Stephen, I used the Gel because it doesn't run all over like the original Acra Glas does. It's a pain to mix because it's so stiff, but that's what keeps it from running all over and being a mess to clean up I guess. It's like Marine Tex that way. Nasty to mix, but easier to clean up when it's set. It's worked well for the last 15 or so years without needing to be redone.
 
Ditch it!!!

I know there is some valid reason why it want shoot, but you make lose all your sanity finding out the cause and still may not. I gave my dad a new Win 22-250 Featherweight to deer hunt with in the early 90s. I came back home that fall and I saw he was still shooting his Mod94 30-30. I asked why and he said it didn't shoot. I swapped scopes and tried about 5 brands/weights of factory and couldn't beat a 3" group at 100 yds. The gun became a safe queen for 15 years. When I started shooting again about 5 years ago I got the rifle from him, less than 100 rounds fired. I started with a re-crown. Next my smith did a bedding job. Then we switched the scope mounts and scope again. Then the trigger. I went through 15 different powder/bullet combination and never beat a 2" group. I was a beautiful rifle but my happiest day with it was the day I traded a dealer it for a NIB in box Rem 700 VS 308 plus $100 at a gun show. That 700 would shoot sub-MOA right out the box with Fed Gold Medal Match ammo. After bedding and a Shilen trigger it will hold a 1" group at 300 yds with my best reloads. A definite keeper.

Save yourself the frustration. Ditch it and trade for something else at the closest gun show. You might invest +$300 and it still will not shoot. Too many excellent shooting factory rifles out there to fight a bad one.

Just my 2cents, tiny
 
Hailey-.223PSS

I bought the Rem 700PSS almost 20 years ago-it has a synthetic stock-aluminum bedding-1/9 twist and shoots 69 grainers ok, but 55 grainers just within 1/2moa consistently. Haven't shot it in some time now because I'm trying to get out to the range at least 4-5 times a year to work on some loads for a Savage 22/250 single shot. Luck with yours-Stan-share your sport:)
 
Stan Pollak: "I" did buy my Remington 700 PSS 19+ years ago and it came out of its factory carton shooting like a HOUSE ON FIRE!
That 223 PSS 700 still shoots extremely well to this day.
Contrary to what another poster mentions I have never seen a 700 PSS with any kind of a wood stock - maybe that poster is thinking of another model of Remington?
Like Stephen Perry posts H 335 has worked extremely well for me in a couple of my 223's of recent.
I should mention my torque settings for my 700 PSS - the front action screw is set at 35 inch/pounds and the rear action screw is set at 44 inch/pounds.
Those settings are a little lower than many folks use on their 700 action screws but again my 700 PSS in 223 Remington shoots REALLY well!
I hope Hailey can get his 700 PSS shooting better soon.
Maybe a "looser" torquing of the actions crews might just perk it up?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
 
Recalcatant Remington

Try some seating depth changes. Contrary to popular belief not all rifles like their bullets seated close to lands,so try 10th" away or further and you might just save some money and effort. 2" is appalling for a Rem 700 in my humble opinion.:confused:
 
For those who haven't seen one, the first PSS' had wooden stocks exactly like the first USMC M40s!:D

Good shooting.
 
tigger pins.

I had an older matte black varmint in .223 - one of the early HS-precision stocked models that did not shoot well at first. Found the problem when I pulled it out of the stock. One of the trigger pins was not fully seated and was bearing on the v-block.

some other maladys to check for in most any bolt rifle.. - I do in this order...
Check for visible burrs at the crown. If you can't see a problem with your eye, it's not causing you to shoot 3" groups.
Check that action screws are properly tightened/torqued.
Remove Scope.
Check base/ring
while you've got the scope off, check front scope base screws - are they too long... bearing on the barrel tenon? -
Check that front action screw is not too long... bearing on barrel tenon - should not have this problem on the 700
Is magazine box too tall? - should have some clearance for up and down movement - better yet, just take it out and drop in a follower and shoot single shot.
Cut-out for bolt handle does not provide sufficient clearance - bears on closed bolt.
Put on a "known" scope and shoot some groups. If it does not shoot to your standards...

Remove gun from bedding. Look at bedding for any unusual/uneven bearing spots. (like the trigger pin I mentioned at the first of this tread).
Set the trigger to 1.5 to 2 lbs and put the gun back in the bedding.
Tighten the front action screw first. Then hold the gun at the end of the barrel channel between your thumb and forefinger - touching both the stock and barrel. Insert and slowly tighten the rear action screw and note any movement you feel between the barrel and stock.
If you don't feel movement go shoot a group... If it doesn't shoot to your standards or if you have any movement when tightening the rear tang screw, stop, take the gun back out of the stock, bed properly with your choice of bedding material - I use acra glass with atomized aluminum in HS stocks.
Put multiple layers of tape on the front, bottom and sides of the recoil lug to provide clearance between the recoil lug and the bedding material. Do not put tape on the rear of the recoil lug - Do use surgical tubing instead of the action screws when bedding in HS stocks and Do bed the first 1.5 inches of barrel.
After everything dries, make sure the barrel is properly floating ahead of 1.5 inches of bedding.
Clean everything up, replace the screws and shoot some groups and see how it does.
If it shoots to your standards leave it alone.
If you're really deficient, you can now move on to lapping recoil lugs, recrowning and lapping the crown, removing the first 1.5 inches of barrel bedding just to see if it'll do any better, different primers, powders, seating depths etc...even posting for more suggestions on how to squeeze the last .001 out of your groups...
 
Are you talking about a 700 P or a 700 PSS? The 700 PSS is a whole system with a Leupold scope, bipod, etc. The rifle itself is a 700 P and if its a newer one (thought I've never seen one in wood) with an H-S stock, it uses 65 in-lbs on both action screws. I have, however, heard that you can tweak them and get more accuracy. Every H-S stocked gun I own I use 65 in-lbs front and rear and have never had an issue with poor accuracy.

I'd like to ask, have you adjusted your trigger? Do the cases come out uniform? Are there any budges on your cases after firing? How tight does it fit in your dies? Are you neck-sizing or FL sizing? Does the barrel float the entire way of the barrel?

I have seen some examples of Remington rifles come with a slightly canted recoil lug. This isn't a big deal in most cases, but if its enough off, it can cause the barrel to whip into the stock and ruin your accuracy. I put together 6mmAI (Shilen bbl)from a 700 P once and the smith installed the lug slightly off center and it took me quite some time to realize why it wouldn't shoot under and inch.
 
Get some 75gr Hornady amax or 80gr Sierra Match kings

Some automobile rubbing compound course medium fine and polish.

Coat 5rounds of each load 21.8gr VVN133 2.36"OAL Amax cci Primers.

Clean the barrel after each grit.

The fire 20 rounds with no compound or cleaning.

Clean the rifle lube and try your match 52gr loads. 22.6-23.3 gr VVN133.
 
Rem 700

My 700 heavy varminter would shoot either. I finally found that if I seated a 55 gr Nosler as far out as possible, and used a max charge of 748 it did better. The gun had a way long throat in front of the chamber. Rifle has a 1 in 14 twist and couldn't shoot light bullets and wouldn't stabilize heavy bullets. Remington said it was within specs (bought it new) but if I wanted to send it to them they would take a look at it. I put it away thinking sometime in the future I would have it re-barreled.
Just had a friend look at it. I was going to let him set the barrel back and re-chamber it to 223 AI. He found that the barrel didn't have enough threads and wasn't screwed far enough into the action. It was like a half inch from the boltface to the rear of the barrel. He cut the shoulder back and re-threaded then re-chambered. It looks like it will be ok. Soon as I get some brass fireformed and reloaded I'll check it out.
 
thebees said:
He found that the barrel didn't have enough threads and wasn't screwed far enough into the action. It was like a half inch from the boltface to the rear of the barrel.
Click to expand...

Is this possible??? Seems like there would be insufficient support of the case head and you would get an instant case head separation every time a round was fired.

If this was truly the case, what does it say about QC at Remington to let a rifle like that out of the factory??
 
hailey said:
Need a little help getting my rem 700 shooting better.I bought a rem pss in 223 it has shot some pretty sad groups in calm wind around 2"-3" at 100 yards,tried just about all bullets and powders in it and still nothing.Got the barrel re-crowned and bedded helped a little are there any other accuracy part i can put on it myself.I dont want to rebarrel it yet thought there might be a way around it.
Thanks.....
Click to expand...
Hi Hailey; Just some thoughts for you. I have been shooting PSS in 223 and 308 for many years; there have been some changes in them (not for the good) stiffer trigger and longer freebores etc. But lets face it; a 30-30 will shoot 2-3" at a 100yds. The PSS is a 9 twist (thats it) some folks have put sendero and others in the pss stock and sold them as PSS, these will have 1-12 twist. The 52-53 gr pills will shoot 2-3" groups in the 1-9 twist (just measure it and see what twist it is) if its a 1-12 twist. it is not a PSS. Police snipers are not going to shoot the 52 gr pills I assure you.
A crown job will spark much new accuracy if the crown in fact has gone south, however; a bad crown job, or bedding job will add to the problem. If you use 23 1/2 grs of varget, 69gr pill, lapua brass w/match primer and the rifle doesn't shoot under a min. something is bad wrong. A bed job, crown job, different pills, powder, grit firing the bore, etc and all the other stuff you have been told to try; is not going to give you 300 percent smaller groups. This is the deal. Good luck ART
 
Mr Cheney

Rest assured, I bought a NIB Remington PSS with 1-12 twist 24" barrel and HS Kevlar stock from CDNN Investments for my father around 20 yrs ago. I still might have the hang tag that states just this info. Police sharp shooters shoot at much less yardage than military and 55 grain bullets were thought to suffice. We all know a 308 is much better for glass and barricade penetration anyway. With skim bedding of the stock and lapped lugs this rifle had no problem shooting 1/2" @100yd with carefully assembled hand loads from 60grains down. see gunbroker.com # 114692148
 
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