700 Project Question

[FoxtrotRomeo]

Ok, I'm wanting to build a Remington 700 in .300 Win Mag

Seems like people do build 700s but very little info as to how.

What do I need to build it? Are there any "How tos" like there are with other rifles.

Brownells had a how to but it was ill informing because it only centered on need to know stuff about a .223 Rem 700 and didn't cover the topic as a whole. It phailed royally IMO. Too much specific info about one caliber only.

I'd like to build it with as many factory replacement parts as I can to cut costs with exception to the bolt and maybe the barrel (Looking for a bull barrel, 700 Tactical length stainless and coated in black). I want the detachable floorplate so I can change the ammo capacity as well.

If I drop a grand on it, no big deal for me.

What info you guys got for me?

 

[7mmRemMag]

The most important question you need to answer before you begin is "what do you want to do with this gun?" Is this rifle going to be used primarily for bench shooting, a blind gun, or are you going to be carrying it up and down hills/mountains chasing big game where weight and length are an issue? Is extreme accuracy a requirement? Are you going with SS or a matte finish? Very important to know this ahead of time. How far and how hard do you want to hit your target? Barrel choice is going to determine many of the other components you will need and the choice of barrel is determined by the type of bullet, powder, and pressure generated to get the results you want.

I would strongly recommend that before you start building your new rifle you decide exactly what it must do when it is completed to make you happy. Once you have that figured out it becomes much easier to select the proper parts.

 

[7mmRemMag]

FYI - you might have to drop more than a grand into it to build a decent custom rifle. A good stock and barrel will cost you almost a grand by the time they are fitted.

 

[oneoldsap]

Why build when you can buy one right off the shelf , for about the price of a barreled action ?

 

[FoxtrotRomeo]

The most important question you need to answer before you begin is "what do you want to do with this gun?"

Lets go down the list here. Now we're talking.

Is this rifle going to be used primarily for bench shooting,

Yup

a blind gun,

Yup

or are you going to be carrying it up and down hills/mountains chasing big game where weight and length are an issue?

Yup that too

Is extreme accuracy a requirement?

Yeah within reason. I understand a lot effects a persons choice of twist rate , etc. I'm looking for one with a twist rate that will enable me to get great accuracy without being picky on ammo. I understand reloading will in the end help me a great deal but I'm looking for the best in general accuracy possible.

Are you going with SS or a matte finish?

Stainless steel with a matte finish. The finish is just a finish, an outer coating.

Stainless will cut down my maintainance.

Very important to know this ahead of time. How far and how hard do you want to hit your target?

I want this thing to hit at maximum effective range if I dope the scope right and do my part right.

Barrel choice is going to determine many of the other components you will need

Understood. I want a good thick barrel to cut down on harmonics, etc. But 700 tactical length to cut down on weight and make it a lil easier to take it through the woods. (Ounces equals pounds, pounds equals pain.)

and the choice of barrel is determined by the type of bullet, powder, and pressure generated to get the results you want.

Like I said, maximum in general accuracy. I don't expect it to be a laser but I do expect it to do real well with just about any ammo.

I would strongly recommend that before you start building your new rifle you decide exactly what it must do when it is completed to make you happy.

Just layed it out in better details there.

Once you have that figured out it becomes much easier to select the proper parts.

I hear ya on that.

FYI - you might have to drop more than a grand into it to build a decent custom rifle. A good stock and barrel will cost you almost a grand by the time they are fitted.

Well I kinna figured that into the money too. I was just speaking about the hardware not the stock. I checked the prices.

Why build when you can buy one right off the shelf , for about the price of a barreled action ?

Yeah but it seems like my local shop want to put out a .308 to buy and I've never seen them carry a 700 tactical or some equivalant in .300 Win Mag and it sorta makes me mad. So if I have to pay to get one shipped to them to get one, I might as well build the thing. There also is a certain amount of satisfaction in having built something yourself.

 

[7mmRemMag]

Okay, I think I see a problem here, one that I made myself the first time I customized a rifle. You say that you want a gun that will do all three of the following; bench, blind, and light weight for carrying up and down hills. You could get away with maybe 2 out of the three but tying to do all three with one gun is not going to leave you with a final product that will excel. Basically you will produce a rifle that is average at everything but excellent at nothing. Bench rifles are not going to make good hunting rifles - they are just too heavy and akward and hunting rifles will not stand the rigors of bench shooting and deliver the accuracy necessary for competitive shooting.

Let's start with accuracy, you say you want maximum but at what range? This is very important. A tactical barrel generally will not be as effective at longer ranges as a normal or long barrel. If you plan on shooting extreme distances a heavier bullet is probably a better choice as crosswinds will not affect it as much as a lighter bullet. A heavier bullet requires a slower rate of twist and usually a longer barrel to help stabilize it and give sufficient time for all the powder to burn so that muzzle velocity is optimized, especially in magnum calibers. This will require a longer and heavier barrel. These higher pressures and temperatures will destroy a lightweight barrel in short order. I would recommend either a #3 or #4 contour if you plan on shooting this in the field, heavier if mainly from the bench. Remember that a heavy barrel makes a field gun dificult to shoot off-hand.

The other problem is weight control. The lighter you make this rifle for ease of carry the more recoil you are going to feel. Personally I have a problem with flinching if a rifle kicks too hard. One way to get around this issue is to install a muzzlebrake to reduce recoil, but it will make your barrel longer which also makes it more difficult to shoot off-hand. Don't skimp on a cheap muzzlebrake, they can cause serious problems and affect accuracy. Barrel whip can become an issue.

If you go with a SS it is easier on the maintenance but can be a negative in the field for hunting. Animals will spot the glare coming off of your barrel and key in on your position. I would recommend a matte finish to reduce glare and improve concealment.

Please don't take this negatively, but rather as an opportunity to learn from my mistakes. You really need to decide what one thing you want a custom rifle to do and build it for that purpose. If you want a rifle that is a jack of all trades you would be better off buying a quality rifle from the shelf and having a gunsmith tighten it up for you. (Lapping the rings, floating the barrel, insuring proper stock bedding, maybe a trigger job, etc.)

 

[Scorch]

You should PM longrifles,inc here on TFL. He builds precision rifles for a living, he can tell you what he thinks the best way to go would be.

 

[FoxtrotRomeo]

Very informative 7mm thank you for the info.

It sounds like for the task at hand, I need to go to a standard length bull barrel off the shelf and have the smith look it over and give it the needed tweaks.

So it looks like I need to get them to order one in anyway (And waiting for it is going to be annoying...)

However it does beg me to ask the question. How come it seems that everyone thinks you can't coat a stainless steel barrel? What about roughing up the outer surface and putting cera-kote on it?

 

[hooligan1]

You might also give this fellar a look, www.scorehi.com this guy knows the 700!

 

[FoxtrotRomeo]

You might also give this fellar a look, www.scorehi.com-blueprint.htm this guy knows the 700!

Link Phail. Says site doesn't exist. Found the company anyway. I like the Police Model, would prefer manganese phosphating the barrel over zinc phosphating.

The manganese phosphate would better suit my application by color choice. What he doesn't tell you is zinc phosphating is cheaper because the zinc is a more abundant mineral. Yeah it protects as a coating the same, but if you are not in an urban setting, the zinc will stand out anyway because of color mismatch in your environment.

 

[hooligan1]

Hey foxtrotromeo remove the -blueprint.htm, and it goes right to it, Sorry for that stupidity, That dude knows his 700's don't he!