Switch barrel Remington 700, let’s talk options,

Dieseldaddy

Dieseldaddy

Bringer of the smoke.
Minuteman
Jul 17, 2024
51
35
Georgia
#1
Ok first and foremost, I’m looking to start a compact rifle build. So think takedown and small. I would like at least two caliber options in this kit, possibly three. So my initial questions are regarding switch barrel 700s in general. Those that have them built are you hand torquing the barrel to headspace to a predetermined rating or how are you getting repeatable safe headspacing? Second, interrupted threads. I would like to be able to drop the barrel in place and have quarter turn or one full turn to seat. I know it’s more work but that’s the picture I have in my mind. Lastly, calibers. 300wm which is universal and needs no introduction, then the second is a little more unusual. 12.7x57
Anthis. Google might be necessary but it’s essentially a subsonic European cartridge based on the 460 weatherby brass. Shortened and using a 50bmg bullet. I have a lot of knowledge of this cartridge, having built a couple rifles in this years ago. So brass, dies and even chamber reamer are no issue. For those that don’t know it, go look it up. Serious subsonic .50 caliber. It will be used exclusively in an integrally suppressed barrel. The third, if there is one is yet to be determined. I really wanted something big and magnum as I will already have a .585 bolt face bolt. This little kit will be fitted for two bolts. One to run the 300wm and the second with the larger bolt face for the 460 brass.
 
#3
oldrifleman said:
Why not take the easy button with something like the terminus Zues action which allows hand tight barrels with a couple hex set screws?
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I guess the main reason is that I don’t have one. I have a nice Lilja 30 caliber barrel and a .50 barrel. Couple sacrificial 700 Remington actions. Switch barrels used to be popular 30 years ago. Today, not so much and I’m not sure why.
 
#5
Dieseldaddy said:
Ok first and foremost, I’m looking to start a compact rifle build. So think takedown and small. I would like at least two caliber options in this kit, possibly three. So my initial questions are regarding switch barrel 700s in general. Those that have them built are you hand torquing the barrel to headspace to a predetermined rating or how are you getting repeatable safe headspacing? Second, interrupted threads. I would like to be able to drop the barrel in place and have quarter turn or one full turn to seat. I know it’s more work but that’s the picture I have in my mind. Lastly, calibers. 300wm which is universal and needs no introduction, then the second is a little more unusual. 12.7x57
Anthis. Google might be necessary but it’s essentially a subsonic European cartridge based on the 460 weatherby brass. Shortened and using a 50bmg bullet. I have a lot of knowledge of this cartridge, having built a couple rifles in this years ago. So brass, dies and even chamber reamer are no issue. For those that don’t know it, go look it up. Serious subsonic .50 caliber. It will be used exclusively in an integrally suppressed barrel. The third, if there is one is yet to be determined. I really wanted something big and magnum as I will already have a .585 bolt face bolt. This little kit will be fitted for two bolts. One to run the 300wm and the second with the larger bolt face for the 460 brass.
Click to expand...
Have you ever seen a gun like you're envisioning? I mean a remington with an interrupted thread barrel, and a .590 bolt face?
 
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#6
Supersubes said:
Have you ever seen a gun like you're envisioning? I mean a remington with an interrupted thread barrel, and a .590 bolt face?
Click to expand...
I can’t say that I have. I’ve seen switch barrel
Remingtons, I’ve seen 338lm Remingtons with the .590 bolt face in a long action and I’ve seen various other rifles with interrupted barrel threads for easy changes but never all together.
 
#8
Supersubes said:
Have you ever seen a gun like you're envisioning? I mean a remington with an interrupted thread barrel, and a .590 bolt face?
Click to expand...
Also please remember. I will not be using the .590 bolt face for a magnum cartridge. The 12.7x57 a this is a purely subsonic hammer. You could load it supersonic but it would never put the kind of pressures on the bolt that even a 300wm would.
 
#9
Dieseldaddy said:
Also please remember. I will not be using the .590 bolt face for a magnum cartridge. The 12.7x57 a this is a purely subsonic hammer. You could load it supersonic but it would never put the kind of pressures on the bolt that even a 300wm would.
Click to expand...

Ok, to my main question, have you ever seen a rifle modified the way you’re describing?
 
#10
oldrifleman said:
It would be an interesting engineering experiment. I would be concerned about the strength of the joint and the amount of effort it would require.
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I think the idea has merit. I haven’t contacted any smiths yet. I’m trying to do due diligence and ask the questions that need consideration. Then have a complete idea in my mind before trying to enlist a machinist to my cause.
 
#11
Dieseldaddy said:
I think the idea has merit. I haven’t contacted any smiths yet. I’m trying to do due diligence and ask the questions that need consideration. Then have a complete idea in my mind before trying to enlist a machinist to my cause.
Click to expand...
I’m LH so basically everything I shoot that’s nice is a 1 off.

I’ve sunk a lot of money into bringing up R700s over the years.

If I had it to do over again I would buy a Boutique/ high quality action that has changeable bolt faces & start with one designed for the biggest/ highest pressure caliber/ chambering I would be using. The folks here can point you to which actions checks those boxes.

I would then purchase all the accessories to make it run the smaller chamberings.
 
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#12
hseII said:
I’m LH so basically everything I shoot that’s nice is a 1 off.

I’ve sunk a lot of money into bringing up R700s over the years: I f I had it to do over again I would buy a Boutique/ high quality action that has changeable bolt faces & start with one designed for the biggest/ highest pressure caliber/ chambering I would be using. The folks here can point you to which actions checks those boxes.

I would then purchase all the accessories to make it run the smaller chamberings.
Click to expand...
BTW,

I also own a switch lug built off a R700LH.

I believe there are better & more financially sensible options.
 
#13
Other than the sure let’s try this, once you get a machinist involved and include the cost if the action ( you could sell the 700s) and the complexity of the barrel threading, you could buy the Zues, and a couple of barrels. And you would still end up with a weak assed joining of the action/barrel.
 
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#14
oldrifleman said:
Other than the sure let’s try this, once you get a machinist involved and include the cost if the action ( you could sell the 700s) and the complexity of the barrel threading, you could buy the Zues, and a couple of barrels. And you would still end up with a weak assed joining of the action/barrel.
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What would be your recommendation?
 
#16
giphy-282-29.gif
 
#18
If you have each barrel chambered for the action you have and pin your recoil lug, you have a switch barrel rifle. As far as interrupted threads, sure, you could do that. Be prepared to pay for it.
My recommendation is to reach out to Chad @LRI
 
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#19
fdkay said:
If you have each barrel chambered for the action you have and pin your recoil lug, you have a switch barrel rifle. As far as interrupted threads, sure, you could do that. Be prepared to pay for it.
My recommendation is to reach out to Chad @LRI
Click to expand...
That is exactly who I would get to do this. He’s done several rifles. for me in the past. Everything is hypothetical until it gets sent to the gunsmith anyway. I was really here to weigh the pros and cons.
 
#20
Dieseldaddy said:
Switch barrels used to be popular 30 years ago. Today, not so much and I’m not sure why.
Click to expand...

If you don't think switch barrels are popular today then you have your head in the sand. LOL Shouldered prefit barrels are what most like to use when building a rifle so you can change barrels at home. A 700 action would be the last action I would use to do this though. You want to start with something easy then get an action that can take shouldered prefits and you can change the bolt face. The Bighorn Origin or TL3 are like that.
 
#22
Do you already have this 700?

You can use Remage barrel option using threaded barrel with locknut. Then you can adjust depth as needed without needing to machine barrel.

If you don’t have it yet, I’d suggest Rem 783. These use threaded barrel with locknut so you can adjust headspacing depth as needed.

Can mill any of these barrels for quick-change.

Removable bolt-heads is other handy feature of 783. Just swap bolt-head for one matching cartridge you’re using. This will work for LA bolt with .338 and .460 Weatherby.

 
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#25
DannoXYZ said:
Do you already have this 700?

You can use Remage barrel option using threaded barrel with locknut. Then you can adjust depth as needed without needing to machine barrel.

If you don’t have it yet, I’d suggest Rem 783. These use threaded barrel with locknut so you can adjust headspacing depth as needed.

Can mill any of these barrels for quick-change.

Removable bolt-heads is other handy feature of 783. Just swap bolt-head for one matching cartridge you’re using. This will for LA bolt with .338 and .460 Weatherby.

Click to expand...
I have a few sacrificial 700’s that I bought to build on. I don’t think I’ll be buying another action. If it can’t be done reliably with a 700 then I’ll most likely just build it out a different way.
 
#26
Dieseldaddy said:
I have a few sacrificial 700’s that I bought to build on. I don’t think I’ll be buying another action. If it can’t be done reliably with a 700 then I’ll most likely just build it out a different way.
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It’s not that it can’t be done- by the time you spend all the $ required to get a R700 up to what you’re talking, you’d of already paid for a better action with all the things built in that you’re trying to add to a R700.
 
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#27
hseII said:
It’s not that it can’t be done- by the time you spend all the $ required to get a R700 up to what you’re talking, you’d of already paid for a better action with all the things built in that you’re trying to add to a R700.
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Ok, as far as I know the only thing that would need to be done to the action is to have the threads broached for an interrupted thread. The barrels will have to be threaded anyway and the interrupted thread is done all the time for other makers. Let’s take the barrels out of the equation as the cost to machine them is the same whether a new action is purchased or not. I own the barrels so there is no cost to buy them, this isn’t rocket science. Now, that isn’t major surgery, and that is if it isn’t dropped all together? As was stated before, simply pinning the recoil lug and headspacing two barrels to that one action makes it a switch barrel. Where is all of this supposed money going that I would be better off buying an 1500-2000.00 action with?Are you assuming the action needs to be blueprinted to do this? I’m using two factory bolts that already have the correct bolt faces on them? Where is the money going? Please explain.
 
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#28
Dieseldaddy said:
Ok, as far as I know the only thing that would need to be done to the action is to have the threads broached for an interrupted thread. The barrels will have to be threaded anyway and the interrupted thread is done all the time for other makers. Let’s take the barrels out of the equation as the cost to machine them is the same whether a new action is purchased or not. I own the barrels so there is no cost to buy them, this isn’t rocket science. Now, that isn’t major surgery, and that is if it isn’t dropped all together? As was stated before, simply pinning the recoil lug and headspacing two barrels to that one action makes it a switch barrel. Where is all of this supposed money going that I would be better off buying an 1500-2000.00 action with?Are you assuming the action needs to be blueprinted to do this? I’m using two factory bolts that already have the correct bolt faces on them? Where is the money going? Please explain.
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My actions had to be trued.
Then it needed a new PTG bolt.

Sounds like you’ve got a plan.

Let us know how it goes.
 
#32
Sounds like you have a plan, have your gunsmith and have an action. Enjoy, we are only trying to point out issues. I have only one further question and this not a challenge. You have obviously seen other rifles that use the broached rifled barrels, I have not seen them except on extremely high end custom rifles from the mid 20th century. Can you please give me an example of rifles that use this system. Again I am asking because I just have not seen them and you know of them. Thanks, and please keep us in the loop on your progress!
 
#33
oldrifleman said:
Sounds like you have a plan, have your gunsmith and have an action. Enjoy, we are only trying to point out issues. I have only one further question and this not a challenge. You have obviously seen other rifles that use the broached rifled barrels, I have not seen them except on extremely high end custom rifles from the mid 20th century. Can you please give me an example of rifles that use this system. Again I am asking because I just have not seen them and you know of them. Thanks, and please keep us in the loop on your progress!
Click to expand...
The only ones I have seen in person are the FN and Sako TRG in Europe. I’m not certain those weren’t custom builds. think there was a us maker that had one but I can’t remember who. obviously custom rifles have been made. The broached threads are something that interests me more than a necessity. It’s just the picture I have in my mind. I will go dig up those references and see if I can find links to them.
 
#34
Dieseldaddy said:
The only ones I have seen in person are the FN and Sako TRG in Europe. I’m not certain those weren’t custom builds. think there was a us maker that had one but I can’t remember who. obviously custom rifles have been made. The broached threads are something that interests me more than a necessity. It’s just the picture I have in my mind. I will go dig up those references and see if I can find links to them.
Click to expand...
Cool, I just have not seen them. They were cool on the old sets I have seen pictures of. They are a tough technical answer to a problem. The more modern approach is to use “ perfectly “ machined receivers set to accept precut barrels. Maybe LRI can clean up the threads on the 700 night. Or you could use the Remage barrels that use a nut to set your headspace. You still need extra bolts and gear. But the shouldered prefits are the current solution and either exception of the QC actions already mentioned and rejected require a torque wrench/ barrel vice to set the barrel.
LRI is good and can probably find a solution for you.
 
#37
Charger442 said:
i have one but it was a lone peak action. everything should be the same on the 700. no issues, its really great.
Click to expand...
Could you post some pictures of one of the barrels and the action where the two connect? I’m interested to see how they did it mechanically. This seems like a very good option to me to just send the lot over to them.
 
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#38
Dieseldaddy said:
Could you post some pictures of one of the barrels and the action where the two connect? I’m interested to see how they did it mechanically. This seems like a very good option to me to just send the lot over to them.
Click to expand...

i will tonight.



and to the guys disparaging interrupted threads being weak, JMB did it on the 1897 and I was told that he designed it so stout there were people who converted the shotgun to shoot 30-06 and there were no issues with action safety.

i have an idea in my mind how you could do it on a remington 700 with relative ease and set the index the same each time. whether there would be an accuracy decline because of it would still need to be seen.
 
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#39
Charger442 said:
i will tonight.



and to the guys disparaging interrupted threads being weak, JMB did it on the 1897 and I was told that he designed it so stout there were people who converted the shotgun to shoot 30-06 and there were no issues with action safety.

i have an idea in my mind how you could do it on a remington 700 with relative ease and set the index the same each time. whether there would be an accuracy decline because of it would still need to be seen.
Click to expand...
It’s just something different. I think the younger generations knee jerk response is to buy something new. Go get this new thing or this new part. It will solve all of your problem, right? Well, not always. I like to use what I have first and if it won’t work, then cool. We can explore other options. I stick with the 700 if possible. I got one as a gift in 1979, I was issued a couple of them in the Army and have since bought a dozen more with zero issue. So I feel like I’ll stay the path.
 
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#40
supercorndogs said:
You are mixing singular and plural.

Could you explain why it or they had to be trued and needed a diffrent bolt.
Click to expand...
I have 1 SA & 1 LA R700LH.


The SA has a PTG bolt due to me being told to buy a PTG bolt by the smith that did the gun. It was in 2015 so I don’t remember specifics, but seems like by the time I paid to have the existing bolt cut for M16 extractor & a new knob installed, the cost was almost as much as just buying a PTG oversized bolt.

My advice,
Either use a R700 for only 1 chambering or buy an action designed for multiple
Chamberings.
 
#41
Dieseldaddy said:
It’s just something different. I think the younger generations knee jerk response is to buy something new. Go get this new thing or this new part. It will solve all of your problem, right? Well, not always. I like to use what I have first and if it won’t work, then cool. We can explore other options. I stick with the 700 if possible. I got one as a gift in 1979, I was issued a couple of them in the Army and have since bought a dozen more with zero issue. So I feel like I’ll stay the path.
Click to expand...

And the older generation, which I am closer to than most, always wants to do it the hard way and end up spending more to get less. You are being told to start with a different action for a reason. Listen and learn. If you want to be thick headed and dump tons of money into a 700 action then have at it. Your time and money to waste.
 
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#44
Dieseldaddy said:
I mentioned this from another thread I had read. I don’t have any experience with their setup. Have you had one done by them?
Click to expand...
No, I looked at them very hard though, people who have them seem to like them a lot. My fear was always getting a barrel set up for it if West Texas ordinance went under. Which is entirely unfounded...
 
#46
Rob01 said:
And the older generation, which I am closer to than most, always wants to do it the hard way and end up spending more to get less. You are being told to start with a different action for a reason. Listen and learn. If you want to be thick headed and dump tons of money into a 700 action then have at it. Your time and money to waste.
Click to expand...
I asked this question earlier to another commenter, now I will ask it to you. Where do you see this supposed money going that I would be wasting? The only supposed difference is having a Remington action cut for interrupted threads, which isn’t a certainty, just an option. So tabling that point completely, why would I need to buy a new action to make a switch barrel rifle? What do you see as the costs involved and where do you see them going? Few guys, including you keep saying it, so please educate me as to where 2,000.00 is going to be needed into working a 700 action to accept a prefit chambered barrel for a switch barrel? You can’t include the barrels. Those costs are the same with any action. So please, where is this “ton of money” going?
 
#47
Dieseldaddy said:
It’s just something different. I think the younger generations knee jerk response is to buy something new. Go get this new thing or this new part. It will solve all of your problem, right? Well, not always. I like to use what I have first and if it won’t work, then cool. We can explore other options. I stick with the 700 if possible. I got one as a gift in 1979, I was issued a couple of them in the Army and have since bought a dozen more with zero issue. So I feel like I’ll stay the path.
Click to expand...
I think you might find that several of us are Boomers and therefore don’t really qualify as younger generation. Actually just the opposite, many of us have tried many different projects. We have likely failed a number of times. We are just trying to pass on some wisdom. As I said earlier, please keep us updated with your progress.
 
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#49
oldrifleman said:
I think you might find that several of us are Boomers and therefore don’t really qualify as younger generation. Actually just the opposite, many of us have tried many different projects. We have likely failed a number of times. We are just trying to pass on some wisdom. As I said earlier, please keep us updated with your progress.
Click to expand...
That wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. I see that mentality more now than I have in the past of buying something just to say we bought it.
 
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#50
Rob01 said:
And the older generation, which I am closer to than most, always wants to do it the hard way and end up spending more to get less. You are being told to start with a different action for a reason. Listen and learn. If you want to be thick headed and dump tons of money into a 700 action then have at it. Your time and money to waste.
Click to expand...
DIY varies depending upon project. In this case, he's already got everything. Maybe $500 of machine-shop services max and he's done.
 
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