I purchased a Remington SPS Varmint .308 a few weeks ago. I have added a McMillan A-5 stock. I was going to take it to a local gunsmith this week to get it pillar bedded. I have lightened the stock trigger and to me feels pretty good. What other items should I consider right away to get the most accuracy out of the rifle. I was toying with the idea of cutting the barrel from 26" to 24". Thanks for the help.
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Gunsmithing Accurizing Opinions
- Thread starter jpistolero02
- Start date
Re: Accurizing Opinions
I do handload. I finally found some primers this week so I will be working up some loads this week. Would I loose a considerable amount of velocity at 22"?
I do handload. I finally found some primers this week so I will be working up some loads this week. Would I loose a considerable amount of velocity at 22"?
Re: Accurizing Opinions
tryn shootn it first see how it shoot. the only way that i would start cut the barrel before was if smith saw an issue with the crown and need true it up.
I think everyone has there own thoughts on best barrel length, depending on what yardage you shoot at most.
Dont know how deep you want to go in this or the smiths ability could always true up your action, but at that point putting a factory barrel back on seem silly.
tryn shootn it first see how it shoot. the only way that i would start cut the barrel before was if smith saw an issue with the crown and need true it up.
I think everyone has there own thoughts on best barrel length, depending on what yardage you shoot at most.
Dont know how deep you want to go in this or the smiths ability could always true up your action, but at that point putting a factory barrel back on seem silly.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
Pillar bed it, cut the barrel off no less than 1" and re-crown. Hand loads and range time.
I've seen some of the Rem700 factory barrels with slight imperfections anywhere from .250" to .75" in from the muzzle.
Pillar bed it, cut the barrel off no less than 1" and re-crown. Hand loads and range time.
I've seen some of the Rem700 factory barrels with slight imperfections anywhere from .250" to .75" in from the muzzle.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
unless you know what it is you are doing with triggers.....the best money spent to improve accuracy WILL be a good aftermarket trigger....spend wisely
unless you know what it is you are doing with triggers.....the best money spent to improve accuracy WILL be a good aftermarket trigger....spend wisely
Re: Accurizing Opinions
Pillar bed, trigger, cut and crown barrel then wear it out. Any other work is a roll of the dice. Save your money for a barrel upgrade.
Pillar bed, trigger, cut and crown barrel then wear it out. Any other work is a roll of the dice. Save your money for a barrel upgrade.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
Some mighty good and experienced advice here. Personally, I'd not cut the barrel unless it's flawed in the area that's intended to be removed. Crowning would be a basic preliminary, IMHO. Handloading and range time, of course.
Essentially, I only think about mods in cases where there's a definable problem to resolve; changes tend to mean harmonic adjustments that need be chased. I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
Greg
Some mighty good and experienced advice here. Personally, I'd not cut the barrel unless it's flawed in the area that's intended to be removed. Crowning would be a basic preliminary, IMHO. Handloading and range time, of course.
Essentially, I only think about mods in cases where there's a definable problem to resolve; changes tend to mean harmonic adjustments that need be chased. I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
Greg
Re: Accurizing Opinions
Spend some money on a good aftermarket trigger, get some good glass and then spend some time at the range. If you are into Tacticool bolt knobs, get that done. After about five hundred rounds come back and see how you feel about having a Smith do any work.
I think at that point you will just decide to shoot the barrel out. Enjoy.....
SScott
Spend some money on a good aftermarket trigger, get some good glass and then spend some time at the range. If you are into Tacticool bolt knobs, get that done. After about five hundred rounds come back and see how you feel about having a Smith do any work.
I think at that point you will just decide to shoot the barrel out. Enjoy.....
SScott
Re: Accurizing Opinions
I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...
I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...
Re: Accurizing Opinions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...</div></div>
OK... let's flip it... why do you want a longer barrel? I have identified about 4 sources that have found no velocity loss using factory match ammo going down to 20" in .308. I have found no one reporting significant drops when performing real life experiments (cutting the same barrel down and using a chrony). So what does an extra 6" get you? Cosmetics? Why use a sledgehammer when a tack hammer will do?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...</div></div>
OK... let's flip it... why do you want a longer barrel? I have identified about 4 sources that have found no velocity loss using factory match ammo going down to 20" in .308. I have found no one reporting significant drops when performing real life experiments (cutting the same barrel down and using a chrony). So what does an extra 6" get you? Cosmetics? Why use a sledgehammer when a tack hammer will do?
Re: Accurizing Opinions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury... </div></div>
an 18" barrel and folding stock actually fit in the trunk of my car is one reason. moving around with a shorter barrel is much easier than with a long barrel. a short barrel makes for a lighter rifle.
do i recommend a short barrel for a dedicated 1k yard prone gun? no. do i think a short barrel has some serious advantages when doing things other than prone? you bet.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury... </div></div>
an 18" barrel and folding stock actually fit in the trunk of my car is one reason. moving around with a shorter barrel is much easier than with a long barrel. a short barrel makes for a lighter rifle.
do i recommend a short barrel for a dedicated 1k yard prone gun? no. do i think a short barrel has some serious advantages when doing things other than prone? you bet.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...</div></div>
Not a nay-sayers...because I like longer barrels ~ 26 inch, but as others mentioned portibility and stiffness (which equates to greater accuracy) is the main reason for a shorter barrel. Downside is less velocity with a shorter barrel.
Lilja has a good article on deflection factors of a barrel based on lenght, weight, etc...
http://www.riflebarrels.com/articles/longrange_shooting/ideal_barrel_308_tactical_rifle.htm
If you can't get your rifle to shoot the way you want, after doing the obvious (glassing, trigger, lightened firing pin/heavier FP spring, recrown it) save your coins and rebarrel it. Rebarreling it, with a custom barrel, should get you the best accuracy potential if it won't shoot with a factory barrel.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I must say, handloading and trigger time are the first things I would look toward.
Rant for consideration:
Really, why does everyone have such a big boner to chop their barrels down so short? The only legitimate reason (other than being a leo/mil guy and requiring a short gun) I see is if you are putting a can on the end and don't want a 34" barrel that doesn't fit in your overpriced Pelican/Dragbag. ! I'm so sick of this tacticool short barrel trend BS!
Ok. I'm done. Let the barrage of nay-sayers unleash their short barreled fury...</div></div>
Not a nay-sayers...because I like longer barrels ~ 26 inch, but as others mentioned portibility and stiffness (which equates to greater accuracy) is the main reason for a shorter barrel. Downside is less velocity with a shorter barrel.
Lilja has a good article on deflection factors of a barrel based on lenght, weight, etc...
http://www.riflebarrels.com/articles/longrange_shooting/ideal_barrel_308_tactical_rifle.htm
If you can't get your rifle to shoot the way you want, after doing the obvious (glassing, trigger, lightened firing pin/heavier FP spring, recrown it) save your coins and rebarrel it. Rebarreling it, with a custom barrel, should get you the best accuracy potential if it won't shoot with a factory barrel.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
I have the same rifle, with an aics stock, and with hand loads before tuning my load i had 3/4 in groups at 100 yards. the other day i did some load tuning and saw a 3/4 in group at 200 yards. need to load some more to see how consistent it's going to be with groups like that...but other than the aics nothing else has been done to it.
I have the same rifle, with an aics stock, and with hand loads before tuning my load i had 3/4 in groups at 100 yards. the other day i did some load tuning and saw a 3/4 in group at 200 yards. need to load some more to see how consistent it's going to be with groups like that...but other than the aics nothing else has been done to it.
Re: Accurizing Opinions
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dave Tooley</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Pillar bed, trigger, cut and crown barrel then wear it out. </div></div>
+1
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dave Tooley</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Pillar bed, trigger, cut and crown barrel then wear it out. </div></div>
+1
Re: Accurizing Opinions
Why not see how the thing shoots before cutting the barrel? You can always make it shorter but maybe(?) that particular rifles harmonics(?) are great with the longer barrel-
If it doesn't measure up to your accuracy goals then cut an inch at a time. Might make for lots of trips to the range but sacrifice must sometimes be made.
Too bad there isn't a consistant formula for a relationship between bore ID, OD and length.
Why not see how the thing shoots before cutting the barrel? You can always make it shorter but maybe(?) that particular rifles harmonics(?) are great with the longer barrel-
If it doesn't measure up to your accuracy goals then cut an inch at a time. Might make for lots of trips to the range but sacrifice must sometimes be made.
Too bad there isn't a consistant formula for a relationship between bore ID, OD and length.
