I have a Rem 700 PSS in .223, that is unmodified. The rifle was originally bought just to be a low-cost, low-recoil, informal range/bench plinker, and has also been used to take the occasional varmint. It shoots well, just a bit under MOA, but I want to cut that in half or better. Trying to decide where to go with it. I could sell it, and just buy something else, or have it modified. Don't mind spending a little on it, but don't want to invest a fortune. I was thinking of perhapse trueing, bedding, re-crown, maybe even re-chambering or re-barreling, but if I do that, should I leave it a .223 or rechamber to something else, if so, what? Should I just consider something like .223AI or perhapse go all the way, with something like 6.5X47? Shold I consider a tight neck like my 6PPC, or leave it a no-turn neck? If I decide to modify it, who should I trust to do the work? I don't want to drop three grand, send it off to a big name company and wait two years, but also don't want it to be the first real prodject, for some guy in his garage, taking an on-line gunsmithing course. Advice?
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Rem 700 PSS .223
- Thread starter JDBraddy
- Start date
That would really depend on how much you wanted to spend and your intended use for the rifle. If you rechamber to something in the 6mm range then you'll have to change out the bolt face as well as it's not the same as .223.
Before spending the money on truing, re-crowning, re-barreling or re-chambering, I would suggest the following:
- Bedding the rifle (there is a great tutorial here at SH if you want to take it on yourself, I did it with the help of others here and if you do your homework it'll turn out great)
- Upgrading the trigger to a Rifle Basix, Timney or Jewel
- # 1 way to get the most accuracy out of your rifle, start reloading and experiment with bullet weights, components and powder charges.
My .223 PSS wasn't very impressive shooting Black Hills 68 gr SMK Match (about 1.5 MOA) and I considered getting rid of it. But I tried reloading with 52 gr SMK and the lemon started to shine and tightened up to 1/2 MOA with an occasional 1/4 MOA group.
- Bedding the rifle (there is a great tutorial here at SH if you want to take it on yourself, I did it with the help of others here and if you do your homework it'll turn out great)
- Upgrading the trigger to a Rifle Basix, Timney or Jewel
- # 1 way to get the most accuracy out of your rifle, start reloading and experiment with bullet weights, components and powder charges.
My .223 PSS wasn't very impressive shooting Black Hills 68 gr SMK Match (about 1.5 MOA) and I considered getting rid of it. But I tried reloading with 52 gr SMK and the lemon started to shine and tightened up to 1/2 MOA with an occasional 1/4 MOA group.
I say, bedding and rebarreling. I would expect much better results than "fixing" the factory barrel.
Also maybe a trigger upgrade?
I'd stay with .223 but it would largely depend on the range you want to shoot at. At least stay with the same bolt face, otherwise I'd say get another gun for longer ranges, keep this for short range work.
Also maybe a trigger upgrade?
I'd stay with .223 but it would largely depend on the range you want to shoot at. At least stay with the same bolt face, otherwise I'd say get another gun for longer ranges, keep this for short range work.
I would check the bolt handle fit on any pss before doing any work at all.
Take a strip of newspaper 1/4 inch wide and 4 inches long and place it under your bolt handle.Holding the bolt down with your thumb see if the newspaper will slide right out or tear in half.Next release the firing pin and repeat.In my experience 50% of those stocks need the bolt handle relieved and on some it needs quite a bit of relief.
Take a strip of newspaper 1/4 inch wide and 4 inches long and place it under your bolt handle.Holding the bolt down with your thumb see if the newspaper will slide right out or tear in half.Next release the firing pin and repeat.In my experience 50% of those stocks need the bolt handle relieved and on some it needs quite a bit of relief.
You say you don't mind spending a bit, but don't want to spend a fortune, then say you are considering rechambering to something else.
You are kind of limited there. It is a .223 with a .223 bolt face.
If you want to keep costs reasonable, then you'll need to consider a cartridge with a .223 case head.
A new bolt will set you back about 250.
Is this really a PSS, or a 700P?
They haven't made the PSS for many years.
If it is a PSS, it has a 1-12" twist. Limit your bullet weight to no more than 55 grains and you should get very good accuracy (providing QUALITY ammo is used)
You are kind of limited there. It is a .223 with a .223 bolt face.
If you want to keep costs reasonable, then you'll need to consider a cartridge with a .223 case head.
A new bolt will set you back about 250.
Is this really a PSS, or a 700P?
They haven't made the PSS for many years.
If it is a PSS, it has a 1-12" twist. Limit your bullet weight to no more than 55 grains and you should get very good accuracy (providing QUALITY ammo is used)
I would just reload for it, I have 2 SPSs with 26" 12tw barrels, both in HS stocks and bedded and the both shoot under .5moa with 40gr VMAX over 27.2gn Varget. Any primer or case has resulted in less than .5moa. It is cheap to reload for also.
EDIT: I shoot it out to 300yds and it always shoots under 1.5" on a calm day
EDIT: I shoot it out to 300yds and it always shoots under 1.5" on a calm day
The 52 grain smk is the same bullet I use in my 223 PSS and it also produces 5 shot 100 yard groups in the 0.5" range.
Don't know the difference, was told it was a PSS, it's not marked, has a 26" 1 in 9 twist barrel. I already handload, and have been doing so for many years.
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My first suggestion would be a stock pack, or bedroll foam and 100 MPH tape.
Build up the stock so you'll have a consistent cheek weld.
You should be able to get in shooting position with your eyes closed, good cheek weld, open your eyes, you should be looking stright through your scope.
This will go a long way in making consistent groups.
Build up the stock so you'll have a consistent cheek weld.
You should be able to get in shooting position with your eyes closed, good cheek weld, open your eyes, you should be looking stright through your scope.
This will go a long way in making consistent groups.
Don't know the difference, was told it was a PSS, it's not marked, has a 26" 1 in 9 twist barrel. I already handload, and have been doing so for many years.
Are you sure it is a 1-9tw? I have never seen a Rem 700 223 with a 9tw 26" barrel. This could be the problem, these things dislike anything over 52gn if it is a 12tw. Have you personally checked it, or are you just going on the word of the guy you bought it off of?
I have not measued it myself, but....when I look down the bore, the rifling makes almost three revolutions in the length of the barre, and the barrel is 26" and last time I checked 27/9=3 so it would make sense.
The load tested above on the top row, was 52gr SMK on top of 26gr Win-748 and fed BR primer averaging 3180fps.
The second row was 69gr SMK's on top of 24.5gr Win-748 and fed BR primer.
The bottom row was Midsouth's 55gr JHP Varmint Nightmare Extreme. on top of 25gr Varget and Fed BR primer.
I have had this rifle over a year, an it has better than 1000rnds through it. I've just almost stopped shooting it since I bought a used Hammond built BR rifle in 6ppc that will do an honest .25 MOA out to 300yds, with my handloads, now I'm spoiled, and 1-MOA just alomost seems embarrasing.
Couple things come to mind, when I bought a REM700P .223 off of Gunbroker it would not shoot FGMM 69 &77gr. I called Remington, it turned out to be a 1-12 Varmint, I switched to 52 &53gr Hornady ammo and what a difference. .5-.75
Your targets indicate it likes the lighter gr bullets, I'd measure the barrel or call Remington with the serial number.
My new 700P with a 1-9 twist shoots the FGMM 69 & 77gr very tight at 100yds, in fact last weekend the 77gr shot a couple .5 &.6 groups. Most people are getting .75 without much effort from these rifles.
Your targets indicate it likes the lighter gr bullets, I'd measure the barrel or call Remington with the serial number.
My new 700P with a 1-9 twist shoots the FGMM 69 & 77gr very tight at 100yds, in fact last weekend the 77gr shot a couple .5 &.6 groups. Most people are getting .75 without much effort from these rifles.
I believe I was using 25.2gn 3031 under a 52gn SMK .010 off lands and I was getting .5moa all day. I switched to the 40 VMax because it was averaging well under .5 consistently. I have a ton of reloading experience with these because it was my only rifle for a while and I really wanted it to shoot well. I would go to the range twice a week just to test loads in this and I was tweeking the load for a year because I was young and dumb and didn't look on here to get a starting load that proved to work in other peoples similar to mine. Now that I read around I found otheres stating the 40 VMax over 27-27.2 gn Varget works very well.
I would call Remington to verify twist. I never got keyholing with the heavys but it didnt shoot them well
I would call Remington to verify twist. I never got keyholing with the heavys but it didnt shoot them well
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