Sell and start over or work with what I have

[Bigzams]

Here is my dilemma. I own a Remington 700 target tactical yes the overpriced one with the triangle barrel and B&C stock. This was my 1st bolt gun and I had more money than sense at the time. Round count is about 120. I got a quote roughly of 600 bucks to do this work.-- Machine a thread protector, Thread Barrel, install a brake, Re-crown threaded barrel, Marine bed recoil lug area, Adjust trigger pull weight to 2.5 lbs, Chase scope base mount holes on action, Polish firing pin, Lap barrel rifling lands, Lap bolt face and lugs, Square bolt face, Square action includes: recut and square action threads, Cut and square bolt lugs, ream chamber, square barrel threads (to action).
It shoots ok now but I feel it could shoot better with the work I am looking to get done. While I want to pull the trigger on the work I have now come across the AAC-SD with the AAC brake already installed and I am debating selling the target tactical and picking up the AAC-SD and having the work done on it instead. If you were in my shoes what would you do and why?

 

[Ledzep]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I don't see anywhere in there that you are putting a new barrel on it?

I would hold off on all of the squaring/blueprinting work until you plan to rebarrel it.

They have to open up the receiver threads to get them square. They have to cut down the barrel threads to get them square. End result will be a loose fit between your current action and barrel. Not only that, but you're putting a lot of work ($$) into a factory barrel.

I also would not lap the barrel, receiver, or lugs. When you finally put a high quality barrel on it, the lapping won't be necessary, and even with the factory barrel I feel like you're just chancing screwing something up. Also, the blueprinting of the receiver/bolt will nullify any need to lap them. Properly done you will have 100% contact without needing to lap.

What I would suggest to you is:

Keep what you have and shoot it as long as it takes you to save up for a <insert quality barrel maker's name here> barrel, then forget about the lapping, and just have everything squared/trued and the new barrel installed.

If you MUST spend money on the barrel you have, I would get it threaded/crowned, and that's it. The firing pin, trigger, and checking scope mount holes could also be done now if you really think it's necessary.

I believe all of the lapping, and squaring up the current barrel to your action is a waste of money.

EDIT: by the way, bedding a stock yourself is easy. $30 from brownells last I checked.

 

[230grRN]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I agree with Ledzep, shoot it as is until you can afford the new barrel you will not regret it.

 

[--BLACKOUT--]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I started off the same way, same rifle. Sold the stock and trashed the barrel. Bought a Rock Creek barrel and had the action trued. I also bought a Mcmillan stock and changed out to a timney trigger. It took a while but it was worth it.

Now I have a gun that out shoots me, is exactly what I want and all I have to do now is feed it bullets. It's better than a factory Rem700.

I don't think going from one stock 700 to another is worth it. Keep your action and build on it.

 

[Bigzams]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

Sold the stock? I always thought that B&C were decent stocks? I guess I still have a lot to learn.
For now ill start drop in mods that can carry over. Drop in trigger,and a bedding job, maybe a DBM.Least until till I have enough for a barrel.

 

[majohnson2]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

Ledzep hit the nail on the head. For a couple hundred more, you can get a barrel thats worth spending money on. The receiver I would just have it squared and faced, a lot of the other things don't do much to improve accuracy.

 

[--BLACKOUT--]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I didn't like the stock but really didn't know why. After getting the McMillan I knew why I didn't like the B&C. If you like it, keep it. I felt it just didn't fit me.

Once you get your barrel, true the receiver at the same time it is chambered and crowned. Find a good gunsmith to do the work and you'll be proud you put in the time to select the parts.

 

[Bakoshooter]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I went the same route as the other posters, with one exception... I run an SPS-V Rem 700 and I just never could get comfortable with it, couldn't group better than .75, even after dropping into a chassis set-up, went to a Timney trigger and checked all my optics to be sure they were tight and such. Was about ready to either sell -the rifle or drop more money into a new bbl and smith work. Then I found some load set-ups and I've dropped my groups into the .25/.35 area and now I'm glad I saved my money! The rifle is a keeper and I'll keep saving money until I shoot out the bbl and need to spend the money!

 

[DCR]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bigzam</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is my dilemma. I own a Remington 700 target tactical yes the overpriced one with the triangle barrel and B&C stock. This was my 1st bolt gun and I had more money than sense at the time. Round count is about 120. I got a quote roughly of 600 bucks to do this work.-- Machine a thread protector, Thread Barrel, install a brake, Re-crown threaded barrel, Marine bed recoil lug area, Adjust trigger pull weight to 2.5 lbs, Chase scope base mount holes on action, Polish firing pin, Lap barrel rifling lands, Lap bolt face and lugs, Square bolt face, Square action includes: recut and square action threads, Cut and square bolt lugs, ream chamber, square barrel threads (to action).
It shoots ok now but I feel it could shoot better with the work I am looking to get done. While I want to pull the trigger on the work I have now come across the AAC-SD with the AAC brake already installed and I am debating selling the target tactical and picking up the AAC-SD and having the work done on it instead. If you were in my shoes what would you do and why?
</div></div>

Can you quantify "It shoots ok"? If it's shooting MOA or better. Shoot the shit out of it. Save for a new barrel while you do.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

I personally am not a fan of the rifle. The triangular barrel is gimmicky and really can't be shortened without looking funny and I absolutely hate that particular B&C stock. The barrel isn't a huge issue though as long as you don't mine the length it comes with though, but the stock needs replacing unless you do nothing but bench or prone bipod shooting. The forend is completely useless for any sort of hand supported shooting.

For the work you are talking about $600 really isnt a terrible price but it is a lot to put in a gun and still have a factory barrel that may not perform good even with the work. If you are ready to take the next step I would sell the whole rifle because you won't get much money out of just the barrel and stock, I would get a R700 action as cheap as possible, a good barrel blank, stock, bottom metal and all and send if off to a smith.

The other thing you can do is look in the classifieds here for either a barreled action with a nice barrel on it and drop it in a chassis or a complete rifle. You can save a lot of money buying used so you may want to look into if. Benjammin has a nice 700 with rock barrel in a wood stock with an option to come with a AICS instead of the wood stock.

 

[poison123]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

How do you even thread that triangular barrel? I didn't think that was even possible.

 

[BOA300]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Poison123</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How do you even thread that triangular barrel? I didn't think that was even possible. </div></div>

it is possible, squaring it in the lathe would be a challenge though. one of the guys I work with just bought one of those, I am not keen on the design but different strokes

 

[i_rep]

Re: Sell and start over or work with what I have

Just use what you got. I do NOT know ANY smiths that will do all of that to an action (including chasing the threads which will cut them deeper) then try and put a factory bbl back onto it. The bbl and threads will be undersized at this time and will be a loose fit.

So in doing all of this you will be using a new bbl or setting that bbl back to get a larger shank/tennon to work with. So the triangular bbl is just a pull off to get rid of.

Maybe you should post whom you got the quote from and we could direct you to other smiths that might be able to help you in your goal.


IMHO/YMMV