Looking for information related to the above subject. I have a Rem 700 in 7mm-08 in a light varmit fluted config with a 22" barrel. The only thing I have done is switch stocks from factory to an HS. Considering my options for getting the rifle to shoot sub moa short of using it as a base for a custom build. Interested in the order of work one might take to accurize this rilfe. It is a 1.5 to 2.5 moa shooter with all of the loads/ammo I have tried. Thank you.
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Gunsmithing step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
- Thread starter Surffshr
- Start date
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Surffshr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK. If you do that, would you blueprint the action first?</div></div>
I'm staying out of this ...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Surffshr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK. If you do that, would you blueprint the action first?</div></div>
I'm staying out of this ...
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
if you have access to a lathe and the required tooling, you could possibly do a bit of work to the current setup on the cheap. Other than that, the money you would spend to have a gunsmith work on this would be better suited to installing a new barrel as stated above.
If I had a rifle I loved and didn't want to rebarrel, I would indicate the throat and reface the barrel shoulder and then reface the action, I would then bump the chamber just to clean it up. Finally I would install a new trigger or tune the current one, and then bed the stock. I would also have the lug ground or put a new lug on it. This would go a long way to ensure accuracy, and if you have the machine yourself wouldn't cost hardly anything. If that didn't work, a new barrel would be in order anyway.
if you have access to a lathe and the required tooling, you could possibly do a bit of work to the current setup on the cheap. Other than that, the money you would spend to have a gunsmith work on this would be better suited to installing a new barrel as stated above.
If I had a rifle I loved and didn't want to rebarrel, I would indicate the throat and reface the barrel shoulder and then reface the action, I would then bump the chamber just to clean it up. Finally I would install a new trigger or tune the current one, and then bed the stock. I would also have the lug ground or put a new lug on it. This would go a long way to ensure accuracy, and if you have the machine yourself wouldn't cost hardly anything. If that didn't work, a new barrel would be in order anyway.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
box up your gun send to GAP, APA, RD, LA Precision, strictlyRUM, US Handgunner, Skunkworks, Dave Tooley, Jon Beanland, or many others and tell them what caliber you want and the rest is up to them. Presto you have yourself a sub 1/2 MOA gun....end of story. Might cost you some money.
but on the economical side, here are some things. Bedding the action to the stock, trigger job, make sure all the screws are tight, start reloading
box up your gun send to GAP, APA, RD, LA Precision, strictlyRUM, US Handgunner, Skunkworks, Dave Tooley, Jon Beanland, or many others and tell them what caliber you want and the rest is up to them. Presto you have yourself a sub 1/2 MOA gun....end of story. Might cost you some money.
but on the economical side, here are some things. Bedding the action to the stock, trigger job, make sure all the screws are tight, start reloading
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
since it is a 7-08 I would start with reloading.
Ern
since it is a 7-08 I would start with reloading.
Ern
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=779609
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=779609
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
Seriously, this is not a unreasonable task and you may be able to do this yourself, depending on your skills/experience. I have done several projects like this that have turned out pretty well in the end without spending big money.
I would start by tuning the trigger to a crip 2 1/4 lbs and do a stress free pillar bed on the gun. If this is more than you care to take on, I would take it to the right smith for these things and have them touch up the crown of the barrel and check lug contact while it is there.
Then I would subscribe to the SH on-line training and read and practice. This alone will help group size.
Next I would do a search in the reloading section and attempt to learn all you can about load development, etc.
Once you have done these things and mastered them, you will have achieved good groups or worn out your barrel practicing. You will also know what works and what doesn't and will be able to really get the benefit of the new barrel you will be installing on your rifle.
Seriously, this is not a unreasonable task and you may be able to do this yourself, depending on your skills/experience. I have done several projects like this that have turned out pretty well in the end without spending big money.
I would start by tuning the trigger to a crip 2 1/4 lbs and do a stress free pillar bed on the gun. If this is more than you care to take on, I would take it to the right smith for these things and have them touch up the crown of the barrel and check lug contact while it is there.
Then I would subscribe to the SH on-line training and read and practice. This alone will help group size.
Next I would do a search in the reloading section and attempt to learn all you can about load development, etc.
Once you have done these things and mastered them, you will have achieved good groups or worn out your barrel practicing. You will also know what works and what doesn't and will be able to really get the benefit of the new barrel you will be installing on your rifle.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
You put it in an HS Precision stock. That is not bad, you could check the torque and make sure your not stressing the action by tightening them too much or not enough.
Double check your scope, base and rings to make sure they are tight and make sure your scope is actually serviceable.
Adjusting the trigger would be next for somebody who does not want to ship it out. You want to have minimal over travel, healthy but not too much sear engagement and enough poundage to fully reset the trigger. You can check it by re-installing the barrel in the stock, placing a book on a work bench, and with firm pressure tap the bottom of the barrel on the book to see if it will trip the trigger. You can also bounce the buttstock on the ground.......WITH AN UNLOADED RIFLE. If the trigger falls you need to hit the drawing board again.
After that I would suggest re-crowning, skim bedding the stock, and then re barreling if that does not work.
If you are going to re-crown and bed, you might as well just re-barrel and be done with it. Sometimes you can nickle and dime yourself and waste alot of time, but if you dont mind spending some here and there and you have some time, its a good learning experience.
You put it in an HS Precision stock. That is not bad, you could check the torque and make sure your not stressing the action by tightening them too much or not enough.
Double check your scope, base and rings to make sure they are tight and make sure your scope is actually serviceable.
Adjusting the trigger would be next for somebody who does not want to ship it out. You want to have minimal over travel, healthy but not too much sear engagement and enough poundage to fully reset the trigger. You can check it by re-installing the barrel in the stock, placing a book on a work bench, and with firm pressure tap the bottom of the barrel on the book to see if it will trip the trigger. You can also bounce the buttstock on the ground.......WITH AN UNLOADED RIFLE. If the trigger falls you need to hit the drawing board again.
After that I would suggest re-crowning, skim bedding the stock, and then re barreling if that does not work.
If you are going to re-crown and bed, you might as well just re-barrel and be done with it. Sometimes you can nickle and dime yourself and waste alot of time, but if you dont mind spending some here and there and you have some time, its a good learning experience.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
I am interested in the order in which people would approach this. i have a factory sako 75 varmint in 308, I reload and have adjusted the trigger to a more sensible release.
With decent handloads it shoots a 1/2 moa or slightly more depending on load but it doesn't really make much difference. The rifle will do this but the shooter isn't so reliable!
The next step to improving the system is to get the shooter more consistent and ultimately i want to improve the accuracy of the whole system.
I hear barrel, bullet and bedding, but what order? The shooter is a work in progress!
I suspsect bullet is pretty well developed some tweaks to seating depth maybe but premium ammunition groups 1 to 3/4moa and my reloads will do 1/2 consistently.
If i change the stock to a pillar bedded adjustable stock I can improve the system so that I interface with the rifle in a more comfortable consistent way so helping to improve my shooting and improve the interface with action to stock?? Is this where I should start?
Thoughts?
Andy
I am interested in the order in which people would approach this. i have a factory sako 75 varmint in 308, I reload and have adjusted the trigger to a more sensible release.
With decent handloads it shoots a 1/2 moa or slightly more depending on load but it doesn't really make much difference. The rifle will do this but the shooter isn't so reliable!
The next step to improving the system is to get the shooter more consistent and ultimately i want to improve the accuracy of the whole system.
I hear barrel, bullet and bedding, but what order? The shooter is a work in progress!
I suspsect bullet is pretty well developed some tweaks to seating depth maybe but premium ammunition groups 1 to 3/4moa and my reloads will do 1/2 consistently.
If i change the stock to a pillar bedded adjustable stock I can improve the system so that I interface with the rifle in a more comfortable consistent way so helping to improve my shooting and improve the interface with action to stock?? Is this where I should start?
Thoughts?
Andy
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
I am a cheapo bastich.
The first thing I'd do is chamfer the crown to 45 degrees. This is the easiest way I know to ensure a good crown, which is usually a major part of newly acquired rifle accuracy problems.
Clean the hell out of the bore.
Remove and <span style="text-decoration: line-through">replace</span> remount the scope base(s) using blue (medium strength) Loc-Tite (or Permatex) thread locker under them, to secure/solidify the base mounting interface. Ensure the scope rings are securely mounted to the base(s) and scope. Learn about parallax and how to deal with it.
Try some good ammo in the rifle.
Maybe consider rebedding or at least skim coating the HS bedding block.
If this doesn't help, find the best shooter you know and see if the rifle gives them the same problem.
Only then, and not before, do you proceed on the basis of considering major work.
To fix a problem, first identify the problem.
Greg
I am a cheapo bastich.
The first thing I'd do is chamfer the crown to 45 degrees. This is the easiest way I know to ensure a good crown, which is usually a major part of newly acquired rifle accuracy problems.
Clean the hell out of the bore.
Remove and <span style="text-decoration: line-through">replace</span> remount the scope base(s) using blue (medium strength) Loc-Tite (or Permatex) thread locker under them, to secure/solidify the base mounting interface. Ensure the scope rings are securely mounted to the base(s) and scope. Learn about parallax and how to deal with it.
Try some good ammo in the rifle.
Maybe consider rebedding or at least skim coating the HS bedding block.
If this doesn't help, find the best shooter you know and see if the rifle gives them the same problem.
Only then, and not before, do you proceed on the basis of considering major work.
To fix a problem, first identify the problem.
Greg
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
To fix a problem, first identify the problem.
Greg </div></div>
Best advice yet. A $1000 in parts won't fix a shooter flinch. Put it in a vice or mechanical rest and take yourself out of the equation first. I've had rifles I couldn't shoot even after nailing one hole groups with another rifle the same day, come to find out it was me not liking the rifle not the accuracy of the rifle itself. Maybe swap some scopes around if you have the ability or play with seating depths if handloading. I always look at the cheapest fixes first, that may be borrowing a sight in vice and shooting a few rounds.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
To fix a problem, first identify the problem.
Greg </div></div>
Best advice yet. A $1000 in parts won't fix a shooter flinch. Put it in a vice or mechanical rest and take yourself out of the equation first. I've had rifles I couldn't shoot even after nailing one hole groups with another rifle the same day, come to find out it was me not liking the rifle not the accuracy of the rifle itself. Maybe swap some scopes around if you have the ability or play with seating depths if handloading. I always look at the cheapest fixes first, that may be borrowing a sight in vice and shooting a few rounds.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
Thanks guys, that's the kind of advice i am looking for.
I was thinking of buying some Fed Match to compare with my handloads. Seating depth on my reloads is the cheapest variable so sounds like it is first up.
I am already shooting off a mechanical rest hence my comments about rifles ability vs mine!
The other question is of course what sort of accuracy should I expect to achieve from a factory rifle with quality ammo? I didn't think 1/2 moa was too bad, am I chasing an unattainable goal with an unmodified Sako?
Andy
Thanks guys, that's the kind of advice i am looking for.
I was thinking of buying some Fed Match to compare with my handloads. Seating depth on my reloads is the cheapest variable so sounds like it is first up.
I am already shooting off a mechanical rest hence my comments about rifles ability vs mine!
The other question is of course what sort of accuracy should I expect to achieve from a factory rifle with quality ammo? I didn't think 1/2 moa was too bad, am I chasing an unattainable goal with an unmodified Sako?
Andy
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
Man, I can't believe that no one has mentioned the superb book by M.L. McPherson on just this subject.
accurizing the Factory Rifle was published by Precision Shooting Inc. in 1999. It covers a myriad of subjects/problems and how the average guy can do what needs to be done to Accurize his Factory Rifle. Just buy a copy and have at it.
Man, I can't believe that no one has mentioned the superb book by M.L. McPherson on just this subject.
accurizing the Factory Rifle was published by Precision Shooting Inc. in 1999. It covers a myriad of subjects/problems and how the average guy can do what needs to be done to Accurize his Factory Rifle. Just buy a copy and have at it.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
Accuracy Package (Level 3 - $265.00)
1. Re-crown . . .
The bullet and its gases must exit the barrel evenly from the bore. This is why I bore indicate every crown. A smooth transition from the bore is a necessity for accuracy.
2. Adjust Trigger . . .
On rifles with adjustable triggers (Savage, Remington, Winchester), I set them at a crisp 2.5 - 3 lb. pull. For those with non-adjustable triggers, I work them to achieve a reasonably crisp 3 - 4 lb. pull.
3. Lap Locking Lugs . . .
Lugs will be abrasive lapped so that full contact is achieved before during and after the rifle is discharged. This prevents receiver and bolt distortion, thus preventing a vibration induced accuracy error.
4. Clean and Inspect Rifle . . .
Complete cleaning of all surfaces; I will completely clean the bore of stubborn copper fouling. I will disassemble, clean, and lube the bolt/firing pin assembly. I will inspect the rifle for any accuracy ailments.
5. Epoxy Bed Action and Free Float Barrel . . .
(Wood and fiberglass stocks only) This creates repeatable metal to stock fit, promoting consistency, and eliminating uneven stress. This will allow your rifle to shoot to its full potential.
6. Remount Scope, Rings, and Bases. Abrasive Lap Scope Rings . . .
Misaligned rings can damage your scope, and cause point of impact movement. The more contact your rings have on the scope the less likely your scope will shift due to rough handling and recoil. I will remount your bases using Locktite, and a toque wrench. I will lap your rings for maximum contact, and bore sight rifle.
Accuracy Package (Level 3 - $265.00)
1. Re-crown . . .
The bullet and its gases must exit the barrel evenly from the bore. This is why I bore indicate every crown. A smooth transition from the bore is a necessity for accuracy.
2. Adjust Trigger . . .
On rifles with adjustable triggers (Savage, Remington, Winchester), I set them at a crisp 2.5 - 3 lb. pull. For those with non-adjustable triggers, I work them to achieve a reasonably crisp 3 - 4 lb. pull.
3. Lap Locking Lugs . . .
Lugs will be abrasive lapped so that full contact is achieved before during and after the rifle is discharged. This prevents receiver and bolt distortion, thus preventing a vibration induced accuracy error.
4. Clean and Inspect Rifle . . .
Complete cleaning of all surfaces; I will completely clean the bore of stubborn copper fouling. I will disassemble, clean, and lube the bolt/firing pin assembly. I will inspect the rifle for any accuracy ailments.
5. Epoxy Bed Action and Free Float Barrel . . .
(Wood and fiberglass stocks only) This creates repeatable metal to stock fit, promoting consistency, and eliminating uneven stress. This will allow your rifle to shoot to its full potential.
6. Remount Scope, Rings, and Bases. Abrasive Lap Scope Rings . . .
Misaligned rings can damage your scope, and cause point of impact movement. The more contact your rings have on the scope the less likely your scope will shift due to rough handling and recoil. I will remount your bases using Locktite, and a toque wrench. I will lap your rings for maximum contact, and bore sight rifle.
Re: step by step - Accurizing a factory rifle
Surffshr,
I am curious, what did you end up doing? In what order? Did you shoot it with the same ammo and check/verify your progress if any?
Simply put, I am looking over your shoulder cuz I want to learn too.
Surffshr,
I am curious, what did you end up doing? In what order? Did you shoot it with the same ammo and check/verify your progress if any?
Simply put, I am looking over your shoulder cuz I want to learn too.
