# Remington 700 accuracy mods ?



## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 11, 2010)

I have an old 700 chambered in 7MM Rem Mag. that I killed my first buck with approximately 40 years ago. 
Looks wise, it ain't much...but we have history together and I've decided to to re-hab it and hopefully make a MOA shooter out of it.
Some info:
I would estimate the round count at approximately 800 rounds. (A box a year for 40 years?...I"m not sure) The average 5 shot group I can get with factory ammo (cheap stuff or premium) is approximately 2" at 100. Barrel is cleaned every 5 shots and allowed to cool. The barrel is stainless steel, the stock has been changed to a synthetic Remington factory unit.
Looking down the barrel with a bore light, the lands and groove seem to be sharp, to my untrained eye anyway.

My plan is to have a competent smith evaluate the condition of the barrel checking for throat erosion, etc. If recommended, replace the barrel with a new one ,free float it, and glass bed the action. Then start to work up some handloads.

Any recommendations for a new barrel if needed? 
Can this barrel be re-throated, re-crowned?
I'm thinking Shilen, or possibly Bergara if new...thoughts on this?
I'm an admitted amateur at all this, if you have recommendations, suggestions, experience in this sort of thing...please feel free to jump in and offer advice!

Thanks.


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## bullardsls1 (Jan 11, 2010)

i have a rem 700 7mm mag that is 34 years old .
mods...
had saftey worked [bolt gun on or off saftey]
triger job
boyds thumbhole stock
glass bed the stock
all metal parts duracoated in hk black 
leupold rings mounts vx3 4.5-14x40

the gun shoots factory hornady 139g sst's the best 
3/4 of a group at 100. it shot remmington core locts at 2.5 
or something awfull like that 
i would not rebarrel that gun if u r like me this gun means alot to u my dad bought this gun new when he was 19 i will never sell it but it looks nothing like it did when he had it . try different shells u never know


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## germag (Jan 11, 2010)

Well, I'd say it's unlikely that the barrel is shot after 800 rounds. If it has 1500 rounds on it, that may be a different story. However, it may just not be an inherently very accurate barrel.

For a rifle of that vintage, a group average of 2" may be about what you'd expect without any gunsmithing. 

Here's what I'd visit in the order I'd visit them:

1. The trigger. Having a well-adjusted, clean breaking, light trigger is very important to accuracy. The single most common, biggest contributor to large groups is shooter input. The better the trigger, the less shooter input.

2. Stock bedding. You say that the stock was changed to a stock Remington synthetic unit....who did it? What the stock properly fitted? Are the action screws torqued down correctly? Not enough and the action shifts in the stock, too much and you start to distort the reciever or the stock....any of these will affect accuracy. Make sure that if it's a barrel contact bedding that the barrel contact is correct and the amount of pressure on the barrel is correct. If it's a free-floated bedding, make sure it actually is free-floated and the forearm isn't contacting the barrel.

3. Scope, scope rings, and scope mounts. Take them all off, clean them up and reassemble them making sure that everything is torqued correctly and that the base screws are secured with some blue Loctite or nail polish or some sort of thread locker. 

It may be that an average group size of 2" is really all you can expect from your rifle and the factory ammo. 40 years ago that was sort of the "standard" for acceptable accuracy in a hunting rifle. You can probably improve on it by rebarrelling and having the action and barrel trued in the process, including lapping the lugs and truing up the bolt face. I personally like Hart barrels, but any of the big names, Hart, Lilja, Shilen, Kreiger, Shaw, McGowen, Douglas, and several others all make good barrels.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 11, 2010)

The stock was changed by a gunsmith. I have removed it, checked it, and re-assembled it. Tight, but I don't feel overly so. The barrel is free floated except for a pressure point at the tip. This pressure point is caused by two raised spots integral to the stock and is definately manufactured that way. 
I can slide a dollar bill from just behind the contact point at the fore end to approximately mid point of where where the barrel tapers before screwing into the action.  
Don't know what the correct amount of pressure on the fore end should be. Other than just dropping it in and tightening it down, doesn't appear to be any special fitting to it.

I just changed the scope on it. Base screws are tight and secured with Loc-Tite. Rings are tight, not torqued with to any spec's, but snugged well by hand, marked and checked. Nothing shifted.

The trigger is stock, and as far as factory triggers go, it seems fairly good. Seems to break clean, very little creep.

I'm inclined to go with the "not inheritently very accurate" part. Has never exhibited any better groups with a variety of ammo tried. I would like to keep the original barrel but willing to re-barrel if necessary.
Should I try free floating first ?

I've read thru the gunsmith recommendations, who would be a good one for this type of work in the Middle Ga. area?


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## germag (Jan 11, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> The stock was changed by a gunsmith. I have removed it, checked it, and re-assembled it. Tight, but I don't feel overly so. The barrel is free floated except for a pressure point at the tip. This pressure point is caused by two raised spots integral to the stock and is definately manufactured that way.
> I can slide a dollar bill from just behind the contact point at the fore end to approximately mid point of where where the barrel tapers before screwing into the action.
> Don't know what the correct amount of pressure on the fore end should be. Other than just dropping it in and tightening it down, doesn't appear to be any special fitting to it.
> 
> ...



Yeah, I think I'd take it to a 'smith and ask his opinion. 

I can't overstate the importance of the trigger, though. Put a trigger pull guage on it and see what it is....if it's more than about 3 to 3.5 lbs., then I'd look at getting it worked on. For me 3.5 lbs is way too heavy, but that's a reasonable pull weight if it's a hunting rifle.  Mine are all set between 1.5 lbs and 2.5 lbs. (except this one new Remmy that I have a trigger on order for)....but I would not recommend setting a trigger like that everybody. The truth of the matter is that (assuming the trigger is _properly_ tuned), it doesn't matter what the pull weight is if you keep your stinkin' finger off the trigger and the rifle on "safe" until you're ready to shoot....and follow all the other safety rules....a light trigger is no more dangerous than a heavy one...but it's a lot more accurate. You actually end up putting more unwanted input into the shot with the trigger than you realize....a truly good trigger will improve your group size. Bench Rest rifles have triggers as light as 2 oz. The sear is like two knife blades balanced on each other.


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## Old Coach (Jan 11, 2010)

First get the trigger set at 3-3.5#- $50 or less
Get rid of the Rem plastic stock. -$0
Bed it in a HS Precision take off from a Sendero or 700P.-$250
Good scope mount and rings-Burris rings with inserts-$65
Good scope-Zeiss Conquest 3x9- $400
Have the bbl recrowned.-$35
If that doesn't do the job then:
Blueprint the action and add and new bbl. -$450-$750
Add a Mcmillan stock bedded-$650.
Badger base and rings -$250
Get a good scope-Nightforce-$1650
Or just buy a Custom with all of the work already done for $2500-$7500+ Scope.


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## miles58 (Jan 11, 2010)

Were it my gun:

*Trigger first.*

After the trigger is right work up a decent load for it.  I would not expect a stock gun to shoot factory ammo any better than 2 inches, and frankly, for that gun it's pretty decent.  You might get a factory gun and factory ammo to shoot better than two inches, but betting on it could be a good way to part with your money.

800 rounds (likely a lot less) would not wear out the barrel, but you may need to clean it.  I mean *really* clean it.  Take an LED light and shine it in the end of the barrel,  If you can see copper you need to clean it with a decent copper remover.  If (and only if) you have it clean to bare metal and then have worked up the best you can do for it and it still won't shoot <2 inches then you can think about a new barrel.

If you really have to shoot factory ammo in it try 140 grain core-lokts.

Dave


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## saltysenior (Jan 11, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> I have an old 700 chambered in 7MM Rem Mag. that I killed my first buck with approximately 40 years ago.
> Looks wise, it ain't much...but we have history together and I've decided to to re-hab it and hopefully make a MOA shooter out of it.
> Some info:
> I would estimate the round count at approximately 800 rounds. (A box a year for 40 years?...I"m not sure) The average 5 shot group I can get with factory ammo (cheap stuff or premium) is approximately 2" at 100. Barrel is cleaned every 5 shots and allowed to cool. The barrel is stainless steel, the stock has been changed to a synthetic Remington factory unit.
> ...






  you said you killed a deer 40 yrs. ago....i would suggest having some one who is younger and is a good shot to test your rifle.....it might save you some money...


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 12, 2010)

Appreciate all the responses...lots of way to approach it. 
I'm thinking start with the trigger first, then group test. Recrown the barrel, group test. 
Free float the barrel in the existing stock, test fire.
HS Precision or B&C Medalist stock with bedding block, test fire.
Etc. etc, all as budget allows. I'm just a working guy like most.

I have worked up some handloads years ago, but never hit the right combination of powder, bullet, seating depth, etc to make any noticeable improvements. I'm thinking of staying with factory stuff for now since I have a good batch of Core Lokt from the same lot number to serve as a baseline for ammo.

Current optics is a Nikon 4.5-14 which has a proven track record on other guns, set in Leupold bases. Although I don't claim to be an expert marksman, I can shoot minute of angle groups consistently with my boss equiped .300 Win Mag. A-bolt and my 7 Mag Encore. I believe I can also do it with the 700, once I get the right equipment combination.

I'll be looking for a gunsmith in the middle Ga. area around Macon to steer me in the right path with this project. Will post results as they happen.


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## Knotwild (Jan 12, 2010)

Carolina Precision Rifles - John Lewis - Augusta Ga.

Complete accurizing on factory rifle ------------------------ $325.00
Includes pillar bedding, crowning the muzzle, lapping in the locking lugs on the bolt as much as the headspacing will allow, floating the barrel, and adjusting the trigger. We consider this job to be an absolute necessity on any factory rifle.

 Super-Accurizing ------------------------------------------------$525.00
This service includes the complete accurizing; complete blueprinting of the action, and re-chambering of the barrel to correct headspace. It is also possible to rechamber to improved versions of many cartridges during this process.


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## Larry Rooks (Jan 12, 2010)

Straightarrow
The prssure point may be the problem.  I like em fully floated where the barrel touches nowhere except at the
recoil lug.  Mutiple shots, like a day on the range playing with load, the pressure against the barrel will change with each consecutive shot due to heat up etc.  I would remove
the pressure point and give it a try.  A way to do this without removing it and experimenting is to put a small washer, nylon, alum, whatever and retighten stock down
with the washer around the stock screw (front), thick enough to let you tighten it and thick enough that it releives the pressure point on the end of the barrel.  Shoot a group and see what happens, may surprise ya

And most any gun you want to accurize needs a good trigger job.

An example, I received a Rem 700 Varmint from an individual in 223 Rem that would not group within 3 inches
at 100 yards.  The pressure point was putting so much pressure against the barrel that it wouold not group.  I removed it, made sure tha barrel was floated and it went to one ragged hole with 5 shots with SAME ammo.  Too
mcu prssure is BAD, none is BETTER..  I have a Rem 700 in 243 win with a sporter weight barrel in it and mounted in a varmint stock just to make sure tha barrel touched nowhere, each bullet touches the same hole every time.
Give me a call, you got my #


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 12, 2010)

Thanks Larry...will give the nylon washer technigue a try this weekend, and move on from there as necessary.


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## germag (Jan 12, 2010)

Let us know how it progresses.


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## ScottD (Jan 12, 2010)

Rooks is right - free float is almost always better.


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## germag (Jan 12, 2010)

ScottD said:


> Rooks is right - free float is almost always better.



With sporter taper barrels, in my admittedly limited experience (maybe 3 or 4  dozen rifles), I've seen better results from bedding the chamber area (the first 4" or so), and then free-floating the rest rather than to free-float all the way back to the action and have the whole barrel cantilevered out in space.


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## Knotwild (Jan 12, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> Thanks Larry...will give the nylon washer technigue a try this weekend, and move on from there as necessary.



The washer trick will leave your action improperly seated/bedded in the stock. I would be surprised if it shoots well at all like that.


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## Cknerr (Jan 12, 2010)

gotta disagree with Scott D. and few others. The pressure pads at the end of the foreend really do help. They apply 7 to 9 pounds of pressure. It is also consistent pressure. The comment about changing pressure on the sides of the barrel being a problem is correct if the pressure is light. Typical of casual brushing against the barrel channel sides that was not correctly cleaned/cleared out. That will really screw with your harmonics! Intentionally putting pressure, and it is not a light variable pressure near the end of a pencil barrel will drastically reduce a lot of wiggling around. The barrel will act as if it was made from thicker material. By applying firm pressure via those pads, each shot will have consistent pressure. Heat won't bother them very much btw. 

Full length bedding will improve 70% of all hunting rifles. Sounds odd doesn't it? The bedding supports the barrel so it acts as if it was much stiffer. The problem is how to tell which rifles likes it and those that don't. There isn't a way as far as I know outside of taking it to the range and shooting it.  Customers won't put up with having to return 30% of all firearms - so the manufacturers hedge their bets and float everything. The pressure pads are away around this. So far I have never seen a decrease in accuracy for rifles that wanted free floating barrels and using pressure pads. They usually improved accuracy, and sometimes the improvement is substantial. 

One thing to note - you better not overheat a barrel if it is fully bedded. That will quickly ruin the bedding as well as the barrel of course.

Chris


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 13, 2010)

Cknerr said:


> Full length bedding will improve 70% of all hunting rifles. Sounds odd doesn't it?


Yes it does....and I'd have to disagree with the statement.

First thing I would do is give the gun a 'better cleaning' with proper tools...such as a proper rod (Sinclair) accompanied by a bore guide...good bore brushes with a good copper solvent. 

Followed up with a good work over with JB bore cleaning paste....followed by another extensive cleaning to be sure all the JB is gone. 
If it doesn't return to normal or better after that then I'd be looking at other options.

Is your Remington one of the early models with the stainless steel barrels ?


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## Hammack (Jan 13, 2010)

Cknerr said:


> gotta disagree with Scott D. and few others. The pressure pads at the end of the foreend really do help. They apply 7 to 9 pounds of pressure. It is also consistent pressure.  Intentionally putting pressure, and it is not a light variable pressure near the end of a pencil barrel will drastically reduce a lot of wiggling around. The barrel will act as if it was made from thicker material. By applying firm pressure via those pads, each shot will have consistent pressure.
> Chris



but does it matter how much the barrel "wiggles" around?  What matters is how it wiggles the same way every time it's shot.  I have seen both instances where some rifles prefer fully bedded and some free floated, but I have seen far more that improved with the barrel bedded a couple inches past the recoil lug and free floated the rest of the way than any other way on sporter weight barrels.


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## jglenn (Jan 13, 2010)

my method has always been the same as Hammack's.    2" in front of the recoil lug and the receiver.  free float the barrel.  I think this works best for us folks that don't have Chris's skills...


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 13, 2010)

Knotwild said:


> The washer trick will leave your action improperly seated/bedded in the stock. I would be surprised if it shoots well at all like that.



I inserted two thin fiber washers between the action and the stock last night. It raised the barrel approx. 1/8" off the pressure pads at the front. (I was surprised that it lifted it that much)

Now able to slide a business card the entire length from the barrel to the point where the barrel tapers to the action. This is of course a temporary measure to see if floating it offers any accuracy edge over the pressure point in this particular rifle. 
If it helps, out comes the Dremel tool to relieve those pads from the stock. 
If it doesn't then a trigger job and re-crowning the barrel is next. (Not by me, I know my limits at gun smithing and Dremel tools!)
Will also try going to a lighter bullet this weekend, maybe step down to a 140 gr. or so. All my testing has been with 150 gr. or better so far.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 13, 2010)

Turkey Comander said:


> Yes it does....and I'd have to disagree with the statement.
> 
> First thing I would do is give the gun a 'better cleaning' with proper tools...such as a proper rod (Sinclair) accompanied by a bore guide...good bore brushes with a good copper solvent.
> 
> ...



I use a bore guide...brass brushes...Hoppe's bench rest and/or #9, followed by lots of clean patches. Have not used the bore paste tho.
Yes it is stainless steel, not sure if that would contribute to a longer barrel life or resistance to throat erosion over carbon steel?


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 13, 2010)

Appreciate the interest by all...will update as it progress occurs.
P.S. 
The composite stock is a factory Remington....aren't they what is known as "injection molded"?
And will  bedding compound adhere to it ?


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## Turkey Comander (Jan 13, 2010)

I had one of the early 1960 7mm mag. stainless (blued) barreled 700's years ago as i recall it was a good shooter with Speer 160 gr bullets.

I'm not so sure putting washers under the action is a good idea. I'd  give the JB bore cleaner a look before I went off in all directions.
You said you had the gun 40 years was it ever a good shooter...If so what caused it to stop shooting ?


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## germag (Jan 13, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> Appreciate the interest by all...will update as it progress occurs.
> P.S.
> The composite stock is a factory Remington....aren't they what is known as "injection molded"?
> And will  bedding compound adhere to it ?



If it's an injection molded thermoplastic, then the bedding epoxy won't really adhere to it all that well. A lot of folks try to make a "mechanical bond" by drilling holes in the plastic to allow the epoxy to flow into the holes with the idea that will help secure the bond. I'm not so sure that works all that well. I'd prefer to change the stock to something like a laminated stock or a laid-up fiberglass stock that the epoxy will bond to easily. The injection molded stocks (I think yours is probably a Butler Creek), also ten to be a little too flexible in the forearm for my tastes.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 13, 2010)

Turkey Comander said:


> I had one of the early 1960 7mm mag. stainless (blued) barreled 700's years ago as i recall it was a good shooter with Speer 160 gr bullets.
> 
> I'm not so sure putting washers under the action is a good idea. I'd  give the JB bore cleaner a look before I went off in all directions.
> You said you had the gun 40 years was it ever a good shooter...If so what caused it to stop shooting ?



Never was a tack driver. Of course back then premium factory rounds weren't heard of, and I had no clue about handloading or vaguely knew what MOA meant. 
I was just happy to buy some bullets, climb a tree, and hope for a deer to walk by. It shot good enough to drop my first buck...and I was a happy camper.

Later years I fooled around with reloading in an amateurish way with no real system to follow. Shot some of the Speer 160 gr. Hot Cor myself with results that were slightly better than what factory stuff offered. Haven't shot the rifle in many years until now so, kinda starting from scratch again.

But I know more now than I used to.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 13, 2010)

germag said:


> If it's an injection molded thermoplastic, then the bedding epoxy won't really adhere to it all that well. A lot of folks try to make a "mechanical bond" by drilling holes in the plastic to allow the epoxy to flow into the holes with the idea that will help secure the bond. I'm not so sure that works all that well. I'd prefer to change the stock to something like a laminated stock or a laid-up fiberglass stock that the epoxy will bond to easily. The injection molded stocks (I think yours is probably a Butler Creek), also ten to be a little too flexible in the forearm for my tastes.



It is a factory Remington stock...Butler Creek might make them..I dunno.
Yes, it's flexible. But takes a significant amount of flex for the stock to contact the barrel now. If I confirm it is an injection molded stock, I'm thinking an HS Precision or Bell and Carlson with an aluminum bedding block. 
Opinion on those?


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## germag (Jan 13, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> It is a factory Remington stock...Butler Creek might make them..I dunno.
> Yes, it's flexible. But takes a significant amount of flex for the stock to contact the barrel now. If I confirm it is an injection molded stock, I'm thinking an HS Precision or Bell and Carlson with an aluminum bedding block.
> Opinion on those?



Those are both better than the factory injection molded stock....but a McMillan laid-up fiberglass stock would be even better...

Hogue also makes an overmolded stock with an aluminum bedding block.


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## Larry Rooks (Jan 14, 2010)

Iffen you go with a new stock, McMillen is the deal.  I got two of them and to me, they are the tuffest out there.  If
the Good old Marine Corp can't tear em up and use em on all of their Sniper Rifles, they is good enough for me.  One
is about 15 years old and been thru the ringer, still looks
like it did when I for it.  The other is only about 5 years old
and still going strong, hold bedding great and are very
strong.  And McMillan has an UNCONDITIONAL Lifetime
warranty, meaning that if you run over it with your truck
and render it unusable, they fix it.  NO BODY else offers as
much as they do.  They ain't cheap though.  By the way,
the washer deal is only a testing ground, to releive the
pressure without doing any sanding or wood removal yet.
I tried it on others and it worked, and also saw an article
on it in Guns & Ammo or some magazine similar a few years back and it caused no problems for them either.  Of all the rifles I have fooled with, prbaby bedded 100 or so,
I had ONE that would not shoot better bedded tight vs
floated.  It was a custom 6 PPC in a Brown PRecision Stock
(Glass)  With barrel flaoted it would not shoot worth a crap, bedded full length and not floated, it grouped em in one hole.   The other 99 shot a huge % better when floated.  And the aluminum bedding blcosk in HS Precision are OK too, good stocks, cheaper than McMillan and you get em a hole lot quicker


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## rockhunta (Jan 21, 2010)

Definitely float the barrel! Aluminum or glass bedded stock,preferably aluminum, have your action trued, after market barrel is always a plus{Lilja}! If not have a good crown cut on oem barrel, and most definitely a sweet trigger. And if you really want to get some good groups hand loads is the way to go!...........jus my 2 centz


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## rockhunta (Jan 21, 2010)

Go check this out and see for yourself!!! Before you buy a barrel.
http://www.riflebarrels.com/


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## dawg2 (Jan 21, 2010)

STRAIGHTARROW said:


> I have an old 700 chambered in 7MM Rem Mag. that I killed my first buck with approximately 40 years ago.
> Looks wise, it ain't much...but we have history together and I've decided to to re-hab it and hopefully make a MOA shooter out of it.
> Some info:
> I would estimate the round count at approximately 800 rounds. (A box a year for 40 years?...I"m not sure) The average 5 shot group I can get with factory ammo (cheap stuff or premium) is approximately 2" at 100. Barrel is cleaned every 5 shots and allowed to cool. The barrel is stainless steel, the stock has been changed to a synthetic Remington factory unit.
> ...



What kind of ammo are you shooting in this rifle?  Before I spent a lot of money, I would go buy some expensive, high end ammo.  Find someone with a bench and bring someone with you who is a VERY good shot.  Then see what you shoot and then let them shoot and see what happens.


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## Gunpowder (Jan 21, 2010)

If it was my rifle I would clean the barrel with Barnes solvent and do nothing else except hunt with it. It has worked for 40 years - 2 inch groups or not. I would spend the money on another gun. I have an old 30-06 I have had for 35 years - it shoots OK - I thought about upgrading it - took it out this year and killed another deer. Bought my grandson a rifle instead of making changes to something that was still working. Just my opinion though.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 22, 2010)

*Lots of good suggestions..*

Here's an update:
Cleaned the barrel thoroughly with Butch's Bore Shine (good product), repeated that step 3 times until I was sure it was squeaky clean.
Floated the synthetic barrel...business card could be run the entire length from tip to where it began to taper to the receiver.

Shoot again:

ALL groups with 3 each different types of factory ammo showed improvement. My original post was not totally correct, prior to now it has a BEST group of just slightly over two inches..some groups actually went to 3-1/2"
This time every group, and 5 shot groups not 3, went under 2 inches. Significant improvement IMO.

Making progress anyway, on to next step.

Rifle is currently at gunsmith to get a 11 degree target crown, and slicked up trigger. Gunsmith will shoot some of his pet loads thru it to establish a baseline prior to doing the work, then shoot again afterwards to determine effect of work. A couple weeks to get it back from the smith.

I'm pretty sure that future efforts will be an H&S Precision stock with full bedding block and handload developement.

Will try to keep this thread updated, maybe some help in the future to someone else, appreciate the interest.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 22, 2010)

Gunpowder said:


> If it was my rifle I would clean the barrel with Barnes solvent and do nothing else except hunt with it. It has worked for 40 years - 2 inch groups or not. I would spend the money on another gun. I have an old 30-06 I have had for 35 years - it shoots OK - I thought about upgrading it - took it out this year and killed another deer. Bought my grandson a rifle instead of making changes to something that was still working. Just my opinion though.



I hear ya bud..however:
I got more guns than a sane person should have, some nice Brownings, Marlins, and Encores that will shoot really well.
Funny you should mention it but me and my son just worked a deal together to get one of my Encores, a .308, into the hands of my oldest grandson, he will be happy come his birthday.

This is kinda about just upgrading an old rifle that has more sentimental value than anything else..kinda fun doing it too.


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## STRAIGHTARROW (Jan 22, 2010)

rockhunta said:


> Definitely float the barrel! Aluminum or glass bedded stock,preferably aluminum, have your action trued, after market barrel is always a plus{Lilja}! If not have a good crown cut on oem barrel, and most definitely a sweet trigger. And if you really want to get some good groups hand loads is the way to go!...........jus my 2 centz



I'm on this track rockhunta...most everything cept the barrel so far. New barrel will be the last resort if necessary.

Lilja is proud of their barrels! Probaly be a Shilen or Hart if it happens.


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## rockhunta (Jan 23, 2010)

.....Hey bro I can relate! Shilen builds nice barrels 2. Good luck!!!


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## Hammack (Jan 23, 2010)

There is nothing wrong with a Shilen barrel.  I hear all the time about people having an action trued and then reusing the factory barrel.  I sometimes wonder just how much truing did the smith do?  Most times that I completely trued an action I wasn't able to reuse the factory barrel.  You might have some one true up the bolt lugs and seats and face the receiver, but to really true an action it will be setup in the lathe concentric with the bore of the action.  Then the face is true, as well as the bolt lug surfaces, and then the threads are recut until they are true.  When this is done the original barrel will fit to loose in the threads to re-use.  Besides in my opinion there is not any real benefit of truing an action and re-using a factory barrel simply because most factory barrels are going to be off on the machine work also.  If you have a barrel that is chambered concentrically then truing an action might benefit, but having part of the equation true, but the rest off is not going to do you much good.

In my opinion, I would find a good stock.  HS precision, Hi-tech specialties, B&C medalist, or hogue with the aluminum bedding block.  Skim bed it to the rifle, Have a smith recrown it, and then I would put some good mounts and optics on it and go the the range and shoot several different brands and loads of ammo and see what you end of with.  If it still doesn't satisfy you then I would purchase a barrel and have a good smith true the action, and install a new barrel.   Try the other stuff first.  Good luck.


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