smoak
Active Member
I saw a model 700 ADL in wal-mart for $400. How much would it cost to chamber it for a 30-378 and add a costom barrel 32"? Can this be done and how inexpensive?
A wal-mart costom
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Tim Behle
Well-Known Member
Smoak,
You can get a good Barrel for $3-350, and most Smiths I've talked to charge in the neighborhood of $125 to cut the chamber.
But if you are going to spend that, do you really want the groups screwed up with a crappy Wal-Mart stock? Add another $400 for a good stock.
Of course the Stock is going to need to be bedded, and the action trued up. Add another $50 for each of those.
A good custom rifle deserves good custom dies if you want to get the most out of it. Better add in another $200.
Of course, you can't shoot what you can't see. But you can get a good Leupold for $750
And don't forget the Base and Rings to hold it to the rifle....
How about a Muzzle brake?
But before you buy the rifle, be sure the bolt face is the right size for the caliber you want to build.
You can get a good Barrel for $3-350, and most Smiths I've talked to charge in the neighborhood of $125 to cut the chamber.
But if you are going to spend that, do you really want the groups screwed up with a crappy Wal-Mart stock? Add another $400 for a good stock.
Of course the Stock is going to need to be bedded, and the action trued up. Add another $50 for each of those.
A good custom rifle deserves good custom dies if you want to get the most out of it. Better add in another $200.
Of course, you can't shoot what you can't see. But you can get a good Leupold for $750
And don't forget the Base and Rings to hold it to the rifle....
How about a Muzzle brake?
But before you buy the rifle, be sure the bolt face is the right size for the caliber you want to build.
Smoak
what are you trying to do with it? LR carrygun or combo LR hunting/1K BR gun?
You can buy a really good used 1k BR or LR hunting gun for $1000-1200 at most matches or on the net. For example I know two top of the line 1k guns in a 300 win mag with steel sleeve, muzzle brake and a 300 hart w/muzzle brake/with custom dies for sale now and most expensive is only $1250.
If you want to build up a carry gun, a good 30-34" match barrel is going to run $350-380, chamber $125-140, truing $50, trigger work/replacement $40-150, large recoil lug $40, dies $150-300, Bruce Baer laminated stock (any config you want0 $225-250, pillar bedded $125-140. muzzle brake $150-200.
Bottom line is you would really be better off buying a good used gun and learning and then rebarrel later. Saves about $1000 plus right off the top, unless you can do all your own work. Most guys will give you the loads for that gun and sometimes event the custom dies.
As for scopes, yes the LR Leupolds and NFs are tops and most expensive, but the Bausch and Lomb 4200 and 3200, Nikon tacticals, Burris scopes with tapered bases can work very well until you really start crossing that 1500 yard mark. You can even add extra dots or lines to your crosshairs to extend the range. This will work for starting out.
You can save some $ and watch for good deals, I bought my last NF for $650 from a guy that needed money. I picked up a 338 Lapua Ack Imp on Rampro action, barrel bedding block, 34" Lilja barrel (80 rds fired and yes it borescopes as such), $300 neil jones dies, brass and bullets with custom alum carry case for under $1200, same thing guy needed $. It would have cost over $3000 to put the same gun together from scratch. I am putting a Unertl BV-20 on it that I bought for $340 and spent $80 having Unertl go through it. As for clarity, nothing beats a Unertl, not waterproof though. Just need a little care.
Most guys starting off would be better served money wise and experience buying a used gun, that is something that they can learn with before they go spending the big $ to build up the top of the line LR rig before they know what they really want and need.
Good luck
BH
[ 03-28-2003: Message edited by: BountyHunter ]
what are you trying to do with it? LR carrygun or combo LR hunting/1K BR gun?
You can buy a really good used 1k BR or LR hunting gun for $1000-1200 at most matches or on the net. For example I know two top of the line 1k guns in a 300 win mag with steel sleeve, muzzle brake and a 300 hart w/muzzle brake/with custom dies for sale now and most expensive is only $1250.
If you want to build up a carry gun, a good 30-34" match barrel is going to run $350-380, chamber $125-140, truing $50, trigger work/replacement $40-150, large recoil lug $40, dies $150-300, Bruce Baer laminated stock (any config you want0 $225-250, pillar bedded $125-140. muzzle brake $150-200.
Bottom line is you would really be better off buying a good used gun and learning and then rebarrel later. Saves about $1000 plus right off the top, unless you can do all your own work. Most guys will give you the loads for that gun and sometimes event the custom dies.
As for scopes, yes the LR Leupolds and NFs are tops and most expensive, but the Bausch and Lomb 4200 and 3200, Nikon tacticals, Burris scopes with tapered bases can work very well until you really start crossing that 1500 yard mark. You can even add extra dots or lines to your crosshairs to extend the range. This will work for starting out.
You can save some $ and watch for good deals, I bought my last NF for $650 from a guy that needed money. I picked up a 338 Lapua Ack Imp on Rampro action, barrel bedding block, 34" Lilja barrel (80 rds fired and yes it borescopes as such), $300 neil jones dies, brass and bullets with custom alum carry case for under $1200, same thing guy needed $. It would have cost over $3000 to put the same gun together from scratch. I am putting a Unertl BV-20 on it that I bought for $340 and spent $80 having Unertl go through it. As for clarity, nothing beats a Unertl, not waterproof though. Just need a little care.
Most guys starting off would be better served money wise and experience buying a used gun, that is something that they can learn with before they go spending the big $ to build up the top of the line LR rig before they know what they really want and need.
Good luck
BH
[ 03-28-2003: Message edited by: BountyHunter ]
jcpython357
Well-Known Member
Smoak, Just remember, If you get a 30-378, the barrel life is about 400rds, If it were me I would get something thats easier on a barrel, but you never mentioned what kind of shooting your going to be doing, dinosaurs it would seem. If you don't want to spend over 2k, HS Precision could make a nice 300WSM for ya, last time I talked to them, they just made that same rifle for a guy that shot one hole, that route would be a good way to go, unless you like ****in' around having one built from scratch. Just thinkin' out loud,
Jay
Mysticplayer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2001
- Messages
- 1,459
Few gunsmiths will recommend opening up the 700 bolt face to fit a 378Wby case. Too little metal left.
If you are going with a long barrel anyways, consider the RUM and Tomahawk. With a long barrel and 240gr Mk, performance will be close to the 30-378 at a much lower cost/headache factor.
If your goal is to build up a gun from scratch. STart with a gunshow special. Either rem 700 or Savage 110. Why pay for parts that are going in the dumpster anyways?
I like the idea of buying a proven BR rifle. I have purchased a couple that have shot unbelieveably well for a fraction of the cost of new. Not BR level but certainly one "big" hole.
Used match barrels are also a great alternative. For around $50 to 100 bucks, you can get a premium barrel that has a burnt out throat. The rest of the barrel is still basically new. Just rechamber and rethroat and voila match accuracy again.
Look for barrels in 308 Win as you will not loose any barrel length. The rechambering to the longer magnums will clean up any throat erosion. Almost all BR gunsmiths will have these kicking around from shooters putting on fresh barrels.
I did that for my 30Gibbs project and the end result was a sub 1/3MOA rifle for $200 Cdn. - barrel and install.
Jerry
If you are going with a long barrel anyways, consider the RUM and Tomahawk. With a long barrel and 240gr Mk, performance will be close to the 30-378 at a much lower cost/headache factor.
If your goal is to build up a gun from scratch. STart with a gunshow special. Either rem 700 or Savage 110. Why pay for parts that are going in the dumpster anyways?
I like the idea of buying a proven BR rifle. I have purchased a couple that have shot unbelieveably well for a fraction of the cost of new. Not BR level but certainly one "big" hole.
Used match barrels are also a great alternative. For around $50 to 100 bucks, you can get a premium barrel that has a burnt out throat. The rest of the barrel is still basically new. Just rechamber and rethroat and voila match accuracy again.
Look for barrels in 308 Win as you will not loose any barrel length. The rechambering to the longer magnums will clean up any throat erosion. Almost all BR gunsmiths will have these kicking around from shooters putting on fresh barrels.
I did that for my 30Gibbs project and the end result was a sub 1/3MOA rifle for $200 Cdn. - barrel and install.
Jerry
Brent
Well-Known Member
The cost of a good recoil lug, opening the boltface and installing Sako extractor, barrel, chambering, trueing, single shot follower and dies. Stock, bases, rings, scope and muzzle brake may be had later depending on what you have already. My wifes 30/338 Lapua Imp is being built on a $400 Wally World special too.
Pacnor has good match barrels, find a "good" smith that will open the bolt and fit the extractor (correctly) and get a quote for it all. Good luck. I have a ton of 30/378 reloading data if you need it too. You might consider the 338/378 instead, barrel life will be better and the 300gr SMK is awesome in this round too!
Pacnor has good match barrels, find a "good" smith that will open the bolt and fit the extractor (correctly) and get a quote for it all. Good luck. I have a ton of 30/378 reloading data if you need it too. You might consider the 338/378 instead, barrel life will be better and the 300gr SMK is awesome in this round too!
smoak
Active Member
I have model 700 LSS in 300RUM, I was interested in a .338 maybe. See, I dont have anything in this 300, except a trigger job and a muzzle break. I dont know if I should get a new .338 laupa or weatherby, or if maybe I should put more money into the 300RUM. Im do reload, I dont shoot match or anything, I do hunt long range (for me 350-700 yards). So I dont know, what are your opinons and thoughts?
Brent
Well-Known Member
I bought my LSS 300 Ultra last fall to mess around with this winter, but it's going to be chambered in 338 Lapua Imp this fall using my 30/338 Lapua Imp reamer and seperate neck and throater. The Ultra is getting me by, but the 338 will be a blast.
Decisions, decisions...
I got my NXS 5.5-22 first, so I could use it until I got everything else together. I'll pick up the barrel, stock and other necessities this summer then finnish the 338 up after hunting season this fall. If you can swing a Nesika action to build from, they're in stock!
Weatherby action? I wouldn't go there... Just MHO. I'll take a Remington anyday over one.
Good luck.
Weatherby action? I wouldn't go there... Just MHO. I'll take a Remington anyday over one.
Good luck.
smoak
Active Member
What is all this Improved stuff? How do you make your rifle/ammunition improved??
Brent
Well-Known Member
Compare the reamer dimensions to the that of the parent case, the 338 Lapua. The improvement is a sharper shoulder and less body taper, this one is also necked down of course. The drawing here uses a generic pic and is not to scale. The Imp version will make for a more efficient case and also in this case, give me 6-8gn more case capacity for higher velocity or less psi at the same speed, however you look at it.
New reamers ground with the new dimensions are required, one for the chamber and another for the dies. You can have the dies cut on a lathe as Neil Jones does, which I'm doing instead of purchacing the die reamer to do the dies. Cases are fire formed to the improved dimensions.
[ 03-29-2003: Message edited by: Brent ]
New reamers ground with the new dimensions are required, one for the chamber and another for the dies. You can have the dies cut on a lathe as Neil Jones does, which I'm doing instead of purchacing the die reamer to do the dies. Cases are fire formed to the improved dimensions.
[ 03-29-2003: Message edited by: Brent ]
30-378Weatherby
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2003
- Messages
- 1
Brent,
Can you send me that 30-378 reloading data? Thanks
Can you send me that 30-378 reloading data? Thanks
Brent
Well-Known Member
I'll get it together for you in the morning.
Brent
Well-Known Member
Here's a link to the 30/378 wby data.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4290404103
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4290404103
