First rifle build

[sven556]

I have two older Remington 700 adl with wood stocks. One is 30-06 and one is 270 win. I would like to build one into a dedicated, heavier long range rifle. With new stock, barrel, and scope. I will either adjust the trigger or replace it with an aftermarket one. The barrel will be done remage style.

Main use for this rifle is informal target shooting (1000m) and white tails (800m if I get good enough for a shot like that).

A couple questions:
With a long action I am considering 6.5-06, 270 win, 280 rem, and 30-06. These are all fairly close and I keep going back and forth in my mind. Any others I should consider?

With a remage barrel change, is there anything else I should have done to the action? I'm thinking lap the bolt lugs. Is that it?

Also, any recommendations on stocks for a 6' tall guy with long arms?

Thanks

 

[BEEMAN]

6.5 Sherman would work perfect. Mine has a 28" Hart. Drives 140 Bergers up to 3339 fps with N570. I'm 6' 2" and like the McMillan A3 on my Sherman. The McMillan games out or game hunter are nice as well. Also look into the Manners EH1. Really depends what finish weight you are wanting.

 

[J E Custom]

I would recommend a 280 AI Chambered properly it will use standard 280 ammo and when fire forming accuracy is very good. after fire forming, the AI version can meet or exceed the 7mm Rem Mag so It is very versatile.

It will also work in the action you have with no modifications.

J E CUSTOM

 

[sven556]

280 is one that I keep looking at. "280 AI chambered properly" can you explain the differences? Or better yet, provide a link. I'm sure it's been explained before, I just haven't seen it yet.

 

[Will Gray]

I have two older Remington 700 adl with wood stocks. One is 30-06 and one is 270 win. I would like to build one into a dedicated, heavier long range rifle. With new stock, barrel, and scope. I will either adjust the trigger or replace it with an aftermarket one. The barrel will be done remage style.

Main use for this rifle is informal target shooting (1000m) and white tails (800m if I get good enough for a shot like that).

A couple questions:
With a long action I am considering 6.5-06, 270 win, 280 rem, and 30-06. These are all fairly close and I keep going back and forth in my mind. Any others I should consider?

With a remage barrel change, is there anything else I should have done to the action? I'm thinking lap the bolt lugs. Is that it?

Also, any recommendations on stocks for a 6' tall guy with long arms?

Thanks

Get a new bolt from PTG with M-16 extractor and magnum bolt face. Get a remage barrel for 300WM (I would get a 338 EDGE) 26" heavy varmint with muzzle brake. New Timney trigger: just two pins to change it. My EDGE with 100g of H1000 behind a 250g SGK gives me about 3100fps, great kill round. For the targets use 90g of H1000 behind a 300g Matchking. Good heavy stock and bottom metal. Rail and a tough scope. I have had scope failures from recoil.

 

[arch408]

Everybody has a favorite. I personally don't like buying a new bolt. Buy a dedicated action and build. I'd also face off the front of the receiver to insure it is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. I'm not a fan of sako style bolts and I don't know a lot about M16 style extractors. If you build a RUM cartridge on a normal magnum action you will have to alter the feed rails and buy a RUM magazine box to allow for the fatter case. If building a .338 edge, I'd consider a Wyatt magazine box.

 

[Frog4aday]

I vote .280 AI, also. Fits what you already have and it allows you to use factory .280 Rem ammo (formerly called 7mm Express) but once the case has been fire formed to .280 AI specs, you can run it faster with long, heavy bullets for those 1000 yard shots. Get a barrel twist to suit the longest, heaviest bullet you plan to use.

Second vote would go to the 6.5-06 since the 6.5s are all the rage these days. Lots of good bullet choices and less recoil than the other options you listed. For a long range, target rifle, less recoil is a plus. Same advice on barrel twist (pick your favorite long range bullet and get a twist to stabilize it at distance.)

 

[Frog4aday]

Oh yeah, the Remington extractor is great 'as-is' so I wouldn't touch that. A conversion to the M-16/Sako-style extractor compromises the "three-rings of steel" design and if a reload goes wrong, that will matter. The bolt head should be left alone to preserve strength/safety, IMO.

Squaring the action and lapping the lugs seems prudent since you'll be rebarreling the action. Go with an aftermarket trigger (Jewel, Triggertech, Rifle Basix, etc.) rather than tinkering with the OEM unit and risking issues.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

another vote for the 280 AI...dang impressive...does a lot of things really well.

 

[Will Gray]

Oh yeah, the Remington extractor is great 'as-is' so I wouldn't touch that. A conversion to the M-16/Sako-style extractor compromises the "three-rings of steel" design and if a reload goes wrong, that will matter. The bolt head should be left alone to preserve strength/safety, IMO.

Squaring the action and lapping the lugs seems prudent since you'll be rebarreling the action. Go with an aftermarket trigger (Jewel, Triggertech, Rifle Basix, etc.) rather than tinkering with the OEM unit and risking issues.

I read about all the blueprint steps to make an action perfect. In my own experience with four Savage 110's a couple of Remington 700 and one Ruger American action, I find that putting the barrel on and setting the headspace using a barrel nut leaves the gun as accurate with any one of the several barrels I have. Regarding the "three rings of steel," it is a nice sales pitch but if you grossly over pressurize, the brass it will come out around the bolt and into the area of the lugs. The Mausingfield, the Savages 110s and the Ruger American, plus many others have no such setup. I barreled a Remington 700 and did not recess the chamber into the barrel (just like the Savage and Ruger). I like to simplify. If the bolt-barrel interface works on Savage, Ruger and Mausingfield actions it should and does work on a Remington 700. Using a barrel nut does not require the high torque used on a conventional shouldered barrel-action installation. Regarding extractors, the M-98 Mauser extractor appears to be the strongest, followed by the M-16 and the Sako. The Remington 700 extractor works fine but it looks weak: does not engage much of the rim of the case. If you had a stuck case it would likely break off the rim. I always carry a bronze rod in case there is a stuck case: pull on the bolt and tap with the rod in the bore. If you are hunting dangerous game the more reliable the extractor the better. Mausingfield has my vote. with the M-16 being a strong second: good enough for the SEALs... but then I am retired Navy so there may be some bias.

 

[slv hunter]

Another vote for the 280 ai for your set up.

 

[arch408]

The 280AI and 6.5AI, I think are good choices and I agree with those who say the Sako style extractors compromise the safety of the M700 action. if a case blows, extractor cut can channel gas right into the shooters face. But that's only my opinion. Also if the shooter is very adventurous, I'd build a .30 Gibbs. It's not quite as fast ast a .300 Win Mag, but you don't have to modify the action and you have one more cartridge in the magazine. I neck up 30-06 case to .338 or simply get 35 Whelen brass and then neck back down to .30 caliber leaving a small shoulder that will just allow the bolt to close and then fire form. I haven't had a case failure, but you can anneal shoulder and neck area if you want. More work than some want to do, but you get a 30-06 on steroids with cheap plentiful brass.

 

[elkaholic]

If you like the 280 A.I., you'll love the 280 Sherman! No, you can't shoot factory ammo. If that's a concern, build the A.I.

 

[Frog4aday]

All guns work fine when nothing goes wrong. The "three rings of steel" does make good marketing but it is also a real thing when an over-pressure situation occurs. It's been tested over the years by over-exuberant reloaders and they've lived to talk about it. It's a proven 'feature', even if some don't think it is worth preserving.

As for the extractor, Mauser extractor on my Ruger 77 slipped off the rim of a stuck case so it didn't break, but the case didn't come out either. The Remington extractor pulled so hard on a stuck case, it ripped a section of the rim off the case. The case didn't come out, but that extractor did all it could to make it happen. And...the extractor didn't break, so it is a good, strong design. Sliding plate extractors like the Ruger American and Savage rifles use work fine until they are stressed, then they break. I'd rather have an extractor slip off the rim or pull the rim off and NOT break, than have a mechanism that breaks. Once you tap the stuck case out with a rod, the other guns will work again right away. But the sliding plate extractor guns are going to need repairs before they can be used again. That's a nuisance to me. The M-16/Sako style extractors are very good, too. I like them. But I see no need to modify the bolt head of the 700 to put them in place for what this gentleman is looking to do with his gun.

This discussion is good. It gives the OP things to consider. Considering he wants a 'casual' 1000 yard play thing and will use it for deer on occasion, it doesn't have to get too esoteric. He can do a Remage barrel with his current action and bolt face as long as he stays with the .30-06 case head and length, and he'll be good to go.