Rem 700 Sendero caliber swap questions

[WildRose]

Yeah, that article just helped me to solidify what I already knew, and what I had really been wanting to do, if I do end up getting the gun..... How sweet would it be to have a Rem 700 Sendero in .257 Wby Mag.

It will be a rarity for sure.

Hopefully the bore is in good enough shape you can just have it rechambered.

Being the rarity it will be though you'll just have to go out and get a nice custom stock and have the whole thing cerakoted in a custom finish though... . HA!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Actually, I've always been a fan of the Sendero stocks and colors.

What I like about this one is, it's all matte blue finish w/ a jeweled bolt, and my other Sendero (SF model) is all matte stainless w/ a jeweled bolt & fluted barrel. Figured it would be cool to have 2 Senderos similar, yet different.

If the barrel is shot, what is the standard contour of a factory Remington Sendero heavy barrel? And what brand of barrel do you recommend? I hear Kreiger, Shillin, Hart, and a few others do good work.

 

[WildRose]

Actually, I've always been a fan of the Sendero stocks and colors.

What I like about this one is, it's all matte blue finish w/ a jeweled bolt, and my other Sendero (SF model) is all matte stainless w/ a jeweled bolt & fluted barrel. Figured it would be cool to have 2 Senderos similar, yet different.

If the barrel is shot, what is the standard contour of a factory Remington Sendero heavy barrel? And what brand of barrel do you recommend? I hear Kreiger, Shillin, Hart, and a few others do good work.

I'd go with Hart or Kreiger myself. In fact Kreiger is doing the barrel for my AR build right now.

Both will also true your action and lap the bolt lugs etc if you send the action in. Heck they'll do the bedding etc.

Does the sendero stock come with a full length aluminum bedding block?

If not I'd certainly suggest having one put in while you're doing the rebuild.

I'm just a huge fan myself of cerakote for anything.

EDTA: Just tell them you want a Sendero Taper and they'll know what it is. Personally I'd make it a 28" myself.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Well, I have a friend who's a professional gunsmith, and he has already done 1 build for me years ago (that got stolen back in '08), and I was gonna get him to do all the work. He shoots benchrest, and will true & tune it as if it were his own competition rifle.

 

[WildRose]

Well, I have a friend who's a professional gunsmith, and he has already done 1 build for me years ago (that got stolen back in '08), and I was gonna get him to do all the work. He shoots benchrest, and will true & tune it as if it were his own competition rifle.

That ain't a bad deal. You'd be looking art around 450-600.00 for the barrel plus whatever he charges you.

If the old barrel can be recut/chambered in a larger caliber I get first dibbs...

 

[MudRunner2005]

Well, ain't life a beach.....

One of the idiot salesmen at the outdoors store sold the Swarovski off of that Sendero to some rich old guy...

I'm going tomorrow to put down a deposit on the Sendero for them to hold it...Hell, that never works out....I'm most likely going to BUY that Sendero tomorrow. LOL

I can get it for $660 out the door. I will examine the barrel more closely tomorrow when I go up there, before I buy it. That price is bottom dollar, and won't drop it just for me (even though I'd feel more comfortable around the $500-$550 range (since I'm mainly just wanting the action & stock), but if the rifling is good, I might just go ahead and drop the coin on it. Does it sound like a good buy to yall?

I was talking with another good buddy yesterday, and he was saying that the standard Rem 700 LA bolt would not handle the recoil of the .257 Wby, since it's a magnum caliber....And that I would need to order a magnum bolt from Remington.....

Now, I have no reason to doubt him, but I also have never heard of this before...

So, can someone set the record straight for me?

I hope it isn't true, or else there would be no need for me to buy the gun, other than to rebarrel it to another 7mmSTW. But that is also a belted magnum......Is the 700 Sendero 7mmSTW the same LA as the standard non-magnum bolt & action?

 

[WildRose]

Well, ain't life a beach.....

One of the idiot salesmen at the outdoors store sold the Swarovski off of that Sendero to some rich old guy...

I'm going tomorrow to put down a deposit on the Sendero for them to hold it...Hell, that never works out....I'm most likely going to BUY that Sendero tomorrow. LOL

I can get it for $660 out the door. I will examine the barrel more closely tomorrow when I go up there, before I buy it. That price is bottom dollar, and won't drop it just for me (even though I'd feel more comfortable around the $500-$550 range (since I'm mainly just wanting the action & stock), but if the rifling is good, I might just go ahead and drop the coin on it. Does it sound like a good buy to yall?

I was talking with another good buddy yesterday, and he was saying that the standard Rem 700 LA bolt would not handle the recoil of the .257 Wby, since it's a magnum caliber....And that I would need to order a magnum bolt from Remington.....

Now, I have no reason to doubt him, but I also have never heard of this before...

So, can someone set the record straight for me?

I hope it isn't true, or else there would be no need for me to buy the gun, other than to rebarrel it to another 7mmSTW. But that is also a belted magnum......Is the 700 Sendero 7mmSTW the same LA as the standard non-magnum bolt & action?

It will work. One of the gunsmith's/builders here can comment about the bolt face, but at worst you'd need to replace the bolt body.

The price is more than fair. Unless it looks like it's been drug behind a four wheeler for miles down a gravel road that is.

The Sendero's sell for around 1,150-1,300 new. Even if it's completely shot out someone will pay 800 for it if they hang on to it long enough.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I know it's worth it. It's in excellent shape as far as stock, action, etc...But it's just hard to pay $660 for a used Sendero when I bought mine new back in '03 for like $675 + tax, when I worked in the outdoors store...Then again, that was also only cost + 10% (employee pricing).

Plus there's a few things that have me worried...The safety thumb switch is a little loose feeling, and the trigger has a little side-to-side play...

The trigger doesn't bother me so much, since I just checked it on my brand-new 700 5R .308, and it seems to have a little side-to-side play as well. And it needs a new recoil pad, just looks like it has been well carried. Apparantly the guy who owned it before took it to Africa several times, and it's taken several plains game. So, I'm sure it was professionally worked and accurized.

But the loose safety switch has me a bit worried.

I just don't want to get too deep into a wore-out rifle, that I'll have to spend lots of money on before I can really get out there & shoot it.

 

[WildRose]

I know it's worth it. It's in excellent shape as far as stock, action, etc...But it's just hard to pay $660 for a used Sendero when I bought mine new back in '03 for like $675 + tax, when I worked in the outdoors store...Then again, that was also only cost + 10% (employee pricing).

Plus there's a few things that have me worried...The safety thumb switch is a little loose feeling, and the trigger has a little side-to-side play...

The trigger doesn't bother me so much, since I just checked it on my brand-new 700 5R .308, and it seems to have a little side-to-side play as well. And it needs a new recoil pad, just looks like it has been well carried. Apparantly the guy who owned it before took it to Africa several times, and it's taken several plains game. So, I'm sure it was professionally worked and accurized.

But the loose safety switch has me a bit worried.

I just don't want to get too deep into a wore-out rifle, that I'll have to spend lots of money on before I can really get out there & shoot it.

Inflation is a bitch.

IF you can find an action alone you're going to pay between 400-600.00 maybe more.

You could replace the trigger with a quality aftermarket for 200.00 and have a three position safety installed while you are at it for maybe 100-150.00.

If you like the stock, I'd say buy it. If not pass on it and see if you can just buy an action you like and build a gun around it.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Yeah, I'll probably go pick it up tomorrow...

I'm a sucker for a Sendero....LOL

Also, been thinking alot about a .280 AI.... Would I just have to bore the barrel and have it re-rifled? Does it use the same bolt face as the .25-06?

Nosler custom ammo is only like $49.99 a box, which is $20'a box cheaper than my .257 Wby & 7mmSTW.

What's your opinion?

 

[WildRose]

Yeah, I'll probably go pick it up tomorrow...

I'm a sucker for a Sendero....LOL

Also, been thinking alot about a .280 AI.... Would I just have to bore the barrel and have it re-rifled? Does it use the same bolt face as the .25-06?

Nosler custom ammo is only like $49.99 a box, which is $20'a box cheaper than my .257 Wby & 7mmSTW.

What's your opinion?

.280 AI is a great caliber and I think it's the same bolt face.

As to that and whether or not you could use the same barrel and have it rebored/chambered etc maybe some of the gun smith's here can answer for you.

Yes it's probably possible, but you'd probaly be money ahead to just start with a custom barrel. It would really depend mainly I think on what a close analysis of the barrel shows.

I talked with Kreiger last week about rebarrelling two for me. Around six hundred each including blueprinting the actions.

Not a bad deal.

 

[MudRunner2005]

True... The only quarter-bore I've ever really liked was the .257 Wby.

I've always wanted a .280 Rem, but I've really taken a shine to the .280 AI....

I bet it would make a dirty dirty whitetail round.....What kind of distance can you take out a deer at with the .280 AI? And what do you think about loading a custom load with some 160gr Accubonds? How hot could you load those?

 

[WildRose]

True... The only quarter-bore I've ever really liked was the .257 Wby.

I've always wanted a .280 Rem, but I've really taken a shine to the .280 AI....

I bet it would make a dirty dirty whitetail round.....What kind of distance can you take out a deer at with the .280 AI? And what do you think about loading a custom load with some 160gr Accubonds? How hot could you load those?

Not a caliber I'm qualified to speak on as any sort of expert. In general though as I understand it, it lays right between the 7mm Rem and 7wsm.


That means Elk sized game to 800yds easily. Deer to about 1200.

 

[MudRunner2005]

So it is actually considered a hotter round than the 7mm Rem Mag? Hmmmm, that peaks my interest even more. So does the 1200 yard deer takedowns...

How flat is the trajectory of it?