I have a model 700 BDL 300 Ultra that I am looking to make into a custom. It currently has a HS precision sporter stock on it and a KDF muzzle break. I have talked to so many Gunsmiths on this website and others and every one has a different opinion and cost. I want a new barrel, accurize action and a jewel trigger. how can there be such a wide span in costs from one smith to another? I'm thinking a 27" Lilja barrel with a break. What break I dont no? Holland, Muscle break, DE break, Fat Bastard supposedly all are better than the KDF. Than I just bought a Swarovski A line scope on clearance which is the most Ive ever spent on a scope and people tell me I should sell it and get a mark 4. I give up................
So many questions?
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Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
You have a fantastic rifle and scope for whatever you want to hunt so why change it. I like what you have.
Autorotate19
Well-Known Member
+1 sounds good to me too. If it isn't broke dont fix it. Good Luck!
Similarly, almost two years ago, I was talking to one of the local gunsmith's about re-barreling my SAKO M995 in .300WM. The first he asked was "How does she shoot?". When I showed him the groups I was getting, he said "Don't do a thing until the barrel is all shut out."
I settled for his custom muzzle brake instead for $210 (includes a cap). The brake works like Holland's QD - felt recoil is comparable to .308's.
Good luck!
Ed
I settled for his custom muzzle brake instead for $210 (includes a cap). The brake works like Holland's QD - felt recoil is comparable to .308's.
Good luck!
Ed
MN Hunter
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you are off to a good start - put the scope on the gun and start shooting.
How does the gun currently shoot?
If you are looking at keeping the cost down you could look at some basic things before going to a new barrel. Has the action been bedded - if not it is relatively inexpensive to do that. Have the trigger cleaned up. Have the barrel recrowned. Are you satisfied with the recoil reduction of the KDF brake? I have a Rem Sendero 300 win mag with Center Shot Rifles 3 port brake on it - the felt recoil is minimal - more of a push. I also have a gun built by Defensive Edge - 338rum #5 Hart 26" barrel, HS Precision stock.... it has their brake on it - I was truely surprised at how pleasant the gun is to shoot - again just a gentle push. As an FYI - I have shot a Remington 700 300rum without a brake - to say the least I did not find the experience pleasant at all.
What part of the country do you live in?
How does the gun currently shoot?
If you are looking at keeping the cost down you could look at some basic things before going to a new barrel. Has the action been bedded - if not it is relatively inexpensive to do that. Have the trigger cleaned up. Have the barrel recrowned. Are you satisfied with the recoil reduction of the KDF brake? I have a Rem Sendero 300 win mag with Center Shot Rifles 3 port brake on it - the felt recoil is minimal - more of a push. I also have a gun built by Defensive Edge - 338rum #5 Hart 26" barrel, HS Precision stock.... it has their brake on it - I was truely surprised at how pleasant the gun is to shoot - again just a gentle push. As an FYI - I have shot a Remington 700 300rum without a brake - to say the least I did not find the experience pleasant at all.
What part of the country do you live in?
Thanks for the replies, I live in Oregon and the gun is not a tack driver by any means. I load 87.5 grains of RL25 WITH 200 GRAIN ACCUBONDS. The OAL is 3.60 due to the magazine length. I have looked at Wyatts boxes but havent pulled the trigger on the purchase. I am relatively new to a lot of the aspects of custom guns, reloading and overall Knowledge. The gun shoots 1.5 to 2.0 groups at 100 yards when Im doing good. Love this website and looking for someone to take me in and lead me to the promise land.LOL.
justgoharder
Well-Known Member
while 1.5-2" isn't amazing try to keep in mind a few things.
#1 this is a website forum; People are always speaking of 1/4 moa groups all day everyday!!! truth is that it isn't as common as this forum makes it seem. How well can you shoot other rifles that already have an established moa range?
#2 try not to get too sucked into needing the newest top of the line everything. There is most likely a lot of potential to be gained in your rifle with some basic reloading adjustments and some practice shooting with it.
#3 before you throw down some big bucks on a new barrel, try bedding (or have a smith bed) the rifle as it is now. then see how it shoots.
from my personal experience: the first 300 RUM i bought would shoot 1.5" groups, i thought it was just a crappy gun. but with some bedding, different reloads and MOSTLY some time with me actually learning how to shot it, the same gun will now shoot .75MOA out to 800yrds. not bad for a stock $500 remington
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Freefloat the barrel, bed the action, adjust the trigger and work on loads and seating depth. It would surprise me if it didn't shoot good enough to take animals at 700+ yards if you can hold it steady.
angus-5024
Well-Known Member
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+1 for kepping er'. Bed that sucker and see what she can do. I have never come across a factory bolt action rifle that after bedding, good handlaods and trigger couldnt shoot 1.25" at 100. And that was the worst one I'd seen (but Im still working on it).
liltank
Well-Known Member
Not sure about the bedding in an HS, but any good smith should be able to prep and bed it without issue. All suggestions have been good. Just to make you feel better, I have a stock Savage with all stock equipment and doing just fine. The only thing I have added is a bedding job to squeeze some extra accuracy and a break for comfort. My scope is a Nikon Buckmaster. A little bit of work to factory rifles can go a long way.
Tank
Good
Well-Known Member
And I will add that a brake will go a long way. A friend has a brake installed on his 300RUM and it shoots fantastic from what he says. I only shot his gun before the brake so I can't compare.
ATH
Well-Known Member
Most people would be better served to bed a gun, adjust the trigger and optimize reloads then shoot the factory barrel out before dropping big dollars on custom work. Bedding will take you 2-3 evenings and cost $15-$30 (with pillars) and may make it a sub-MOA gun.
This winter I took a cheapo Savage package gun that shot 2-3" with the first couple loads I tried and dropped it into a new stock, bedded it, added a $60 trigger, and worked up loads properly. Now it shoots .6-.8" consistently. I don't like the sporter barrel but for the price I will shoot it out before I do anything else.
Custom guns are nice, I'll have one someday. However for the money, it is hard to rationally justify the value for the small increase in accuracy. Now in certain situations and for certain cartridges there are reasons to start there, but not for most of us.
This winter I took a cheapo Savage package gun that shot 2-3" with the first couple loads I tried and dropped it into a new stock, bedded it, added a $60 trigger, and worked up loads properly. Now it shoots .6-.8" consistently. I don't like the sporter barrel but for the price I will shoot it out before I do anything else.
Custom guns are nice, I'll have one someday. However for the money, it is hard to rationally justify the value for the small increase in accuracy. Now in certain situations and for certain cartridges there are reasons to start there, but not for most of us.
