Re-barrel Rem 700

[Bwht4x4]

I have a Rem 700 that sits in a McMillan Hunter's Edge stock that I'm interested in putting a new barrel on. What are people's thoughts on a Bartlein 30 cal 10 twist SS #3 fitting the stock inlet channel? The McM website says "The slender forend will accept up to a factory magnum barrel contour or custom barrel similar to a #3 Douglas or smaller." The Douglas #3 contour has a muzzle diameter of 0.625 where as my barrel in it now has a 0.660. The Bartlein has a 0.670 diameter.

What I'm worried about is the diameter of the contour that goes through the inlet of the stock. Does the Bartlein have a totally different contour than the factory Remington? Should I be concerned?

Also what does my existing barrel weigh? Just the barrel?

Thoughts?

 

[aramarine6]

Barlein shows all their contour demensions on their website.

 

[MudRunner2005]

What caliber? If .308 Win, go with a 5R rifled 11.25" twist.

.300 WinMag 5R 1:10" twist.

These are just simply my opinions. I'm sure others will chime in.

 

[Bwht4x4]

It's for a 30-06. From what I've been told the 11.25 twist would be the best choice, but the 10 twist would be fine and I probably would never notice any difference.

I could special order one of these, but the waits are ridiculous these days. I'm blown away at how long of a wait there is for a new barrel. For Krieger it's 6-8 months!

 

[brentc]

Grizzly and Bugholes has them in stock, ready to ship.

 

[Bwht4x4]

I didn't see any .308 barrels with an 11 twist though.

 

[shortgrass]

If ya' it just has to be a Bartlein, Krieger, or PacNor be prepared to wait! Nothing "crazy" about wait times for custom barrels. That's just the way it is,,,, very high demand for the product = long lead times. Production can only go so fast and still be of the desired quality. There are several other quality barrel makers with shorter lead times than those I mentioned above. Take a look at Hart and Brux. Either can get you into a 10 twist barrel quicker. At a muzzle diameter of .660 you are barreling a 'hunting' rifle, aren't you?

 

[Bwht4x4]

I found a Bartlein at Bugholes that I really like but its only a 1in 10. I've called them and most of the barrel makers and every one has recommended a 1 in 11 twist based on my use if 150 to 180 grain bullets. I know a 1 in 10 will work fine but I like the idea of using an 11.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Check with Mike @ Rock Creek. He can 5R-rifle you a blank .30 cal in 11.25" twist. That would be one slick shooter.

 

[westcliffe01]

Sorry to be nosy, but what exactly are you hoping to gain with a re-barrel ?

If you must have a 5R 11 twist barrel in **Edit they are stainless**, "right now" Stockys has blanks in inventory Rock Creek 5R Cut Rifled .308 & .264 M24 Barrels - Varmint - Target - Tactical
Just take note: They have a heavy contour and still need to be chambered see below:
[FONT="Trebuchet MS", Arial, Helvetica]Gunsmith Installation Summary

1. Cut to length;
2. Threaded for receiver;
3. Chambered for cartridge desired;
4. Crowned as desired;
5. Fluted IF desired;
6. Coated, or otherwise finished.

Why exactly would you want such a light contour barrel which are notoriously fussy with their loads and string when hot, if you could get something heavier for no additional cost ? If your climbing mountains with it, then just ignore my question...


Your gunsmith can re-contour it without much fuss, but you could as easily (or cheaper) open up the inletting on your stock.


Something else to consider is you can get a Criterion match barrel that attaches with a barrel nut which ships to you with no gunsmithing needed except to buy a $30 go gauge for your chamber and a barrel nut wrench for another $40 and if you don't own one, a receiver wrench. Northland shooters supply is the Criterion outlet and he can sell you all the tools you will need too. He buys many barrels at one time and often enough, he already has in stock something suitable, or he can tell you approximately when his next delivery is coming in. He also carries popular barrels from Shilen. You have to call Jim on the phone during MN business hours though. He is too busy to be answering emails.



Jim Briggs

Phone - 763/682-4296 -
Fax - 763/682-6098
Mailing address:
PO Box 333
Buffalo, MN 55313
[/FONT]

 

[Bwht4x4]

Westcliff,

I wouldn't consider the barrels I'm lookong at to be light contour. They have muzzle diameters of .660 to .670. They're for a big game rifle and not a heavy bench gun. My stock barrel has a .660 muzzle diameter. Light countours would be something like a Lilja #2 or the stock barrel on a rem mtn rifle.

 

[westcliffe01]

It sounds like the sporter barrel on my 700 and it is the most fussy barrel I own. A 26" #3 weighs 3lb 7oz. Had it not been for Mc Gowan ruining the chamber on the left over blank I ordered in November and then giving me the runaround for the last 3 months, I would have a varmint contour on it now. All my varmint contour barrels shoot great. The recoil is also minimized somewhat with an additional 3lb weight in the barrel.

 

[Bwht4x4]

The link below is to a thread I started about bedding the action and then it transformed into a discussion on the barrel and gunsmith work.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...g-new-mcmillian-edge-stock-110885/index3.html

As you can see by the two targets in the thread that the groups aren't horrible, but I think it should be able to shoot much tighter (closer to 1/2 MOA). The good thing was the consistent groups between the two different factory loads. There's a good chance the barrel will shoot better after a hundred rounds or so, but I don't know if I want to put that much money in ammo down it to "POSSIBLY" have it shoot better.

I have an older Rem 700 that isn't even bedded that can shoot 3/4 MOA. I realize newer Rem 700s aren't what they use to be...hence my desire to re-barrel it.

 

[westcliffe01]

If you have not previously owned a rifle with a heavier contour barrel, I recommend you try it. The barrel is the most substantial mass on the whole rifle. The lighter the barrel, the harder it is going to act against your stock, the scope and the bedding under recoil. It looks to me like your action is moving around in your stock, or you have a parallax problem with your scope. a 30-06 is a round with a fair amount of energy, even if you are not shooting the heaviest bullets... Your groups look very similar to those of my 700 in 8x57 before I changed the stock.

Route some channels into the inletting with a dremel and a router bit to give the bedding a better "anchor". The rear tang can really benefit from being pillar bedded since the surface area is so small to be putting pressure on wood, but if I'm not mistaken yours is a composite stock so should have been pillar bedded from the get go ?