Sendero stock on M700 Long Range rifle?

[SEOKGuy]

Hi all,

I'm new here and just bought a Rem M700 Long Range rifle chambered in 7mm Rem Mag. I would like to change out the Monte Carlo style stock for a straight comb like the Sendero has. Does anyone know if the barrel diameters are the same? I believe they are according to info found on Remington's website as both state they have heavy contour barrels but would like some confirmation before making the switch.

 

[wildcat455]

If I'm not mistaken, they are about the same, but the LR could be just a little heavier?

Interesting, because the B&C stock fits me better than the HS Precision one. I swapped going the other way as you.

 

[SEOKGuy]

After reading parts of "The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Rifles" I decided to make the swap. Nathan Foster states in this book that Monte Carlo stocks give a bigger recoil especially in Mag chamberings. I haven't even mounted a scope on this rifle yet but don't want to bed a stock that I might sell. I'm assuming that bedding the stock will lower the resale value right?

 

[wildcat455]

I am not very recoil sensitive.

Nathan is right, sort of.
I believe without reading his book, he is talking about perceived recoil by the shooter.
Recoil is physics. Plain and simple.

The 300 win mag gives in the neighborhood of 25 ft pounds of recoil at a speed of about 14 FPS. Now these numbers are of course tied to the weight of the rifle, the load you are shooting, projectile weight, etc. All that physics stuff.

What a stock of one type or another can or can't do, is redirect some of that energy, deflecting it from your perception of feeling it. Which is to say the energy still happens, so because of physics, that energy has to be dissipated in a way other than straight back into your shoulder. Most stocks do this by allowing the muzzle to rise. Now some of that energy is spent fighting gravity instead of going back into your shoulder.

At least that's my understanding of it.

I wouldn't bed it if you are going to sell it, no.
Also, yes, you would probably get less money for it.

Additionally, I wouldn't bed it until I shot it and had some reason to believe it needed bedding in the first place.

Another thing, before you worry about the recoil of your rifle, maybe shoot it first and see if there is anything to worry about? I assume you haven't because you say you haven't mounted a scope to it yet.
I could be wrong.

 

[SEOKGuy]

I get ya that recoil can't be reduced. I guess distributed or "felt" recoil is what Nathan is talking about. He also states that Monte Carlo stocks allow the rifle to recoil at an upward angle making follow-up shots harder as NPOA has changed. I am curious if the raised comb will make it unnecessary to build up the cheekpiece which would be a plus though.

Thanks for the input on bedding. I have never bedded a stock but I have a cheap plastic SPS stock on my .308 to practice on before going for this one. I guess I thought that bedding was always better than just aluminum bedding that has less contact surface. I'm a noob at this long range game and have a lot of learning to do yet. To date my longest shots have been at 400 yds - steel not animals. I'm hoping to double this with a new rig.

You are correct that I haven't shot the rifle yet - but I'm itching to get it rigged. I guess there is no harm in trying the stock before replacement other than cost of ammo to re-zero the rifle if the stock is replaced. 7mm Rem Mag ammo cost more than what I'm used to paying for .308 though. I had a bit of sticker shock when I picked up SST Superformance for $43.99/box.

On a different note I'm also researching whether to replace the trigger with a Timney or the like. I had the trigger replaced in my .308 due to recall and I don't like the feel at all.

 

[wildcat455]

If it were me, I'd take that rifle somewhere remote in Oklahoma and find out if the recoil bothered me first.

I'm not sure that Hornady ammo would have been my first choice, but you already have it so there's that.

Timney is a good choice for trigger. It's what I use on a few rigs. Definitely get rid of that Remington trigger.

 

[SEOKGuy]

Thanks again for your input. What ammo would you recommend for whitetail and mule deer?

 

[FIGJAM]

Thanks again for your input. What ammo would you recommend for whitetail and mule deer?

Federal Premium, Hornady Precision Hunter etc. Anything but Hornady Superformance... If you do a quick google search on superformance accuracy problems it will blow you away. My buddy, who doesn't hand load, had two browning A Bolts, one in 7mm Rem Mag and a 300 win mag both shoot 10-14" groups at 100 yards with superformance. Initially we thought it was the scope (actually, initially i thought it was him haha), so I went with him to Cabelas and watched him spend hundreds on a new scope and rings. Still shot like crap. Decided to buy some federal premium, and groups went to less than an inch. I got a promotion a few years ago that has me traveling all the time, so I haven't had the time to reload that I used to. I bought and hunted with some Precision Hunter, 145gr eldx in my 270wsm this fall. my gun loves it and took and elk and a muley with it. You might as well see if your gun likes the superformance since you already have it.

 

[FIGJAM]

I'll add - i don't think the SST bullets loaded in the superformance rounds are bad, my daughter shoots SST bullets in her 243 and they have performed very well so far. I have another buddy who has a tikka 7mm-08 that shoots 2" groups with the superformance stuff. So every rifle will be different....

 

[wildcat455]

I don't shoot the 7 mag, but I'd think you could find something suitable in Remington, Federal, or Winchester.
Even Hornady whitetail or precision hunter.
Federal was my factory go to for 300 win mag. But I've shot my share of the others as well.

Big thing here for me anyway, is start at the lower end of the price range and only go up if you can't find something that works for you.
I assume a new store bought rifle here, and not just a "new to you" rifle. You need to break the barrel in on that rifle which will be a minimum of 40-50 rounds. I'd actually shoot the overpriced stuff you got after that just in case you got a good lot or your rifle ends up liking it.

If you get 1 moa out of Federal, Remington or Winchester, or the other 2 Hornady, run the one that shoots in your rifle for hunting.

If I had to step up, I'd probably look to Nosler or Norma.

I wouldn't go below 140 gr for what you are trying to do.

 

[FIGJAM]

I get ya that recoil can't be reduced. I guess distributed or "felt" recoil is what Nathan is talking about. He also states that Monte Carlo stocks allow the rifle to recoil at an upward angle making follow-up shots harder as NPOA has changed. I am curious if the raised comb will make it unnecessary to build up the cheekpiece which would be a plus though.

Thanks for the input on bedding. I have never bedded a stock but I have a cheap plastic SPS stock on my .308 to practice on before going for this one. I guess I thought that bedding was always better than just aluminum bedding that has less contact surface. I'm a noob at this long range game and have a lot of learning to do yet. To date my longest shots have been at 400 yds - steel not animals. I'm hoping to double this with a new rig.

You are correct that I haven't shot the rifle yet - but I'm itching to get it rigged. I guess there is no harm in trying the stock before replacement other than cost of ammo to re-zero the rifle if the stock is replaced. 7mm Rem Mag ammo cost more than what I'm used to paying for .308 though. I had a bit of sticker shock when I picked up SST Superformance for $43.99/box.

On a different note I'm also researching whether to replace the trigger with a Timney or the like. I had the trigger replaced in my .308 due to recall and I don't like the feel at all.

I have several M700 rifles, I always budget in a Timney whenever I buy them. I think the xmark pro triggers suck. when the adjustment screw is loosened to lighten the pull my finger always hits it and it drives me nuts. I just don't think you can adjust them down light enough - that's my personal preference tho.

 

[SEOKGuy]

Federal Premium, Hornady Precision Hunter etc. Anything but Hornady Superformance... If you do a quick google search on superformance accuracy problems it will blow you away. My buddy, who doesn't hand load, had two browning A Bolts, one in 7mm Rem Mag and a 300 win mag both shoot 10-14" groups at 100 yards with superformance. Initially we thought it was the scope (actually, initially i thought it was him haha), so I went with him to Cabelas and watched him spend hundreds on a new scope and rings. Still shot like crap. Decided to buy some federal premium, and groups went to less than an inch. I got a promotion a few years ago that has me traveling all the time, so I haven't had the time to reload that I used to. I bought and hunted with some Precision Hunter, 145gr eldx in my 270wsm this fall. my gun loves it and took and elk and a muley with it. You might as well see if your gun likes the superformance since you already have it.

I bought one box of SST Superformance, one box of Precision Hunter, and one box of Rem Corelokt - all around 165gr. My plan is to break-in the barrel with Corelokt then try the other two and see how they group. My M700 .308 likes both the 150gr and 165 gr SST loads just fine. I have had mixed results on animals though. I posted in the bullets forum about my results with SST bullet:

I have used the 150gr and 165 gr out of my .308 with mixed results.

1) First deer was muley buck shot at 300 yds with 150gr SST Superformance. One shot kill through both lungs slightly quartered away and deer lunged forward once before dropping. It was out of site when it went down in the sage brush so I don't know how long it took to die, but it certainly didn't run and was dead when I got to it. Bullet was a passthrough.
2) Second animal was a bull elk shot through the chest at 275 yds with 165gr SST Superformance. The animal ran off and I got off more shots on it before it went down. Follow up shots were probably around 325-350 yds. It was still alive when I got to it and had it's head up. Two more rounds required to finish the job. Four rounds where found in it. First was again through the chest broadside-possibly slightly quartered forward. Second shattered the hip joint as it ran away from me (this one took it down - thankfully). Third and fourth at close range before it died. BTW no rounds exited the animal.
3) Muley buck shot at 300 yds. This one was on me. I somehow managed to gutshot it and had to shoot at close range to finish it off. First shot did not passthrough.

I'm not completely sold on the bullet, but I still hunt with it. And I just bought a box of 162gr SST Superformance for my recently bought 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[SEOKGuy]

I don't shoot the 7 mag, but I'd think you could find something suitable in Remington, Federal, or Winchester.
Even Hornady whitetail or precision hunter.
Federal was my factory go to for 300 win mag. But I've shot my share of the others as well.

Big thing here for me anyway, is start at the lower end of the price range and only go up if you can't find something that works for you.
I assume a new store bought rifle here, and not just a "new to you" rifle. You need to break the barrel in on that rifle which will be a minimum of 40-50 rounds. I'd actually shoot the overpriced stuff you got after that just in case you got a good lot or your rifle ends up liking it.

If you get 1 moa out of Federal, Remington or Winchester, or the other 2 Hornady, run the one that shoots in your rifle for hunting.

If I had to step up, I'd probably look to Nosler or Norma.

I wouldn't go below 140 gr for what you are trying to do.

Yes I bought the rifle new. I will break-in the barrel even though some state it is unnecessary. It certainly can't hurt, right? I would like to stay at 165gr or maybe even try 180gr if I can find them. My local Cabelas and Academy have limited options in 7mm Rem Mag. I wouldn't mind trying the nosler ammo but haven't seen it for sale. Maybe locally owned shops carry it. I don't mind paying for a better performing bullet rather than budget ammo in order to have better performance on game.

 

[wildcat455]

Good deal. Time to get out there and shoot!!