Converting a 700 LA into a LA mag

[JimmyO]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I have a Remington 700 LA in 30-06 that I am ready to tear down and build into another custom. My dilemma is that I have my heart set on a 338 Lapua. What all does it take to convert the standard long action into a magnum long action. I am already planning on replacing the Remington bolt with a Stiller bolt and swapping out the bottom metal. I assume the bottom of the receiver will need opened up at the, and I will have that done when I have the action blueprinted.

What else will need done?

Thanks
JimmyO

 

[WildRose]

You need to go with a stronger action to be safe. With a lot of modification I think you can do it but I would not recommend it and you're probably going to have a hard time finding a smith willing to do it.

 

[4xforfun]

As stated above......skip the lapua. You can safely shoot an EDGE out of a remmy. Pretty much identicle balistics as a Lapua.

 

[IdahoCTD]

An Edge is actually slightly more capacity than a Lapua. Either one will need to mag box and feed rails modified. The Lapua would have to have to bolt face opened up.

 

[WildRose]

An Edge is actually slightly more capacity than a Lapua. Either one will need to mag box and feed rails modified. The Lapua would have to have to bolt face opened up.

By the time you get all that work done you're just as well if not better off going with a full custom action to begin with aren't you?

One thing I've wondered but haven't put the time into looking up the technical data though is the 700's built for the .416RM and other big African magnums. Is it the same action as regular long/magnum or is it a bigger, beefier, and longer Rem straight out of the box?

Every once in a while you can find used Safari guns dirt cheap and so I'd thought of them as possible donors the Ultra mag and larger.

 

[IdahoCTD]

The Remington LA is the same for all of the calibers they make including the 338 Lapua (well the feed rails, mag boxes, followers, and bolt faces change but the basic action is the same). It's probably smart they only make the 338 Lapua in chromoly actions but I've built a 30-378 Weatherby Imp, a 338-378 Weatherby, and a couple 30-338 Norma Imp's on chromoly Remington 700's without issues and have a 7-338 Norma Imp in the works. I also have a 416 Rem and a 458 Lott on stainless actions. If it was for someone else I would suggest a custom action too but for me, I like cheap, as I build myself quite a few rifles a year.

In his case he would have to buy a PTG bolt or find someone to alter his so he is looking at close to 250 just for the bolt with extractor and ejector. He can use the firing pin from his old bolt and sell the bolt body for 100.00. Then it will cost him to open the feed rails and lengthen the mag box so it feeds correctly. Then if he has the action trued it puts him a lot closer to a custom action from Stiller if you add in what his action is worth to start with. So ultimately it would be safer and smarter to go with a custom for someone that doesn't do their own work. That doesn't mean what he wants to do isn't done all the time successfully. Most gunsmiths don't want to risk the liability so they refuse the small amount of work those jobs add up to. When you get right down to it there is only about 2-300.00 difference in cost compared to a Stiller and if you can find one someone is selling cheaper it is less.

 

[JimmyO]

Thanks guys,

The reason for the question was I am going to build two rifles simultaneously. I happen to have two Remington 700 actions that I am ready to do something with. The first is a short action that I am building into a 6.5 creedmore for my 9 year old son to hunt deer with.

I thought it would be fun to build the rifles simultaneously so we could build them together. I have wanted a 338 Lapua for years so kinda had my heart set on it. But I think I will hold off on that and pick another caliber.

I think the Lapua will wait for a Stiller action.

Jimmy