For those who have done it...

I can save you money and time by borrowing my savage action wrench and barrel nut wrench (small/standard size, not large). The 2 didn't cost much and I have headspace gauges. Money saved all around and all you need is a barrel (and maybe a barrel nut that's around 25-35 dollars). Also, a recoil lug. I've bought barrels for savage 110 actions for builds I've done and added lug and nut to the custom barrel order (McGowen/C6). As noted before, check northland shooters supply as he's great person to buy from and deal with. Headspacing is easy and not an issue to do. Going shouldered prefit will need more info before buying as so it goes on pre-headspaced. I've not done 1 before, but requiring a measurement from the bolt face to the front of the action (I believe) is what is taken? @bamban talked me thru it. If the prefit is saami chambered factory ammo should chamber fine? Going from 243win to 6creed isn't much of a change. Creed has higher max pressure, but lower case capacity which about equals 243win speed with lower pressure, but higher case volume. As you stated it's for longer boolits? Well, if using the same mag and restricted to 2.800-2.830" then it does let you seat them out further as the case design is for. I chose my 243win over 6creed and 260rem over 6.5creed (not counting the 5 6.5creeds's I have;)).
 
If you use a stock Remington action that hasn't been blueprinted and a quality barrel you will most likely get better accuracy. But it may not be awesome accuracy, with factory action you never know what you will get. The ones I've done on factory actions shot probably 3/4 moa.the other thing you need to add to your list of tools would be a recoil alignment tool, I have a pacific tool and gauge one that works good. If you are wanting better accuracy then look into a custom action.
 
Who has replaced their own barrel on a Remington 700 in a different caliber? I'm thinking of converting my 243 to a 6CM simply because I'd have more room for the longer boolits. My understanding of the process is that I would need a barrel vise, an action wrench, and go/no go guages for the new caliber. The bolt face is the same.

I have a custom rifle on an old 700 action. It is an absolute tack driver, but the gunsmith blueprinted the action and the bolt. Can I expect the same precision without blueprinting? I'm not a machinist. Just a regular guy who loves rifles that shoot exceptionally well, has a limited budget, wants "new" guns, and has a wife who watches the checking account closely. If you have experience and can relate, please share. (Yes, I'm looking for a friend 😂)
 
Who has replaced their own barrel on a Remington 700 in a different caliber? I'm thinking of converting my 243 to a 6CM simply because I'd have more room for the longer boolits. My understanding of the process is that I would need a barrel vise, an action wrench, and go/no go guages for the new caliber. The bolt face is the same.

I have a custom rifle on an old 700 action. It is an absolute tack driver, but the gunsmith blueprinted the action and the bolt. Can I expect the same precision without blueprinting? I'm not a machinist. Just a regular guy who loves rifles that shoot exceptionally well, has a limited budget, wants "new" guns, and has a wife who watches the checking account closely. If you have experience and can relate, please share. (Yes, I'm looking for a friend 😂)
I've built dozens of rifles using the remage style arrangement. In every case, the rifle outperformed the factory barrel, significantly. I have yet to assemble one that won't shoot 1/2 moa. Most are better with finely tuned handloads. I believe that you are asking if installing a remage barrel on a remington action with no improvements would be equivalent in accuracy to one that had been trued (blueprinted). I would say that is a definite 'maybe', but I wouldn't count on it. There are a lot of guys who think they are excellent shooters, when really their definition of excellent is just average. On the other hand some guys won't settle until their rifle and load will shoot sub 1/4 min accuracy, or better. So, if you are good with shooting 1/2 min accuracy (1/2" groups at 100, 1" groups at 200, 2.5" groups at 500) I woukd be confident in saying that the remage set up will deliver that, if you are capable of shooting that good. Your best and most cost effective approach is to call James and Northland Shooters Supply and have him walk you through the tools and barrel components you'll need. It is very satisfying rebarreling on your own, and seeing good results.
Feel free to reach out via PM if you have any questions.
 
Who has replaced their own barrel on a Remington 700 in a different caliber? I'm thinking of converting my 243 to a 6CM simply because I'd have more room for the longer boolits. My understanding of the process is that I would need a barrel vise, an action wrench, and go/no go guages for the new caliber. The bolt face is the same.

I have a custom rifle on an old 700 action. It is an absolute tack driver, but the gunsmith blueprinted the action and the bolt. Can I expect the same precision without blueprinting? I'm not a machinist. Just a regular guy who loves rifles that shoot exceptionally well, has a limited budget, wants "new" guns, and has a wife who watches the checking account closely. If you have experience and can relate, please share. (Yes, I'm looking for a friend 😂)
What length do you want to seat out to? Do you reload?
 
Last edited:
You can send your barreled action to PBB and they will make you a Remage barrel for $460 plus $125 to remove the old one and install it for you. Call Bryce for assistance. Great guys and have made multiple barrels for me.

 
Now that I'm older (50) I'll share my two cents…
I have played with savages, Ruger americans and done Remages… I've done the "I need to save money" builds and am around a community of shooters that are always trying to spend as little as possible…
Chasing ballistics and accuracy I relate to trying to find the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow"
At least 9/10 the budget builds will not give the consistent accuracy…
They will print some amazing groups at times but that unexplained flier will always show up…
If your expectations are of having a 1-1.5 MOA setup realistically then do your remage…
I finally broke down and cried getting two impact actions with an extra bolt that covers 223 bolt face , 308 and a magnum bolt face…
It is so much easier to do prefits this way… And these setups are consistent!
I am not awake at night anymore trying to figure out the issue of "the fliers"
I can land in the top 5 when I compete…
Practice with your 243 and less slippery wind bullets while saving up for a nice build…
Your not giving up as much as you think with the 243… Especially if your practiced in the wind…
Cry once buying a nice custom action and never look back!
 
I'll start this by saying I have not done a Remage setup. I have considered it but I always go with a quality barrel chambered by a competent gunsmith and I have never been unhappy.

That said, are you ok dremeling out your stock for the barrel nut? Have you actually seen a Remage setup and are you ok with the look (I personally am not). Do you have the tools to break loose a stubborn factory installed barrel? What is your plan if you can't get it off? Are you ok possibly ruining your factory barrel? What is your plan if you do it and it doesn't shoot; especially if you have ruined your factory barrel (likely) or torqued your action potentially out of square?

DIY Remage style pre fits sound good but present many potential issues and you need to be prepared to deal with those.

Personally I would buy a quality barrel blank, and pay a good smith to do the work. You'll probably come out cheaper overall and have a better product.

If you want to consider DIY in the future, buy an action that is set up for shouldered pre fits. R700 factory actions just aren't consistent enough for this.
 
I have not done it myself…

A guy o used to powerlift with but did not shoot with did the remage on his 7RM. Got everything from northland shooting supply. The thing he told me was getting the factory barrel off was the hardest part, as in he was at the cussing fit, slipping a 4 ft pipe over the breaker bar hard to get off.
 
I have helped a buddy rebarrel a savage, so the back half of the install would be similar to the remage build. It is certainly possible to do, but at that point I think the cost of a bighorn origin is hard to pass up on. Lots of prefit options over the counter and you can install them easily at home, and it's on an action that's a significant upgrade from even a blueprinted r700.
 
I have rebarreled with shouldered pre-fits and variable shoulder pre-fits (remage barrel nut). The remage is easy and has been discussed quite a bit in this thread. The shouldered look better in my opinion, but often require at least a truing kit to get them to fit. I have the kit and always true them up to make them shoot better. I do not oversize the threads, I think that fad is dead. I have done 6 rebarrels of 700's, 721's, and 722's. Taking off the factory barrel is a biscuit and I typically weld them to a heavy beam at my work and crank on them with the wheeler action wrench. Get yourself one and a good barrel vise. I am even buying a lathe next year to be able to do short chambered barrels and eventuallychamber myself. Only a few smith's in my area and only one is accepting work, he is 9 months out from starting something, so I do everything myself now. Even applying a new finish to the actions. Good luck!
 
I've replaced a lot of barrels, mostly shouldered prefits. My experience with remage barrels is that they're half assed and I wouldn't do it again. An R700 should go to a gunsmith to be blueprinted and a barrel fit to the action and at that point you could have a better custom action and a prefit for less money.
That's your opinion and your entitled to but lots of folks here are screwing tubes on Remage and Savages with great results
 
Who has replaced their own barrel on a Remington 700 in a different caliber? I'm thinking of converting my 243 to a 6CM simply because I'd have more room for the longer boolits. My understanding of the process is that I would need a barrel vise, an action wrench, and go/no go guages for the new caliber. The bolt face is the same.

I have a custom rifle on an old 700 action. It is an absolute tack driver, but the gunsmith blueprinted the action and the bolt. Can I expect the same precision without blueprinting? I'm not a machinist. Just a regular guy who loves rifles that shoot exceptionally well, has a limited budget, wants "new" guns, and has a wife who watches the checking account closely. If you have experience and can relate, please share. (Yes, I'm looking for a friend 😂)
It's not that hard, holler if you need any help
812-264-6183
 
Top