Staged Upgrade

[Malinois]

Hi,

if I bought a Remington 700 that would ultimately end up as a donor after it was shot out. How much of a difference to accuracy would putting a new stock and trigger on it prior to rebarreling?

 

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[1967spud]

Im afraid itrs not as simple as that i wish it was

[Malinois]

It never is

 

 

Ian

[bradders]

Edit your post

[Malinois]

Edit your post

Was that just a reminder

[trucraft]

Replacing the factory stock with something that's solid, fits you and has a proper bedding job will probably give good results.

Though If you don't currently handload then finding the best load for the rifle will undoubtedly give you the most improvement over any other modification.

[Malinois]

Cheers. Yes I do reload. So I would be able to get the best out of it.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[BuckhurstBen]

I agree with trucraft on getting a better stock could aid in accuracy, depends ok what your ultimate goal is though, lightweight hunting, varminting, paper/steel punching as to what type you might go for, also personal taste. An upgraded trigger such as a Jewel or Timney with a lighter crisper break could also be of help by letting your shots off more consistently.

Ben

[Malinois]

Hi,

Thanks. I like long range varminting and gongs. I would like to get something with the same bolt face as a 6.5 Creedmoor but simply don't have silly money to throw at guns at the moment.

 

Ian

[BuckhurstBen]

Yeh I know the feeling Ian, I,d love to build a gun around a nice custom action but it ain't gono happen. Have gone down the same route with all my rifles that started off as stock factory models which have slowly been semi customised. If your after a 6.5 Cm in the end there's some great calibers you could start off with such as 22-250, 243, 308.

[ejg223]

Alternatively to a remmy you could get a Tikka T3 in 308. They are just about all shooting well at the moment, trigger is good out of the box and if you bed the action right in your aftermarket stock no re-bedding will be needed after re-barrelling.

If the aftermarket stock is stiffer, properly free floated and ergonomically better than the original you will probably shoot much better.

edi

[gbal]

Though difficult to measure,experienced accuracy shooters usually see the barrel as by far the most important factor in precision,action second,then trigger (all assuming reasonable other components).

As other posts say,which components need to be assesed wrt what useage,and for stocks,also personal fit,and ultimate useage compatibility.

With the better current factory options,your ambitions would have to be high,to really justify much extra expenditure (over say a bettter scope),and your skills correspondingly good to achieve the accuracy (what the shooter puts in,esp wind skill ) even if some precision (physical bits-rifle,ammo) can be bought.

 

The .473 bolt face (308 etc) is a good future proof choice,and good component reloading will pay dividends with whatever rifle.

 

Pride,pleasure and learning (or mistakes!) have to be costed separately!

 

gbal

[Malinois]

Some good replies coming up.

 

 

Thanks

 

Ian

[Malinois]

I was reading a review (Don't ask where as I've read loads). It was suggesting that if you are intending to go out to a 1000 yards it is not a bad idea to start with a .308 as opposed to one of the better performing cals as the .308 teaches you to really, really get to know the effect of wind on a round on those kind of distances. Would those in the know agree?

 

 

Ian

[Gandy]

I would say to a factory rifle build a good accurate load and make sure the trigger breaks crisply at a weight you can use.

 

Anything else will have a small impact and is most likely vanity; speaking from experience.

[gbal]

I was reading a review (Don't ask where as I've read loads). It was suggesting that if you are intending to go out to a 1000 yards it is not a bad idea to start with a .308 as opposed to one of the better performing cals as the .308 teaches you to really, really get to know the effect of wind on a round on those kind of distances. Would those in the know agree?

 

 

Ian

Ian, That's how I started,mentored by a shooter who had moved on to a better 1000y cartridge,but with his 308Rem VSSF,with a good track record-for a factory rifle -at 1000y.

Having now moved on too,I really don't think what I learned about wind with the 308-ie wind is THE factor in LR shooting,would NOT have been learned with the better cartridges (up to Shehane,and in custom rifles). The wind just blows them a little less,but it remains the critical judgement call.

And,it was hard to see any learning from groups up to twice the size,other than that the 308 was not one of the better tools to use,though it's jack of all trades versatility is undeniable. I think that a better 1000y cartridge would have been more encouraging-

because it simply gives better results,but none-NONE- remove the wind reading skill needed. The better cartridges give 'better' performance though,and that is encouraging for a beginner....you still have to see it all in comparison with other shooters using the same cartridge,of course,but once you get consistently to 1 moa and below,it all begins to be more satisfying.

I still have the 308,and the cartridge is a good all rounder-but it's not the horse for the 1000y course,unless you are artificially limited to it's use. (the counter to that is open competition does become something of an equipment race-but I found settling for sub moa was easier to live with than double that,given the vagaries of wind and relay,(blows them in ,as well as out),so it's consistency that matters,not an occasional goodie.

OK..308 is fine,given all the considerations-cost etc,and rate of change for the current best,but I can't see any evidence that it's the way to learn better.It is often in a ( factory weight) rifle that kicks a bit-ie isn't a specilised LR rig-and that is NOT conducive to learning-I enjoyed the product of shooting mine,but NOT the process.

 

A 6BR would reward good shooting,and be a pleasure to shoot,yet is vulnerable to wind...and the difference in conditions and results makes the learning point (it's merits had not been picked up on in my 308 days)-and a youngster/tyro can shoot it-though it's not the cartridge for windy days.

One of the better 7mms is probably the modal choice; and 7mms differ very considerably,catering for a wide range of shooters.

 

gbal

[Malinois]

Another great reply. Thanks Gbal.

 

I had seen a 24 inch varmint barrel 308 for sale. I was thinking to use it, get into the habit of range shooting, do the staged upgrade and go for a 6.5 barrel later next year. I am little recoil aware but when I previously owned a 308 for deer I just put a Pachmyr decelerator on it.

 

I know either way ultimately I am going to have to shell out thousands.

 

 

Ian

[dave thorniley]

hi last jan, I bought a brand new remmy varmint synthetic, never been shot, in 243 so you don't after break the bank, it cost £500 and shoots like a dream, and I think the guy as a couple left for sale. regards dave.

[Malinois]

Also seen a nice Tikka 22-250 but long range is way out of the question for that. Would make a nice donor though.