I found my winter project! I picked up a Remington 700 ADL syn/stainless in 7mm rem mag with a 26 inch barrel on Sunday morning. The previous owner told me it was junk and he had only shot it 20 times and had a hard time getting rounds to chamber and it wasn't minute of paper accurate. Still had the original Remington special 3x9 scope and everything. Gave it to me for 250 bucks. I figured what the heck. Can't buy a stainless magnum action new for much less than 400 to 425.
So, I bring it home. Try to chamber a piece of empty brass. Difficult. There was hardly a mark on the bolt lugs. Gently lapped the lugs which helped immensely. Still some drag when chambering empty brass. Noted some drag marks on the brass. Went to polishing the chamber. Brass slides in nicely now.
Traded out rings, bases, and scope. At the range by 12:30 to try out the barrel. I have a motive here...
Had some new brass loaded for fire forming in a different rifle. Loaded 150 BTips over 59.0gn IMR 4350. Bore sighted scope, one shot down range, adjusted scope, confirmed zero with a second shot. Next 3 shots went 0.661 at 100 yards, two touching and 1 out. Cleaned and repeated. Second 3 shot group, 1.151 with 2 touching and one out. The trigger sucks lemons... Third group 0.704. Forth group 0.482. Both 2 touching 1 out.
Called the guy back to see if he wanted to buy it back at a slight premium so I wouldn't feel too guilty. He said it was meant to be if I was having such good luck with it.
Now, my plan. Since I am already reworking a different rifle which should be wearing a new barrel sometime in January, I had hoped this factory barrel would be decent enough to just rechamber it into a 7-300 Winchester magnum for something to play with. Will add a Timney trigger, work my magic on the stock to reinforce and pilar bed it.
Sometimes life is just grand.
So, I bring it home. Try to chamber a piece of empty brass. Difficult. There was hardly a mark on the bolt lugs. Gently lapped the lugs which helped immensely. Still some drag when chambering empty brass. Noted some drag marks on the brass. Went to polishing the chamber. Brass slides in nicely now.
Traded out rings, bases, and scope. At the range by 12:30 to try out the barrel. I have a motive here...
Had some new brass loaded for fire forming in a different rifle. Loaded 150 BTips over 59.0gn IMR 4350. Bore sighted scope, one shot down range, adjusted scope, confirmed zero with a second shot. Next 3 shots went 0.661 at 100 yards, two touching and 1 out. Cleaned and repeated. Second 3 shot group, 1.151 with 2 touching and one out. The trigger sucks lemons... Third group 0.704. Forth group 0.482. Both 2 touching 1 out.
Called the guy back to see if he wanted to buy it back at a slight premium so I wouldn't feel too guilty. He said it was meant to be if I was having such good luck with it.
Now, my plan. Since I am already reworking a different rifle which should be wearing a new barrel sometime in January, I had hoped this factory barrel would be decent enough to just rechamber it into a 7-300 Winchester magnum for something to play with. Will add a Timney trigger, work my magic on the stock to reinforce and pilar bed it.
Sometimes life is just grand.
