I've got a Rem 700 Mtn LSS 7mm-08 that I replaced the barrel with a .243 barrel and now want to switch back to 7mm-08; however, I don't want to put the old "skinny" factory Mtn LSS barrel back on.

I'm not trying to build a dedicated bench rest rifle here. It's going to be a hunting first & range rig second; however, I do want a tack driver. I definitely want something that will consistently shoot sub MOA with my hand loads and the smaller the group the better. I want to stick with a 22" stainless barrel as that is what the Mtn LSS came with & matches stainless receiver, etc. I want to use a laminated stock to maintain the overall weather proof properties of the rifle. I guess basically all that I’m keeping from the old Mtn LSS is the Rem 700 short action receiver.

This is a first time build for me so I would appreciate any “things to consider”, “watch out fors”, barrel and stock recommendations, build recommendations (bedding, floating, chamber, twist rate etc) and basically any guidance you’re willing to provide.

Thanks a bunch
firstshot

Featherweight barrels are not necessarily inaccurate.
i.e. they can be accurate.

Although a stiffer barrel is usually more accurate.

You can still use the same factory stock. Just have your gunsmith open up the bbl. channel.

Was the factory bbl. not able to put out a decent group?

My advice if you want the best chance at an accurate standard weight hunting rifle is to bypass the rem action and go Stiller, use a Kreiger barrel, and go synthetic stock to save weight(laminate stocks are heavy).

Depends on what you want to spend.

You could send the action off to be trued and a barrel added.

Or could just take it to hill country and have them build a barrel for it or do both.

As far as stock pillar and bed is a must imo.

Budget, budget, budget.

this maybe project engineer in me, but speaking as a person getting who is also a newbie in the custom rifle game i think you should set your budget even before coming back to this forum. Trust me when I say the following, if you leave it open ended I garuantee you will get suggestions that will make your build multiple thousands of dollars. Setting the budget beofre getting recommendations will basically get people to share what was their "best bang of the buck" accuracy move.

Ex:
If you got only $500 to spend on this project now, getting a straight barrel, un-chambered for $350 is not the best move. However, if you got $1500, then yes the higher end barrel is worth it. It's all relative to budget.

Korean Rednec and all

Yes, you are absolutely right …. After seeing the $900 & up pricing for a Stiller actions I see what you mean. Like always… it’s exactly as you say….. Budget, Budget, Budget.

OK…. I just want a hunting rifle that is better than factory, so lets proceed with a $1,000 budget which hopefully will put everyone into their "best bang of the buck" mode.

My stock Rem 700 Mtn LSS with the skinny barrel would shoot MOA with my hand loads. If I can't do better than that with upgrades, maybe I should just put the 7mm-08 barrel back on it and call it good.

firstshot

Is there a way to "stage" the upgrades so I'm not putting out all the $ at once and still keep the rifle in hunting condition?

If so, then budget is not as big an issue.

firstshot

Since the barrel change is nearly a must for you, here is what I'd od if i were in your shoes.

I think you should look into getting a Shilen that is short chambered. From my limited knowledge of these types of builds, Shilen has the highest return of the quality for the price in terms of barrels.
http://www.shilen.com/ptcBarrels.html
If you have a gunsmith near you that you have faith in, there won't be a ton of extra cost in chambering. Your personal smith will have to cut the shoulder to length and I would have him true up the action as well. I've seen a few a places online that will true up the action and install a new barrel anywhere from $300-500. After that I would get an aftermarket trigger, because I personally hate any Remington trigger.

That will be right around $1k. This way you have the big ticket item out of the way (truing action and barrel upgrade) and you can still save up for a stock if you decided to upgrade their and do this in stages.

Oh yea, don't be afraid of a little weight on your barrel. Not necessarily for improved accuracy, but if you plan at all on doing longer distnce shooting where you shoot multiple shoots in one sitting, then a heavier barrel will be invaluable in terms of not messing up your barrel due to overheating.

In broad terms the more money you invest in materials and labor the higher your odds are that the end result will be accurate. More money=higher odds. That's why I suggested what I did, per $, that is going to have your odds the highest that you will get a tack driver.
Lower end barrel-lower odds
Un-blueprinted action-lower odds
Pre threaded and short chambered barrel-lower odds

Most gunsmiths will have good results getting a Remington trigger to preform.

Pillar bed

True action, including bolt face, locking lugs.

New barrel.

Should get 1/2" groups.

1. a lot of factory rifles will shoot 1/2 or less groups


2. you cannot do anything but true the action face if you use a short chambered (pre threaded) barrel. In truing, the actions threads are re-cut meaning the new already-threaded short chambered barrel wont fit right.

3. truing lugs on a non-raceway reamed and non-custom fitted bolt remington wont do anything. the trigger will lift the bolt ever so slightly off a face. suppposedly anyway. until you take out the bolt slop/raceway taper, dont bother. real truing involves a new custom fitted bolt.....$$$

4. dont do anything with the stock till everything else is done. I have 2 guns that shoot 1/4moa in cheap plastic factory stocks. one factory rem, one fancy barreled savage.

5 to make a rem action as good as a custom costs a lot.
you may not....no...will not be able to tell the difference in a trued factory action. unles you are a disciplned benchrest shooter. Now, a dam good barrel, yea. you should be able to see that if you have high power scope and good bench equipment. a 3x9 and one sandbag wont cut it. that's just luck

6. it will be months before you see the gun again..and if the smith aint busy...well...

Timbertoes, I agree but the situation he is current in has him needing to change the barrel back to a 7mm-08 and budget restraint. From my understanding of the process, getting that much work done would mean he would have to reuse he factory barrel because it would eat up most of his budget. Which would in turn lead to another round of getting a straight barrel and custom fitting again later at much greater cost.
Once again, this is based on what people have told me so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
My gunsmith told me the best bang for the buck move if I was set on getting a new barrel, which I was too to change calibers, was get light machine work on the action (cleaning up the threading on both the receiver and barrel, squaring off the face of the recevier, install a heavy recoil lug properly, and then finsh off the barrel).

Disclaimer, the only reason I'm even giving input even though I'm relatively new to custom rifles is because I was literally in the exact same situation with my hunting rifle and this is what I came up with after alot of reading and asking around. I'm sure there is a likely chance I could be completely wrong.

Get a new custom barrel (about a #4 or $5 contour) and chamber it to the caliber of your choice. Have the gunsmith tune the factory trigger about 2#. Bed the stock (factory or custom) to the action, and go shoot. You can easily have a 1/2 moa gun with good ammo. The factory trigger will work fine, unless you want to spend the money on a new Jewell or Timney. This will get you shooting the most accurate for the least amount of money. The savings can be spent on good ammo, which is the next major neccessity.

+1 on what Chad said.

Depending on budget you can swap the stock out for a Manners, McMillan or Stockade. I believe the more vertical grip of the A-5 T-4 style stock provides better trigger control.

DO NOT SCRIMP ON GLASS! You can't hit what you can't see.

Thanks so much to all of you for your input !!!

I'm going to take this route:
• Have either a Shilen or Kreiger barrel chambered and installed.
• Not going to worry about truing the action at this time (can it be done later?)
• Leave trigger as is. I’ve already adjusted it to ~2Lbs and it’s great.
• Get a new laminated stock. Original laminated stock was cut down for my son.
• Pillar bed action to stock and free float barrel

Hopefully this will get me to where I want to be.

firstshot

Good plan.

I've got several sub MOA rifles and none of them have had the action trued.

cut down your factory barrel it will "stiffen" up the barrel.

That is true. The shorter the barrel the less a load has to be tuned to the harmonics. In other words a .308 with an 18" barrel will not be near as picky on powder charge as a .308 with a 26" barrel.

Shortening the barrel will cause you to loose muzzle velocity.