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What can be done?

imbradm

Private
Minuteman
Jun 11, 2012
21
0
38
Sherman, Texas
I have a Remington 700 sps tactical .308 (just like everyone else).

I was just curious as to what can be done to a bolt action rifle? As far as smithing options or aftermarket purchases ie. trueing the action or blue printing?? Not sure what that actually does. Lapping the bore, or aftermarket triggers, stocks, bedding the stock or the scope base, polishing the action.. what are my options and what will they do for me?
 
Re: What can be done?

You know, I am usually one to go the extra to help a brother out. Most folks will give you a link to the google toolbar at the bottom right.

I think it will be better, in this case, for you to research why you need those upgrades, and if you feel you are at a level to make any of those upgrades count.

Your rifle, as is, should shoot between 1-1.5 moa out of the box (with FGMM or SW ammo 168 smk). If you want an upgrade, look at an HS or B&C stock, then the best scope you can afford and go shoot.
 
Re: What can be done?

change the trigger and shoot it till the barrel is done for, by then you should not need to post on a forum to get every swinging dick's opinion on what your rifle needs
 
Re: What can be done?

I was in a hurry and I think my post was a bit vague. The things I mentioned are things I understand. With the exception of the blueprinting. What im trying to ask is what other options are available beyond your typical trueing, triggers,stocks, and bedding... Are there any options out there that arent so typical, things u do or add that you personally find that helps you that others may not do. Or tricks of the trade if u will that someone fairly new could use. My fault for the terrible original post.
 
Re: What can be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: George63</div><div class="ubbcode-body">change the trigger and shoot it till the barrel is done for, by then you should not need to post on a forum to get every swinging dick's opinion on what your rifle needs </div></div>

Brad, as respectful as possible, this is really good advice.

The two main things I would do are new trigger and a bedded (or no bedding needed) stock. That said, without shooting it a lot, you'll never know what you want/need. Sometimes you have to drive a beater to know if you need a vette or a hummer. Shoot your rifle and figure out if you want a chassis or a traditional stock, single or double stage trigger. In all likelihood, that rifle in a good stock with a nice trigger will be able to shoot better than you are capable for a long time. By that time, like George said, you won't need to ask.

My Remington 700 .308 has an aftermarket stock and a trigger job, it shoots better than I can. Last time at the range 4 of 5 made one hole at 100yards with the outlier .5 inches away (1st shot).

Check out LoneWolfUSMC's page for recommendations. And read read read here on the hide. The topics been covered a bunch, I was there not to long ago (and still am in many ways).
 
Re: What can be done?

What George 63 said.

Save your money now, with the exception of the trigger, and put it into ammo and glass.

Then shoot the ever loving begeebus out of it, and when you have worn the barrel out, or if you exceed the rifle before that, then put the money into truing it, better barrel, etc.

Essentially, every mod you listed will increase the intrinsic accuracy of the rifle.

I have seen guys that have $10K+ in a custom rifle with awesome glass, that can't hit the broad side of a barn because they don't have the fundamentals learned, and they don't have the trigger time to drive a very nice rifle to its potential.
 
Re: What can be done?

I wouldn't worry to much about truing the action or blue printing. Most of the SPS Tacticals that I've seen were good shooters. You first concern should be trigger time. If you don't reload, that is where I would start, assuming that you have a good mount and scope setup.

As for upgrades, this was my upgrade path.

1. Trigger.

2. Stock

3. Barrel

4. Detachable Magazine.
 
Re: What can be done?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BradMiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> What im trying to ask is what other options are available beyond your typical trueing, triggers,stocks, and bedding... Are there any options out there that arent so typical, things u do or add that you personally find that helps you that others may not do. Or tricks of the trade if u will that someone fairly new could use. </div></div>

anything that is special that can be done is usually not worth doing on the rem or other factory actions - lots of clones out there that come out of the shop the first time with everything that can logically be done instead of remodeling an existing action

the main problem is there is too much variation in the "reworking" of factory actions that is not an issue with good shop built actions

the rem and savage actions are mostly damn good as they come, it is the barrels that vary
 
Re: What can be done?

Most people build a gun according to their budget, The above listed items in that order are a good place to start. But the advice about shooting the hell out of it is the best advice you'll get. If you're new to this community, you'll soon find out that precision rifles are like an old hotrod... money pits. I've seen a lot of great shooters do just fine with not-so-expensive builds, and others with full custom builds that don't do so well. Learn to shoot and you'll know what you need. Subscribe to some of the online training here on the hide. It'll save you money in misses down the road.
 
Re: What can be done?

If the stock isn't bedded, I would start there, followed by a trigger adjustment by somebody who actually understands triggers.

The optic mounts should be gone over to correct any installation flaws, and whatever you can spend on an optics upgrade to a moderately good scope. I like the Weaver (V-16, or better, V-24) products as a fairly good compromise between cost and quality.

Shoot it until you wear out the bore.

A good rifle needs a good barrel, and a good barrel needs a good lug and trueing/blueprinting. This may be all you need.

If not, then a good stock, I like McMillan, B&C Medalists are also used by a lot of my fellow shooters.

If the trigger you have doesn't shoot (for you) well as the trigger your buddy has, get a trigger like theirs.

Never get anything you haven't tried first.

I only have one reconfigured rifle and it started as a Savage 10FP.

Greg