Gunsmithing Remage barrel. What else can/should i do while im at it?

[Adam4pt6]

So I'm looking to do a remage barrel on my 700. The gun is currently chambered in .308 and I'll be going either 6.5cm or 6.5x47. I've done a ton of research here on the topic, but everything is just talking about Installing a barrel. What I'm wondering is, what else can it should I do while I'm swapping barrels to improve upon the action I have? My intent is for this to be a DIY kind of thing.

Also, if I decide to leave my .308 alone and find a used 700(possibly not in .308) instead would installing a 1 piece replacement bolt be a big deal? From what I see everyone stresses about head space, but since I would be doing both the bolt and the remage barrel at the same time that should take care of that problem right?

 

[spife7980]

A good true barrel nut and recoil lug are the other things.
You could send it off to have the action trued. But you would want to make sure they dont true the threads so that you can still use the remage.

You would still want to make sure that the back of the bolt lugs are true to the action lugs with a new bolt where they contact one another. The bolt should be fitted to the action.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Ah, I should have mentioned that. Yes a new recoil lug and a good barrel but are definitely on the to do list.

I would like to avoid sending it off, and would like this to be a DIY kind of thing. I understand that sending it off would be better, however I like to tinker with things and would rather do it myself

 

[Mordamer]

Ah, I should have mentioned that. Yes a new recoil lug and a good barrel but are definitely on the to do list.

I would like to avoid sending it off, and would like this to be a DIY kind of thing. I understand that sending it off would be better, however I like to tinker with things and would rather do it myself

If you are doing a 6.5x47 or using small primer pocket brass in a 6.5 Creedmoor you will probably need to have the firing pin hole bushed and firing pin turned down to a small pin diameter. This is not a DIY project, but there are Smith's like Gre-Tan that you can just ship the bolt to. You may be ok without bushing the bolt, but you might Pierce primers. Other than that I think you just need more bullets, brass, powder, and primers.

 

[flyer]

The ARC Barloc for Remage should kill a few birds with one stone.

The toroidal geometry should reduce any need for truing the receiver face or threads and it gets you the barrel nut and recoil lug you need any way.

The Remage aspect of it lets you headspace to your bolt.

The thread tensioning aspect may let you do the job without buying a barrel vise or action wrench so it could be cheaper considering that.

You should probably true up or lap your recoil lugs for good contact with your new bolt while you are at it.

 

[MikeInUtah]

fyi, factory rem700 barrels are a bitch to take off. You will probably need a barrel vise, action wrench, breaker bar, go & no-go gauges at the least. Maybe some chemicals or heat to break it free as well.

 

[Adam4pt6]

If you are doing a 6.5x47 or using small primer pocket brass in a 6.5 Creedmoor you will probably need to have the firing pin hole bushed and firing pin turned down to a small pin diameter. This is not a DIY project, but there are Smith's like Gre-Tan that you can just ship the bolt to. You may be ok without bushing the bolt, but you might Pierce primers. Other than that I think you just need more bullets, brass, powder, and primers.

That's another reason I was wondering about the ptg bolt. I could order it with a small firing pin. I'm just not sure if there is more to fitment besides headspace with those bolts, or if headspace is the only thing typically and if that's the case I would think its non issue since in swapping barrels anyway?

 

[Adam4pt6]

The ARC Barloc for Remage should kill a few birds with one stone.

The toroidal geometry should reduce any need for truing the receiver face or threads and it gets you the barrel nut and recoil lug you need any way.

The Remage aspect of it lets you headspace to your bolt.

The thread tensioning aspect may let you do the job without buying a barrel vise or action wrench so it could be cheaper considering that.

You should probably true up or lap your recoil lugs for good contact with your new bolt while you are at it.

Ok. I'm looking into this now. So in theory I should be able to buy a bolt, barloc and barrel and be good? From what I'm seeing it seems that simple...

 

[flyer]

It's one way to do it. If you try a pre-fit barrel, you have to make sure it has enough thread but it should be pretty straightforward.

 

[vitalemj]

If you're going to get the new PTG bolt with the smaller firing pin hole wait to true up the bolt lugs. If you're doing it at home the easiest way is to remove the bolt and char the back of each lug black with a lighter or candle. Then reinsert and close the bolt and remove it again. Wherever the black was rubbed off is a high point. Carefully knock down the high point with a few strokes from a fine file. Repeat these steps until all of the black is rubbed off both lugs when the bolt is closed. Keep in mind this is not truing the action or lugs to a perfect 90degree mate as is the case with blueprinting. This is just truing the current bolt lugs to the current receiver so if you are going with the PTG upgrade wait until you have the bolt you are sticking with.

You could also grab some Marine Tex and some floor or car wax and bed it to get a match fit with the stock. You can also bed the scope rail to get a match fit to the receiver while you have the Marine tex or JB Weld out. People are even going as far as bedding the rings to the scope as opposed to lapping them in an effort to get the perfect match fit.

You can safely adjust the factory triggers down to just under 3 pounds with no creep while the action is out of the stock.

The barrel nut and prefit market is taking off due to the ease which the DIY market has found with being able to safely set headspace and achieve sub-MOA accuracy for less money and without the wait of sending their rifle off for what could be months to get a barrel shouldered.

 

[Adam4pt6]

I appreciate the info. So currently the barrel, lug, nut and accompanying tools are all sitting at the house waiting for me. So is an MPA chassis and a trigger tech trigger. The only missing piece is the action, I'm either going to use the .308 action I currently have, or ill just pick up another factory action(I still have a couple of months on this work trip to decide). I will be taking the advice to bed the rail(if needed), but the chassis should be fine I would think. I went 6.5creedmoor so i could get away with a standard firing pin. But being able to run small primer lapua brass would be ideal. With the ptg bolt I get that headspace wont be an issue because I'll be installing a new barrel at the same time, but are there other issues or things to address with the bolt change besides headspace?

 

[Badfinger]

fyi, factory rem700 barrels are a bitch to take off. You will probably need a barrel vise, action wrench, breaker bar, go & no-go gauges at the least. Maybe some chemicals or heat to break it free as well.

I agree, a few rifles back instead of tearing up my Remington rifle I sold my .308 barreled action and bought a new stainless 700 action off the net for $373.00 and a McRee barrel kit in .308 and it shot amazingly well way under their half inch guaranty!

 

[Deleted member 10043]

I would go with a 260.

 

[Adam4pt6]

I would go with a 260.

Too late. I went with the creedmoor already. I already have a rifle in 6.5cm(RPR), and I'm already set up with everything I need to load for it. Both of those swayed the decision to stick with 6.5creedmoor

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Got it

 

[cwinston]

Be aware that if you are replacing the bolt with a one piece bolt it may still require fitting even with a remage barrel nut system. I recently had a Ptg one piece bolt that would not close on a new action. I needed to face the back of the lugs on the bolt to make it work properly.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Ah ok. Thanks for that. So far all of my research has only shown headspace to be a concern. So that's good to know, thanks man