Remage fans - I need some insight

[Winny94]

I'm helping my brother set-up a rig. He is on a reletively tight budget, but the problem is he wants something for precision/long range shooting, amd also a hunting rig. That got me thinking about a Remage as he access to the action and a chassis system. I *think* that would allow him to get 2 barrels, but my questions are;

What sort of prep needs to go into the action - is pinning the recoil lug necessary (preferred)?

Who are some of the go-to for the barrel(s)? What can we expect to pay for each barrel?

Lastly, is it really as easy to change barrels as I've read? Gauges, torque wrench, and a vise, or is it more involved?

Thanks for any help or input.

 

[JMGlasgow]

I went with a Criterion stainless. Barrel, recoil lug with alignment pin, and barrel nut cost just under $400 shipped. Then I had the barrel shortened 3" and threaded at the muzzle, cerakoted, and installed by a friend for a bit more money. From what I've seen, it looks pretty straightforward to install the barrel if younhave the right tools. No prep of the action is necessary as the barrel is pre threaded for the action in stock form. I didn't do anything to my action, and it shoots far better than I can on a regular basis.

Northland Shooters Supply has all the tools needed, and you can order the Criterion barrel from them. Their tool can also hold their recoil lug in place if you don't want to notch the action for the pin.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Nothing to it more than what you've seen. You can buy a recoil lug alignment tool for cheap so no real need to pin it.

Mcree has some fantastic prefits right now. They are made by pacnor for mcree to his specs. Come as a kit with wrench, nut and they're threaded muzzle. They have some good calibers added this season including 6.5cm and 6cm plus many others.

 

[LawnMM]

Buy a CBI barrel and the tools from Northland. You used to have to notch the action for the alignment pin on the NSS lug but they have a tool that bolts onto the action wrench and aligns it for you now. You need a barrel, tools, gauges, a vice, and a torque wrench.

 

[Winny94]

Thanks for the help so far. So if I'm reading the NSS site correctly, the following tools from them will be the only tools I need to purchase (I have access to a torque wrench, bench vise, and gauges already).
Taper Loc Recoil Lug system ($25)
Bbl nut wrench ($18)
NSS Action Wrench ($60)

The barrel w/nut will run $328. I already have access to a quality recoil lug, can I use any lug, or is the NSS lug required?

When swapping barrels, does each need it's own nut amd lug, or can they be used on multiple bbls?

 

[Hoier]

I would purchase the recoil lug I suppose it's not needed. Also you can use the lug and nut on different barrels, there is no advantage to buying 2 nuts/lugs.

 

[Supersubes]

What does he want to hunt with it?

 

[LawnMM]

Thanks for the help so far. So if I'm reading the NSS site correctly, the following tools from them will be the only tools I need to purchase (I have access to a torque wrench, bench vise, and gauges already).
Taper Loc Recoil Lug system ($25)
Bbl nut wrench ($18)
NSS Action Wrench ($60)

The barrel w/nut will run $328. I already have access to a quality recoil lug, can I use any lug, or is the NSS lug required?

When swapping barrels, does each need it's own nut amd lug, or can they be used on multiple bbls?

I don't know how many lugs that alignment tool works with and you're only saving a couple bucks. I'd buy their lug so you know it all fits and works together. You can use the lug and nut on any barrel you buy from them.

 

[supercorndogs]

The only recoil lug alignment tool I use, is my eyeballs. My action wrench has one, but its not hard to see if the lug is alined. Putting Remages together is easy. Getting the factory barrel off is the usually the tough part. A decent barrel vice and action wrench are recommended.

 

[Sierra770]

The taper loc recoil tool seems to be fitted for NSS recoil lug. As others have said, just buy the recoil lug. It is a quality lug. The taper loc has never failed to line my recoil back up to the same place. I have a bedded stock that won't tolerate a out of wack lug and it fits time after time.

I have a fair amount of experience with both McRee and CBI Remage (2 McRee and 3 CBI) barrels. Neither brand really demonstrate and accuracy advantage over the other. The one advantage you have with NSS/CBI is that you have more length and profile options. I think McRee's profile is great, but variety is the spice of life. LawnMM was actually the reason I swapped from McRee to NSS/CBI barrels and I haven't looked back.

Bison Gun Works is a small shop and I have "heard" they make good barrels, but have no first hand experience. I am thinking of giving them a try.

I have used 1 trued action (no thread work) and 2 untrued actions (just replace barrel and go) and in my option the truing isn't worth the extra money.

As far as barrel swaps, it sounds good when you are buying all this stuff, but extra barrels grow into extra rifles. Most guys I know that shoot remage barrels are timid about barrels swaps once they get their rifle dialed in. I swap frequently between 6.5CM and .308, but every time I do a swap there is always the "I hope this thing stills shoots well when I put it back on" in the back of my mind.

Good luck and welcome to the Remage Club.

 

[Winny94]

The taper loc recoil tool seems to be fitted for NSS recoil lug. As others have said, just buy the recoil lug. It is a quality lug. The taper loc has never failed to line my recoil back up to the same place. I have a bedded stock that won't tolerate a out of wack lug and it fits time after time.

I have a fair amount of experience with both McRee and CBI Remage (2 McRee and 3 CBI) barrels. Neither brand really demonstrate and accuracy advantage over the other. The one advantage you have with NSS/CBI is that you have more length and profile options. I think McRee's profile is great, but variety is the spice of life. LawnMM was actually the reason I swapped from McRee to NSS/CBI barrels and I haven't looked back.

Bison Gun Works is a small shop and I have "heard" they make good barrels, but have no first hand experience. I am thinking of giving them a try.

I have used 1 trued action (no thread work) and 2 untrued actions (just replace barrel and go) and in my option the truing isn't worth the extra money.

As far as barrel swaps, it sounds good when you are buying all this stuff, but extra barrels grow into extra rifles. Most guys I know that shoot remage barrels are timid about barrels swaps once they get their rifle dialed in. I swap frequently between 6.5CM and .308, but every time I do a swap there is always the "I hope this thing stills shoots well when I put it back on" in the back of my mind.

Good luck and welcome to the Remage Club.

So can you consistently get a .5 MOA group from both? (I see McRee has a .5 moa guarantee). If accuracy is a wash, it looks like NSS may be a marginally better buy.

 

[Sierra770]

I am a huge fan of both companies. You can't go wrong with either and actually the value is roughly the same. It really depends on the contour and length you want.

NSS barrel $300
Muzzle Threading $75-100
Wrench $28
Nut $28
Lug $27

$458 - $483 From NSS

McRee $449 Currently
All included

Both charge about $15 dollars shipping

I have come to love CBI's Bull profile for everything.

After I found what each barrel liked, they all became .5-.6 MOA barrels on average and all of them have shot 5 round groups in the .25 and .3 range. During load development and ammo testing there have been several loads that go above 1 MOA or larger, that is normal. In my limited experience, it is rare to find a barrel that will .5 MOA group everything you feed it. Those barrels may be out there but I am either too poor or too cheap to buy it.

Scott McRee is one of the finest guys in the industry and he stands behind his products. The .5 MOA guarantee didn't even factor into my purchase. I knew that buying from him would mean that if I had a problem, it could get someone to answer the phone. He does and he will. There are too many variables out there (ammo, skill, chassis, optic, etc) for me to use an accuracy guarantee as part of my decision making process.

McRee Story:
When I got my two McRee 6.5 CM barrels, one barrel shot factory ammo consistently in the .5-.75 range (5 round groups) and the other in the .8 to .9 range. I called Scott and we worked together on solutions and it turned out it was a problem other than the barrel. It worked out. I since started hand loading and the performance became even more impressive. If it had been the barrel, Scott would have made it right.

Criterion Story:
I had a .308 barrel that I bought from James K at NSS not legacy James B. It is a very accurate barrel as well as a fast barrel...but secondary extraction was a bit sticky on about 10% of the rounds that were fired. I called Criterion and talked to Stephanie about the issue. A day later, Steve Dahlke (The President of the Company) called me back, we talked about what was happening and he asked me to send him some fired brass. A day after the brass arrived, Steve called and said that he saw a couple of places where the chamber could use some polishing and asked me to send it in so they could give it a good going over. I have 3 Criterion barrels (2 Bull and 1 Varmint) and this is the only issue I have had.

I used the customer service from these two companies and I am very happy with how it all worked out.

Buy with confidence.

 

[ForeverZ01]

Working on doing a 783, got the barrel ordered and was told 16 weeks lead time. They say the tool to hold the lug doesn't work with the 783, does anyone have any experience with the 783 action?

 

[spife7980]

I have come to love CBI's Bull profile for everything.

You dont find it too heavy for an everything rifle; basically just a straight 1" tube, right?
Ive been shopping them and it looks like the varmint remage is the closest match to a bartlein medium palma which is what I am aiming for, someone correct me if Im wrong.

 

[Sierra770]

You will be happy with varmint profile if med Palma is your goal. It's slighter lighter than med palma.

I don't find the bull too heavy. The bull isn't as heavy as you may have in mind because there is no shoulder and very little taper.

 

[ForeverZ01]

I like their heavy sporter contour for a hunting rifle.

 

[BLAMM]

just something to bring up here. McRee barrels are made for them by Criterion. You are essentially talking about the same barrel a lot of the time. McRee just has them cut to the length and contour that they like.

 

[supercorndogs]

The taper loc recoil tool seems to be fitted for NSS recoil lug. As others have said, just buy the recoil lug. It is a quality lug. The taper loc has never failed to line my recoil back up to the same place. I have a bedded stock that won't tolerate a out of wack lug and it fits time after time.

I have a fair amount of experience with both McRee and CBI Remage (2 McRee and 3 CBI) barrels. Neither brand really demonstrate and accuracy advantage over the other. The one advantage you have with NSS/CBI is that you have more length and profile options. I think McRee's profile is great, but variety is the spice of life. LawnMM was actually the reason I swapped from McRee to NSS/CBI barrels and I haven't looked back.

Bison Gun Works is a small shop and I have "heard" they make good barrels, but have no first hand experience. I am thinking of giving them a try.

I have used 1 trued action (no thread work) and 2 untrued actions (just replace barrel and go) and in my option the truing isn't worth the extra money.

As far as barrel swaps, it sounds good when you are buying all this stuff, but extra barrels grow into extra rifles. Most guys I know that shoot remage barrels are timid about barrels swaps once they get their rifle dialed in. I swap frequently between 6.5CM and .308, but every time I do a swap there is always the "I hope this thing stills shoots well when I put it back on" in the back of my mind.

Good luck and welcome to the Remage Club.

I just draw a line on my receiver and recoil lug and realign it after the barrel swap. I was worried about it because it is bedded too. It seems to have worked. I have gotten a couple barrel from apache gun works as well. The I only have 50 rounds or so through each of them but both easily shoot sub moa during load development. The later is a 22-250 in his heavy shorter contour. It is .750 at the muzzle, so plenty of meat for threats and a good shoulder for your can. I liked it so much I got another in 6.5 creedmoor just the same, well almost the same. I wanted a short barreled hunting rifle so I had him cut ti to 23". Felt weird, not asking how long they could make it with out any extra charge.

 

[Sierra770]

just something to bring up here. McRee barrels are made for them by Criterion. You are essentially talking about the same barrel a lot of the time. McRee just has them cut to the length and contour that they like.

That used to be the case, but I believe McRee is using PAC Nor barrels now.

 

[Badfinger]

I just bought one from Scott last week and it's a Pac-Nor. Great barrel! The barrel is chambered in .308 1:10 twist, 22 inches long, threaded on the muzzle, and I just finished putting it together today. I wiped it out and shoot a few groups with some ammo I had, there were 185gr. 175gr. and 168gr. loads. Out of eight 3 shot groups @ 100yds six of the groups had two through the same hole. I like this barrel.