What should I do to my 700P?

JelloStorm

JelloStorm

Gunny Sergeant
Minuteman
Feb 23, 2010
1,409
4
43
Northeast Pennsylvania
#1
Hey everyone,

I got a never-fired Rem 700P 26" .308 and was wondering what everyone has done to their 700's. I originally planned on getting a McMillan A4 stock but I kinda really like the HS Precision that's on there now.

It has the Xmark trigger which is pretty cool, might try to lighten the pull up just a bit. Just wish it had a little more surface area for my finger. I'm too used to my old PSG-1 trigger pack I used to own.

I was thinking about getting the action bedded and maybe the bolthead turned down a hair. My father is teaching me how to hand load my own 308 rounds and we keep our bullets pretty close to the lands, so I expect I should be able to get sub-moa out of this bad boy.

I really wanted an M40A3 for quite a few years now and the 700P was as close as I can financially get.
 
#3
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Never fired it yet, still gotta get an optic on it.

Just want to get some ideas and see what has worked / didn't really work for everyone else.

I'll probably just bed it and leave it at that for a while but I can never leave something alone for long.
grin.gif
 
#4
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Bedding???
Doesn't your 700P have an aluminum bedding block in the stock?

I have a 700P, with the following.
Timney trigger 1 1/2 lb., Warne picatinny one piece rail & Qd. rings, Horus Falcon H-37 scope, Harris-s bipod, and Karsten adj. cheek piece.

Don't be too quick to run up to the lands, mine likes to jump, .147 off. Running 175 Gn. SMK @ 2654 FPS. It will take at least 500 rds to break it in. Take your time, the better the break in the better it will shoot. Read all you can on breaking in a barrel.

My old one would hold a 10" circle at 1000 before a defective barrel died at about 850 rds., Rem replaced it but I am still in the break in and load rework at this time.

Hope this might help.

 
#5
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

I have one, never did a thing to it. If you want you can adjust the trigger for better pull then shoot it.

If its never fired, you have no baseline to see if any modifications have made it Better or worse. I think you will be suprised how well it shoots right out of the box.

If it dose not shoot, then start with bedding.

Baseline test, Find some 168 or 175 Federal match ammo and shoot. That should be your baseline to see if handloads are better and if any bedding needs done.

If your do not like the feel or fit of the stock, then look at changing the stock. I hated my HS stock so I did change it after shooting it a while.

Willys
 
#7
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

I recommend glass in 10x or less,adjust the trigger if its on the heavy side,and learn to reload for it.My first bolt rifle was a 700p and it would shoot alot better than i thought without any mods added.
Read the Snipers Hide reloading section,there is plenty of info that will get you rolling in reloading.good luck.
 
#11
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JelloStorm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
My father is teaching me how to hand load my own 308 rounds and we keep our bullets pretty close to the lands, so I expect I should be able to get sub-moa out of this bad boy.

</div></div>

That's going to be a fair trick on a Rem factory barrel. Those things have throats Jenna Jameson would envy. But precision isn't directly correlated to how close to the lands you can stuff a bullet. Sure, some of the VLD's want to be in there, but 175SMKs can tolerate quite a bit of jump and still shoot just fine. Take a box of FGMM out to the range and try it out before you start jacking around with it.
 
#12
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Put some good glass on it first
plan on spending $1k for glass

Shoot the snot out of it, as you gain experience you will know whats needs tweaking or not
 
#13
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

I agree, shoot first then assess. Like you, I got a 700P to practice on and train on before buying a custom rifle. I ended up trying all kinds of things, some I liked more than others.

Here's what I did:
- Tried multiple scopes
- Cut barrel to 18"
- Installed Jewell trigger
- Mounted suppressor
- Got Eagle stock pack
- Tried a few bipods
- Tried a monopod
- Tried the TIS quick cuff sling
- Bedded stock

10-18-08-762-SDon700Pside.jpg


In the end, it gave me a good idea of what I wanted in my custom build. First things first though, try it without fiddling first and then see what is and isn't working for you. What may work well for one person may not work well for you.
 
#14
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Like others on here have told you, shoot it first. If it has the HS precision stock on it you will more than likely not want to do anything else to it. I would definately get the trigger dropped down to 1.5 or 2 lb's. The only thing I would do right now is get some good glass and shoot 500 or so rounds through it. I would be willing to bet you a case of beer that you will end up doing nothing else to it!
 
#15
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Don't go cheap on the scope if you intend to reach out to 1000 Yds., Vairable to 20X, 30 MM tube, look at the reticles offered, Mils. or MOA, first or second focal plane. Nightforce, Horus, US optics are the mid range price area for good glass. Steel one piece base and rings.

I know it seems like a lot of info. coming at you from everyone but everything works as a system and all parts must work together including the most important part you.
 
#16
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

With all do respect, I didnt read 2 pages of posts in order for me to say SHOOT IT! Then Shoot it some more.

With the exception of making sure the stock rifle is torqued properly, and not 65inch ponds with stock bottom metal, that's about all I would do to the rifle. As probably already stated, invest whatever money you have in a solid base and rings to ensure that is not the weak part of your kit. These items will move and grow with whatever you do in the future.

But I'm sure everyone else has said pretty much teh same.
 
#17
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

The 700P should be fine as it is. My advice on the M40A3, it's more about people who have lots of money, and who want something at least as much for its reputation as for its performance. There's absolutely no reason why your 700P shouldn't be able to shoot in its league.

Verify you have a good bedding and a good crown, then see what load development will buy you.

Meanwhile get a solid, reliable .22lr and shoot heck out of it. It's the most affordable and truthful way to get your skills honed so you can actually tell whether that 700P is worth its salt or not. When you can get ten rounds covered with a quarter at 50ft, your skills are good. When you can do the same thing at 50yd, you're really good. Once that's happening, odds are a lot greater you won't be wasting ammo, or bore life, out of the 700P.

Go for it!

Greg
 
#19
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Greg, already one step ahead of your advice. I have the most accurate, high performance, deadly squirrel sniper rifle on the market... A Savage 17HMR. She's my practice buddy before I'd go home to the real wife, the 700P.

What I was trying to gauge is what brings about the most success with rifles like having the action bedded.

Maybe someone can explain the aluminum bed block and how it really affects anything. I was talking about putting that goopy shit in the stock to "bed" the action to the stock.

And if anyone has tips on lowering the stock pull on the Xmark that would be helpful too.

I'm currently saving for a Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP which should get me the mil/mil ability to really reach out there and fuck something up.

Here in Northeast PA I really don't have the ability to shoot more than 300 yards tho, which sucks but nothing I can do about that.

My buddy said we might be able to get range time at Ft. Indian Town Gap military base on the 800m range, so the 4-16 at human sized target should suffice.

Also, I should be able to use the scope for groundhogs (MAYBE out to 600 yards) if I learn my mil reticle well enough for that type of small-target long-range shooting.

I'll take everyone's advice on trying some Federal GMM ammo before I do my own hand-loads, but I'd like some information on barrel break-in on a 700P, this is a lot different than my chrome-lined AR15's.

What mounts does everyone recommend for a 50mm objective? I was thinking a Leupold 1-pc base and Mark 4 rings. Good enough for .gov / leo than good 'nuff for me shooting paper / rodents.
 
#20
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Do nothing but shoot it. Decide from there what you want to do. I really like the PSS stock for what it feels like. It does feel a bit hollow so the idea to weighten the stock is a very good idea. From there if you like the end result of the stock, again keep it and add a DBM from one of the companies on here. This would be great for just about anyone on here. As a side, I do like the ergo of the A4 stock, it fits me well, not so for some. Get some time behind one before dropping the coin.
As for the trigger, most say they are the first thing to go. I have had no time with the X-mark, but most say switch them. Might be a cheap 50-60 bucks for you.
Have fun.
 
#21
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Chad,

What is a DBM?

Also, why do most people switch out the Xmark? To be honest, it breaks like glass and with maybe a .5 lb removed off the pull will pretty much own anything else that I have, minus my PSG-1 trigger.

I wish it were a 2-stage trigger tho. I LOVED the Jewell trigger I had in my 24" SR-15 build, I had that fucker down to almost nothing and with a little practice on the trigger and some hand loaded 5.56 with Hornady ballistic tips I could beat a 3"x3" area of my targe at 300 yards on a calm to no wind day.

I would love a Jewell for my R700, but I'm not familiar with how to adjust it compared to using a fuckin paper-clip like hook to align spring arms onto a bent buzzsaw-like wheel of the AR type.

If anyone can offer info on the Jewell for the 700 that'd be great, but not a modification I need to make right away.
 
#22
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

I regret ever "building" my 700P. It was a 1/2 MOA-ish shooter right out the box.

Scope it and rock out. That's a good rifle, I even like the stock.

Mine shot BH 175's great.
 
#23
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

I have a 700P .308 26" Barrel.

She shoots fairly well out of the box, i think the best group ive had so far is 0.440 MOA at 100 yards.

Put a scope on it and shoot the crap out of it.

Im putting an AICS on mine soon.

After that I would like to put in a nice trigger. Not a benchrest trigger, but perhaps one that offers a nice crisp, light trigger pull
 
#25
Re: What should I do to my 700P?

Forget the X trigger, rem designed that thing with lawyers. Don't try to adjust it, factory sealed screws, take it off and save it you will need it if you ever have to do a warranty return, and adjusting it will blow the whole warranty, "REM". lawyer trick.

Timney in my opinion is better in the 700P, easy drop in, and easy to adjust.

The aluminum block is put in place when they build the stock and eliminates any need for beding. Metal to metal mount.

Fed 175 Gn. match is as close as you can get to M118LR ammo.

I was able with a lot of research to find out at the time, (2 years ago), the M118LR was loaded with CCI-200 or Fed 210 primers, 42.8 Gns. Reloader 15, 175 Gn. Sierra Matchking Seated 2.800 OAL, 2650 FPS. Don't know if the load is still the same today.

I used 42 Gns. as my starting point and am now running 43.0 Gns. R-15, OAL 2.805, But still working on OAL looking for the perfect sweet spot. Start low and work your way up watch for pressure what is safe for mine may not be safe in yours.

Clean after each shot, first 20 rounds. Clean after each 5 shot group for the next 50 keep it cold with a minimum of 2-3 min between each round, Clean every 20 Rounds for the next 200 Rds. Keep it cold 2-3 min. between each round.
 
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