Getting Work on a Rifle

[StillLearnin]

I am planning on getting some work done an my rem. 700 BDL 30-06 this summer and am looking for some suggestions.

I plan on having a muzzle brake brake installed and having the barrel re-blued, the trigger weight reduced to about 2.5 pounds and am also planning on putting a laminate stock on it to replace the wood.

Is it possible to shoot factory ammo and still have a highly accurate rifle?

And is it still nesscary to bed or pillar bed the barrel since I will be using a laminate stock??

I don't plan on starting this transition for about a month so I am open to suggestions and any ideas you guys have. thanks.

[VTbowman]

Re: Getting Work on a Rifle

I feel factory ammo is very accurate.

I was getting sub 1" groups at 100 yards with my Remington 30.06 bolt and factory ammo...

I had trigger work done and that was it.

The muzzle break is un-needed IMHO on a rifle 30.06, especially with a heavier laminate stock, but that personal preference...

I would get the lam stock pillar bedded since your getting it all set up. JMO

[AJ]

Re: Getting Work on a Rifle

The changes you are planning are part of the accuracy equasion. Just adding a new stock will not guarantee accuracy. It will not change the accuracy you have now unless your existing stock has bad bedding. I definately recommend at least glass bedding the action, preferably pillar bedding the action and floating the barrel in both cases. This will do more for average accuracy than most of your other mods.

Remember, one or two small groups does not mean your gun is accurate. The average of multiple groups is the true story. I like to average 15 shots, either 5 different 3 round groups in a lightweight sporter or 3 different 5 round groups out of most sporters and heavier barreled guns to get and idea of what it will truely do.

The muzzle brake will help in the fact it reduces recoil. It will not make a 2" gun suddenly shoot sub MOA. It will kick less which will make the shooter more accurate. There is the pressure wave that the shooter has to deal with though along with the increased muzzle blast.

Can a rifle be accurate with factory ammo? Sure, but what do you consider to be accurate? If you are content with a gun that will average 1 - 1.5 MOA, which is actually pretty good, it can be done. If you want sub MOA average, be prepared to spend a lot of range time testing out different bullet weights, different loads by different manufacturers. You are still dealing with the factory barrel. That is the main component of the accuracy equasion. It's the luck of the draw.

Now you can see why spending $1500 on a semi custom gun is not so far out there. Spending $600 on a rifle, then adding $200 for a new stock, $150 for pillar bedding, $50 for a trigger job, and the gun may still shoot 1.5 MOA. Then have a new barrel added and it jumps the price another $500. But now, you have a good shooting gun. Its the "pay me now" or "pay me later" syndrome.

[StillLearnin]

Re: Getting Work on a Rifle

Well the muzzle brake and trigger are to help me be shoot the gun more accurately. And for comfort I want a more vertical grip than the current stock provides not to mention I would like it to be more durable.

I guess I am not trying to make the actual gun more accurate just more "user friendly"

But I will take your advice on pillar bedding the action. But why float the barrel instead of glass bedding or pressure bedding?

[AJ]

Re: Getting Work on a Rifle

[ QUOTE ]

But I will take your advice on pillar bedding the action. But why float the barrel instead of glass bedding or pressure bedding?

[/ QUOTE ]

Of the few dozen centerfire rifles I have bedded, I have not found one that shot better groups when the barrel was touching something. The drawback to pressure bedding or a full bedded barrel is heat buildup. Most of the times when I see a gun that strings the shots as the barrel heats up the barrel is touching the forend. Once they are properly floated, it shoots a consistant group time after time until the fouling gets too bad and the bore needs scrubbing. I like about .050" or 1/16" clearance around the barrel, not just slip a dollar bill between the barrel and stock. I want it truely floated.

[too_pointer]

Re: Getting Work on a Rifle

I prefer to slip a $5 bill over the barrel, is that better