Converting Remington 700 6.5 Creed to 22-250

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I am really so ignorant on this subject that I don't know where to start, so let me kinda lay everything out there for you.

I have a Remington 700 6.5 Creed. It is of somewhat recent manufacture. It has the Black B&C stock with gray splatter and stainless mountain profile barrel. https://gunsarmoury.com/product/rem...ifle-6-5-creedmoor-22-ss-barrel-action-6-5lb/


I can't get it to shoot worth a damn. 2.5 inch 3 shot groups at best. Multiple loads and multiple scopes. I tucked it away and eventually bought another 6.5 Creed that shoots great. I do not need this rifle, don't want to do anything at all to try to get it to shoot well and I don't like selling a dud.

I would love to have this rifle in a 22-250. I prefer the 22-250 as I already have a LOT of brass and dies. I could do a 22 Creed, but for me it would offer nothing over the 22-250 but the additional cost of brass and dies.

I'd like to buy a fast twist 22-250 barrel and have a gunsmith install it for me. Would the existing bolt, extractor, magazine follower work with the 22-250? Anything else I would need to replace, or would this be as simple as a barrel swap?

Assuming a good barrel, should I expect good accuracy? Or might I have to chase accuracy and possibly have a gun that cannot be made to shoot well? Does "blueprinting an action typically solve any action related woes?

What else do I need to consider?

 

[JjamesIII]

Unless the action is grossly out of tolerance, blue printing isn’t usually expected to turn a dud into a shooter. It’s more of a finishing touch to polish up a good gun. Depending on the stock, glass bedding is also a good diy project, and a trigger installation…..but none of it matters if the barrel sucks.

 

[ETtikka]

Sell it on GB, I would not consider it a dud as far as Remingtons go.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Unless the action is grossly out of tolerance, blue printing isn’t usually expected to turn a dud into a shooter. It’s more of a finishing touch to polish up a good gun. Depending on the stock, glass bedding is also a good diy project, and a trigger installation…..but none of it matters if the barrel sucks.

Thanks for the info on blueprinting. I am not a DIY person. Triggers don't improve accuracy. They make it easier to shoot more accurately. I have managed great accuracy with triggers far worse than this one.

Do you know if a good gunsmith would be able to inspect this action and determine if it's worth hanging a new barrel on?

 

[nobody]

To answer your question simply, you obviously know that any rifle can be made to shoot well with enough time and money invested. Any competent smith should be able to get you taken care of and get the rifle squared up and chambered properly. You took the words out of my mouth with the fast twist, that was going to be my first suggestion. Dad has a Winchester M70 Stainless Varminter from the mid 90's he got brand new in box a couple years ago somehow, and anything above 55 grains is a no-go. But it's a nail driver with anything from 40-55 grains. It's made him a ton better at calling wind!

Yes, all existing hardware on your rifle (bolt face, extractor, follower, etc.) will work perfectly for the intended purpose. In fact, it's quite common for people to buy clapped out 22-250's and have them re-barreled to 6.5 creedmoor, simply because all it does require is a barrel, no other mod's. You're just doing the reciprocal, so there's no reason it shouldn't work.

The only thing to consider is how deep your pockets are. I've never actually done it, but a few years ago I had a shot out first production year model 700 that was chambered in .270. It had been severely abused and neglected, and the bore was pitted and rusty. But mechanically it was solid, and I picked it up for $100. I was going to build from it and I got with a good 'smith to go through the build list. By the time he would've stripped the action, blueprinted and trued it and prepped it, I would've had more money sunk into it than a new custom action would've been, and at the end of the day I still would've had a Remington Run a cost analysis, there's a good chance you'll come out better in the long run by working with something other than than Remington.

Many times, the 700's just aren't worth putting money into because of how much work they need to get them to an acceptable starting point. If it was me, I would stick the thing on local classifieds or GB (with full disclosure of your inaccuracy findings) and send it down the road, and put the money towards either a custom action or a stripped action that's ready to go, like a Tikka or something.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Sell it on GB, I would not consider it a dud as far as Remingtons go.

My hope was that this would be a focused, constructive thread. I have had perhaps a dozen Remington rifles over the years and have never had one that wouldn't go MOA with 3 shot groups. That aside, I consider this rifle a dud and I don't like to sell duds. I thought that was abundantly clear in my post.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

The only thing to consider is how deep your pockets are. I've never actually done it, but a few years ago I had a shot out first production year model 700 that was chambered in .270. It had been severely abused and neglected, and the bore was pitted and rusty. But mechanically it was solid, and I picked it up for $100. I was going to build from it and I got with a good 'smith to go through the build list. By the time he would've stripped the action, blueprinted and trued it and prepped it, I would've had more money sunk into it than a new custom action would've been, and at the end of the day I still would've had a Remington Run a cost analysis, there's a good chance you'll come out better in the long run by working with something other than than Remington.

I have had very good experiences with Remington rifles, so I don't mind putting SOME money into this one. I just don't want to chase better accuracy to the point of a new custom rifle. I am perfectly happy with this stock and this trigger. A local smith advertises this: "Barrel Installation (fit barrel to action, chambering, cutting and crowning).....Starting at $350" My plan is to buy a barrel already cut and ready for installation. I can get a McGowan for $375. I'd be at $700 if the barrel swap got the job done. Bedding would run about 200 if it needed that. I'd be okay with sinking a grand into this if it got me good hunting accuracy.

 

[nobody]

I have had very good experiences with Remington rifles, so I don't mind putting SOME money into this one. I just don't want to chase better accuracy to the point of a new custom rifle. I am perfectly happy with this stock and this trigger. A local smith advertises this: "Barrel Installation (fit barrel to action, chambering, cutting and crowning).....Starting at $350" My plan is to buy a barrel already cut and ready for installation. I can get a McGowan for $375. I'd be at $700 if the barrel swap got the job done. Bedding would run about 200 if it needed that. I'd be okay with sinking a grand into this if it got me good hunting accuracy.

If memory serves me right, back in +/- 2017 when I was going to do this, the smith I found in Idaho was about $450 to remove the old barrel and install a new one, $450 for the fluted barrel I wanted, and $350 to blueprint and true including a new welded-on/integral recoil lug setup. Then I was going to be about $400 into a stock and $150 into bedding and fitment. So all-in-all I was going to be $1250 minimum, and that's assuming I was dropping it back into the factory stock.

Basically what you need to decide is if you would pay +/- $350 to fix the rifle. Either way, you'll be doing a new barrel and bedding it, so the determining factor is $350 for blueprinting the action. Chances are it will shoot afterwards, so if you really love the rifle, then have at it man. Everybody has their own opinion on what they like and what works for them, which is why you need to decide if the rifle is worth putting $350 into.

The other thing to consider is your sanity. How much is that worth, and will you always have a voice in the back of your head wondering if the thing is going to start behaving wonky after working on it? And how risk averse are you? If you put the time and money and effort into it and it STILL doesn't shoot, you're not going to recover those funds ever. Can you absorb a risk like that? If you can and you're willing to try, tinkering can always be fun.

 

[BjornF16]

I've had two Remington 700s trued, re-barreled and bedded in order to turn into shooters. The only one I didn't have to mess with was the R700 5R 20" .308Win which was a shooter from the box.

If you keep it, I'd go 22 CM 7" or 7.5" twist...should be less case stretch than the 22-250 (unless you go Ackley). But nothing wrong with 22-250 if you don't mind the extra brass prep.

 

[ETtikka]

I have seen savages and Remingtons that shoot fine also, but for the ones that do not, it sometimes takes quite the investment to fix them. I would talk to a rem 700 specialist smith first and at least see what they recommend in your situation, the actual rifle you have is sweet indeed, very well balanced with that stock. I had one in 243.

 

[BjornF16]

One of the rifles I had trued, rebarreled and bedded was a R700 Mountain SS in .280 Rem. Went from scatter gun to very accurate rifle.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I have seen savages and Remingtons that shoot fine also, but for the ones that do not, it sometimes takes quite the investment to fix them. I would talk to a rem 700 specialist smith first and at least see what they recommend in your situation, the actual rifle you have is sweet indeed, very well balanced with that stock. I had one in 243.

There's a local smith who has a good reputation with Remington work. I thought about taking it to him, letting him size it up/inspect it and going from there. Just didn't know if a good smith could inspect one in assembled form and make any judgments about its potential.

 

[letrbuck]

To answer your questions,

Yes a swap to a good barrel in 22-250 by a competent smith should give you an accurate gun. A good bed job never hurts and they're easy to do by yourself if you want to. I wouldn't worry too much about blueprinting, but I'd guess the smith will square the action face which isn't a big job and should help a bit too.

I've been wanting a fast twist 22-250 as well, and I'm not a fan of Creedmoors so you're doing what I'd do...

 

[Wrench]

There's only a few things that cause a rifle to shoot totally awful.

Screws touching the barrel or bolt.

Mag box bound tight.

Loose optics/hardware

Crap/fouled barrel.

A smith can run through all the above checks plus lug engagement in under an hour.....so, there's your first hundred bucks.

You could clean it and wipe the lugs with dye to check them yourself. A piece of tape on the case head will load the lugs.

Screws can be marked on the end and installed to verify zero contact. Mag box should be able to wiggle ever so slightly with the screws loaded or barely backed off.

Borescope is your only hope on the bore.

 

[ETtikka]

Accurizing a rifle

I would love to get a custom rifle, but my wallet says other wise. Anyone here ever get their rifle accurized and if so can recommend a good company to do so? Also, are their any off the shelf rifles that are best to do this with?

rokslide.com

 

[JjamesIII]

Thanks for the info on blueprinting. I am not a DIY person. Triggers don't improve accuracy. They make it easier to shoot more accurately. I have managed great accuracy with triggers far worse than this one.

Do you know if a good gunsmith would be able to inspect this action and determine if it's worth hanging a new barrel on?

I would disagree about the importance of a trigger. You’re always going to shoot better with a quality trigger. Not necessarily the most expensive- but a crappy triggerwill degrade accuracy noticeably so. I feel it is money well spent in regards to one chasing accuracy. If “minute of deer” is good enough- have at it with a stock trigger. But when you mentioned blue printing a 700 action, I naturally assumed accuracy was a priority.

In regards to a good smith for the job- any reputable guy should be more than capable of doing the job. It’s fairly pedestrian type of work for their craft. I mean, don’t take it to your nearest Cabela’s gun counter “smith”- but any guy worth his salt has blueprinted/trued a rem 700 action. A good entry into trying the barrel job yourself would be buying a “short chambered” barrel and finishing it yourself with a reamer and some go/no go gauges. It’s not hard, you can even rent the few tools needed cheaply online. Just throwing that option out there. Good luck on the project, let us know how it turns out.

 

[HandgunHTR]

If you are good spending to a grand to get a shooter, then I would say just go ahead and pull the trigger on replacing the barrel.

Rather than doing a full blueprinting, which cleans up the receiver threads, but also makes it such that they are not the standard REM barrel threads, my recommendation would be to have them just square up the face and true up the lug to action fit.
LRI calls that their Type II action work for Remage barrels.

In regards to recommendations, if you have a good smith locally, then by all means, use them. If not, then LRI, Southern Precision (bugholes.com), and Ragged Hole are all good options. All of them usually have barrel blanks in stock and will chamber thread and fit them to your action.

One more thing to consider is going the Remage route. I have done two this way (a 260 Rem and a 7TCU). Both times I had LRI clean up the action and flute the bolt. I used a McGowan prefit for the 260 and a Wilson prefit done by Ragged Hole for the 7TCU. Both shoot great.

 

[RyanT26]

It absolutely can be done. My dad had a Remington 700 .308 that at best was 1.75 3 shot groups. After he died I tinkered around with the gun for years trying to get it to shoot better. Free floated the barrel, about $300 worth of different ammo, different action torques, etc but it still shot the same.
Last year I sent it into a gunsmith and had it re-barreled, the action blueprinted, pillars installed and bedded into the original Woodstock. It is now stupid accurate, and I wish I would’ve did it earlier.
Looking at it from a purely financial point of view it was a bad investment. And I would’ve been better off going with a custom action. But the gun holds a lot of nostalgic value so to me it was worth throwing all that money into a Remington 700 action and old wood stock.

Most of the gunsmiths I talked to would not rebarrel it without blueprinting the action first. But there might be guys out there that will.

 

[Wapiti1]

So, yes, it is as simple as having a new barrel put on. The rest of the action parts will work with 22-250.

Up to you if it's worth it or not.

Jeremy

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Good info everyone. I appreciate it. I am going to call the local smith tomorrow.