How important (or not) is it to have a Rem 700 action trued and(or?) blueprinted?

[NorthIdahoDude]

I have burned up a bunch of Criterion blanks. The ones chambered by Criterion shot okay. Almost always around 1/2-5/8 moa for 5 shots and 1 moa for 10 shots. One barrel shot phenomenal.

And that's about what I was expecting - a true cone of fire around 1 to 1.25 ish MOA, with nine out of ten 3 to 5 shot groups being better than that. I feel like that's a pretty reasonable expectation for a prefit barrel in the $350-$450 price ballpark.

And to be honest, I feel like this barrel could probably get there, in a more precision action, hence this thread.

Take it for what it's worth. If there was no sentimental reason to keep the action, I would tell you to scrap it.

If there was no sentimental reason to keep it, I would be scrapping it without you needing to tell me!!! hahaha

 

[AKAV8R]

It varies with that particular action. Plenty of guys see improvement with blueprinting. I have not done it. There are so many factors, as stated previously. I have four bought new Remy bolt guns, and a couple used guns that shoot lights out after very little load development and other tweaks. I'm not saying they shoot 1/4" ten shot groups, but well under 1". I hear horror stories all the time, who doesn't. I'd bet 90% of accuracy issues on a Remy or other rifle is self induced or very easily fixed. Cheers.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Range Report with different scope (and rings, since I went from a 30mm to a 1 in): No change. If anything, it shot a bit worse today, but it was cold and rainy, so I'm not gonna quibble over 1/4 MOA one way or the other.

 

[Formidilosus]

Range Report with different scope (and rings, since I went from a 30mm to a 1 in): No change. If anything, it shot a bit worse today, but it was cold and rainy, so I'm not gonna quibble over 1/4 MOA one way or the other.

Send it to a legit gunsmith- @longrangelead is very good one.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Send it to a legit gunsmith- @longrangelead is very good one.

I'm definitely thinking real hard about going that route, if for no other reason than for my curiosity to know how much it does (or doesn't) matter to have it all trued up and worked over.

But the more rational part of me thinks dropping $200-$300 ish to do a bunch of work on an action that will always be an 80s model Rem 700 with the worst out-of-alignment scope bases I've ever seen in the wild is probably silly. Especially when this gun would be just as sentimental if it was hanging on my wall in the pretty wood OEM stock with iron sights and a cheap 4x scope on it.

But if I do that, then what to do with the 280AI barrel...

Oh well, things for me to think about -- and at this point my local range is closed for the season as of tomorrow, so I'll figure out what I want to do over the winter.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'm definitely thinking real hard about going that route, if for no other reason than for my curiosity to know how much it does (or doesn't) matter to have it all trued up and worked over.

But the more rational part of me thinks dropping $200-$300 ish to do a bunch of work on an action that will always be an 80s model Rem 700 with the worst out-of-alignment scope bases I've ever seen in the wild is probably silly. Especially when this gun would be just as sentimental if it was hanging on my wall in the pretty wood OEM stock with iron sights and a cheap 4x scope on it.

But if I do that, then what to do with the 280AI barrel...

Oh well, things for me to think about -- and at this point my local range is closed for the season as of tomorrow, so I'll figure out what I want to do over the winter.

Sentimental is the reason I suggested getting it fixed. A proper smith can reweld the action base holes, and drill and tap properly. Then fix the rifle.

 

[longrangelead]

In reality, the barrel can be the limiting factor. Some hammer, some don't.

I've had this barrel on two actions now. It started on my wife's rifle, now mine. It's a Krieger Palma in 6.5PRC.

I was worried it wouldn't shoot as well on a different action. Early on I tested a bunch of UM ammo, factory ammo and hand loads. This barrel simply shoots everything inside 1" or less.
The above groups was a powder scale test to see if measuring to the kernel actually made a difference.

Small sample size so it looks insignificant...

Anyway, I've had custom barrels never shoot this good and factory barrels shoot this good after lapping and recrowning on a trued action.

Truing the action almost always measurably reduces group size in my experience. It's not always 2.5" down to ¾", but a significant reduction.

An example, the last Rem I did was a budget build for a young man with limited funds. I took a early 90's 30-06, trued the action and bolt, etc., cut the barrel down to 20", lapped it, rechambered it to 300PRC, set headspace with a ptg lug and bedded it in the factory stock after lightening it.

It was shooting Hornady Precision Hunter ammo into ¾" when I gave it to him.

 

[Schmo]

No offense to @NorthIdahoDude, as I know his piece is sentimental. But this thread really brings to mind how well/consistent Tikka actions are!

 

[longrangelead]

No offense to @NorthIdahoDude, as I know his piece is sentimental. But this thread really brings to mind how well/consistent Tikka actions are!

And I'd rather not spend my days fixing Rems when all in a Tikka is better and cheaper for an average hunting rifle.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

No offense to @NorthIdahoDude, as I know his piece is sentimental. But this thread really brings to mind how well/consistent Tikka actions are!

No offense taken! My main 'seriously accurate' rifle is a stainless Tikka T3 with a Shilen barrel in 7x57, and my main 'seriously accurate' rifle before that was a Tikka T3 in 308 Win (OEM barrel). Either of those can/could drill 30 rounds into comfortably under an inch with ammo they liked - even with my dumb ass behind the trigger.