I was at the range a few months ago when I ran into a local shooter that was packing up to go home after sighting in some hunting rifles. I asked how it was going and he said one rifle was okay and the other one was horrible. It was a Remington 700 long action with a cheap plastic stock, chambered in 270.

According to him, there was no consistency and he was all over the paper and shots were shifting six inches!

I introduced myself and told him I was a custom gun builder. He asked me to see if I could do anything to make it shoot better so I took the rifle home. I looked at the rifle and told him if he wants a good accurate hunting rig, he'd need to have me rebuild the rifle completely. We went over options and we decided on the follwoing:

-Hogue overmolded stock with full bedding block and pillars in ghillie green https://www.hogueinc.com/remin...-block-ghillie-green

-Kreiger #5 sporter SS 5R barrel .30 cal 1:10" twist with a 0.670" muzzle, 22" long (23" blank length, chop to 22" from bolt face). Finished in black oxide, no bead blast, chambered in 30-06, recessed crown.

-Triggertech Primary trigger set to 2.5 pounds

-PTG 1/4" precision ground recoil lug

-New Leupold scope, 4.5-14x50mm with 30mm tube, Leupold rings and bases

HS precision detachable box magazine conversion kit with 4-round magazine

https://hsprecision.com/produc...ine-conversion-kits/

There was NO BEDDING INVOLVED in the building of this rifle. I put it all together and bolted it into the Hogue stock. That being said, it can be bedded around the recoil lug if we want to squeak out more accuracy, but this is a close range pig killer, so it's good enough for the purpose it was built for.

I trued the receiver face and lapped the bolt lugs.



Cutting the barrel...











Finished product...







These were my final zero groups with Hornady 165 grain SST hunting ammo.

Three shots for group:



Two more for final scope zero:



This was my first official custom hunting rifle for a paying customer. He came to pick it up today and he was very excited!

Very nice. Now is that even considered a REM 700 anymore??

I ask because years ago a relative and I got almost matching, custom 22-250 rifles made. We started with a factory REM 700.

When done, the only part factory was the action, and that was doctored with.


Looks very nice, the 270.

Thanks! It sure isn't factory! Also, It's a 30-06 conversion. He decided he wanted 30 cal for hog hunting.

Tony.

So for someone who’s never so much as shot a bolt gun, what makes this “long action”?
And if that question requires more info than you care to type up, I’m happy to Google it.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
So for someone who’s never so much as shot a bolt gun, what makes this “long action”?
And if that question requires more info than you care to type up, I’m happy to Google it.

The bolt and ejection port are longer for the full size rounds, like 30-06, 270, 300 Win Mag, 7mm Mag, etc...

The short actions handle calibers like .223, 308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 243, 7mm-08, 260 Remington, etc...

The bolt requires a longer pull than the short action and the bottom metal and magazines are longer as well.



Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
So for someone who’s never so much as shot a bolt gun, what makes this “long action”?

Thank you for asking that, as I’ve wondered too.

And thank you, Tony, for answering it with pics.

Looking sharp. I’m sure the customer is/will be pleased.

You're welcome! The customer was happier than a pig in slop. He took it to the range and fired one round at 100 yards with different ammo than what I used and went home.



He's stoked!

Tony.

Tony -- looking good.

As Tony states above, the most common actions are short and long. But wait, there's more....

A few companies make a mini-action for 223 Remy sized cartridges. I could have ordered a mini-length-action for my 223 bolt gun, but I chose a short action. The primary reason was so that I didn't limit that rifle to 223-length cartridges, should I decide to do a significant rechambering.

There's an XL action for the true ELR boomers -- the guys shooting at 1-2 miles. It's definitely a larger action than a "long action".

Thanks Tony and Fritz.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Thanks Tony and Fritz.

You're welcome!

Hey, I see you're in Orlando. Swing by some time.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
Thanks Tony and Fritz.

You're welcome!

Hey, I see you're in Orlando. Swing by some time.

Tony.

Yes Sir! Expect me to take you up on that.

One round at 100 yards?? I recall even the stopped watch is correct twice a day. I think we need a 3-5 shot group to confirm the findings.

Hunter mentality...

One shot and he was a believer!

We did shoot it the next day to get some chronograph data for hunting. He was getting 2950 FPS average at the muzzle with Nosler 165 grain Whitetail Country factory ammo.

The rifle was still shooting sub-MOA the next day.

Nice work tony. I have a Remington 700 30.06 that was my father in laws hunting rifle. I wonder if it could be a host for a custom build? something not overly heavy. Hmmm. I really don't need one. But!
Probably not in 30.06. ???

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Nice work tony. I have a Remington 700 30.06 that was my father in laws hunting rifle. I wonder if it could be a host for a custom build? something not overly heavy. Hmmm. I really don't need one. But!
Probably not in 30.06. ???

It would be very suitable for a rebuild! Think about what you want and let me know.

Tony.

I'm curious as to what you found in the factory rifle that made it unfixable. I think any excuse is a good one for a beautiful custom build, like that. I just wonder what was worn out or made wrong on that rifle.

Bruce

It wasn't unfixable. I could have got it to shoot better with just the stock alone and a better trigger.

I offered this solution to the owner but after talking about options, he decided to make it a custom hunting rifle with top components.

The stock was the biggest culprit. It had no support at all and can be found at Pacific tool and gauge for $15. Yes, fifteen dollars...

That and a better scope plus the trigger would have had that original 270 barrel shooting nice. He just wanted more.

Tony.

How soon before you start taking in blanks and doing pre-fit barrels? This is a beautiful piece of work. I’m happy to see you bringing your talent and attention to detail to the bolt action world. I’m definitely going to have to get a project to you before too long. Great work!

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
How soon before you start taking in blanks and doing pre-fit barrels? This is a beautiful piece of work. I’m happy to see you bringing your talent and attention to detail to the bolt action world. I’m definitely going to have to get a project to you before too long. Great work!

Thanks for the kind words! I can start taking info on your next build and I can thread/chamber a contoured barrel blank.

I don't stock parts, but here's what I charge to build a rifle. Add the services to the parts and that will get you a more accurate estimation on what it will cost to build a rifle.

Custom Bolt Action Services and Labor Rates: (Remington 700 Win Model 70, Savage 110 Series, etc… ):

Epoxy bedding (glass bedding) with pillars: $325

Remington 700/ Winchester model 70 Receiver face truing/bolt lapping: $200 ($150 when combined with barrel install)

Installation of contoured custom barrel blank (Cut tenon, barrel threads, chamber/headspace): $325

Savage pre-fit barrel Installation/headspacing : $75 (includes removal of original barrel)

Function check/ inspection/ test fire: $30 (Free with bedding, receiver face truing, or barrel install)

Muzzle threading: $75

Scope Installation: $35

Tony.