Or do most shooters just buy a top-shelf receiver like a BAT, Defiance, ARC etc, that comes blueprinted already?

I'm just getting a feeler because I am thinking of taking a blueprinting class ($1,600) and buying the tools and jigs (another $1,200) so I can offer blueprinting services.

I'm probably going to buy a Rem-700 receiver soon to blueprint it and do a full build for myself. I'd just hate to invest all that cash for services that aren't in demand.

Thanks for your opinions.

Tony.

I posted on another forum and the consensus was that it's not worth it to have a factory receiver blueprinted, but rather to just buy a premium receiver.

I'll still buy the jigs and learn the skill and true up my two Savage receivers. I'll focus more on barrels. It turns out I'll only need the receiver jig, the receiver bushings and the indicator rods. The rest of the truing is lathe work and thread chasing.

I talked to Frank at Bartlien Barrels today and we discussed making shouldered barrels for my Savages and doing away with the barrel nut. Basically make a Remington style barrel for them.

Tony.

Benny, is there a reason to shoulder them besides the ease that savage nut gives? My local gunsmith said he prefers to shoulder than use a barrel nut system. But I didn’t think to ask at the time

In my conversation with Frank, he said he didn't see a clear-cut difference between shouldered and nutted actions. Both shoot very well, but the barrel nuts do have the added disadvantage of having a third set of threads which may fit looser on the barrel than the receiver.

He also mentioned that buy using a shoulder, you can have a larger contour at the chamber which is restricted on a barrel nut gun by the thread size of the barrel nut. By removing the nut, you start with a heavier contour.

He stated he won't make a pre-fit nutted barrel for Savage or Rem/Age because customers complain the fit of the barrel is too loose or too tight. He makes shouldered barrels for Savages if he has the action and can match the thread size and he even contoured one a long time ago to look like it had a barrel nut, when it actually was a shouldered barrel.

Tony.

I hope you find it worthy of the involvement and investment.
If if was in that business I would be inclined to participate even just for the experience.
Lot of Rem 700's out there.
Who knows ~ my Rem700 5R is going to need a new barrel and it would be a good time to go over it an blue print it.

REM 700’s kept gunsmiths in business for decades! Good barrels that could shoot twice as good with a decent blue-print kept lots of gunsmiths kids fed….

Today I would wonder if the money spent on trueing up crappy spec 700 receivers might be better spent on tooling to chamber and mount barrels on today’s dead square custom actions.

Personally I’d bet on the future when spending my money on tooling but your money spent is up to you!

………. FWIW Who builds off of 700 action’s anymore????

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:

………. FWIW Who builds off of 700 action’s anymore????

That was my exact question! I don't think anyone does, except the M40 clone crowd. But I don't know how big that crowd is.

But for someone looking for a legit gunsmith, maybe it's qualifying factor for someone seeking a good gun plumber. I can tell you that if I had my choice, I would only build M14's off chassis systems. They are so much less work, but bedding jobs are labor intensive and I can't call myself a M14 builder unless I offer those services.

I thought perhaps it's the same with action truing. Maybe people see it is a qualifier of a competent precision rifle builder.

I can tell you, when it comes to "clone rifles" these guys have some deep pockets. Especially the M21, XM25 and M25 crowd. The DMR crowd isn't that much different.

Tony.

Well I recently picked up a Remington M24 model 700 that I would send to you. Rifle was originally owned by the Army, surplussed to a local Sheriff organization, then traded in when they changed sniper platforms. I acquired it with the Leupold scope, Badger rail and scope rings, deployment case, etc.
No idea how many rounds, it still shoots decent. Would like to have it gone over, blue printed and make sure it’s good. Plan on keeping it the rest of my days.
Have 2 other Model 700’s sitting in the box from around 2012. A .308 and 6.5 Creedmore, both 5R barrels. Would probably get those done as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Sauer Kraut:
Well I recently picked up a Remington M24 model 700 that I would send to you. Rifle was originally owned by the Army, surplussed to a local Sheriff organization, then traded in when they changed sniper platforms. I acquired it with the Leupold scope, Badger rail and scope rings, deployment case, etc.
No idea how many rounds, it still shoots decent. Would like to have it gone over, blue printed and make sure it’s good. Plan on keeping it the rest of my days.
Have 2 other Model 700’s sitting in the box from around 2012. A .308 and 6.5 Creedmore, both 5R barrels. Would probably get those done as well.

That's great! Send me an e-mail with your contact info and I'll let you know when I'm all tooled up for it.

Tony.

I’d like to see you take the class and buy the jigs and send you business.

Tony,

It's never a bad idea to have the ability to "blue-print to your bag of tricks...

If you have the capability I would have it done with all my Rem 700 barreling jobs...

Wes

Okay, my curiosity has finally won out: What does “blueprinting” a rifle receiver mean?
When I first saw the title of this thread, I assumed it meant something like designing a receiver using a CAD system, but evidently not. (I don’t recall ever running across the term before.)

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
What does “blueprinting” a rifle receiver mean?

It's a simple Google search.
The 'smith is truing the surfaces of the action so that they all are 90 degrees (i.e. concentric) to the bore. With this done, the recoil forces move in a straight line with the bore, and the bullet travels down the bore with less deviation.

benny6 -- Go for the training if you wish. I suspect your blueprinting business will be minimal. Factory actions are made from lower grade steels than custom actions. Thus, the 700 action will wear more quickly than a custom. For low volume shooters this won't be an issue. For people who shoot enough to consume multiple barrels, they will bypass any 700 action and go straight to a custom action. You won't find Remy 700 actions with high-volume PRS-type competitors.

Ah, thanks.
I should have anticipated that it was one of those gun-related terms that clearly means exactly what the words say.

And once again I apologize for asking about a gun-related term on a gun forum. I keep trying to be a better person, but that little devil sitting on my shoulder sometimes gets the better of my good judgment and convinces me to do some incredibly stupid thing that annoys all the smarter people here.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I should have anticipated that it was one of those gun-related terms that clearly means exactly what the words say.

And once again I apologize for asking about a gun-related term on a gun forum. I keep trying to be a better person, but that little devil sitting on my shoulder sometimes gets the better of my good judgment and convinces me to do some incredibly stupid thing that annoys all the smarter people here.

Roll your frickin eyes all you want. Do it twice, whatever. Google works.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
benny6 -- Go for the training if you wish. I suspect your blueprinting business will be minimal. Factory actions are made from lower grade steels than custom actions. Thus, the 700 action will wear more quickly than a custom. For low volume shooters this won't be an issue. For people who shoot enough to consume multiple barrels, they will bypass any 700 action and go straight to a custom action. You won't find Remy 700 actions with high-volume PRS-type competitors.

Thanks! That's the data I was looking for. Being from the battle rifle world, I was unsure about the PRS/F-class type shooters. To reiterate, I'm expanding my abilities and I'm going to focus more on barrel installation/fitting and chamber cutting for precision. I just sold some items and am purchasing more tools that I've been needing to do more jobs.

I'm set up for 308, 30-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 260 Remington for now, so I'll be spending a lot in the coming year(s) on other chamber reamers as well.

Tony.

Tony,

What would it cost to get set up for .223?

Wes

quote:

Originally posted by Weshowe:
Tony,

What would it cost to get set up for .223?

Wes

The cost of a reamer, headspace gauges an indicator rod and a pilot set.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I should have anticipated that it was one of those gun-related terms that clearly means exactly what the words say.

And once again I apologize for asking about a gun-related term on a gun forum. I keep trying to be a better person, but that little devil sitting on my shoulder sometimes gets the better of my good judgment and convinces me to do some incredibly stupid thing that annoys all the smarter people here.

Roll your frickin eyes all you want. Do it twice, whatever. Google works.

He may have been asking so others who don’t know might learn.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Ah, thanks.
I should have anticipated that it was one of those gun-related terms that clearly means exactly what the words say.

And once again I apologize for asking about a gun-related term on a gun forum. I keep trying to be a better person, but that little devil sitting on my shoulder sometimes gets the better of my good judgment and convinces me to do some incredibly stupid thing that annoys all the smarter people here.

Actually, I think the term “blueprint” is stolen from automotive. Folks at least used to “Balance and blueprint” an engine.