Bolt Action Rifle

For about $100 less, you can get a Marlin XS7 combo. Every bit as good as that Remington combo (and probably more accurate). The scopes on both of them are "servicable" but not high-quality by any stretch of the imagination.

At least with the 700 rifle you still have a good action as a base to build on later should you decide to go "bigger/better".
 
My rule of thumb, when you touch the barrel just in front of the chamber, if you can't hold your hand on it for more than a couple seconds, you need to let it cool. I can't say how many shots it will take to get to that point, it all depends on how fast you are shooting, how hot the ammo is loaded, what the temp is outside, etc...

Blanket statements are bogus for the most part. That is a blanket statement.

I have two Model 70 Featherweights, on a post 64 in 257, one is a FN model 70 in .270. Yes after about 7-10 rounds the 257 walks, the FN Model 70 doesn't, even after 20 rounds or more, well after you cant hold your hand on the barrel

I have a 1949 pre 64 Model 70 in '06. The only modification to this rifle was the addition of a scope. You can shoot it all day without it walking.

If my gun shoots different cold then it does hot, I'm fixing it.

My Model 1903A3 isn't bedded, its as-issued.........it doesn't care if its hot or cold.

I don't like blanket statements.

Anyway:

To the OP, yes, I think at that price you wont find a better rifle. (And I'm not a Remington Fan).
 
Does any body know some nice barrels for the Remington 700 ADL that are not too pricey not like a 400 dollar barrel. Because if the barrel isn't that nice maybe I could eventually get another barrel.

Thanks,
Zach
 
I'm not understanding where you are going with this line of questions. If you are looking for a "better" barrel than what you'd find on the stock 700ADL but don't want to lay out $400 or so (and I'm assuming you haven't yet priced the cost to actually get said barrel installed - which isn't cheap), then you probably shouldn't be looking at that 700ADL package.

What is it you want? Do you want to build a nice benchrest rifle or do you want a relatively inexpensive off-the-shelf rifle that you can target practice with? Those two goals are not exactly compatible and they tend to be on opposite sides of the price spectrum.
 
I'll bet the factory barrel on that ADL shoots better then you think.

I'm not a fan of Remington's (I'm a Winchester guy), but some how I don't think Remington would have stayed around or sold as many rifles as they have it the had crappy barrels.
 
Doyle I think he wants a cheap gun with a good action he can later modify to suit his needs.

In that case he needs to stop looking at Remingtons and start looking for a Savage. If you are going to be building a benchrest rifle on a budget, you might as well start with one that is more affordable to rebarrel.
 
My advice: Shoot the gun you have, endeavoring to wear it out.

At the point you can consistantly shoot it as well from field positions as you can from a rest/sandbag on a bench, you are likely shooting the gun as well as it will shoot. Unless it's a real stinker, or you are a natural born prodigy, this will likely take many hundreds, if not thousands, of rounds.

Until you can do that, the best place to improve the accuracy of the system (gun, ammo, and shooter). Then worry about the intrinsic accuracy of the ammo and then the gun.
 
Im curious why no one recommended the Ruger American or simply going with a used Remy. Yesterday I picked up a nice 30-06 700ADL with luepold rings/base and a token simmons scope fro $300 OTD. Im sure that more are around in that condition especially now when seasons are over and people are looking to pay off christmas bills. If you have to go new the Ruger Americans that I have shot are MOA or better with a Nikon. Thats pretty good for a $375 rifle. If upgrades are in the future a 700 action is a great way to go. But as others said you can do a lot with a factory rifle and a LOT of ammo to practice. I would go so far as to say get good with the irons on the rifle and then scope it. Trigger control, breathing, etc all come in to play with the irons. Also, you may have better luck finding a "deal" on a 30-06 -vs- 308. I guarantee the -06 will do anything the 308 will do.
 
You are right about the .30-06 vs .308, but its also better than the .308 at burning through your hard earned cash :D

Tula ammo for the .308 is like $7. .30-06 ammo is atleast $12 or more, atleast from what I can see.

John
 
You are right about the .30-06 vs .308, but its also better than the .308 at burning through your hard earned cash

If you roll your own, you can shoot better ammo than that russian steel cased, bi-metal bullet Kah-rap, and cheaper, too.
 
Zach, I bought a 700 in .243 for $379 (Academy), put a Nikon Prostaff for $149 on sale on it, and really enjoyed myself. I still have the rifle. I would suggest a 308 due to barrel wear. That rifle gets hot quickly. I was warned about letting the barrel overheat/throat erosion thing. I don't know if it is fact or fiction.

I purchased a 700 varmint in 308 a year or so later. You can find them for $570 after rebate at times. It has been a project for me. New b&c stock, trigger, bipod, swfa scope, one piece at a time. Works like a champ.
 
Zach, The Remington 700 Varmint is the same rifle as the 700P only difference is the HS Precision stock comes with the 700P.The Varmint is a great rifle to start with, Bed the stock & shoot the heck out of it. If using it for target only, 6-24 X40 power Bushnell Elite or Weaver 24 or 36x40 scope with a good set of rings and base & your set. Don't forget a bore guide & one piece 30 cal. coated cleaning rod. Be Safe Chris
 
Last edited:
Barrel wear comparison for the .308 Win....

Sierra Bullets shoots 10-shot string of bullets in less than two minutes for accuracy tests. One group every ten minutes or less testing a run of a few thousand bullets. They have a 3000 round life then they begin shooting 3/8 moa groups with reference bullets at 200 yards starting out 1/4 Moa when new.

Match rifles shooting 20 to 25 rounds once every minute have the same barrel life and accuracy level. So do those with 40% of their 3000 round barrel lives are made with 10-shot strings in 60 seconds.

.243 Win's barrel life numbers are half of the .308. 6.5x.284 barrel life is one fourth as many, 750 rounds.

With less accuracy levels when new, barrel life is longer.
 
Last edited:
You can check out the Savage Axis in 308...but just for target shooting --- I would spend the extra bucks --- for a Savage Compact Tactical in 308.
 
Ok thanks for the advice on the .308 guys. I was already thinking the .308 and now that you have said that I am defiantly getting the .308!:D
 
If you get a bolt action rifle with a detachable box magazine, you'll probably need to get each magazine "tuned" to your rifle else there'll be 1/2 MOA or more change in zeros for each one installed. This is normal with semiautos on the AR platforms as well as bolt action tube guns used in competition.

Best way to do it is get several magazines then check each one out. Use those that don't need a change in zeros.
 
Bart B. I've read a lot about AR-15's and have never heard about tuning magazines. In fact, most AR-15 guys I know say DON'T fiddle with the magazine. But... You learn something new everyday. As for the bolt action, I have no clue if that's true or not. Would you mind posting a link of something that talks about tuning a magazine as I have no clue why a magazine would effect the guns accuracy.

John
 
Back
Top