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700 new barrel needed-recommendations needed

T-Roy

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So, here's where I'm at...

I think the barrel is shot out on my 700p. The groups keep getting bigger and at this point I can outshoot it easily with my bergara b14. Round count is unknown as I bought it used, but I'd guess i easily have 1k through it.

Scope is a Bushnell ers so not running junk glass. Yes I know step one is checking all of the mounting/box test/try a different scope. However if that doesn't turn out to to be the problem, I'm looking for barrel recommendations.

Rifle is a precision setup, so weight isn't an issue. Looking at 20"+ heavy barrels. Wouldn't mind shaving a few inches off factory 26 and running a can. Might go chassis during the rebuild. Currently running the HS Precision stock (modified) with i think is a .980 bull barrel.

I shot a 6.5 cm gun today with a proof barrel and damn it was accurate.

Y'all have opinions/recommendations on what I should look at?
 
Since you said it’s a 700P, I’m assuming it’s a .308. You should get 3800-5000 rounds out of that barrel.

Here’s a procedure I’ve used to bring a lot of “dead” barrels back to life. Give it a shot.

Intensive bore cleaning:

This isn't the process that I use everytime I clean a rifle. I recommend it for rifles that you know are heavily fouled, or are starting to lose their accuracy. It's also good for getting any moly, teflon, etc out of your bore.

This process does several things. The hot water heats the factory fouling up, softening it and making it easier to remove. It also heats the barrel, opening the pores in the metal and enabling you to get it really clean. If you have a rifle that is really fouled this will clean it out.

For the intensive bore cleaning, you will need:

1. A good, one piece coated cleaning rod (Dewey, Bore Tech, Tipton, etc.)

2. Proper size cleaning jag (you can also use a bore brush one caliber smaller for this as it will hang onto the patch better)

3. Patches

4. Cleaning rod guide

5. USP Bore Cleaning Paste, or Iosso Bore Paste

6. Any gun cleaning solvent

7. The ability to boil water.


Some things that you don’t need, but it will make it much easier.

1. A long funnel that will fit tightly in the chamber. I bought mine at an auto parts store. It looks like a standard funnel with a long, flexible hose attached, probably for work with transmissions or such. The end fits perfectly in a .308 chamber.

2. A well-mounted bench vise with a pivoting head. You will be working with the barrel both horizontally and vertically, and it will get hot. I did this for years before I got a vise, the vise just makes it easier. If you don’t have a vise, use oven mitts and the kitchen sink.

3. VFG bore cleaning pellets and jag (replaces the cleaning jag and patches)

4. Rod stops


The cleaning process:

1. Remove the barreled action from the stock. Here is where I grab the barreled action in the vise. I also place an empty 5 gallon bucket underneath where I will be working.

2. Grab the barreled action in the padded vise.

3. Rotate the vise so that the barrel is vertical and muzzle down.

4. Insert your funnel into the chamber. Pour 1 quart of boiling water down the bore.

5. Immediately turn the rifle horizontal and insert your rod guide.

6. Coat a patch (or your VFG Bore Cleaning pellets) liberally with USP

7. Lap the barrel 10X, with a stroke up and back being one stroke. Try to keep from going all the way out of the barrel on either end if you are using patches, as they can come off of the jag. The rod stops are great to use here if you have them. A piece of masking tape on the rod to mark the limit will work, also.

8. Clean out the USP with 2 patches wet with solvent, followed by a dry one.

9. Repeat steps 4-8 for a total of 5X. This is enough for a new barrel. One that is excessively foul may need more, but I have never seen one that wouldn’t clean with 5 runs.

10. After the 5th session, I run several patches with solvent through the bore and scrub out the chamber and receiver, also. Then I run dry patches down the bore and thoroughly dry the chamber and receiver. That’s followed by a little grease on the bolt ways for lube.

11. Make sure there is no water on the outside of the rifle and reassemble into the stock, making sure to torque properly.
 
I’ve used .308 barrels from 8 or so different companies, and didn’t find an appreciable difference between them. Hart, Douglas, Krieger, Bartlein, Lothar Walther, Shilen, Bergara, HS Precision, and a few more.

The next .308 bolt-gun barrel I buy will be a Schneider with polygonal rifling. They were the last supplier for the Corps, and I always wanted to try one.
 
cmshoot cmshoot Yeah, it's a 308. In fact I'm pretty sure it's your old 308 lol. Left hand, stock weighted.and painted green. You sold it with a pelican case with a big marine cross sticker on it. Didn't I buy that from you? Im guessing six - eight years ago.

I've enjoyed the hell out of it, its a fantastic rifle. I definitely try your deep cleaning and see where it gets me. Thanks
 
cmshoot cmshoot Yeah, it's a 308. In fact I'm pretty sure it's your old 308 lol. Left hand, stock weighted.and painted green. You sold it with a pelican case with a big marine cross sticker on it. Didn't I buy that from you? Im guessing six - eight years ago.

I've enjoyed the hell out of it, its a fantastic rifle. I definitely try your deep cleaning and see where it gets me. Thanks

I’m not left-handed, but I did sell a left-hand Rem700 .308 for a buddy of mine several years back.
 
Years ago I was chatting with a dude from NZ online about rifle barrels. He had a very early model Remington 700 varmint .308, and the accuracy had been gradually going downhill. He shoots regularly and had owned the rifle for over 20 years. I told him there was a chance it was shot out, but try the intensive bore cleaning JIC.

He got back to me about 2 weeks later. Said he had cleaned it as per my instructions, and the rifle was back to shooting .5MOA.

A buddy of mine bought a 700P cheap off a guy at the Cobb Gun Show. It was about 25 years ago, but the guy was selling it for something like $350-$400. He said he bought it the year before, and now it wasn’t accurate because he had “shot the barrel out”. Told my buddy the dude just doesn’t know how to clean the bore, and that he should buy it. My buddy bought it, we took it back to my house, did the intensive bore cleaning, and she was a tackdriver after that.
 
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