700 sps barrel upgrade
- Thread starter vrmark
- Start date
What's wrong with the rifle as is?
If you are new at shooting, I would suggest that you get your rifle accurized w/o the addition of another bbl and learn how to shoot it and handload for it. You may be very surprised at the results you can get from a factory bbl.
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1.5" from hunting ammo with a sporter barrel while you're just learning to shoot is pretty decent I'd say. If you really want to get good groups with factory ammo you should try some of the federal gold medal match ammo in .308. This ammo uses a match style bullet (sierra match king) and is loaded for accuracy. Hornady and other manufacturers also make match ammo. If you are shooting for accuracy that's what I'd use, but be warned it is generally expensive and isn't realy suitable for hunting.
If you're just learning I agree with SuperCub about shooting the stock barrel for a while. As it is right now the gun is probably better than you are, assuming it likes the ammo you're feeding it.
If you're just learning I agree with SuperCub about shooting the stock barrel for a while. As it is right now the gun is probably better than you are, assuming it likes the ammo you're feeding it.
Hammerhead
Member
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Yeah I would definately say put off rebarreling it for now. Spend the money on some match ammo. I use the Federal Gold Medal Match. I use the 175gr which is great, but have also used the 168gr which is great as well. The stuff is expensive, but if you're looking for accuracy then it's worth it. Start reloading when you can to cut costs and improve accuracy. Also, if you're looking for something to put your money into, I would suggest putting it into some quality glass, rings and a base. And... you might want to put some money into either getting a new stock for it, or reinforcing and bedding the one that you have. I think if you do that to the stock you'll see your groups shrink right away.
That's just my 2 cents.
That's just my 2 cents.
The barrel is the single biggest contributor to your rifle's accuracy. Most factory barrels are at best, a hunting grade barrel that only has to hit something the size of a deer, not a .5MOA V-bull. They are also not heavy enough to tolerate shooting the volumes of ammo that a typical target shooter will shoot in one sitting; they heat up too much. It is impossible to learn how to properly read wind and mirage when your rifle is incapable of putting bullets exactly where you tell them to go in calm conditions. Having said that, a re-barrel (and I mean doing it properly, not putting on a pre-threaded and chambered barrel) will cost as much or more than your rifle; smithing and the barrel together will run around $6-700+
I would shoot that barrel until you burn it out while learning how to shoot. Bed the rifle and maybe get the barrel recrowned to start with. If you want to go to the expence of buying match ammo go for it. But for the price of just 10 boxes of match ammo, you can set yourself up with a good reloading kit.
Some refer to it as "blueprinting" an action but I believe that to be a misuse of the term blueprinting...
...there are no blue prints involved when one takes a mass produced factory action and then alters it to make it true to the bolt race.
I prefer to refer that process as truing an action...
There is nothing wrong with the rifle you have. Once you get 4000-5000 rounds down the barrel learning to shoot, it will be time to put a new tube on it anyway. Rebarrel it and carry on. Along the way you might restock it or you could chose to restock it now to something that fits your shooting discipline (ie prone stock/F Class stock). By the time you need to rebarrel you will be so comfortable with the stock, you won't want change.
