7oo action weight reduction question??

SuperCub

SuperCub

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I am getting a 7oo BDL long action done up as a 270Win in an Edge stock. Stock is en-route from Rick Bin and is a BDL with reg bbl contour so these specs cannot be changed.

Question ....

What can be done to a 7oo action to reduce weight?

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SC,
can't remember where I saw it, (24hrcampfire, maybe), but someone had the receiver milled with a couple of flutes on the off side, flute - space - flute.. sort of ----- -----. Maybe an inch and a half long each. Not sure how deep though. As well they had the bolt with some scary deep looking flutes.
If I come across again, I will grab the pic.

Later....
 
Slab the action, flute the bolt, use aluminum mounts, skeletonize the bolt handle, turn down the shroud, slot the mag liner, skeletonize the triggerguard, replace the action screws with titanium ones, make aluminum swivel studs.... and the list goes on.
 
My concern would be that with a light receiver and std contour bbl it might make the rifle too heavy at the bbl end and not balance properly. Stock is an Edge.

Anyone with experience with this?


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SuperCub said:
My concern would be that with a light receiver and std contour bbl it might make the rifle too heavy at the bbl end and not balance properly. Stock is an Edge.

Anyone with experience with this?


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I think you're correct...it will be muzzle heavy.

Fluting would remove about 6 ounces and shift the balance point rearward...cropping the barrel to 22" will help with this too......you could get a few more ounces off the action but it will cost you dearly.
 
Don't do anything until you have it in front of you. It may balance fine. If not, I would flute the barrel or cut to 22". Slabbing the action or fluting the bolt may lighten the overall package, but won't help the balance, as its at the center or rear to start with.
 
I have a custom Titanium 700. Overall, nice and light, shoots well, but it is front heavy. Great rifle, but not as nice to handle as some of my other toys.

Even shaving the receiver down does not change the weight enough to make a significant difference. It's a neat idea, but it is more practical to go with other lightweight gear if you plan on counting the grams rather than messing with the rifle. Drop your receiver and barrel into the Edge to see how it feels before worrying about shaving the receiver.
 
I don't mind a little extra weight up front,it steadies down the shot for me.Within reason of course,but I find I like it better than a 20 or 22" wand. Mur
 
Front heavy is much nicer to shoot offhand. I put a slightly heavier barrel on a Titanium 700 and the owner loves it, and it shoots way better as well.
 
A lot of work with little return to lighten an action. Starting out with a short action and comparable cartridge would have been a start.
 
As has been mentioned I had a 280AI that has the action slabbed and lightened in other ways. It as described in this ad: http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416184

I suppose that makes me an expert ;) and I can guess as well as the next guy. But the guy who KNOWS is BRNO284. Send Mitch a PM; he has done a lot of these and can give you the straight poop on what the various options really accomplish or not.

I can say with confidence that a standard sporter contour will be quite muzzle heavy with an edge stock. My 280AI had a 24" mountain rifle contour and had neutral balance; just at the rear of the front guard screw. You want it slightly muzzle heavy? You will need to have a good smith like Guntech turn down the barrel until it balances. I don't think you will like it much with the standard sporter contour in the edge. Like I said, I'm no expert. But my experience leads me to think this way.
 
Rick .... Thanks for that reply. That confirms my thoughts about it going to be muzzle heavy. I don't want to make that worse by taking weight from the receiver, so will probably leave it as is.

I already have the bbl here and the stock is on it's way, both with std contour. I'm thinking that I'm best to leave the action as is and maybe shorten the bbl to 22".

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SuperCub said:
Rick .... Thanks for that reply. That confirms my thoughts about it going to be muzzle heavy. I don't want to make that worse by taking weight from the receiver, so will probably leave it as is.

I already have the bbl here and the stock is on it's way, both with std contour. I'm thinking that I'm best to leave the action as is and maybe shorten the bbl to 22".

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Question for the smiths, will you lose more weight by cutting 2" off or fluting? (both will leave you with the sporter contour)
 
blargon said:
Question for the smiths, will you lose more weight by cutting 2" off or fluting? (both will leave you with the sporter contour)
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Barrels out near the muzzle average an ounce or so per inch of length. Unless you're taking a bunch of barrel off, it's pretty easy to beat that by fluting. That said, even better is to turn the barrel down. Guntech is great at doing it, and you can lose a bunch of weight and in my experience maintain accuracy.

But at the end of the day it all comes down to how you want the rifle to balance. My advice? Send it all out to Sorensen. Describe how you want the rifle to balance, and have him turn down the barrel until it does that. He has done several for me. The cost is is reasonable and the resulting rifle is worth the bother.

Sporter barrel inlet in the stock? No big deal. Have Dennis bed it while it is there and he can fill in the barrel channel at the same time to whatever bedding technique you want (lots of float, standard float, full length neutral bed, foreend pressure, etc.). He's done it for me. Trust me, no stress...
 
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Another vote for bobbing the barrel to 22". Balance is about more than just weight- 2 oz out at the end- where that wieght is is key. Rick has the right idea. Tell Dennis what you want and enjoy the results.
 
SuperCub said:
Rick .... Thanks for that reply. That confirms my thoughts about it going to be muzzle heavy. I don't want to make that worse by taking weight from the receiver, so will probably leave it as is.

I already have the bbl here and the stock is on it's way, both with std contour. I'm thinking that I'm best to leave the action as is and maybe shorten the bbl to 22".

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At a certain point you need to decide what you really want.

FWIW....A Remington 700, with a light barrel contour, a light scope, and light mounts is plenty light.

24 inches will help give it some sense of direction while shooting offhand....You can always cut it back if you don't like it.
 
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