Remington 700 not a good choice for big bore.

[guntech]

I'm not sure what the thickness or in this case thinness of the rim material of the bolt head has to do with anything, there is plenty of steel there to deflect gasses from a pierced primer which is about the worst it would see as it only holds the rim of the cartridge. So what's the big deal?

Look at this picture and see how the design protected the shooter from gases and the shrapnel the extractor became. This is a Sako 2 lug bolt action. When guys have the Sako extractor installed on a 700 they do not install all the the system. They fail to install the 'bolt guide' which is really more of deflector.. With the conversion on the 700 there is no 'bolt guide' to deflect or stop anything. It is all free to blow right out. There have been injuries and at least one death with this partial Sako extractor conversion on 700's in the US.

 

[CreamySmooth]

Theres 2 reasons a Remington isn't the way to go in my mind.

1) no controlled feed. For large dangerous game that's verboten in my mind.

2) when you are talking hunting, that means dirt and muck and debris. This video sums up why I won't hunt with one should I ever plug a barrel and not realize... The video is a stress test by a Norwegian group I believe and there is a very detailed study completed that goes with it but I can't find it.

[youtube]e4AqMl1A4aQ[/youtube]

I have a Blaser. It was nice for me to hear from a gunsmith that he wouldn't tap a Blaser because the metal is too hard, and very difficult to get good results in. Compare what the Remington did in it's burst test. I just don't trust them anymore. Big Bore makes me even more leery.

 

[guntech]

With catastrophic case failures the 700 is the strongest safest a 2 lug bolt action that has ever been made. It seals the gases like no other action. I have personally inspected a 700 chambered for 7mm Rem Mag that had a .303 British factory round fired in it. The bullet exited the barrel and there was no damage to the action. The case simply fire formed at the rear to the same dimensions as the mag case and no gases leaked rearward. Excellent quality brass and because of the enclosed extractor of the 700, the brass was fully supported.

I would not hesitate to build any big bore on a 700. As far as controlled round feeding - I have seen several failures with them as well. If your rifle isn't feeding, get it fixed. Just because it is controlled round feeding doesn't automatically better.

 

[SuperCub]

Theres 2 reasons a Remington isn't the way to go in my mind.

1) no controlled feed. For large dangerous game that's verboten in my mind.

I don't see where the OP was going to use this rifle for DG.

when you are talking hunting, that means dirt and muck and debris. This video sums up why I won't hunt with one should I ever plug a barrel and not realize... The video is a stress test by a Norwegian group I believe and there is a very detailed study completed that goes with it but I can't find it.

I wouldn't trust any rifle over any other with a plugged bbl. Furthermore, it looks like it was the bbl that let go on the 700, not the action so the action held up just like the others.

I have a Blaser. It was nice for me to hear from a gunsmith that he wouldn't tap a Blaser because the metal is too hard, and very difficult to get good results in. Compare what the Remington did in it's burst test. I just don't trust them anymore.

I'm wondering if a harder metal action would be more prone to shatter/rupture that a softer steel. Not an expert here, just wondering. I do hardness testing on steel at work and they don't want welds to be too hard for certain service as it's more prone to cracking.

Compare what the Remington did in it's burst test. I just don't trust them anymore. Big Bore makes me even more leery.

Again, the 700 action held in the vid. Either way, the 375 operates at about the same pressure as a 270 or 30.06 so what's the diff. if it's a bigger bore?

 

[SuperCub]

I'm wondering if a harder metal action would be more prone to shatter/rupture that a softer steel. Not an expert here, just wondering. I do hardness testing on steel at work and they don't want welds to be too hard for certain service as it's more prone to cracking.

Maybe Dennis could address this point.

 

[CreamySmooth]

I don't see where the OP was going to use this rifle for DG.


I wouldn't trust any rifle over any other with a plugged bbl. Furthermore, it looks like it was the bbl that let go on the 700, not the action so the action held up just like the others.


I'm wondering if a harder metal action would be more prone to shatter/rupture that a softer steel. Not an expert here, just wondering. I do hardness testing on steel at work and they don't want welds to be too hard for certain service as it's more prone to cracking.


Again, the 700 action held in the vid. Either way, the 375 operates at about the same pressure as a 270 or 30.06 so what's the diff. if it's a bigger bore?

I wouldn't trust any gun with a plugged barrel either. But if one did get plugged accidentally and it wasn't realized, I wouldn't want the Rem barrel on it. Aftermarket might be different.

Obviously from the video, you can glean that the Blaser, which is there, and similiar quality steel is used on the Sauer and Howa (which had the best results at the end of the test if I could find the website) did very well with nothing giving way. While both American rifles shattered.

I know the OP is restricted on cash, I saved 2 years for my Blaser, but a current Winchester, Weatherby or Howa would be a better choice in my opinion for a big bore. But that's just me. You party on.

 

[tiriaq]

I had a 700 .22-250 varmint rifle brought into my shop. It had been fired with a steel rod in the bore. The bullet stopped in the bore. The action held. The barrel held. The boltnose was ruined when it expanded to the barrel counterbore diameter.
The shooter felt a wash pass over his head.

 

[roche1982]

Theres 2 reasons a Remington isn't the way to go in my mind.

1) no controlled feed. For large dangerous game that's verboten in my mind.

2) when you are talking hunting, that means dirt and muck and debris. This video sums up why I won't hunt with one should I ever plug a barrel and not realize... The video is a stress test by a Norwegian group I believe and there is a very detailed study completed that goes with it but I can't find it.

[youtube]e4AqMl1A4aQ[/youtube]

I have a Blaser. It was nice for me to hear from a gunsmith that he wouldn't tap a Blaser because the metal is too hard, and very difficult to get good results in. Compare what the Remington did in it's burst test. I just don't trust them anymore. Big Bore makes me even more leery.

Never had my barrel full of mud or dirt.... WTH are you doing jabbing your rifle into the ground? Like seriously, this shouldn't be an issue

 

[Slooshark1]

No kidding. You aren't fighting in the trenches. Learn how to take care of a rifle.

 

[Boomer]

It doesn't matter what brand of rifle you have, if its fired with a bore obstruction, it won't be pretty, and there's a better than even chance of being injured. Hunters are well served by taping their muzzles when hunting in difficult conditions where slipping and falling is likely, or when carrying a rifle in deep snow conditions is likely. A plugged muzzle can go undetected! You don't want to be that guy; tape your muzzle! Carry spare tape in an inside pocket where it can be kept warm. Carry a jointed steel cleaning rod with a jag of the correct caliber and a few patches.

 

[cam1936]

Never had my barrel full of mud or dirt.... WTH are you doing jabbing your rifle into the ground? Like seriously, this shouldn't be an issue

No kidding. You aren't fighting in the trenches. Learn how to take care of a rifle.

Do you guys ever hunt in the mountains or in tough country? Not hard to slip and have the tip of the barrel touch the mud or snow. Even with the rifle slung around your back. I tape my barrel when I go to the mountains or hunt in deep snow.

 

[remington jim]

Do you guys ever hunt in the mountains or in tough country? Not hard to slip and have the tip of the barrel touch the mud or snow. Even with the rifle slung around your back. I tape my barrel when I go to the mountains or hunt in deep snow.

Yup always tape the muzzle and Always check it it too if in bad conditions or falling down too ! Pretty std STUFF ! RJ

 

[roche1982]

Do you guys ever hunt in the mountains or in tough country? Not hard to slip and have the tip of the barrel touch the mud or snow. Even with the rifle slung around your back. I tape my barrel when I go to the mountains or hunt in deep snow.

- Yes I have before. I always sling the rifle on my back, I've never slipped and rolled on my back and got dirt up my barrel. You said yourself you tape your barrel, you should never had an issue. I've never had dirt in my rifle.

No kidding. You aren't fighting in the trenches. Learn how to take care of a rifle.

-Yup pretty simple IMO

Yup always tape the muzzle and Always check it it too if in bad conditions or falling down too ! Pretty std STUFF ! RJ

-Tape the muzzle works very well.

 

[Silverback]

It doesn't matter what brand of rifle you have, if its fired with a bore obstruction, it won't be pretty, and there's a better than even chance of being injured. Hunters are well served by taping their muzzles when hunting in difficult conditions where slipping and falling is likely, or when carrying a rifle in deep snow conditions is likely. A plugged muzzle can go undetected! You don't want to be that guy; tape your muzzle! Carry spare tape in an inside pocket where it can be kept warm. Carry a jointed steel cleaning rod with a jag of the correct caliber and a few patches.

Taping the muzzle is a great idea, I usually have a few spare pieces of tape stuck to the stock in case I shoot and want to recover the muzzle. The best quality electrical tape is what I use, it sticks better in the cold than the cheap stuff. I also carry a Sinclair Rapid Rod in case the bore does get fouled with debris.