Remington 700P in 300WM- A review, build and evaluation.

[freedomintheskies]

Let me go ahead and start this off by telling you the why-for and what-not behind the decision to purchase and evaluate this rifle.

Having been a recreational shooter and subsequently drinking from the F-Class shooting well, the seemingly natural progression in terms of shooting bugs, is to try exploring PRS type shooting and associated events. In my search through the EE and site sponsors, I found what I believe to be a suitable build candidate for a very reasonable price tag. Now before people want to chime in with advice about caliber choices, I just want to state that there are a couple reasons to go with .300 Win Mag. Having owned many bolt guns in the past, from Savage 10's, 12's, 110's, Tikka, Winchester etc; I will do my best to both keep this objective and truthful.

1) -Its a proven platform for reaching out with heavy bullets and hitting targets at long range.

2) -I have an absolute sh1t-ton of .30 caliber bullets on hand.

3) -Budget. A Remington 700PSS (Parkerized Special Sniper) in the Long Action .300WM chambering can be purchased new for a reasonable amount ($1039.99 and free shipping, from site sponsor SFRC in my case).

4) Remingtons are quite possibly the benchmark for bolt guns, making them very customizable. It seems that everyone with a milling machine, lathe or injection molding device has offered accessories for them. All in, and in todays' money, I am aiming to keep the build under the 2500.00 mark, excluding optics.

As of this writing, I have yet to see the rifle. It should be delivered later in the coming week, so my idea is to document everything from unboxing, cleaning and initial first impressions and then loading of ammunition followed by assembly of accessories and optics. Afterwards, I will move on to actual field testing of the platform, along with documentation of findings.

Overview:

Specifications:
Remington 700P™ Model #RAZ5718 chambered in .300 Wincherster Magnum. For those who can accept nothing less than perfection, there is no other choice. The Model 700P is the epitome of shot-to-shot consistency and field-proven reliability. Features a tough non-glare parkerized finish for concealment. Legendary Model 700 action. Receiver machined from ordnance-grade steel. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts. Three overlapping rings of solid steel (bolt face, barrel, and receiver). Heavy, free-floating 26" barrel. HS Precision Composite stock reinforced with aircraft-grade aluminum bedding blocks. Non-reflective finish. Sling swivel studs. Magazine with hinged floor plate.

Features:
Heavy Parkerized Finish
Full- Length Aluminum Bedding Block Kevlar Stock w/ Palm Swell (HS Precision)
26" Heavy-Contour Barrel (0.820" muzzle O.D)
Kevlar Stock- with Full Length Aluminum Bedding Block for Maximum Accuracy
X-Mark Pro- Trigger System -Adjustable from 3-5 pounds
Legendary Model 700 Action
Drilled and Tapped for Scope Mount
Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum

Steel: Carbon
Action Type: Bolt
Sights: None (Scope, Rings or Bases Not Included)
Weight: 8.5 lbs.
Warranty: 2- Year Limited

In the next post, I'm going to go into details of what I anticipate doing to make the rifle more suitable to my personal use. Please bear with me on this...

 

[freedomintheskies]

Planning the build and acquiring the materials/parts.

Scope mount:
My plan is to install a Nightforce scope on the rifle, in order to give it the ability to be used in real world accuracy testing. Ultimately, I anticipate a Delta Stryker 5-50x50 sitting on top.
In order to do this, I purchased a Weaver -20MOA picatinny scope mount (P/N 99502).

Here is what Weaver has to say about it: Extended Multi-Slot Base.Enjoy optical superiority with our new Tactical Multi-Slot Bases. These Picatinny bases are designed for specific models of firearms and provide an additional 1 inch of forward length for more mounting options. Manufactured from 6061 T6 aluminum and protected by a matte, Type III hard coat anodized finish, these multi-slot bases are compatible with Picatinny or Weaver style rings. An integral recoil lug, no slip/strip Torx® screws round out the features of these tactical bases. Available with 20 MOA cant for extended range optic adjustment as well as standard zero cant.

Recoil Mitigation:
As we all know, the 300WM packs a punch in both directions. Additionally, the shooter would like to get back on target quickly after firing a round, so in order to accomplish this, a recoil reducing muzzle brake needs to be installed.
Since the 700P with it's 26" med-heavy profile barrel (.820 at the muzzle) is not threaded from the factory, it means one of two things; Having a gunsmith thread the barrel and install a brake, or use a clamp on type brake. Since I want to move this build along while making everything "reversible", I elected to purchase a Khantrol clamp on brake from exclusive Canadian distributer Bullseye London.

The reviews on Khantrol clamp on brakes are very encouraging and it can be quickly removed for situations where brakes are not permitted (some ranges and competitions). re-installation should be simple and quick with a level (for indexing) and an allen wrench. My only initial misgiving with this brake is the lack of top-side ports, which in my opinion give the barrel less "hop" on firing. - It can always be modified.
Here is a link to the Khantrol site: https://kahntrol.com/index.php/muzzle-brakes/clamp-on-muzzle-brakes/

More to come...

 

[Wildey]

Sounds like a fun build, I look forward to the range review! Do you plan on having the action worked over a little, or will she be a factory spec rig?

 

[freedomintheskies]

Sounds like a fun build, I look forward to the range review! Do you plan on having the action worked over a little, or will she be a factory spec rig?

That all depends on how it shoots. I want to get .5MOA out of it consistently, so whatever it takes.

 

[freedomintheskies]

Bits and pieces:
Cleaning a rifle bore during break in, is one of the most important things (in my opinion) for long life and top notch accuracy. To accomplish this, I'm going to use the following products.
VFG Adaptor- .22-6.5mm Fits 8/32 US Thread
Barrel Cleaner Felts Cal .300, .308 , 7.5mm
Hoppe's Universal Bore Guide, .17 to .416 Caliber Aluminum/Brass, UBG
Hoppe's Black (Step 2), High-Performance Gun Copper Cleaner, HBCC
Hoppes #9 Powder solvent



Bipod:
Harris 1A2-LM Bipod 9" to 13" Notched Legs
- Harris makes a good yet inexpensive means of supporting the rifle during firing. It can be installed or removed quickly and does not require a piccatiny rail to mount. Since the 700P has a pair of factory installed swivel studs up front, this is a no brainer.

I may also investigate bedding a piccy rail on the forestock to enable use of an Atlas bipod some time down the road, but for now, it will be Harris.

Trigger:

This rifle is equipped with a factory X-Mark trigger system. Remington says the following about it:

Remington X-Mark Pro trigger, utilizing advanced technological manufacturing processes and extremely tight production tolerances, may be considered the finest production trigger in the marketplace. With virtually no creep and its clean, crisp “breaks-like-glass” feel, the X-Mark Pro delivers enhanced accuracy and unmatched shot control. Now, our best production trigger just got better – for 2009, Remington is proud to introduce the Adjustable X-Mark Pro Trigger with external adjustment for trigger pull weight. This user-friendly, externally-accessible adjustable trigger is set at the factory to a pull weight of 3 ½ pounds with a 2 pound range of adjustment (3 to 5 pounds).The key components of the X-Mark Pro trigger feature mirror-like surface finishes for crisper trigger pull. Electroless nickel plating enhances corrosion resistance and further improves surface finish. The result is an ultra-crisp feel with no creep. The X-Mark Pro Adjustable trigger operates like the current Remington fire control and features a safety that blocks the sear and trigger. The advanced design allows for consistent 3 ½ pound trigger pulls set directly from the factory. Should you feel the need; the trigger can be externally adjusted within a range of 2 pounds (3 to 5 pounds) with the included tool.

I've found that a safe but lightweight trigger is essential to achieving good groups. I don't feel that the factory trigger will achieve this though. My plan is to order a TriggerTech R700 Special trigger cassette with their flat trigger blade. I have one of their triggers in my Schmeisser AR15 and it is amazing! -Made right here in Canada and they offer LE/Mil discounts if you direct order from them.
Here are the specs:
Trigger Lever Type: Straight or Curved
Trigger Action: Single Stage
FRT: Yes
TKR Technology: Yes
CLKR Technology: Yes
Overtravel: Sub .015"
Pull Weight: 1.0lbs-3.5lbs
Bolt Release: With or Without
Safety: With (removable)
Hand: Right & Left (+ $20)
Warranty: Product lifetime
Weapon Platform: Remington 700
And what they say about it: The Rem 700 Special is an upgraded version of the Primary model which further enhances accuracy and precision on any right-handed Remington 700 model rifle. Utilizing CLKR Technology™, and some additional hand refinements, the pull weight on the Special model is quickly and confidently adjusted from 1.0 - 3.5 lbs in ~1oz increments from an externally accessible set screw. Due to the exceptionally crisp break, most shooters report the pull weights feeling ~0.5lbs lighter than a friction based trigger of the same measured weight. Just like the Primary model, this drop-in trigger provides a true zero-creep break, extremely short overtravel and offers outstanding reliability, even in the harshest environments. Frictionless Release Technology™, along with hardened 440C stainless steel internal components ensure corrosion resistance and an extended service life. As Frictionless Release Technology™ does not rely on coating, polishing or lubricating the key engagement surfaces, trigger pulls will be more consistent from shot to shot and after thousands of shots than you ever thought possible.

Stock:
Comb height:
Since the rifle is equipped with an aluminum full length bedding block, it will not benefit from bedding, as it sits directly on a machined bed surface. To me, that's a bonus, because you don't have to immediately do a bunch of work to it or purchase an expensive chassis.
Because the rifle does not come with an adjustable stock, I will initially install a Latigo leather 3/4" padded cheek piece in order to get the proper cheek weld and eye relief. If, further down the road I can find a decent adjustable cheek-piece, I may go ahead and install one on the HS Precision factory stock. Same goes for the recoil pad. Because PRS shooting involves shooting from different positions, an adjustable length of pull would make the rifle more comfortable as well as improve eye relief when changing positions. There well may be a future modification here too.

(When doing the stock work, I will certainly compare the added cost of the anticipated mods as compared to say purchasing a used MacMillan A5 or equivalent. I could likely list the factory one on the EE to help defray some of the cost)

 

[Buckmastr]

My 300 win mag police was a great shooter, good luck on your build!

 

[rugbydave]

Any thoughts on adding a DBM or dropping the action in a chassis? .300 WM isn't ideal for PRS (but some do it) but having detachable mags is pretty critical. I know that for short actions HS precision have a drop in DBM, not sure about for long actions.

You'll love the TriggerTech Special, I have one in every one of my bolt guns and really like them.

 

[freedomintheskies]

Any thoughts on adding a DBM or dropping the action in a chassis? .300 WM isn't ideal for PRS (but some do it) but having detachable mags is pretty critical. I know that for short actions HS precision have a drop in DBM, not sure about for long actions.

You'll love the TriggerTech Special, I have one in every one of my bolt guns and really like them.

Actually, You beat me to the DBM. - And thanks for the comments on the Trigger.

My plan is to pick up an Atlasworx from Coretac Solutions.

Here is the gouge on it.

Atlasworxs Remington 700 Long Action Detachable Box Magazine (DBM) is machined from AL6061 T6 aircraft grade aluminum billet for strength; however, still remains light weight and strong. The highly durable finish is a Hard Coat Anodize in Matte Black. This model of Atlasworxs Remington 700 DBM comes with hidden magazine realease for ease of use and to reduce accidental activation.

If there is a standard for the detachable box magazines used in today's bolt action rifles, it is the Accuracy International AICS magazine. AICS magazines were originally developed for the AI Chassis System (AICS) but are now utilized in various detachable box magazine (DBM) floorplates from several different manufacturers. The AICS magazines are available in either 5 or 10 round configuration. Atlasworxs Remington 700 Long Action Detachable Box Magazine (DBM) is designed to accept reliable AICS type magazines.

You should see an increase in accuracy when installed with quality epoxy bedding and Pillar bedding.

Inletting is required and recommended to be done by a qualified and professional Gunsmith as most magazine systems require custom fitting to the action and stock to ensure proper fit and reliable functioning.
Increased accuracy
Reliable AICS compatible magazine system
Light weight, strong and durable construction Hidden Lever to reduce accidental activation
Suits long action AICS mags and all known clones (.300 Win and .338 Win) with Magazine length of 3.715"
Works with all known long action AICS and AI clone magazines
AL6061 T6 aircraft grade aluminum billet
Hard Coat Anodize in Matte Black
Accepts all known trigger units
Light Weight Construction - 127 Grams Hidden Lever magazine release

And for magazines:
Accurate Mag 5 rounds steel body magazine that fits (SSSF 3.715") long action

Another (more permanent idea for an adjustable cheek piece is this one.
The TAC PRO® Kydex® adjustable rifle Cheek Rest has been designed to provide perfect eye alignment with the sighting system without compromising functionality.
Adjustable cheek-pieces have become more popular in recent years, especially as the scope objective lenses have grown larger. In order to get a consistent cheekweld while keeping the eye in line with the scope a raised cheek-piece device is required. This is a common problem with factory stocks and even high end sniper rifle stocks without adjustable cheek rest.

In addition, most “saddle” type cheek risers have parallel sides that add as much as 2cm or 3/4" to the width of the stock and force the eye out of alignment with the sights.

The TAC PRO® adjustable cheek riser solves this problem with an ergonomic design that does not increase the width of the stock where the cheek rests while providing height adjustment.

 

[dero338]

if you go with the 3,715 mags, you may fall little short with long bullets depending on your throat. my hunting amo dont fit. but worked very well in a accumag 3,775

the tacpro is great and I suggest you look at limbsaver nitromag butt pad

 

[freedomintheskies]

if you go with the 3,715 mags, you may fall little short with long bullets depending on your throat. my hunting amo dont fit. but worked very well in a accumag 3,775

Thank you very much for the heads up! I'll be sure to get the right one.

 

[freedomintheskies]

So, todays' progress report.

My poor credit card is taking a beating!

I was able to order a set of Hornady .300WM dies for a really nice price from the folks at Wolverine Supplies and several bags of PRVI brass from Tradex. My experience with PRVI in the past has beed really good, so I didn't think I would bother with Lapua (for now).

As far as a trigger goes, I'm just waiting to hear back about their Mil/LE discount from TriggerTech on their R700 Special (1-3lb) trigger cassette.

And just about to pull the trigger on an Amazon.ca Bisley adjustable butt pad. I have one on my F-Class gun and it's a great value. It doesn't adjust for LOP, but the pad itself is completely adjustable.

Needless to say, I'm getting pretty excited to have all this stuff arrive.

 

[mikeelliot]

Cool build what bullets are you going to shoot?
The PRVI brass is fantastic, Lapua hasn’t made 300WM for some time IIRC.

 

[freedomintheskies]

Cool build what bullets are you going to shoot?
The PRVI brass is fantastic, Lapua hasn’t made 300WM for some time IIRC.

I have loads of 155gr Berger, 175gr TMK and 185 Juggernauts as well as some Hornady 178, 168 etc. on hand (About 4000 in all)
I may even dip into my Berger 200.20X stash of F-Class bullets to see how they fly.

The old adage of "Garbage in, garbage out" would likely ring true with .300WM too.

 

[mikeelliot]

Would skip the 155s PRS has a 3200fps max speed limit. Always had luck with208 and 215s in the 300

 

[Shawn_338]

Your planning on using a 300wm to shoot prs style matches?

 

[mikeelliot]

Your planning on using a 300wm to shoot prs style matches?

That’s what he said

 

[freedomintheskies]

That’s what he said

Maybe I'm too used to F-Class F/TR where you are limited to .308 with any bullet you can push. My thought is that you won't have to load relatively as heavy with the .300WM to achieve velocities 400-600fps faster and it's a belted case(lower chamber pressure & greater safety margin).

That equates to less time of flight and therefore less windage. Plus, the G7 BC will be optimum as compared to a bullet that is going transonic or subsonic prior to hitting the target.

I know the trend is towards 6mm, but I'm alright with "being that guy"... Call it an experiment. If it doesn't work out, all I can do is say I tried it.

 

[freedomintheskies]

Sorry- Duplicate post

 

[rugbydave]

Maybe I'm too used to F-Class F/TR where you are limited to .308 with any bullet you can push. My thought is that you won't have to load relatively as heavy with the .300WM to achieve velocities 400-600fps faster and it's a belted case(lower chamber pressure & greater safety margin).

That equates to less time of flight and therefore less windage. Plus, the G7 BC will be optimum as compared to a bullet that is going transonic or subsonic prior to hitting the target.

I know the trend is towards 6mm, but I'm alright with "being that guy"... Call it an experiment. If it doesn't work out, all I can do is say I tried it.

A 300 Win Mag is definitely not your ideal caliber for PRS-type shooting, too much recoil and no ballistic benefit over something like a 6.5 Creed or a fast 6mm. That being said, who cares? It'll still do the job and if you find you enjoy PRS you'll probably end up building a setup really tailored for it.

 

[Shawn_338]

Who cares? How bout the guy paying the tab for the steal targets! You’ll be very limited shooting a 300wm in a match, recoil is to heavy and hard to find ten round mags, but hey fill your boots you’ll find out why 99% of prs style shooters stick to the 6 and 6.5mm. I know personally that some matches don’t allow magnums at them.