Spec for Remington 783

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I had bought a Rem 783 for grandson to hunt deer with. It is in 243 Win. He is apparently going to "make do" for this year - apparently he (or his Dad) want more "smack" - I have a never fired take-off barrel in 308 Win to substitute - one of those "for next season" projects. Not sure that I want to attempt to pin that recoil lug, if I can make up a recoil lug holding jig for it. As I do not have that rifle here - can someone tell me what is the Outside Diameter of a Rem 783 receiver, and what is the size and thread pitch of that front action screw?

Alternatively - I am finding lots of "jigs" to buy on-line for a Remington 700 - I understand the action hole on a 783 is closer forward to the lug, and different threading action screw, so, a jig with screw made for 700 will not work for a 783. Does anyone know of a source for a recoil lug holding jig and screw that fit and work with a Remington 783?
 
A M700 recoil lug jig will not work. I have made a few. Piece cut from a bit of tube with a carefully located hole and notch to fit the lug. Quite do-able. With a jig available, I can't see the point in fitting a pin.
I believe the screws are 1 1/4 - 32 - like a Winchester 70. You can use the action screw with a collar fitted around it.
 
Not relevant to your exact question but...

I have found that a 243 outperforms 308 on deer due to the higher impact velocity. Just don't use heavy jacketed, slow expansion bullets like an Accubond. Ballistic Tip, SST, or just a standard cup and core bullet like the 100gr Hornady BTSP or a Sierra Gameking work really well. Get the bullet opened up fast and sending shrapnel and shockwaves through the critter! :)

Now if they're planning to also use the rifle for elk or moose, then the 308 swap is a great idea.
 
Rifleman. In late 1970's, I shortened and slimmed a Rem 788 in 243 Win to 19" barrel, slimmer grip area, shortened butt and forearm. I decided on Speer 85 grain bullets of some version. My wife took her first deer with it. Some years later, in early 1990's, our son took his first deer with it. The rifle was borrowed several times by neighbours and others for kids or wives to use hunting - they used store bought Federal 100 grain ammo - my revised stock seemed to fit them, and it worked well for what they needed. Our son now has the Model 70 in 308 Win that I was using at that time - both he and I have taken numerous deer, and each of us took our first elk, with it - 165 grain Speer HotCor at pretty well 2,800 fps (plus and minus) is about the only load used in it since mid-1990's. I am not 100% sure what our Son's idea is for that Grandson's Rem 783 rifle - but with some way to hold the recoil lug in place, he should end up with an "in-shop" ability to swap barrels back and forth for whatever duty they are looking at.
 
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I have installed a few Rem 783 barrels. I use brownells action wrench for the Rem 700, brownells part # 080-800-700WB. It holds the action just fine & aligns the factory recoil lug. As noted previously the action screw hole is in a different spot, but that doesn't really matter, you can eye ball it good enough. After carefully aligning the rem 783 action in the action wrench and snugging it down, I put the action wrench in a bench vise, thread in barrel, set headspace with a gauge. Make sure the 1/2 bolts are TIGHT after setting headspace, but before tightening the barrel nut. hope that helps.
 
Mileageman - that makes sense - from someone who has not done it yet!! Have to have a way to grab that receiver anyways to hold against torquing that barrel nut - using an action wrench lets you get the bolt and headspace gauge in and out while setting that barrel. Looks like I do have the Rem 700 heads with the Brownell's action wrench set - I presume when you said tighten the 1/2" bolts, you meant to hold the action wrench in place to the receiver, without the receiver moving in there - since not going to be using that 1/4" aligning hole?? I had thought our Son could just take a 783 jig with him - if I can make one - then set up soft jaws on his bench vise to grab that receiver. Only instructions that I have come across are on a Brownell's video - the guy just says "not more than" 50 foot pounds torque on the barrel nut, so that is not really a lot to hold against.
 
Yes you are correct, the 1/2 bolts that hold the action wrench head together, when you look through the hole where the 1/4" action screw would normally go, you will see part of the hole in the action, easiest way to line it up. The reason for not REALLY tighening the bolts until the headspace is set, is because if too tight the barrel threads could get pinched (more so a problem with a rem 700 receiver than a rem 783) making it hard to turn the barrel setting headspace. The 783 uses a savage barrel nut wrench. IBI sells a nice barrel nut wrench that a torque wrench can be used with, $40. I usually do barrel nuts 70-100ft-lb.
 
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