Author Topic: Barrel changing (Read 602 times)

dildine · « **on:** October 21, 2004, 04:50:58 PM »

Is it possible to change out the barrel from an older Rem 700 30.06 and go to a 300 win mag barrel ( a change out like the ones on e-bay?)
The 30.06 has some headspace problems.. it's been fired several thousand rounds.
Is this something I can do myself. Will the existing bolt work?
I guess I'm just trying to salvage a dearly loved old rifle (and I'm also cheap!!!)
Thanks, BJ

gunnut69 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2004, 09:17:32 PM »

You can swap in a barrel but why is the barrel on EBay?? Most folks don't remove a good barrel..but a few do.. The barrel change is straight forward. A new Bolt,magazine box and follower, and a few stock alterations. Not a financially feasable idea.. Cheaper to rebarrel to a caliber that is based of the round the action is set up to handle. 35 Whelan comes to mind or perhaps the venerable 270.. with a few changes to the magazine box and follower short action calibers would be doable. My favorite caliber for deer I left for last the 280.. I really love the slightly heavier bullets available and it performs nearly on a par with the 7mmRem mag!! Thats a really good place to be!!

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2004, 09:29:12 PM »

if the barrel isn't shot out just a head space problem couldn't it just be set back and rechambered? I don't know I'm just curious to learn this kind of thing.

John Traveler · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2004, 02:57:31 AM »

Badnews Bob,

Yes, the the barrel shoulder CAN be set back one full turn, a new recoil shoulder made, and the barrel be rechambered and indexed to fit. But this also involves re-bedding to fit the stock. Many people buy the cheaper Remington 700 models and remove the factory barrel to custom re-barrel the action. You can find like-new Remington 700 barrels in the more common calibers cheaply. It's definitely cheaper to fit a replacement barrel if you can do the work yourself. If not, then the bargain barrels are not such a bargain after all.

dildine · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2004, 11:29:19 AM »

Gunnut69,

If I went back with another 30.06 or a .280 or a .270, is it just a matter of unscrewing the old barrel out and screwing the new one in? Then maybe check with a NO GO....

These barrels are change-outs so I would assume the guy would tell me the true condition.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2004, 06:14:16 AM »

If the barrel is from a 700 there is a good chance little will need to be done but a check with a set of guages is mandatory. If there is a problem a reamer will be needed to adjust the headspace.. I've seen Steel shims used to adjust headspace longer but with a barrel tapped for iron sites that makes the sites set up less than verticle... Facing the barrel and action can bring the barrel back to verticle but the barrel will need a bit of re-bedding... Usually differences are fairly small.