Best "off the shelf" rifle to get started in BB.

[Al Barnhart]

Looking for a good rifle that can be modefied later. I have been looking all over for used one, cant seem to find one. I'am not much for just throwing lead down range. But I dont want to drop $3000 down and then wate a year for the gun. Any sugsestions...

[smk]

I am very happy with my Tikka 595 7mm-08 as an off the shelf Hunter gun, but I don't think it's a good candidate to modify later on.

[drags]

Al, I started with a rem. 700 in 7-08 and later had it rebarreled to a .260 rem. Another fella bought a used rem. 700 varmint in .243 win. and shot it he rung a few rams but he did very well with it. The rem. 700 is a good place to start.
drags

[Jerry G]

You can't go wrong with a Rem 700 and the 260 seems to be the hot cal. now.  Don't go cheep on the scope, it will fit on any gun you end up with.

[Morerams]

If you want to trick it up later, a Remington 700 is the only choice, everything known to shooters is made to fit a Rem 700 action.

[Morerams]

heed Jerry G too mate, cheap scopes are the single biggest source of unhappiness for competition shooters, I can't count how many times I have been told ' I know you said get a Leupold but this is half the price and looks ok', within 6 months 90% are looking for a better scope.
 One turkey even told me I can buy 2 XXX for the price of a Leupold and I will still have one to use while the other is getting fixed, I still can't come to grips with that logic.

[Ahab]

7mm08 by Ruger, WBY/Vanguard, or Savage.

[Al Barnhart]

Well I baught A Remington CDL in 7-08.  The first outing was very disappointing. Even fire forming brass I was expecting better than 2” groups. (H4895 and 150s). I could not get the eye relief on the scope where I wanted it so a new mount was in order. When installing a new mount I noticed that the new front screw was bottoming out on the threads of the barrel. (Both were Leupold mounts). I hope this was the reason for the larger groups. My next outing will be with IMR 4350 and the same 150s.

Also I can’t figure what all the complaints are about Remington triggers. I had no trouble getting mine down to a safe 1.5 lbs. Its now back up to just over 2 lbs.
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[drags]

Al, varget worked very well in my 7-08 with all bullet weights.
Drags

[CIG]

Would the same bolt parts for a model 700 work in a model 7, both short action?  If I wanted to put in a tubb spring and parts to a bolt for faster lock up, will that work in both models or are they different?  I guess my questions is, what is the difference in the action and bolt between the two, if any? 

[Al Barnhart]

Hey Drags

What bullet seating depth are you using...
Thanks al

[drags]

Al, I shot them in my hunter rifle and seated the bullets so the would work in the magazine. I have since had it re barreled to .260 rem.
Drags

[Al Barnhart]

Thanks drags

The magazine seem to be the limiting factor in my gun also. I can get them to about .008 and still fit in the mag. With spire point that is. All others are much deeper into the case.

Thanks again
Al B