Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Opening up a boltface

I have a new 700 action with a .223 boltface I was planning a .223ai build but I may have changed my mind and was wondering if it would be worth it to open the boltface to standard size or to just buy a standard bolt and sell the .223 bolt.

Thanks for your time.

Are you going to stick with .224 diameter? Then yes, open it up. Otherwise no. I opened up a .243 enough to accept a .378 Weatherby necked down and shortened. Talk about short fat....

Opening up is probably the way to go. If you get another bolt, you could run into a headspace issue, and correcting that is more expensive than opening up the bolt.

Thanks

What are you talking about? If he opens the bolt up to a standard bolt face...it will no longer be a 223. He will by necessity rebarrel and headspace.

I would not piece and part out an action. I would buy or trade your action or barreled assembly for the configuration you want. But that's just me.

If not running the 223/204 family of cartridges, I believe you will have to mill the feed rails too...not to mention new mag box and follower. I was going to convert a 204 into a 22-250, and in the end just went with 223ai instead.

Hanks guys

Opening it up will be cheaper than buying new bolt unless you can find a bolt for under $125.00, keep in mind your have to use a Sako or a AR 15 extractor which will cost you about $85.00 installed, opening up the bolt face, I include that with the extractor install, other gunsmith will charge for that. Will have to get a standard magazine box and follower.

GeorgiaBoy,



You are correct and not correct in the same sentence. I had a .223 and changed the bolt face to a magnum. Then I had the same barrel rechambered to my .264 Win Mag case necked to .224. I called it .224MBOC.

gemby58,



I used a Savage. The cost was about $25 because the 'smith bought only the bolt head.

I'm thinking everyone but you understood what he was inferring but you just can't help proving yourself to be a dumba$$... again.

I agree but the OP is talking about a Remington 700

Anytime one does this type of work, the smith will have to check headspace. Even if he goes with something in the same caliber...say 22-250...the smith will still have to remove the barrel, square the action, lap the lugs (or machine them) and set headspace...not to mention adjusting the feed ramps.

His point was moot. I'm thinking you missed it. Proving yourself a...well you know.

Redvanes: you could buy a ptg bolt, and sell your bolt to offset cost. Or try and find a used factory bolt with the bolt face you want. I've seen them on eBay from time to time.

In my opinion, opening a bolt face isn't worth the cost by the time you factor in new extractor etc.

Sell your small bolt face bolt and action. Replace it with a 308 bolt and action or a magnum bolt and action.
Besides opening the bolt you'd have to redo the extractor. You may have to open the rails etc.

Changing the extractor can be done to 308 size bolt and putting in a Remington extractor again. This is not a simple job! You can have an extractor put in by destroying the three rings of steel - some people do that. They don't care about what happens on a high pressure load. I believe that this is a operation that should be avoided!

Again sell the 223 bolt and action and buy the larger bolt and action it will be a much simpler and better job. You'll save money, it will be safer, and whatever you build will be worth more money.

It may be worth more money, just not more money than you put into it...

How 'bout zero money. In my first post of this thread I mentioned opening up a bolt face. I purchased a Remington 700 short action in .243. Took it hunting one season and had it switch to Short Fat Seven on the .378 Weatherby case. I have a friend who got interested in muzzle brakes so I took it to him to do some brake work. When I came to pick it up he said,
"That thing was dangerious with its large diameter case on the bolt. The lugs could set the action back if you ran high pressure loads."
"You mean you didn't work on it?" I asked.
"O no! I cut it in two right in front of the trigger guard! I couldn't let you be shootin' it."
"What?!"
"Yea. I did you a favor," he continued.
"I was getting ten loads per brass. They weren't heavy loads," I whined. "You owe me. And it's not money. I don't know what you owe me, but you owe me! You were at the range with me when I fired 1" groups at 300 yards with that rifle."

It had a Remington short action with an adjusted factory trigger, a Siskiyou Barrel (Chick Donnelly ) 26" long on a 22" contour, a Bell&Carlson stock, and a Tasco World Class 4-16X40.

I have not had one that accurate since.

Please say April fools.

You can swap bolts, open it up or switch to a savage head. If it was a 223 it's going to need about 15* taken from the bottom of the feed rails in order to feed right.

Wow! What a goofy thread.

you boys been smoking weed in Colorado