Just picked up one of the $377 Remington 700 ADLs with cheap scope. Shooting known good loads it is stringing shots vertically (two shots together one out). While basic stuff, are there any known tricks to bedding the ADL plastic stock?

I got a Walmart special one time to give to the neighbor's kid. It was a .270 in a black plastic stock with a no-name 3X9. I bought two boxes of 150 Corelok factory loads, took it home and made sure the scope mount and ring screws were tight (they weren't.) I then took it to the range and it too strung shots. I shot two, three-shot groups. Each group had two shots touching and one a little higher, opening them up to about 3/4" three-shot groups. Good enough for a kid.

I got a Cabelas special last week. My plan is to pitch the scope, have the barrel shortened (possibly lap lugs, square action face and then have the chamber cleaned up to AI depending on cost). Then it will be bedded into a Banser stock. Total cost will probably end up in the $600-$700 range but it will then be to my specs and hopefully the factory barrel will shoot.

If it is stringing and you are keeping the Tupperware stock, remove the pressure point at the foreend tip and make sure the barrel is free floated. This will probably help a bunch.

Oh as cra1948 mentioned, the scope mounting on this rifle was loose too.

Bed the action, float the barrel, tune the trigger, and toss the scope.

Probably free floating the barrel more than you think is necessary will help more than it will hurt. The plastic Remington stocks that I have had were not stiff at all and when shot, the barrel would tap the stock (or the stock would tap the barrel) contributing to some pretty big, unpredictable groups.

On a wood or fiberglass stock, I used to check for a free floating barrel by sliding a dollar bill between the barrel and stock. If it didn't touch it was good. You need much more room with a plastic stock. I like to think of it as space, between the barrel and stock, that you can check with a flashlight or lantern.

The free-floating test I use with Tupperware stocks is to grab the tip of the forend AND the barrel with my right (strong) hand and squeeze. If the forend can touch the barrel, the channel needs to be opened up more. Usually a couple minutes with a round rasp will do the job sufficiently.

On the other hand, I've shot more than one Tupperware-stocked 700 that was REALLY accurate with the factory bedding, including the .17 Fireball I've been shooting for several years now, and a 7mm Remington Magnum that shot better than many custom rifles. So I tend to shoot 'em first before getting out the rasp.

Great advice that we could all hear more often�I've been guilty of planning what I needed to get done before I even filled out the 4473 form.

Yep, factory setup 243 I got from a gal for 200 wanting to dump it..

Came with factory federal ammo... shot under an inch and have not touched it yet. Cheap yote gun next to the back door. Haven't run out of that ammo yet either...

Yep, I floated and bedded my trusty ol' tupperware ADL several years ago and it shoots great.

Every once in awhile I think about replacing the stock but there simply isn't the need.

But they can't shoot great without a pillar-bedded McMillan!

John be carefull, you may give some of the members here a stroke by suggesting a rifle cant shoot well without a McMillan or even without bedding at all !!

Ooops!

Y'all quit pulling peoples legs. There was a thread just the other day that said none of the cheap Wally World 700's could shoot cause they're all "seconds".

I kinda got the impression that some of them come "pre modified" with broken bolts and triggers.

Dave.

My Wally World 700 ADL 223 shoots so well I'm afraid to bed it. Fed case, Fed sm rifle primer, 26.5 grains TAC, 50 grain NBT, about 3300 fps.

Pretty good for seconds and I'm still waiting for the bolt to fall off.

Just wrap some duct tape around the base of the bolt handle and you won't have to worry about it.

I love it when I start a thread that has some positive stuff in it. Checked screws and the scope base screws needed loc-tite and tightening. Action screws were also less than 40 in/lbs. if the current KY monsoon ever ends I will do a re test and see what happens.

By the way, this particular ADL Tupperware appears to be tight bedded like a NULA. If step one doesn't work, that will be step two.

I keep seeing these damn posts. For several months have been trying to find one, and my local wallyworld only carries the 770 or whatever they call the piece-of-junk-of -the-month.

I bought a .243 youth model on black Friday for $377 - 20% and a $35 rebate ($266.60+tax). First 3 shots with Rem CoreLokts went into the same hole. I have not been able to repeat that, but now have it shooting (reloads 3 shot) 3/4" groups at 100 yards regularly. I took the stock off, adjusted the trigger, put a piece of heavy paper under the front lug and screwed it back together. That temporarily floated the barrel. Seemed to take the groups from 1" or a tad over to 3/4". I have since put on a new VX-1 3-9 (traded the stock scope for a bunch of brass) and Burris rings and just picked up a full sized camo Rem adl stock. It seems to like longer bullets better than the 58gr Vmax's that I had on hand. Will soon be trying some 100gr Hornady BTSP's and 87gr VMax's w/IMR 4064 and H4350 to see what happens.
I think with a bit more time I can shrink those 3/4" groups a bit and have a great little rifle. The 20" barrel is excellent to carry around.

One other thing, it tend to shoot better when supported consistently under the front action screw - might help account for the 'not so stiff' stock.

What's everyone torquing the stock screws at? I picked up a 243 on the Black Friday weekend sale and I've yet to shoot it. I mounted a 2.5-10x42 Monarch on it. I sent in an old pre-Monarch 3-9x40 for warranty work and Nikon upgraded me for free. All I have so far is some 100gr factory Corelokts to try but I've usually had good luck out of them in other calibers.

Being Tupperware I went to 40 in/lbs. Haven't tested it yet, but will report when the weather breaks.

Would like to learn how to lighten the pull of the new Remington trigger. Clean break but heavy.

www.opticstalk.com/xmark-pro-trigger_topic12983_page2.html

I don't have a trigger scale but mine lightened up nicely by backing out the adjustment screw. I'm not a bench rest shooter so I prefer to have nothing less than 2.5#. Check to see if your bolt release has a dimple on it, that signifies it's been through the recall. Mine had and there was no epoxy on the adjustment screw so I put a dab of paint on it after adjustment.

Do you mean 40 inch lbs? I suspect that 40 ft lbs would collapse the stock.

Ernie the Gunsmith (google for his site) has some inexpensive replacement springs that he says takes them down to a manageable level.

drover

Thanks drover, of course I meant inch pounds, and have corrected my previous posts.

What color?

I bought one in a 223and its already at the smith being cannibalized. my pard bought one and shot it...being pragmatic.
The damn thing shot so good Im hoping my 'build' does as well when its done!

No schitt......

When will you people learn to leave good enough alone.

Factory stocks should be shaken, not stirred.

Steve, the one I bought a .223, so Im spending hundreds of $$$$ to rebarrel, restock,replace trigger, true up,and scope what will become my new.....wait for it......













.223

The 223 is the little engine that could. The govt had to make sure it was a success and private business took over. The 223 is available everywhere, in every action. NASA has apparently abandoned its plans to create "laser wpns" and is sticking with the 223. SDI technology has evolved to the point where satellites armed with banks of 223s have been launched. Their armament is gajillions of nuclear tipped 80 gr. .224 bullets.

And the heavens will shake, and the sky will burn red with fire. Or maybe more of an orangy-red. Nothing will be as it was. And stuff will rain down like rain when it is raining, except that it will not be wet or fall from the clouds or anything like that. But people will be afraid. Really afraid...

I think we can all understand the incredible advances to an idea Eugene Stoner had while daydreaming.

It's good that you are doing this. You and others like you that truly understand the power will chase away the ones who think you need big diameter bullets to kill stuff.

Tom,

Jim Carmichel wrote many years ago, before I'd ever published a gun article, about shooters attempting to "accurize" rifles they'd never shot in the first place. His favorite example was a walnut-stocked Ruger 77 in .220 Swift that shot so well, right out of the box, that he used it in some local benchrest matches, astonishing the guys shooting custom rifles in more "suitable" cartridges.

One of my favorite stories about factory rifle accuracy (which might also apply to at least one other current thread on this forum) I already told in OBSESSIONS OF A RIFLE LOONY, but bears repeating. Many years ago, when Dave Talley was still living in Glenrock, Wyoming, I was down there hunting something, and Dave told me the story about a Really Famous Accuracy Gunsmith who'd come out that spring to shoot prairie dogs with him.

The RFCG brought one of his own rifles chambered in .223 Remington, along with a short ton of handloads worked up for the rifle. When they went to the range to check the .223's zero after the plane flight, the really special trigger broke. Of course, even if a new trigger could be shipped overnight in they'd lose a couple days of shooting, so they went to the local shooting store and the only .223's in stock were Savages. So the RFCG bought one, I believe for around $200, and in Dave's shop mounted the Swarovski scope from his super-accurate .223.

They found the really special handloads fit just fine in the Savage, and at the range found the Savage shot just as well as the super-custom rifle. Whereupon the RFCG turned to Dave and said: "Don't you DARE tell anybody." Of course, when I showed up that fall Dave told me, but I have kept the name of RFCG a secret.

Pull the stock off, dig the glob of glue off the adjustment screw on the front of the trigger assembly and back the little allen screw out until you get what you want. I have mine at 3# - works very nice now. I always cock it empty and bang the gun around, flip the safety off and on and do what a I can to see if it will go off. No problems at 3# on the X-Mark Pro trigger that came with the rifle for me. I had it down to 2.5# with no issues but find that a little too light when shooting with gloves and put it at 3#. Actually a pretty nice trigger to be honest, better than the one on my Pre War M70. The whole gun is performing well beyond its $265 price tag. Nice to find a little value in todays markets.

But will that stop people from tinkering with rifles before they're shot for the first time? Heck no!

The old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." does not apply to most firearms owners.

In their defense, it hasn't been too many years since a virtual rebuild was required for brand new, factory rifles to shoot worth a darn. That, and nowadaze everyone figures if their rifle, regardless of cartridge or action type, won't bug hole, it's broken.

Steve,

Amazing, isn't it?

Actually, I've found it far harder to buy a rifle that WON'T shoot well these days than one that will. In fact, over the years have encountered several custom rifles with accuracy problems, all due to bedding mistakes that shouldn't have happened.

JB: I remember the Savage story and couldn't agree more.

I disguise my looneyism not by trying to 'accurize' the rifles...because I too have found them unbelievable good off the rack....but by 'customizing' the rifle to suit my own tastes and needs, which as we have seen are transitory and subject to whim.

If there was rhyme or reason to looneyism, we wouldn't need strait jackets or padded cells

Thats my story......




( but my pards rifle, mentioned earlier was a spotter shooting an honest 1/2 inch and he hadn't even fooled with the Xmark POS trigger )

Yeah, I know why you "customize" rifles. (Hard to get leopard print patterns on Wal-Mart specials, for one thing.)

I, on the other hand, am really happy not to have to dink with rifles to get them to shoot. This may seem weird, but apparently have done enough of it over the years to become a little weary of the process. Which is one reason I like so many of today's factory rifles that shoot right out of the box!

Its funny how after much thought we get the perfect rifle. Honestly told my wife this is the last rifle i need, a couple rifles ago! Also said I want to sell one to pay for this one. She just grinned at me. I was serious, but she knows me better than i do.

You also have just a couple more rifles than me, and you are pretty much required to give them all range tine to keep up on the latest stuff.


I, on the other hand, can leisurely create custom works of art. Stainless and Plastic 'bespoke' rifles as it were......capable-Im sure- of shooting .1 better than most factory rifles!


BTW: When did you want to take delivery on your zebra stocked .223AI Whiz Bang?

That always make me smile, John. It's great that fewer rifles have to be played with in order to shoot well.

I think the biggest issue with shooters these days is stock fit. It's always been important, but years ago there were other problems that needed a shooter's immediate attention. Remember when virtually every rifle had a so-so trigger, or an unsealed wooden stock that swelled, or was improperly bedded from the factory? It was also harder to find proper fitting scope mounts. Thank goodness for CNC machining! It's solved many of the action problems.

Factories cannot correct the problem of correct stock fit as easily as they tackled crappy triggers or action/stock fit. These days, more people should pay attention to proper length of pull and cheek weld. That would help with accuracy and felt recoil.

Been trying to get someone to buy a Cooper Excalibur in 243 the LGS has used for 1300. Great gun, good buy, should be scary accurate. Finally dawned on me, for most folks, a RAR or Axis is just as good for 1/3 the money. I like well built and accurate guns but, other than making me feel good, those cheap pos rifles will outshoot me in the field and that is good enough for most. I did not say the cheapies are equal, just seem as good to most.

You guys are making me feel guilty. I have a small confession to make: I have never bought a Wal-Mart special. Is my Looney status in jeopardy?

I want to buy another one. Found a new Classic walnut stock for my recently purchased 243ADL Wally-world cull-bin rifle and now it is too nice to cannibalize for the action. I did find that you can get $30-40 really easily for those no-name combo scopes if you'll put them on Craigslist. Even at $377, the 700 combo rifles are good deals for donors.

And FYI, a new spring from Ernie the Gunsmith allows for a safe and crisp XMP trigger at 3lbs or just under.

Steve,

Luckily, more rifle manufacturers are addressing stock fit these days, though usually with synthetic or laminated stocks rather than nice wood.

I do like nice wood stocks, but must say that the Tuperware stock on my Walmart .243 worked just fine shooting Jack rabbits in the snow yesterday. The rabbits did not seem to care and I was not really worried about impressing anyone. Was kind of nice to not worry about it getting wet and scraped up in the brush.

Improper stock fit affects felt recoil, trigger pull, shouldering and relative stability when shooting offhand. Even from a field rest, so-so stock fit can make things more difficult.

While many people do not like plastic, stocks can be easier to design and adapt to length of pull and rise. Fitted stocks can also be made more cheaply, and corrected without a trip to the gun shop, which keeps cost down.

Spacers, pads, cheek rests and accessory rails have been incorporated in the high end plastic stocks, and we should see that convenience filter down to less expensive ones in the future.

Of course, price is usually a prohibitive factor for many. Aluminum bedding rails and attaching parts are cheaper to manufacture and install, but the newness made them more 'spensive.

Now that the method is in common usage, stocks (and fit) should be less expensive and easier to do.

Edited to add: I bought an ugly Choate Varmint stock that I could play with. It cost $250 CDN, which I still think was 'spensive, but it shoots tiny little groups. I made a 6x45 using a Stevens 200 action. It's not a benchrest rifle, but it's accurate and fun to shoot.

Were you using the scope that came with the rifle?



OT: Does WalMart get some sort of "special" rifles?