Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Building an Heirloom

I am building a rifle for my son who recently retired as a ship's captain. He now has the time, money, and health to enjoy life.

Here are the parameters: Caliber; 7MM, Carbon fiber barrel, Rem 700 action. stock?, Timney trigger. Optics TBD. The rifle must be lightweight, it will be used for elk and similar game in the US and elsewhere. Cost within reason is not an issue.

Some questions:

1. What would be a good carbon fiber barrel?

2. Is it worth the time and trouble to blueprint the action? This action is from a model 700 I've had for many years it was behind a stock .270 barrel. I'd like to use this action because he used that .270 to take a large bear when he was sixteen.

3. Any suggestions for a stock and scope?

4. Any other advice and suggestions appreciated.

For the CF wrapped barrel I would recommend one of the new Bartleins. Bartlein has a stellar reputation on their other barrels and their new CF wrapped barrels are just as good. I would suggest either a #4 or #13 contour from them.

For the action, if this is going to be a really special rifle why use a Remington action?? I'm a Remington guy but there are so many really good quality actions out there these days it makes little sense throwing money at a 700. But if you want to go that route then yes I would have the smith true the action for you and time the bolt to make sure its correct.

Trigger - I would suggest a TriggerTech either primary or special.

For a good stock, lots of options for you these days. McMillan, Manners, AG Composites all build nice stocks depending on your tastes. I recently used a stock built by Proof since they already come inlet for a carbon barrel and am really pleased with it, weight on the stock alone was only 19 ozs.

Optics? Again lots of options - whats your price point?? That will help narrow it down and hopefully others will chime in on that since I'm just starting to upgrade my optics.

Barrel --- PROOF RESEARCH

Blue print action , never hurts

Trigger Tech

Manners , some are lighter none are much better. Rio7

If by 7mm you mean 7mm Magnum you’re going to have to work on the action to open the bolt face and potentially massage the rails/ramp/box anyway so you may as well have it trued. Put some thought into what extractor you want too as that will need changed if you use the original bolt and open it up.

What kind of stock does he shoot now? Does he like a traditional stock or more taticool? Or chassis?

I like the McMillan Edge HTG for a general purpose hunting stock. The manners EH3 would be my #2 choice.

The proof barrels are slightly lighter then the new bartlein Carbon barrels. Proof had established themselves as a top level cut rifled barrel maker. Bartlein has a solid pedigree as well.

I appreciate using a action that has sentimental value, please don't let people talk you out of it. Just get a new 1 piece PTG bolt in the correct face size.

I would go McMillan Edge HTG, Bartlein CF #4, Hawkins rings, and the best Swarovski I could afford.

Barrel - Bartlein. Proofs consistency has been spotty as of late.

Why spend money on such expensive barrels and not address action bolt on the 700. I would also suggest a custom action instead though. Difference in price will be spent making the 700 true.

I personally like McMillan and manners above the rest. But consider Mesa precision and AG composites as well. No bad options and many others to consider but pay attention to weight. No point going carbon barrel with heavy stock IMO

If Timmey go HIT but also consider Triggertech as well.

Optics is too hard to suggest without more info on what you consider ideal and intended purpose.

Building rifles is fun and enjoy the experience. It is as enjoyable as the end product.

Forget the Timney. Go Triggertech.

Otherwise you have got a great idea.

If I was building an heirloom I'd call James Anderson.

If I was putting a CF barrel and a stock on a 700 I'd call whoever had a good price and quick turnaround. Or just buy a Christianson or similar.

I wanted the CF because it is supposed to be lightweight, accurate, and long lasting. In the future he could always toss the 700 and buy a high end custom action.

One thing I’ve learned in rifle building is it doesn’t pay to cut corners.

On an heirloom rifle do an heirloom action.

Another vote for a custom action. For a man with budget to work with the quality and feel of a custom action really completes the build. The barrel is the heart and soul, but the action is the T&A.

I like the idea of using the action you have history with. Not sure what you mean by heirloom really. Does that require a certain price tag? Not in my mind. But maybe.

Have the action trued and build your rifle.

-Jake

About the only thing a custom action will do is provide slightly more return if you sell it.

A Rem action can be made just as accurate, just as smooth and have almost as many features. A custom action will not have any sentimental value and most have a "tactical" bolt that grabs every bush or branch you walk by. You might spend almost as much as buying a new action having yours worked over depending on how much you want done though.

Normally I would say go with a custom but in your case i would pass.

Also if your not using a supressor I might skip the CF barrel. I use mine to keep the diameter for threading but skipping the weight penalty.

Just my two cents which is worth nothing.

Why not give him that 270 and build a custom separate of that? The sentiment in my mind is the complete rifle, not just the action. It was Dad's and I killed that Bear with it when I was a kid, now it's mine and as is.

The custom could be build on a quality custom action designed for the purpose of the build with the components of your choice.

Like others have said, if money were not an issue and I wanted a hunt anywhere heirloom, I wouldn’t use a Rem action, I’d probably get a Saterlee Mauser in titanium or stainless, an heirloom should have class, Mausers are classy, Rems and their clones not so much, they work fine but yeh Mausers for me, if only Stuart would make them lefthanded.

Thanks for all the input.

Right now I'm sticking with the 700 action and tending toward a Bartlein barrel. They have a list of in stock barrels and I should be able to find one that will work.

I don't think a custom action would add much to the utility of the rifle. If I didn't have the 700 action I definitely would go custom. I have other rifles with custom actions and they are nice.

Good point above about whether you are thinking of 7 REM mag, or another 7 magnum that’s different from the current bolt face and feed rails.
To avoid that kind of complication, consider a 280 REM or 280 AI.
Good luck with your project.

When I hear heirloom rifle, I think wood- very nice wood....

Nothing wrong with the 700 action, but have it at least cleaned up and trued- not necessary in my opinion to have it blueprinted and a lot of gunsmiths I talk to say the same thing....

But if it is truly to be an heirloom rifle the wood is the thing you will look at the most and admire how much someone cared to build a rifle of that quality. Anyone can slap a fiberglass stock on a rifle and go hunting. Only time, experience, and a beautiful piece of wood will produce a stock you can look at and admire for years to come... team that with the 700 action, the Bartlein barrel you are considering, and a high gloss blue and you'll be passing on something special. Add steel bottom metal that can be polished and blued to match and it will be as complete as you can make it. Let your son pick out the optics he prefers IMO....

Bob

Utility has nothing to do with it; you said “heirloom”.

Heirloom says Exhibition Walnut and rust blue to me. I would do the Echols stock in edge wrap, the PT&G bolt (order early and be prepared to wait) the trigger tech trigger, a Swaro or Night Force scope but only the Z3's are light weight. Then I would build a companion rifle in classic wood and maybe a controlled round action instead of the Remington or clones. Lots of Custom Gun Guild members to choose from and a couple contribute to the Campfire if they didn't all get run off.

As someone mentioned using the existing bolt after it is trued would simplify things and an animal will never tell the difference between a 280 AI and a 7RM. Although worldwide the 7RM ammo has better availability, but then I don't buy the loosing your ammo argument. Although I have brought the wrong ammo on one occasion, but then I almost always have a backup rifle.

If your son is going to hunt Africa a good match to the 7mm would be the 375 H&H in the classic configuration. It could have a synthetic stock back up for Alaska and other wet places.