I have read many times that you should never shoot a donor rifle. I found a Remington 700 ADL in 7mm mag yesterday that I am guessing was probaly made in the early 1970's. The action was in good shape but the stock showed alot a scratches and dings were someone just did not care about the rifle. I have been wanting a light weight rifle either in 300 win mag or maybe a 257 weatherby so I bought the rifle.

I took the rifle home and cleaned it and I really believe that it was the first time the rifle has ever been cleaned. The rifle's barrel was pretty dirty but came clean very quick. I then adjusted the trigger down to a crisp 3 pounds.

Then I got to thinking that before I have this rifle re-barreled I had better shoot it and make sure there was no problems with the action. So this morning I grabbed a box of 150 grain Remington core-loks and off to range I went.

First group about a inch and quarter but on of the shots was a fouler. The next 4 three shot groups were all under 3/4 of inch.

Now I am sitting here wondering what to do. Buy a set of dies and see if it will shoot better? Or just rebarrel it any way?

Dink

That is a tough one right there. Depends on what you got in your stockade. LOL.

Good Luck on that decision.

Tom

How about the lightweight rifle you want being an accurate 7mm Remington Magnum?

Tough to beat a good ole 700 in 7 RM.

On the other hand, not much really matches a 257 Wby too.

4 three shot groups all under 3/4 is pretty good as it is. With the right handload you might be able to just about put them into one hole! That would be one fine accurate rifle. So what happens if you rebarrel and can't get that kind of accuracy? This seems to be a fine example of "never shoot the donor"! I think if it were me I would have to buy the dies just to see what it can really do, since you went this far already. Good luck with your decision.

Bob

Its gonna happen everytime with a remington...

7mm RM dies can be found cheap and used. You discovered the exact reason to never shoot the donor...I did the same with a JC Higgens many moons ago...It was going to be a 280 ackley. Its still a 30-06, and I own 3 of them at the moment.

Good for you. My Remington 7 mag is an dependable as a hammer.

I suggest finding some 140's it likes and forget about that .257 W. And refinish the stock while you are at it.
Or give it to a best friend that needs a good hunting rifle.
7 mags will do a lot of killing.

stumpy

I forgot to tell everyone that the pressure pad in the stock has rubbed all the blueing off the barrel from contact.

I was so sure that the gun would not shoot very well and with the pressure pad in place I was just positive that it would not shoot well. Now I am afraid to remove the pressure pad.

I do happen to have a remington ti stock that I could drop it in I guess.

Decisions....decisions...

Dink

"I do happen to have a remington ti stock that I could drop it in I guess."

Sounds like destiny to me!!

Have Karl sexy up the bolt and re-cut the crown for a custom look, bed it in the McMillan of choice and be done. I would be happy, hell that accurate donor just saved you hundreds!!

Leave it alone or send it to me!

Depends on what you were holding that Ti for .... prolly will have to open the barrel channel.

I bought a 700 7RM a couple of years ago from a guy that had never taken the cosmoline wrap off of it. It was 27 years old. It took forever to get that "beeswax" off of it. Sold the original stock to a CF member, set it in a B&C Alaskan, took it to the range and it will put 5 consecutive shots in the same hole with 150 Scirocco's.

Typical performance from an out of the box 700 for that era.

Avagadro I happen to have three of the ti stocks so I guess I could use one.

Anyone know how hard it is to open the barrel channel?

Reloader28 does your 7mm seem to have a slightly heavier barrel contour than the new sps guns? I was looking at a new sps that a guy bought also in 7mm mag and this one seems to have a slightly heavier contour.

Dink

DINK,
I bought a 7mm Mag a few years ago because of a good deal with intentions of a 257 Wby. Made the same mistake you made. I had no need at the time for a 7 mm Mag, and it is now one of my favorites. Consistent 1/2 groups with 150 grain Nosler BT make it really hard to touch it. The 257 Wby will have to come from another source.

GreggH

A couple thoughts Dink,

I'd grab some 120's and R22 and see how it perked with them. And I'd grab some 7828 some R25 and some 150 NBT's and see how they perked. Plus I'd wrap a Ti take off around it.

I'm pretty darn sure how it's gonna go...grin

Then I'd dump the 257 idea and go forth and fill up a couple arks with the 7

Dober

It would be awful tempting to forget the 257, the McMillan, the Ti and the dies. Go buy some more CorLoct's and hunt most anything ya want......

Dober I thought for sure you would be part of the re-barrel crowd...grin. Thats not making my decision any easier.

SSB I have had that same thought.

Dink

Dink-

A 3/4" group? I'd retube for sure.
I really like the 7. And if speed is what you desire, I like Dober's idea of trying the 120's and R22 - it'll put you in the ballpark of 257 Roy speed anyway. (maybe not playing the same game, but at least in the same park)

This could be a mute point if you have something in the .284ish arena already. In that case, there IS some cool factor in Roy's baby - I too scratched that itch.

Dink=you clould rebarrel for sure but I am such a fiend for the big 7's that it'd have to be a project that I was really driven by.

Dober

What about having the chamber opened up to 7 STW, and then restock it with an M700 mtn laminate?

You know the barrel is sound, and a tight, new non-factory chamber make make it even better?

140g TTSX and IMR7828SSC.

160's work well, too, various flavors.

What you have there is a great rifle/cartridge combo for the West. And the East, North and South...

buy the dies, re-stock it. Whats not to like? Go shoot that 7RM and get the 257 Wby later, if you think you still need[want?] it. Just my $.o2. Tom

Dink
First of all. I think you were smart to shoot the donor. I have dumped over two grand into a rifle only to find out there were action promlems, leaving me with a $2000 rifle that would shoot 5 MOA on it's best day. When you shoot the donor, the worst thing that will happen is that you discover a rifle you don't want to part with, and you have to find a new donor
If it were me, I'd have the lugs lapped, recrown it, have it bead blasted or refinished in whatever way suited me, and restocked. Then, do some load developement, and I think you'll find a very very useful rifle. If you tire of it, then you can still have it rebarreled at a later date.

Fred

Thanks for the advice guys. I really have no "need" for another rifle but I hate to tear apart a good rifle. I was just sure the old gun would not shoot.

I think I will shoot it a while longer and make sure that was not a fluke. I have never played with a 7mm mag before so I will see what I can make it do.

Thanks
Dink

Careful, 7RMs can be addicting. We 7RM believers are almost as rabid as the .270 owners.

I picked up a M70 Classic FW stainless in 7RM recently(they made this NH rifle for two years or so)not really knowing what I would do with it.At Dobers suggestion I loaded the 150BT's in it with 70-RL25....it put 7 of those under an inch.....mmmm......

I have a Borden Rimrock stock for a Classic that I got here off BWalker;it's going to Redneck for bedding.The rifle is a pleasant surprise for relatively little money.I guess sometimes it pays to shoot a donor

A 120 gr 7mm at 3400 sounds like a 257 Weatherby to me;and with 175's at 2900 a feller is edging into 300 mag territory...sooo....................good luck with your decision.

Hence the reason I tend to look for donor ACTIONS and not donor guns.....saves on the temptation. That clip slotted 243 in the classifieds is killing me though.....

Yeah, but would an STW kill a Missouri whitetail any deader than the Rem. Mag??? Doubt it muchly, as I've killed a bunch of Missouri deer pretty damned dead with a plain old .270.

I'd say to hell with it, and buy up all that lot of CoreLokts I could find, and shoot the hell out of it. When the pipe gets fried, finally, THEN worry about a rebarrel.

Funny, my 30-06 I bought used from the early 80s, stacks 180 grain Accubonds. Gotta love those remmies, and I would shoot as is very happily.