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.

I think mineral streaked walnut, a pancake cheek piece, a rounded off bottom of the grip or skeletonized plate, and tens of thousands in engraving when I think heirloom.


Then I look at a nice pre-64 308 that’s waiting to be bedded to a Manners because the wood stock took a beating in no time on these hills. I think of what I kept when Dad passed. Only a small wooden cross and an electrical symbols cheat sheet he hand wrote. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not nostalgic having sold any weapon I owned when I couldn’t utilize it with 12 mos for various reasons.

Perhaps if money weren’t a big obstacle having the 270 rebarreled and reblued with the stock tastefully refinished and a custom with a CF barrel and stock built that he could build new memories with is the best way to go. I like Manners stocks but I like closed grips mostly. CF barrels Proof has come a long way. I’m a material science geek though and CF barrels in general seem at the base level to concern me. I’m hoping Bart with their reputation will help propel others into the technology and it’ll become the standard. Many really like them I’m not there yet. Between the two I suspect Proof is far enough down the road to have worked out some of the heat issues and probably runs a lighter “liner” so to speak. If I were jumping into the pond and had a rep like Bart I’d go more conservative at first and rely on the limited competition until I had built a solid rep in that technology and could afford some extra risk. It very well could be that they have a guru or hired one though so that’s an Outsiders take. Maybe history of proven service levels would help me pick one.

I’m probably in the Millenial crowd as class of ‘00 and I am a big fan of the classic writers/hunters. I wonder if our age/experience is why some are saying wood/blued is a heirloom and others think “Utility” and “Heirloom” don’t have to be exclusive. It very well could be that my children look at MSRs as Heirlooms. We are getting to a point where many have started with synthetic/CF stocks and SS weapons. They may never connect with an old Mauser or Holland.

I’m sure Ive added nothing but have benefited immensely from this discussion and it provides much to think about for my own family a few decades from now.

Thank you

And if anyone can send me research on CF barrel technology I’d greatly appreciate it. I’m thinking the extra thickness could be additional rigidity for heat to try and hold the thinner SS from moving around after each shot. It could be a million other things and I’m interested in learning more.

I think blueprinting a 700 and otherwise smoothing it up is worthwhile when going to the expense of a CF rebarrel. I’ve not heard of many smiths that will rebarrel without squaring and cutting new threads at least. I’ve not had a custom built on s 7 or 700 in quite awhile though. A PTG one piece bolt was popular when going this route and I’ve not heard much about that in awhile but suspect for the cost many just go to a clone action instead with so many options. A friend competed for a time in F T/R with a trued 700 and an Obermeyer barrel. I’m not sure when he won his first records but believe it was that time frame. He had upgraded to a Panda when I knew him and I believe he still shoots for the US Team. It’s been some years and I should see what he’s up to. His Smith was a friend that used to give me updates on how competitions were going but I’ve dropped off Earth the past year.

Kirios -

I’m building an Heirloom for my niece right now...

So far (on hand working on them after I finish some Cerakote jobs)

700 Stainless Short Action
Trigger Tech Trigger
Custom 308 Match Reamer
Krieger Heavy Sporter - I had them do a 30 cal 1:10 twist.
I a modifying a 223 bolt to a 308 bolt with a M16 style extractor

Frankly it’s only the stock and bottom metal left..
Either a B&C Alaskan OR... McM Edge remy Varmint stock
Bottom metal Either BDL, or a DMB bottom metal

I guess different people have different definitions of heirloom firearm, to me it could mean the 94 or savage your grandfather used because of the memories and family connection, but when it comes to actually building something with the intention that it will become an heirloom, then I think of something really special built by a true gunsmith, someone who has spent his career mastering all the facets of their trade, but the connection your son already has with the rifle definitely brings the right sentiment to the project, my first larger centrefire was a 700 bdl made in the early 70s that I’ve always regretted selling, I always check the used racks when I visit gun shops to see if I can find one like it, purely for sentimental reasons, if you are opening it up for a magnum 7mm an M16 extractor would be a nice touch, I’d probably add steel bottom metal as well, a bit heavier, but the stock alloy ones are a bit cheesy unless you really want to keep the weight down, in that case there’s nothing wrong with the adl set up.

whatever you end up doing, make sure you keep us up to date!

Maybe "heirloom" is the wrong term.

I want and he wants this rifle to be used and used hard and dragged thru swamps and over deserts and mountains and still shoot lights out. It probably won't go farther than him. None of my four grandchildren have any interest in guns or hunting. I hope he passes it along to a young hunter when he is too old to hunt (if there are any left).

Anyway today I placed an order for a Bartlein carbon fiber barrel. It will be here Monday. He's now looking into stocks and scopes.

I'm having fun.

This is what matters!

^^^^^^^This^^^^^^

Carbon wrapped barrel in a synthetic stock has no soul, it is just a tool.

I agree, but if a rifle is too over-the-top, one will tend to not use it fearing it will get marked up. There needs to be a balance between really nice and utility.

I had a nice FN-98 done up this year. No engraving or rust bluing. Nice english walnut but no exhibition grade, but did get the basic std bells and whistles. I plan on using it all the time and have already dragged it on a NFLD moose hunt. Got it soaked with rain on 1st first day out. It needs to be useable not a safe queen.

The kids need to be able to say that grampy shot a lot of moose and deer with that rifle to be a prized heirloom.

If that’s the case give Alamo Precision a call.

In my very small ( sample of 1) rifles from them, I’m happy.
They are putting another together for me now.

Tell em what you after after. They can fix you up.

I was conflicted on which path to take for my own building an heirloom question
I have mentally gone throught this a few times and it’s a tough one.

On one side I want to buy them a Ruger 77... Classis blue & wood, reliable, sexy, slim... a rifle a kid would keep... NOT the most accurate one in the world.
On the other side - Tactical weenies the kids are, and Accurate as a 700 action is - if you make a bug hole rifle, that can shoot long range, or Pdogs they also may hold onto it.

Every once and a while I flip back to the 77, but Walmart has 700’s on clearance... shoot

Sounds more "modern precision" than "heirloom" but a fantastic rifle just the same! Heirloom to me = blued steel and walnut.

Oregon Mountain Rifles will install a carbon barrel and AG stock on a Rem 700 for about $1500.

Campfire Forum...? Seems you've lit a California Conflagration Blaze in dream rifle proposal details advice!

I'm not the equivalent 21st Century 'techie' as most here. I do join questioning the Rem action choice. Yet also understand 'dream', whatever. Been there, done that, with some pretty wild 'custom build' notions myself. Just that always met with darned 'reality'! Not a 'cost no object', club member here! More in 'coffee-can bankroll' mode. That said, I do feel competent to comment on several of the most commercial-common 7mm stuff! 7mm08; 7x57; 7RemMag; all great chamberings! Not into handloading or exotic ammo beyond perhaps 7x61 S&H with plenty of ammo!
I do wish you best of luck in that 'dream rifle, whatever it may be! My request, as you get your featherweight beast sorted out and built, please do return with it for show & tell.

Just a momentary postscript quik-pix x 2. A favorite 7x57. My Oberndorf sporter, "Intermediate" single square bridge action, semi-octagon ribbed barrel; DS trigger, c.thirties. Blue steel & real wood!

Congrats to your son in retirement and great dad!
Best & Stay Safe!'
John

He is researching stocks right now. Says he wants something more in the traditional vein than "techie/tactical".

I suppose I could have the original stock refinished and use that. I'll see how much weight that would add over a composite.

The original rifle was made in the 1960's with the white spacers and fleur d' lies checkering. I paid $65.00 for it around 1964. In .270 it shot a lot of dear, bear and pig over the years.

iskra nice rifle, what is a semi octagon barrel?

Two nice stock option are the Kestral from Echol's or the Bridges in edge wrap.

IMO you already have the "heirloom" rifle with the one you have. Those stocks with the fluer de lis are a classic in themselves, if you don't think so try to find one. If the barrel is shot out, or does not give the accuracy you want, replace it with a Pac-Nor or other custom turned to the same contour as the factory barrel. A Timney trigger would be a nice addition since they have a more positive safety than the stock Remington trigger.

As you mentioned he took a large bear with it when he was 16, what could be better than giving him the same rifle except looking like new. That would be a true heirloom.

drover

I did give that considerable thought but he wants a more modern rifle. So I decided to base the build on the original action which I will leave it its somewhat beater cosmetic condition. It he wants he can have it Cerocoated to pretty it up.

The Bartlein barrel arrived yesterday. It is drop dead beautiful.