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November 6th, 2010
Need parts for your Remington rifle or shotgun? You can spend hours searching around the web for a few hard-to-find parts… OR you can simply go straight to the source, Remington’s online Parts Store. Remington now operates a modern, searchable online store selling parts for Rem 700 rifles and actions, plus parts for other Remington rifles and shotguns.
Prices are pretty good too. An ejector spring is just $3.20. Likewise a stainless, hex front guard screw is just $3.20. Bigger components are offered as well. Stainless Long Action BDL bottom metal is $82.00, and you can purchase a complete Rem 700 firing pin assembly for $52.00. All cataloged parts can be orderd quickly and easily with a secure shopping cart system. If you have questions about the parts you need, just call Remington’s toll-free customer service line, (800) 243-9700.
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May 27th, 2010
Looking to expand its share of the burgeoning market for tactical rifles, Remington has released a new Hogue-stocked Rem 700 variant with a 20″ barrel threaded for sound moderators (suppressors). Remington calls the new rifle the Model 700™ SPS™ Tactical AAC®-SD. (Somebody at Remington got carried away with the acronyms.) There’s nothing new or remarkable to be found in the gun’s internals. It’s pretty much a standard short-action Rem 700 with a 1:10″-twist heavy barrel chambered in .308 Winchester. The rifle does feature a Hogue® Overmolded Ghillie Green™ pillar-bedded stock, an upgrade over the inexpensive synthetic stocks on entry-level Rem 700s.
We generally like the build quality of the Hogue stocks, but some of our tactical testers have complained that the over-molded design is a bit flexy compared to a McMillan or Manners tactical stock. If you’re planning to use the rifle for mostly prone work, you’ll also want to add some sort of buttpad spacer system to allow length-of-pull adjustment. MSRP for the SPS Tactical AAC-SD is $757.00.
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January 30th, 2010
We had a chance to visit with Jim Kelbly of Kelbly’s Inc., at SHOT Show 2010. Jim had all the new March scopes on display, including the amazing 8-80x56mm long-range scope, part of March’s ground-breaking 10 times zoom range series. Jim reviewed the March line-up, explaining the many high-magnification models available for precision shooters.
Jim also showed us the stainless Grizzly II action and the new Atlas series of stainless actions. The Atlas actions are designed for varminters, tactical shooters, and long-range shooters who want an affordable stainless action with a Remington 700 action footprint. The Atlas actions should be a simple drop-in installation for stocks inletted for Rem 700s. At the close of the interview, we asked Jim about the future of benchrest competition. Jim believes that we will see more cross-over of short-range shooters into the long-range disciplines (and vice-versa), along with growth in the F-Class and tactical disciplines.
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January 20th, 2010
Streamlined DBM Mag Release from American Precision Arms
Jered Joplin of American Precision Arms (formerly Patriot Arms) showed us a smart new product that should speed up mag changes for tactical bolt-gun competitors. The new APA detachable box magazine (DBM) bottom metal has two, spring-loaded tabs, one on either side of the tigger guard. Just push down on the tab on either side and the magazine drops out quickly and easily. You don’t have to fumble around with hard-to-operate latches anymore.
American Precision Arms’ DBM system uses the well-proven AICS magazine, as several others do, but APA’s version has the most streamlined and user-friendly mag release mechanism. Releasing the magazine with the trigger finger is very intuitive. The release levers are machined to fit flush with the trigger guard edges, so there is virtually no change of a snag or unintentional release. For more information, call Jered Joplin at (706) 534-1577.
New Protektor Model Deluxe Rear Bags
We stopped by the Protektor Model booth and were pleased to find some new deluxe rear bags on display. The DR bag, a large square rear bag, is one of Jason’s favorites. He suggested to Protektor that it combine this flat top design with the larger Loaf design, shown at right in the picture below. The loaf provides extra stabiity and it can serve as a hand/arm rest as well.
One new Protektor product that caught our attention was a thick-botomed bag with a carry handle. The thick bottom is crafted from hard, thick leather with an extra layer of suede on the bottom for enhanced grip. Though designed for bench use, I dubbed this model the “F-Class Bag” because the extra height would be very helpful when shooting from the ground, and the built-in handle would be ideal for carrying the bag out to the shooting positions. This new F-Class Bag is not on Protektor’s website yet, but it is a production model that should retail for roughly $70.00 unfilled and about $80.00 filled with sand. (Protektor conveniently offers both filled and un-filled versions of most of its sandbags.)
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December 27th, 2009
Louisiana Precision Rifles (LPR) has a new custom action with all the features you could want in a deluxe Rem-700-clone receiver. The new Rem-700 footprint LPR action is available in stainless steel or chrome moly, in Right Hand, Left Hand, Long- or Short-action versions, suitable for .223 Rem through .338 Lapua Magnum.
LPR’s owner William Roscoe included some very nice features in this new action — it’s a far cry from another “bare bones” Rem-700 clone. The bottom of the action features a .125″ radius cut for modified detachable box magazines, and the receiver is otherwise compliant with both ADL and BDL bottom metal. Notably, the new LPR action is slightly longer than a standard Rem 700 receiver. The LPR action has a longer 1.0625 x 16 TPI tenon for better barrel support.
In the front of the action is a precision-ground, double-pinned .312″ recoil lug. On top of the action, Louisana Precision includes a custom +20 MOA scope rail, that is both double-pinned and secured with oversize 8×40 screws. Roscoe has relocated the bolt release to the side where it is raised up out of the stock line so you don’t have to make a large cut-out in your stock.
The bolt is an inpressive piece of work also. It employs a fluted, one-piece bolt body with a threaded handle to accept custom bolt handle knobs. At the rear of the bolt, the cam angles have been carefully modified for smoother extraction and better camming. The front of the bolt is fairly unique. The ejector has been repositioned, and the bolt is fitted with an ultra-reliable mini M16-style extractor. The new LPR action design also allows a 100% captive firing pin tip.
Available on Complete Rifle Builds Initially
This receiver is available right now on complete rifles built by Louisiana Precision Rifles. Individual receivers will be offered for sale at a later date. The cost of a complete custom rifle built by Wm. Roscoe of Louisiana Precision ranges from $2,950 to $3,500 depending on finish, added options and stock choices. Estimated lead time is roughly 30-45 days on receivers. For more info, visit LouisianaPrecisionRifles.com, or call William Roscoe at (318) 422-0421.
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November 8th, 2009
This gear review is by respected prone shooter German Salazar. German recently received the first production version (Serial No. 0001) of the NEW Borden Action espressly designed for Tubeguns. German reports this is “really a great piece of equipment” and it’s affordable at $800 for the single-shot version or $850.00 for the repeater.
NEW Action for the Tubegun Revolution by German Salazar
If you’re a High Power shooter then you know that the Tubegun Revolution is in full swing both in across-the-course and prone matches. For many reasons, including accuracy, availability, cost, delivery time, ergonomics, familiar feel (for AR15 shooters) and more, the Tubeguns are becoming the norm in High Power. I recently built a 30-06 Tubegun for prone matches and have been extremely satisfied with the results, but I had a desire for a better action for it, now that desire is a reality.
While most Tubegun stocks are made to take Remington 700 actions or clone, it has become difficult to get bare Remington actions and bargain priced 700s are non-existent these days. Buying a complete rifle to strip, then blueprinting the action leaves you with about the cost of a custom action invested in the Remington — not the most economically sensible outcome.
Seeing the need for a custom action to fit the Tubeguns at a moderate price, Jim Borden of Borden Rifles is now making a Tubegun Special (TGS) action –- actually six variants of it. The TGS action is made to fit the Tubegun stocks without alteration and has been designed in cooperation with Gary Eliseo (Competition Shooting Stuff) to ensure compatibility and functionality.
Special Features Optimized for Tubegun Installations
The TGS is a full round action, without the scallops of the Borden Alpine/Timberline series and without the flattened rear bridge of the Remington 700. This full round surface presents a much larger surface area for epoxy if you intend to glue-in the action, and simply a better fit if you intend to bolt the action into the tube. Additionally, the TGS has no scope mounting holes or bolt stop since these are not required in a Tubegun stock and their elimination reduces machining costs, helping to keep the retail price competitive with a blueprinted Remington.
Beyond the action profile, there are a few choices in the TGS. You can order it right-handed or left-handed, long action or short action, single-shot or repeater. The single-shot models have a coned bolt as shown in the photos, which helps feeding from the action trough, whereas the repeaters have a flat-faced bolt like a Remington to ensure reliable feeding from a magazine.
The TGS has the familiar Remington-type plunger ejector and a claw extractor similar to the Sako. I have put over 4,000 rounds through my 6BR Borden Alpine with 100% reliability from the extractor. It’s a solid, reliable design. The bolt is nicely fluted in a spiral pattern and the fit and finish of every bit of the action and bolt are first class. It’s almost a shame to epoxy it into the tube, but that’s what it’s meant for!
Borden Accuracy is now a distributor for the CG triggers (X-tremeshooting.com) and can time the action to the trigger before delivery. Other triggers are available from Borden as well and the action takes any Remington-type trigger. Finally, Gary and Jim have standardized locations for the serial number and manufacturer information and the CSS stocks have small windows in the main sleeve to allow those to be seen at all times.
If you’re planning to build a Tubegun, you should take a close look at the Borden Tubegun Special action, it’s a very practical and cost-effective approach with the single-shot actions priced at $800 and the repeaters at $850 as of this writing.
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May 19th, 2008
Gunsmith Nat Lambeth, nlambeth [at] embarqmail.com, recently had a client bring in a Custom-Shop Remington that wouldn’t even hold one Minute of Angle (MOA) at 100 yards. Nat was able to correct flaws in the factory action and then fit a new barrel. Remarkably, after action truing and barrel replacement, the gun shot like a house on fire. After working his magic, Nat shot a 0.111″ 5-shot group with the gun.
Nat tells us: “I had a customer bring in a Remington 700. This rifle was supposed to have been from the custom shop. It was a stainless model 700 with a 5R Mil Spec barrel in a HS Precision stock. The customer paid a premium price for this rifle. The customer complained the rifle ‘won’t shoot groups under 1.5″ at 100 yards’, and he wanted a new barrel. He had 400 rounds down the tube. The barrel looked to be in good shape with maybe a scratch 8 inches from the muzzle.
Blue-Printing the Receiver
I removed the barrel from the receiver and looked at the internal bolt lug engagement surfaces. Only one lug seemed to be contacting. I put the bolt in a V-Block and measured the rearward bolt lug surfaces. The right or bottom lug had .019″ more reaward surface than the left or upper lug. This would have taken me two days to lap out so I set up the bolt in a truing jig and turned the bolt .020. I then put the action in a action truing jig and machined the inside lug surfaces until I got one even surface. I lapped the lugs until I had 80% bi-lateral contact, then re-faced the bolt and action face.
New Broughton Barrel
I dialed in a new 26″ Broughton 1:10, 5C barrel. It was indicated on both ends until a .0001″ indicator needle was not moving. The barrel was turned, threaded, and chambered in the same setup using thinbit tooling, a PT&G 95 Palma reamer with a .3004 bushing. The chamber was cut within .0015″ with a Lambeth/Kiff Micrometer Adjustable Reamer Stop. The factory recoil lug was replaced with a precision-ground lug.
The barrel was removed from the lathe and the muzzle was cut 1.250 shorter in a bandsaw. The barrel was re-mounted in the lathe and the muzzle dialed in the steady rest. The crown was faced with a piloted, PT&G facing tool then faced with a piloted, 79° counter bore .100″.
Stock Work
The rifle stock was re-inletted and glassed in for two inches. Then the barrel free-floated.
A Tack-Driver is Born
I thoroughly prepped 22 pieces of used 308 Federal Gold match brass, which were then loaded with 42.5 grains of H4895, CCI BR2 primers, and Hornady 168 HPBT bullets. After cleaning the barrel, I fired one test round with no problems and cleaned the barrel again. I then installed a Leupold 6.5-20AO scope in Farrell bases and rings. I bore-sighted the rifle by eye with the bolt removed at 50 yards.
After some sighters to set Point of Aim, I sat down and did 5 shots for record at 100 yards. Those five shots went into one ragged hole. (See Target Below — this editor measures the group as 0.111″ center to center using OnTarget Software.) Another customer who was there at the range, then shot a 5-shot group that went into 0.312″. That’s an 0.2115″ average for the two groups. I then was able to shoot a couple more groups in the ‘teens.”
Conclusion
Nat proved that attention to detail DOES make a difference, and that truing an action, improving the bedding, and fitting a superior barrel can make a HUGE difference in accuracy. Now, mind you, we’re not suggesting that you can take a factory .308 and make it into a gun that will win the Super Shoot. Nat’s 0.111″ group was exceptional. Still this demonstrates that major gains can be had by action blue-printing combined with bedding work and a new barrel.
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