Some time ago, I started a post about converting a Remington M700 in .300 RUM to a .404 Jeffrey. I thought I would post this to let ya'll know how it came out.

I started looking at a .404 about a year ago with an eye to a future cape buff hunt. I looked in all the usual places, hit the manufacturer's sites and kept an eye on the classifieds here, but pretty soon realized that the only readily available new rifles in something close to what I wanted to pay were the CZ's and not much was showing up used. At that time, I had a friend's CZ in .416 Rigby that I was playing with off and on and, to be honest, I just couldn't bring myself to love it. So, I started thinking about having one made more to my liking. I don't recall how I came across the idea of rebarreling a .300 RUM, but I began looking for a rifle in that action for the project.

Again, I looked around for the right gun, hoping to find a M70 or similar. I kept at the search without luck for as long as my patience would allow and finally decided to put forth on this forum the idea of using the Remington M700 action for the rifle. Full disclosure - JudgeG kindly offered a barreled action in M70, but in stainless and I had my heart set on a blue steel and wood gun, so I turned him down. Compared to finding a M70 action, M700's seem to grow on trees. Anyway, in my post ".404 Jeffrey Conversions from Remington Actions" of Oct. 27, 2008, I got lots of excellent tech advice and feedback and, more importantly, noone actually said "don't do it!" Using the playground reasoning that if nobody says you can't then it's ok to do it, I decided to give the project a shot.

Finding the rifle was fairly easy. On Gunbroker.com, I found a Rem. M700 in .300 RUM offered by The Gun Room in Lakewood, CO. I liked the rifle because, in addition to the action, I hoped to be able to use the existing stock which was double cross pinned and had the cheekpiece that I like. I ordered the gun and paid $710, which included shipping.

The next decision was who to engage to do the barrel. I looked around and decided McGowen Precision Barrels in Kalispell, MT could do all the work I wanted. I asked for more of your advice on November 14, 2008 in ".404 Jeffrey length and twist" and was again gratified with the input. I decided on a 23" barrel with a #5 contour and a 1:10" twist. I also asked for square and lap, and blueing of the barrel and receiver to match. I had the rifle shipped directly from The Gun Room to McGowen and it arrived sometime in December, '08. McGowen estimated a 5-6 week completion but that was a bit optimistic. I got their notice of completion and invoice of $648 in March, '09 and had the rifle shipped to my local gun dealer.

When the package arrived, I left work early and rushed down to the local gun store to claim it. It contained the barreled action, stock and the .300 RUM barrel (for sale, if anybody wants it). My thought was to go home to the Man Cave, screw the action to the stock and begin fondling and drooling. Some of you are shaking your heads and can see where this is going, but I didn't. No way would that barrel and action fit into the stock. I didn't even consider this and I felt like I had gotten a pair of old socks in my Christmas stocking! Fortunately, The Wife is good at consolation ("You didn't think of that...idiot.")

Buckets of chagrin later, I'm off to the Gun Fixer Upper to see what can be done. Fortunately, he says there is enough stock to work with and proceeds to inlet the barrel into the stock. He also glass beds the recoil lug and I have him put on the bases and rings while he has it. Total tab - $200 including cost of the bases and rings.

Now I'm off to actually shoot. My friend Jerry Hoover and I went to a friend's range to break in the barrel according to the info on McGowen's site. Ten shots, clean between each round. At the time, no scope was mounted and there are no open sights, so we were shooting with a 1" peep sight. No matter, the gun went "bang" and dirt flew in the general area of where it pointed. That's all I really expected. What I didn't anticipate was the pleasant suprise of how easily the barrel cleaned. That sucker slicks up faster than my 12 gauge.

I bought a Zeiss 1.8 X 5.5 but when I installed it the scope was just too big. Nothing wrong with it; great glass, just bigger than I wanted to mount. I traded it to Jerry for a pair of Steiner binos and some other stuff and got a Leupold VX1 1 X 4 that works fine. I worked an SCI Sensory Safari event at Cabella's and got the employee discount on that scope, so I picked it up for $195.


After 2 shots to adjust, at 25 yards from a standing rest the next two shots were dead center and touching! Two shots from 50 yards offhand were centered and within an inch. I made some shooting sticks from branches and a bunjee cord and my 50 yard shots, 5 this time, are within 2 inches. Good enough for me. I've gone through almost 40 rounds of Hornaday 400gr. DGS and DGX so far and it's still holding together.

I have a couple of issues with the gun. First, the bolt is hard to close on the factory ammo. I'm going to start reloading soon and may try to seat the bullet a bit deeper and see what that does. Also, there was some initial binding on feeding. That seems to be working itself out as I work with the rifle more, but I will keep an eye on it. In the previous posts there was concern regarding the bolt head. I haven't seen a problem with this, but if I have to take it to the gunsmith again, I'll have him check it against the brass I'm using. The gun is a pleasure to shoot. It's slightly barrel heavy and weighs about 9.5 pounds, seems to hold on target nicely. The recoil isn't bad but I was reminded of the need for good form with a nice bruse on my bicep from the first shooting session.

All in all, this has been an interesting project. I like the rifle, it shoots really well, fits me fine and, if it proves itself reliable, I will have no hesitation taking it to Africa.

kh

kh

Try this it might help the hard closing of the bolt.

Be sure the bolt lugs and the locking recesses are clean and free from grit.

Then lube the back of the bolt lugs with a good gun grease.

Shooters Choice or Tetra Gun will do.

Also clean the chamber with a brush and solvent.

See if the bolt face is rough or if the ejectorpin/hole or the extractor is shaving brass.

Great choice of barrel.

Congratulations! Hope you like your 404 Jeffery as much as I do mine!
When you start reloading, I hope you give RL-15 and Dacron/Foam filler a try. Works great in the 404.

Will the bolt close easier on a fired round? You may have to bump the shoulders back on the brass.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by kevin henderson:
First, the bolt is hard to close on the factory ammo.

Interesting story. McGowen Precision Barrels would fit one of their barrels to your action but not fit your stock?

When you eject the unfired Hornady ammo, are there rifling marks on the bullet?

A 700 in .404 Jeff?

That has about as much appeal as Rosie O' Donnell in a bathing suit.

quote:

Full disclosure - JudgeG kindly offered a barreled action in M70, but in stainless and I had my heart set on a blue steel and wood gun, so I turned him down.

FWIW, I would have jumped on JudgeG's offer of the M70 and had the stainless done in a blue/black finish, e.g., Duracoat, powdercoat, etc. IMO, the 404 is deserving of a Mauser-type action. Great choice of cartridge!! Lou

I'm with jackguthary. That might even be illegal in some places. I'd take a rat-tail file to a mauser before I did that.

Most of my hunting rifles are CRF, but I have just never had trouble with the Remington. I know quite a few guys that went to ZA with Remingtons and none of them has been injured or died yet.
Butch

If it feeds well and one doesn't ever have to shoot it upside down, who are we to question???? ...

Sorry for the lapse; had to go to Dallas for a few days.

Butch - don't know about a fired round. Haven't observed that yet.

Onefunzr2 - I think McGowen just does the barrel work, not the stock fitting. Anyway, they didn't advertise that and I didn't ask them to do it. I haven't observed rifling marks on unfired ammo.

jackguthary - Rosie in a bathing suit somehow turns me on. Maybe it's the muffin top.

Dr.Lou - didn't think of that. If I had, I might have made another choice. What can I say?

Magnum - I have a rat tailed file but not a Mauser. What do you suggest I do?

JudgeG - Just spent 4 days with a bunch a lawyers in a continuing legal education seminar. My head HURTS! Let's go shoot something.

kh