I have a SS Remington Model 7 (pre bolt lock) with a "soda straw" .243 factory barrel. Want to have it reworked (action trued), rebarreled with a high quality SS 20" barrel (3 taper) in .223 AI, and pillar bedded in a McMillan stock. Any recommendations as to quality gunsmiths I might contact. As an aside, Kenny Jarrett has done several rifles for me, but Kenny "don't like them Model 7's", so I need an alternative.
Thanks.

No can do Shad,....unless you wanna spring for new bolt, and even then your feed rails won't work.Just rebarrel to 22-250 with at least 22" of barrel.This way you have no mods to the bolt and your feed rails and follower will work as is.

Rembo...MY ERROR. I want the rifle chambered in .243 AI, NOT .223 AI as originally posted. Sorry for the goof, but thanks for catching it.

I have been very pleased with Fred Zeglin at Z-Hat Custom (www.z-hat.com).

Fred did a Rem 700 for me in 300 Hawk. It is an honest 1/2 inch gun with the Rem factory bbl

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MED

The sole purpose of a rifle is to please its owner

[This message has been edited by Mike Dettorre (edited 01-24-2002).]

Hey Shad, You might want to try John Lewis. He used to work for Kenny and then weht out on his own to begin Carolina Precision Rifles.

Try CPRifles@aol.com and see if it still gets to him. I've not communicated with John in a good while now, but he has a good reputation among the folks I hunt with.

Or you might want to try Dave Tooley in Gastonia, NC (704)864-0656.

http://www.tooleyrifles.com/

There is a fellow who has one of his rifles within shooting distance from my place. Nice VERY accurate rifle built on a SA M700.

As a side note that would mean nothing to the rest of the posters, Earl Dukes Jr. has "shut-down" his BBQ restaurant in Orangeburg. Not real sure what got into him, but it is gone. I can imagine his Dad is rolling in his grave!

FORTUNATELY, the Duke's BBQ on Whitmire St. next to the Pepsi Plant has no connection and is still doing just fine.

And of course Antley's is perhaps the best in town. The two brothers (Gene & Jerry) are both big hunters and Jerry also does taxidermy.

So, if you get over to that part of the Lowcountry, you can try out the BEST BBQ in (at least) the world. HA

Good luck to you.

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Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

Hot Core...Appreciate the input.

John Lewis did most of the work on the first rifle I got from Kenny, some 15 years ago. He was (is) a real craftsman and I hated to see those two guys "break up". When I was last in Jackson, I was told that John was no longer in the rifle business, but don't know that for a fact.

I'll get in touch with Dave Tooley and discuss my situation. Appreciate the referral.

I'm with you on Dukes. Put on many a pound sitting around one of their old tables! On my last visit, I had a construction crew on my right and the Governor on my left - it rivaled Shealy's as an eating institution in the Midlands.