Just a quick question. I'm pretty sure that I know all of the answers but I thought I'd verify.

I've been fooling with a Rem 700 Classic for a couple of years and I've been having a hell of a time getting it to shoot anything. Since I've already got one gun at Shilen for a rebarrel and can't afford another right now I snagged a 700 Classic barrel in 7mm Weatherby Mag off of Ebay to tinker with in the meantime. I know that the follower might have to be changed, and the feed lips adjusted. Plus the headspace might (probably will) have to be adjusted. What are the odds that it'll fit straightaway? Are the adjustments all made on the barrel side? i.e. in the event that I wanted to switch back, can I do that?

Other than that, any tips on the 7mm Weatherby? I need another magnum like a whole in the head, but since the barrel was cheap and the 300 H&H wasn't shooting well I figured what the hell.

If you can beg, borrow or rent a set of go no-go gauges there's a chance the thing will headspace without any other work. Whether it's 1 in 20 or 1 in 200 I couldn't guess.

quote:

Originally posted by Kingfisher:

I've been fooling with a Rem 700 Classic for a couple of years and I've been having a hell of a time getting it to shoot anything. I snagged a 700 Classic barrel in 7mm Weatherby Mag off of Ebay to tinker with. I know that the follower might have to be changed, and the feed lips adjusted. Plus the headspace might (probably will) have to be adjusted.

What are the odds that it'll fit straightaway? Are the adjustments all made on the barrel side? i.e. in the event that I wanted to switch back, can I do that?

Other than that, any tips on the 7mm Weatherby? I need another magnum like a whole in the head, but since the barrel was cheap and the 300 H&H wasn't shooting well I figured what the hell.

First off, is your action already a Magnum? If not, the bolt face will have to be opened up, and the extractor altered.

If it IS currently a short magnum (such as .338 Win Mag, 7 m/m Rem Mag, etc., you very likely will not have to do any modification to the follower or the feed rails. And, of course, no bolt mods will be required.

I doubt very much if any modifications to the headspace will be required. With the Mags, which headspace nominally on the belt, the dimension from the bolt face to the front of the belt in the chamber is short enough that variations are not usually very large from one receiver & barrel to the next.

And even if the dimensional difference is larger than you like, many "all factory" belted mags also have "loose" chambers and/or headspace.

In effect that means the first shot with all brass is a "fire-forming" shot in many rifles. After that, you simply set your sizing die to headspace on the shoulder. Don't push the shoulder back to original unfired dimension and you will have perfect headspace after the first shot with each piece of brass.

I have made EXACTLY the same conversion of which you are speaking, taking a first month of production action (1962) which was originally a 7 m/m Rem Mag Model 700, and screwing on a stainless, year 2000 vintage, factory "take-off" sporter barrel in 7 m/m Weatherby Mag.

In that particular instance, it took my rifle from being a 2 MOA rifle to a 0.6 MOA rifle with no other modifications whatsoever.

Sure there's a bit of luck in there, as the new "take-off" barrel turned out to be a very good barrel. But the conversion is likely to be easy, very safe without much or any fiddling, and very inexpensive in almost all instances.

Lastly, yes if it is done correctly to start with, you can go back and forth between two or three (or even 50) barrels.

Alberta eh? I happen to be in Alberta at the moment myself. For the next couple of days anyway.

As for the original barrel, you missed the last couple lines of my original post. It's a 300 H&H. So the rails will probably need a little work, but as for the headspace you're completely right and I don't know why I didn't think of it before. It probably will go off without a hitch and even if there's a minor difference there wont be after the first use of all of the cases.

Kingfisher -

Sorry 'bout that. You're right, I missed seeing the reference to your rifle being a .300 H&H. (I first read it as you having a 300 H&H but thought it was yet another rifle.)

Anyway, should be dead simnple, and I'd honestly be surprised if you had to do any feeding alterations to the rails, though it is possible you might need to buy a follower made for the 7 m/m Rem Mag from Brownell's or your local gunsmith. It will work fine with the 7 m/m Weatherby.

Which "Austin" are from? Texas? Or, Nevada? I always wanted to retire to Austin, Nevada, but somehow haven't ended up permanently there yet.

Was married in Gainsville, Texas, but there are too many people in Texas to suit me. Especially when the "immigrant tide" rolls in each night.

Anyway, good luck on your conversion. As one more recommendation, I suggest you also buy a "take off" 700 composite magnum stock. They run about $50 as brand new take-offs, and the contour of the channel will be about perfect for your new barrel.

AC

That'd be Austin Texas. As for the stock, I'm actually hoping that the 7mm Wby Mag is the exact same contour as the 300 H&H barrel. I believe that it will be. So we'll see how it goes.