Remington Service (barrel replacement)

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve got a Rem Mod7 in .260Rem.
It won’t stabilize a 129gr or heavier high b.c. bullet.
Allegedly it has a 1/10” twist barrel (early production CDL), but actually measured its 1/11”.
I’d like to have a current production 1/9” twist barrel installed.

Anyone with experience sending something back to Remington for rebarreling at your expense?

 

[lkydvl]

Never understood why folks did that. For the same or a bit more a decent smith will not only replace your barrel with one of better quality but also face the receiver, grind the lug parallel (or replace it), lap the lugs and chamber it to minimum headspace.

 

[GooseGestapo]

A decent aftermarket barrel (ERShaw) installed, turnaround, 9mos and $500. $1,000 in a $400 rifle. Custom jobs don’t bring any money around here.
I priced a Shilen at $650. Stil worth $400...
I saw a Kenny Jarret rifle sit on a rack for several years. Finally sold for ~20% of cost, just to capitalize it.

I had a botched barrel replaced on a Ruger M77MkII Hawkeye African for $375 by Ruger. New barrel had sling swivel and correct sights. Very accurate too.
An aftermarket barrel would have rendered gun practically worthless. I bought rifle for $275... I can get my money back out of it, maybe...

At present, rifle (.260) will shoot a flatbase bullet under 1” 5-shots. Put a 140gr plastic tip boat tail in it and it likely won’t hit the berm. But that’s the fad these days...
With a 120gr bullet, it’s just a short, fat .257Roberts. Already had a “Bob” and “Roy” (.257wbymag). Don’t need another Bob.

Rifle will be worth more with a Remington barrel...
Besides, it’s a hunting rifle, not a target rifle... a 2” group with a 140gr accubond or ELDX would be acceptable. Dramatic improvement over present.

 

[Blue68f100]

It's probably cheaper in the long run to just buy another rifle with the twist rate you want. For a 130gr I would suggest a 1:7 or 1:8 twist. A 1:9 is going to be marginal for that weight class. A neighbor shoots a model 7 in 260, 1:9 twist. It liked the Sierra 130gr, GK did not try the TMK in it. I had talked to Sierra tech on whether the 130 GK would stabilize, and he said it would.

If you get another gun you way want to change calibers too, like the 6.5 CM if you want to shoot the heavier bullets with high BC's.

 

[LoonWulf]

All valid points.
Personally I would do a Shaw barrel, in stainless. Every barrel I've gotten from Shaw has been very accurate, and you can chose a faster twist than factory.

Ive seen a couple older Remington (done AT Remington, not farmed out) Barrel replacements, and honestly they seemed better than what came from the factory the first time. I don't know what they cost and this was back in the early 2ks. Again if your not dead set on keepingkthe rifle i think this is probably not the best option either.

I would probably suggest selling the rifle and buying another.
Ive built, and rebuilt, half a dozen rifles at this point, and the cheapest I've got is my .375 Abolt at just under a grand. If cost wise, buying a factory rifle is nearly always the most efficient option. IF That's an option.

All I got for you.... let us know how your project turns out!

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Can you go Remage on a Model 7?

How much would a new rifle cost as opposed to a new barrel and install?

 

[Bull Nutria]

My experience is if you send the rifle, send it to Ilion, NY. that is where the real gray haired Rem gunsmiths are, don't send it anywhere else or you may have bad experiences! unfortunately Rem sends work out to "warranty centers" which for the most part are jack leg gunsmiths with little or no real serious experience. I have had bad experiences with Rem warranty centers!

Good luck what have you got to lose send it to Ilion!

Bull

 

[Scooter22]

My experience is if you send the rifle, send it to Ilion, NY. that is where the real gray haired Rem gunsmiths are, don't send it anywhere else or you may have bad experiences! unfortunately Rem sends work out to "warranty centers" which for the most part are jack leg gunsmiths with little or no real serious experience. I have had bad experiences with Rem warranty centers!

Good luck what have you got to lose send it to Ilion!

Bull

I don't know if Ilion is doing that work anymore. IIRC they recently moved the custom shop somewhere out west so I don't know if theres any support there for the old guns. I'm 70 miles from there and go by the factory regularly. One of the sites I service is in the shadow of the factory and employees go there for lunch. Morale isn't good and the whole Mohawk Valley region will suffer if that factory goes down. 200 year old landmark suffering from 10 years of anti gun push from the politicians.

 

[MachIVshooter]

A decent aftermarket barrel (ERShaw) installed, turnaround, 9mos and $500. $1,000 in a $400 rifle. Custom jobs don’t bring any money around here.
I priced a Shilen at $650. Stil worth $400...
I saw a Kenny Jarret rifle sit on a rack for several years. Finally sold for ~20% of cost, just to capitalize it.

Are you wanting to sell the rifle, or shoot it?

No, you'll almost never get your money back out of a custom built anything. Market value is not why we do it. Just like adding lift kits, big tires, winch bumpers, lockers, etc. to a 4x4; cash return if you sell is pennies on the dollar, but the thing performing as desired for you, the owner, is your investment paying off.