building a 308 target/hunter

[Farmer1911]

I want to build a 308 caliber rifle. I have found a Remington 700 in 30-06 for $350. The only things I would use are the the action and trigger group with the scope mounts/rails. The barrel has open sights, and there is an old school buschnell scope on top. So, I am going to use a custom bedded Boyd's thumbhole stock, for it to ride in. Only thing is, that I am unsure if I can get a barrel to fit the action to make it a 308? (Will the 30-06 action work for the 308?) Also, if so, what barrel is a good one that will help me produce MOA groups at 200 yards? I will also need a good scope, I was thinking a Nikon or Red field. The main distance that I would shoot would be hunting to 350 yards, and target punching to 500-600. Some help and insight would be appreciated. I would like to keep this build around $1000.

 

[horsemen61]

30 06 is a long action round the 308 is not I'd look else where for said donor action

 

[Farmer1911]

My thinking was that IF I was to ever step up in caliber choice, I could still use the same action, and not start over again.

 

[Fredo0621]

The rifle you are looking at has a long action. A .308 is a short action cartridge; it can be done but it would be against the norm. I bet if you get a good stock,get the action bedded, and upgrade the trigger you should have no problem getting sub-MOA groups out of it as is.
With 1K you would be better off finding a .308 R700(there are a ton out there) and doing the same as above and will achieve your goals.
Good luck

 

[TIMC]

I did this one in .308 a few years ago on an old Remington 700 receiver, we trued the bolt face and jeweled the bolt. I went with a 26" Shilen Varmint contour barrel, Surgeon bottom metal, Timney trigger, and Hogue made me a full aluminum block over molded stock, then we bedded the action. This build ran about $1500.

As said above I would start off with a short action receiver if you are going with .308

The rifle is a tack driver and has been an awesome hunting gun.

 

[Farmer1911]

TIMC- I like that firearm very much, although I wish to have mine all black with stainless barrel. Is your action a short action? The problem being with buying a Remington 700 in 308 is that I just cannot find one that is used. All of them around me bring only 50-150 less than that of new, plus, they still need nearly the same amount of work, stock, barrel, optic. So my thinking is I finally found a cheap priced 700 where the action could possibly work. It is fine if it is against the norm, as long as it works without special machining. Basically, I want to buy the gun, tear it down, and be able to put the 308 barrel on with obvious adjustments for correct head space.

 

[TIMC]

Yes mine started out as a short action chambered in .308 so it made the rebuild easy.

 

[Reloadron]

I wish to have mine all black with stainless barrel.

The above rifle began as a Remington 725. It is now chambered in 223 with the stainless fluted barrel on the old blued action. Before the new barrel went on I trued the action. Then the barrel went on and the chamber final reamed with a finisher for headspace checking.

As was mentioned if you want a 308 you want the Remington short action. You also would like a bolt for 308, 243, 260 or 7mm-08. Actually you want a bolt compatible with the 308 head dimension. So while you could buy for example a Remington 700 in 223 if one came along you would them need to open up the bolt face adding work and cost. Then the opened bolt face would need a new extractor making for more work and cost.

If you want to get fancy you would true the action and install a blank barrel in 30 caliber and then cut the chamber from scratch. Doing this allows you full control of the chamber. The easier method would be to buy a barrel already threaded for the Remington 700 action with a short chamber already cut. For example a barrel like this one. Choose the contour and twist and the rest is pretty easily done by any competent smith set up to work on Remington rifles and do barrel work (have the necessary tools).

Just My Take
Ron

 

[MtnCreek]

Farmer, I bought a new R700 .243 Youth from Wal-Mart for about the same or less than the -06 you're looking at. I hate to suggest Wally World to anyone, but it was the best deal I could find.

Another option would be to find a gently used rifle that's already setup the way you want it.

 

[taliv]

you can run a short cartridge in a long action with no problems except feeding, depending on what type of magazine you use. the rounds will be able to move forward and backward in the mag a bit more than they normally would. it should work fine in most circumstances but it is suboptimal as was mentioned above. your bolt throw will be a little longer obviously.

the other thing is that shorter = stiffer. so people normally prefer the shortest they can go.

 

[jmr40]

Nothing wrong with using a long action for a 308 build. In theory a short action is stiffer, but the long action has it's advantages too. The US Army built their 308 sniper rifles on long actions so it certainly can be done. If nothing else it allows you to use longer bullets seated a bit farther out and still fit in the magazine.

My thinking was that IF I was to ever step up in caliber choice, I could still use the same action, and not start over again.

That is exactly what the Army did. They are in the process of converting from 308 to 300 WM using existing actions for the builds.

In fact there would be nothing wrong with just doing your build in 3006.

 

[Farmer1911]

Yea, I had wondered if it would just function. So, I will not have to reface the bolt, for the 308 correct? The original 06 bolt should work for the 308?

 

[HOOfan_1]

The original 06 bolt should work for the 308?

Yes, both use the same ~.473 rim diameter that originated with the Mauser rounds.

The Army's M24 rifle was a 7.62x51(.308) using a long action.

 

[nastynatesfish]

I run all mine I long action. I built a 308 and a 260. No problems at all. If you have it just have your barrel throated for a longer seating depth and you can get more case capacity without a crazy amount of jump. That's how I set my mauser up in 308. I can seat a 175 at 2.900 at 2.905 I touch lands.

 

[Farmer1911]

NASTYNATE- that was about the same look I was going for. I like that gun a lot. So, you use a long action too? Is yours a single shot, or did you make a magazine well?

 

[chaser_2332]

If your budget is $1000 buy a factory rifle

 

[Farmer1911]

Almost starting to go that way, but I really like the idea of having something that I produced. Anyone can buy a factory rifle, $1000 is just to get me started.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

One of my .260s is built on a 30-06 action. Nothing wrong with going that route; as the 30-06s are plentiful and fairly inexpensive. Some are in damn good condition for the age.

Winchester built plenty of short action calibers on long action receivers. My .257 Roberts is built on a long action M70 receiver.

Any caliber action with a .473 bolt face would work for you.

Something to think about as well, some calibers being plentiful are cheap, some being more rare or desirable are more expensive.

 

[Farmer1911]

What my thoughts were too. I'm pretty set on the long action, mainly because of easy of change of calibers later in life if the desire comes along. So now, I would like some input on optics. Does someone make a decent scope that will make 600 yard shots fairly easy that doesn't break the bank?

 

[CaliCoastie]

Lots of fixed power scopes that are quite nice and cheaper than their variable power counterparts. Super sniper fixed 10 is suspose to be quite nice.

 

[Farmer1911]

Never heard of them are they built by someone else?

 

[Radar3006]

Farmer I am not sure why you what to change your 06 into a 308 but to me that is going backwards as the 06 is 200 fps faster than the 308 in most loads plus it can handle the heavier bullets better also....Unless you are going to shoot in some matches you would be better off leaving your rifle just as it is as the sporter barrel will be a lot better for hunting .Do what you want but if I were you I would spend my $1000 dollars on a good scope and more ammo and start reloading if you don't already

 

[Farmer1911]

I reload already. I like the 308 cartridge, for unknown reasons I guess. I suppose mainly for it's proven track record, and such. It doesn't recoil as bad as the 06, and I mainly use my 270 for hunting. I guess this 308 is mainly for plinking and the occasional match if I get the urge to do so.