Remington 700 SPS Varmint barrel cutting? Need a smith...

[45Badger]

I got a screaming deal on a 700 SPS Varmint in .308 Win. The trigger is awesome, and I swapped out the stock. Shoots like crazy. Only problem is the 26" barrel.

My son wants to use it for an all around rifle, mostly for deer hunting. I used a Remington 700P for deer hunting one year, and the 26" barrel is a bit much/long for fast aiming and shooting. Fine for sitting in a blind with long shots, but not very quick to point. I picked up a used LTR last year that has become my deer/sniper rifle. I'd like to have the SPS barrel cut to 20-22" inches, to create a "poor mans LTR" for my son.

Anybody done this? Who did the cutting and re-crowning? Results? Cost? Turn-around time? Thanks for all insight and advice!

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Ask this question on SnipersHide forum...I'm sure somebody in your area has had it done.

Cutting and recrowning is not hard to do...but it does have to be done right.

 

[nicholst55]

What part of PA are you in? I know of a good gunsmith whose rates are reasonable and his turnaround time is too.

 

[krs]

Do you know anyone who has a lathe, a home shop machinist type?

I mean, if you were my neighbor I'd fix you up in less than an hour. I've got a Remington action wrench and a barrel vise, a lathe. Pop off your barrel, set it up in the lathe, cut to your length, and make whatever kind of crown you like best. Piece of cake.

Do you know anyone who shoots benchrest rifle, I mean the competitive kind with flags downrange and tiny little five shot groups not just shooting a rifle from a bench. If you know anyone who does benchrest he'll know who can get you going in your area. Benchrest shooters change barrels like you change shirts.

It's really not a big deal you're asking for. Shouldn't be over $50.00.

 

[Riss]

It is possible to cut off the barrel in a lathe without removing the barrel. As long as the barrel with fit through the head stock of the lathe it can be done. That is assuming that the barrel is also straight and not tapered. If it is tapered you would have to mount the receiver end over an arbor or in a jig that is held in the chuck jaws and hold the barrel in rest. Would prefer that it was straight if you are going to try that method though. Try a local machine shop that has a large manual lathe. If centered properly you can finish the barrel crown or take it out and cut it by hand with a hand turned cutter.

 

[krs]

Sure, if a Rem 700 action is stripped - no scope blocks, trigger, recoil plate I can slip it right into the spindle bore if needed, or if the remaining barrel is to be 22" or more I can hold the action end in a spider I made for the left side of my spindle, true it at both ends and make the cut, or the action can be centered in a four jaw with the barrel trued in the steady rest if the length of bed allows.

It's just quicker and easier and probably more reliably true to remove the barrel and work it alone.

Anyway, I was just trying to give the OP the idea that there might be other ways to skin his cat if he's got any local bench shooters or home machining whackos like me. I was surprised one time at a range I used to shoot when a conversation started about rebarreling. It turned out that four other guys who shot there were equipped at home to do the work for their own purposes. People like that, like me, would take care of something like this just for the practice or the sharing an ability to help another shooter out.

 

[lefteyedom]

If you are sporting///
Vise, hack saw, piece of angle iron, hand drill, round ball grind stone, Brass screw, valve lapping comound, bottle of cold blue and a old book on home gunsmithing.
Cost= Cheap
Time= two hours
Results= better than you would think.

If you don't have an old gunsmithing book here are some how to info. What works on a 22 will work on a 308.

http://www.castbullet.com/misc/hack.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OorpZlG28fI&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b43odFm0mrI

Cut the barrel 1/2 to an 1 inch longer than you want. If you don't like the job you did then take it to a gunsmith.

Shooters had been doing this for years before we decided that we could not do things for ourself.

 

[krs]

Yeah, and if you have a compressor the air powered little hacksaw at Harbor Freight is a cutting fool! I mean it - since I've had that thing it's become my go-to hacksawing tool because it makes it so easy and saves that tedium that hacksawing brings.

 

[45Badger]

nicholst55 referred me to a local benchrest smith. Cost $55 (he had to remove the barrel from action, other wise would have been $35). Put a nice protected target crown on it. Looks great.

New Question-

Should I cold blue the muzzle "face" or leave it in the white? Smith said to leave it (keep clean and lubed) but I think I'd like to have better protection from the elements.

 

[krs]

Lacquer?

You could blue it, but if you mean cold blue I don't know how much protection it would have.