Opening up a 700 bolt face

Improving and repairing firearms. Rifle bedding, barrel work, stock replacement and other ways to improve your firearms.

Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by FliesAreAnnoying » 04 Jan 2019, 3:37 pm

Is it feasible to open up a Remington m700 bolt face up to a 338 Lap? Or should I be looking at an aftermarket PTG bolt?
What do you call a fly with no wings?

A walk
FliesAreAnnoying
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 16
South Australia

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by FliesAreAnnoying » 04 Jan 2019, 3:39 pm

Forgot to add, I'd be chambering for a 338 Norma mag
What do you call a fly with no wings?

A walk
FliesAreAnnoying
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 16
South Australia

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by SCJ429 » 04 Jan 2019, 5:21 pm

It has been done before but doesn't leave much meat around the boltface. Best to talk to your gunsmith about your options. If you aren't stuck on the Lapua case then the RUM or Edge is a pretty handy case.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3206
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by straightshooter » 05 Jan 2019, 6:20 am

To correctly open up a Rem boltface while still retaining the standard extractor is not so easy or simple and the examples I have seen were mostly botched.
The job is much easier if at the same time a "Sako" extractor is installed. On reaching that level of expense it is probably more sensible to procure a custom PTG bolt especially if you, or somebody you have access to, is able to correctly measure various critical dimensions accurately
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking." Sir Joshua Reynolds
straightshooter
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1263
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by SCJ429 » 05 Jan 2019, 8:21 am

The PT&G bolt can be ordered with a Sako extractor, the fun bit is getting the export licence to get it out of the US. It would be interesting to see what it would cost you to get it landed in Australia. The US price of under $200 could easily blow out. You may need to speak to someone who imports these type of parts like Metplat Services. You may find it is better value to buy a complete action built by someone like Stiller.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3206
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by MrMickyD » 15 Feb 2019, 9:31 pm

This isn't something new remember the Remington 700 MLR they released in .338 lapua, factory rifle with HS precision stock and 24" barrel hardly enough lengh for that chambering and it used an opened up Remington magnum length bolt to acomandate the fat Lapua case head.
Anyway I wouldn't think safety would be an issue if it can stand up the the .338 Lapua however as someone else mentioned the already lousy Remington extractor may be an issue, sako extractor is a must.
But cost wise all this work adds up so maybe consider a custom action to begin with.
Already trued, fluted and what ever else you want, Bat machine, stilled, surgeon etc.
MrMickyD
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 13
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by MrMickyD » 15 Feb 2019, 9:37 pm

This isn't something new remember the Remington 700 MLR they released in .338 lapua, factory rifle with HS precision stock and 24" barrel hardly enough lengh for that chambering used an opened up Remington magnum length bolt to acomandate the fat Lapua case head.
Anyway I wouldn't think safety would be an issue if it can stand up the the .338 Lap however as someone else mentioned the already lousy Remington extractor may be an issue, sako extractor is a must.
But cost wise all this work adds up so maybe consider a custom action to begin with.
Already tried, fluted and what ever else you want.
MrMickyD
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 13
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by straightshooter » 16 Feb 2019, 6:40 am

MrMickyD wrote:..... however as someone else mentioned the already lousy Remington extractor may be an issue, sako extractor is a must..


As unbelievable as it may seem to many the remington horseshoe extractor is superior to the bolt modified with a socalled Sako (nee Mauser) extractor in many respects.
The problem with the original extractor arises when any modifications whatsoever are made to the boltface. It can be done but it requires a skilled and patient machinist with the necessary equipment to do the job. Fitting the Sako extractor is an easy way around those problems. It isn't simply 'better'.
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking." Sir Joshua Reynolds
straightshooter
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1263
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by SCJ429 » 16 Feb 2019, 6:38 pm

The cheapest way may be to forget the Remington and get yourself a Weatherby MK5 rifle chambered in the 378 family and rebarreling that. The Weatherby action is very strong and works well with high intensity cartridges.
SCJ429
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3206
New South Wales

Re: Opening up a 700 bolt face

Post by marksman » 17 Feb 2019, 11:36 am

there has been controversy about using the sako ejector in the remington bolts so I would go for something purpose built like the ptg bolt
2 of the gunsmith's I know will not do the job :unknown:
or just buy a rifle more suited for this :drinks:
“If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers you are misinformed”. Mark Twain
User avatar
marksman
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3660
Victoria


Back to top
 
Return to Gunsmithing