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Remington 700...Caliber?

wilmoe
We pulled an unusual Remington 700 out of our stock room in preparation for listing it on GB. Interesting piece with a 27 inch stainless steel bull barrel and fitted with a J. Unertl 14X 1.50 Target Scope. Only problem is that we don't know what caliber it is... In checking our records we found it listed as .300 Mag but the entry was followed with a question mark as if to indicate that they weren't sure when it first came in, probably over 20 years ago... There's no markings on the barrel and the bore diameter is .308 (which, of course, is the same for .300 Mag, .380, 30-06...). The only rifle ammo we have in stock is 30-06 and .223 so other than ordering up a box of .300 Win Mag and a box of .308 and chambering one of each and pulling the trigger is there any other way to determine what caliber this thing is?

I can post photos is that would help...
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • cpermd
    Cerrosafe chamber casting is the best way to check.

    CP
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  • Tailgunner1954
    Measure the bolt face (.473 for the -06 family, .535 for the mag family).
    Check the back of the chamber for a belt cut.
    Do a Cerrosafe casting and measure it up

    ?300 Mag? could be one of several factory rounds, origionaly it meant 300 H&H (as that was the ONLY 300 Mag at one time), or it could be a 300 Win Mag, or it could be a 300 Norma Mag, or it could even be a 300 Weatherby Mag
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  • duckhunter
    Did you take the barrel and action out of the stock and look at the bottom of the barrel?? Some custom gun makers marked there gun this way.
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  • sandwarrior
    wilmoe,

    As stated a chamber cast is going to be the way to go. It would be pretty cool if you could stick spent cases in there and see what you really have. Of course, a .300 WM will lock up like a .300 Wby because they both headspace on the belt. But, at least it gives you an idea.

    Just as a WAG (*wild @$$ guess) when I see .308 and Magnum I think of .308 Norma mag. It was pretty popular before the .300 WM took over. It is about the same case as a 7mm Rem Mag but in .308 caliber.
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  • CapnMidnight
    The Remington model 700 was introduced in the first part of 1962, the 300 Win mag was introduced in 1963. I'm thinking, as has been posted that there's a good chance it's a 308 Norma. The case specs on the 300 Win and the 308 Norma are VERY close, to be safe I'd have a competent gun smith do a chamber cast.
    W.D.
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  • ern98
    Brownells sells the chamber casting material and it comes with full instructions on how to do it. All you really need is a cut down soda can as a ladel, a butane torch for equipment. You plug the barrel with a bit of cloth ahead of the chamber. Mount/clamp the rifle or barreled action in a vertical position so you can pour the chamber casting material into it; carefully. If you can prewarm the chamber area with a heat gun good, if not it will still be good enough. Melt the cerrosafe in the can bottom and pour it into the chamber and let it cool. Tap it out with a cleaning rod and compare the dimensions to listed cases either in reloading books or on the net. You should be able to easily get good enough dimensions to tell the difference between a .308 normamag, a .300 winmag and a .300 wbymag.
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  • wilmoe
    Thanks guys! Cerrosafe sounds like the way to go but I think we'll run it over to our gunsmith and let him deal with it. In the meantime we'll pull the stock and see if there's anything on the underside of the barrel. I'll keep ya'll posted on what we find out and I'll put up some photos later this morning.
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  • wilmoe
    rem001.jpg

    Here it is!
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