Free-float, glass bed, trigger job what else???
I recently bought a Winchester model 70 Featherweight in a 300 WSM. I also have a Remington model 700sendero with a bull barrell. I am taking them both to a gunsmith and want to know what I really need to do to increase accurace. On the featherweight I am thinking a trigger job and glassbed, on the Sendero, a trigger job, glass bedding and possibly pillaring. What else should I do and why should I glassbed and pillar in the first place? THANKS FOR THE HELP, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
New gun??? No, honey, I've had it for years.
New gun??? No, honey, I've had it for years.
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IF you really want to take accuracy up an order of magnitude, you will want to have the action trued as well. All this won't be really cheap.
The reason for glas bedding or pillar bedding is to essentially stop movement between the action and the stock. Stocks change shape a little with changes in temperature and humidity and the action moves a tiny bit in the stock. That means it affects bullet consistency or increases the size of groups, in a somewhat unpredictable manner. By doing the above you seek to make the interface between the action and the stock essentially immoveable.
Remember how perspective works and how a tiny change in angle at a source becomes a greater and greater distance further away? Same with bullets. A tiny change in angle at the action becomes a greater distance off point of aim the further out the target is.0 -
On the feather weight I would do the trigger and glass bed if it is not synthetic otherwise leave the bedding add a muzzle brake/tuner and it will do what you want probably 1/2 moa or less I'd shoot the sendero first just to see what it will do. save the money and buy some good optics. 0 -
I don't mean to be simple here, but first I would shoot the guns, try some different reload experiments, and you might likely find that all is well. I'm just assuming that you're not trying to turn a 300 wsm into a plinker, but more likely you'll be using it for hunting. If this is the case, I'd suggest that the gun should shoot well under 1 moa groups with factory setup, a fine piece of optics, great bases and rings, and some hand reloads. I think I might have some work done on the trigger if anything, smoothe up the one you have or buy a drop in for it. If after these couple of simple and inexpensive fixes, you're still not happy, then get into the more expensive treatments. The one thing that has always amazed me, and I'm not blaming you for this, is that people reach what I call diminishing returns with spending money on guns. What I mean is, why spend $500-$1500 or even more to gain 1/4" or less improvement on your group size. Last time I checked, there ain't but one kind of dead, and that's dead............ very seldom if never will 1/4" mean kill or no kill. If setting up for benchrest, then please disregard all of the above, for your remedies will probably be a good investment........Funny story, I've got a buddy, believe it or not, who bought a really nice rifle, had it bedded, trigger job, match grade barrel, etc. and had the cheapest optics I could possibly imagine on top of the set up. Unbelievable, and he couldn't get over my factory, out of the box rifle with a swarovski that out shot him every single time, duh>>>>>>>> Moral of the story in most cases: An out of the box rifle with hand reloads and great optics will very likely outperform the guy pulling the trigger, so if anything, invest your money in the optics and ammo. Just my opinion...................who agrees?????????
woodyd0 -
The Winchester is a fine sporting arm, but the Remington should be more accurate in the Sendero form. You didn't say what caliber it is in, but it should make little difference anyway. If I'm not mistaken, the Sendero has an adjustable trigger (I don't remember, mine was fine as it was, but I got a $25 trigger job on both my other 700's)... And it already has a full-length aluminum bedding.
I had a 700 Sendero VS-SF in .220 Swift that shot 3/8" right out of the box. Like the others said, I'd sure check these out before pouring money in them. I've seen decent (normally) gunsmiths take a 1/2 MOA gun and turn it into a 1 MOA gun after spending $500... You have fine weapons there, I'd sure give them a chance to prove their worth as built. [:)]0 -
I guess I'll start at the beginning. The sendaro is a 7mm with a bull barrell and kevlar stock. It has a Leupold 6.5x20x50 on the top and shoots great. At 100 yards, the holes all touch. I want this rfle for 300-400 yards and want the very best accuracy I can get. I am putting this scope on the Featherweight 300 wsm and putting a Leupold long range or tactical on the top of the sendero. I was asking the experts in order to avoid many questions at the gunsmith shop. I live in a small community and gunsmiths aren't a dime a dozen, we have two and one of them is closed for calving season. The other comes recommended, but I dont like the guy that recommends him. I never really got into the inside of rifles, and dont know what I need to a factory rifle to tweek it out. The Featherweight will in fact be used for hunting, the sendero, possibly for long range target showing off, who knows. Hopefully this information helps answer your questions to help answer mine! Thanks
New gun??? No, honey, I've had it for years.0 -
And by the way, I paid $499 for the new in the box Model 70 Featherweight in the new 300 WSM. I offered a guy $599 for one four days ago and he turned me down and as he smirked he stated good luck!
New gun??? No, honey, I've had it for years.0 -
I will stick to what I said in the first post.
Over look the "Supreme one" he is obviously in some other universe.0 -
hecklerxkoch; This is from personal experience, not hearsay or something I read.
I too "HAD" a Winchester featherweight mod 70 that no matter what, would not group well. I did all I could for it, all that you mentioned plus having it re-crowned. Tried every reload possible, all to no avail.
The featherweight barrel is too light and heats up way too fast. I'm talking within 3-4 shots. It's very deadly on the "coldshot" but after that it starts walking. GOOD LUCK
The rem on the other hand shouldn't need anything except matbe a trigger job if you're not happy with it.
You'll notice I said "HAD" on the win.0 -
If you are touching holes at 100yds, I would be leary of "messing" with the rifle too much. He Dog is spot on with the advice of "trueing" the action. That should drop the group size some,...but don't expect it to shoot like a benchrest gun. The only stock work I might look at, would be "skim bedding". This essentialy places some epoxy around the action where is contacts the stock on either side, and gives more support to the recoil lug. If you do too much to the bedding block, you might just deteriorate your accuracy. Also, have the smith give her a target crown and a preffesional trigger job while it's apart. Now your up to $250-$350,....so decide how much smaller you want your groups to be compared to how much you wish to spend.
One thing I have learned is that rifles are like drag racing,......it's simple to get your car to run 12 seconds in the quarter mile,.but when you want a faster ET, you have to spend HUGE dollars to get small increases. There comes a point of diminishing returns.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
My sendero would not shoot to my expectations. Had it trued for $200. Now shoots 3.338" at 600 yards.
I agree with all of the above statements on diminishing returns.
The most important things, Are not things.0
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