New barrel or new gun?

F

furmaster

New member
Hey guys, Im trying to decide which way I want to go with my Remington 700 in a 22-250. It has always shot great with sub moa groups, especially with my little pet load.

Recently, even after a thorough cleaning with wipe-out it seems to scatter bullets a bit. I have shot thousands of bullets through this gun, some fairly hot. When I was younger I would sit on pd towns and shoot till you couldnt touch the barrel. It was fun anyway. Im fairly convinced the barrel has had it.

I am contimplating having a new precision type barrel dropped in and having the action worked a bit. Or....... Just keeping it and buying another 22-250, probably an axiom. So, I could either have one great shooter, or one good one and one so/so one. which way would you go?
 
It may just be the throat or crown that needs some touching up. It will cost a little to have the present barrel touched up but can rescue an otherwise good gun. You may consider a rechamber to a 22-250 Ackley improved. There are some good gunsmiths here in CO that may be able to help.
 
Ray Montgomery, Weaver rifles, Gre-Tan as already mentioned, Some others on the front range and a few here on the western slope. Our little town boasts a top name gunsmith that builds high end customs (out of most of our leagues).
 
I would have it looked at with a bore scope, if it's bad a new barrel. Bartlein
barrels are the best out there right now, If the wait isn't beyond what you
are willing. Nothing like a custom gun, but do your homework on the gunsmith
you choose.
 
Originally Posted By: Lexrebarrel your 22-250 with a pac-nor barrel or if you dont want to spend alot a shaw.

This is good advice. No reason to get you a new gun when a new barrel will make it shoot even better than most new guns will. And an ER Shaw barrel will most likely be all that you need. At half the price of some of the others, and 90% as accurate (at least in my experience) put you a new Shaw barrel on there and spend the rest of your money on bullets, brass, etc.
 
New barrel for sure, you can have it shooting better than it did new. The only way I would get rid of the gun is if there was something that you didn't like about it... trigger or stock, etc. Then it might be time for a new gun but it sounds like your happy with the gun except for the barrel so I'd put a barrel on there and shoot thousands more.
 
Originally Posted By: furmasterHey guys, Im trying to decide which way I want to go with my Remington 700 in a 22-250. It has always shot great with sub moa groups, especially with my little pet load.

Recently, even after a thorough cleaning with wipe-out it seems to scatter bullets a bit. I have shot thousands of bullets through this gun, some fairly hot. When I was younger I would sit on pd towns and shoot till you couldnt touch the barrel. It was fun anyway. Im fairly convinced the barrel has had it.

I am contimplating having a new precision type barrel dropped in and having the action worked a bit. Or....... Just keeping it and buying another 22-250, probably an axiom. So, I could either have one great shooter, or one good one and one so/so one. which way would you go?

I'd get a new barrel installed if it was me. If you buy another 22-250, you'll still have your current rifle with a worn out barrel sitting in the house.
Just curious, with your current rifle, is your barrel blued, or Stainless Steel?
 
I was sorta leaning the barrel replacement as well. The current barrel is blued. I guess I need to research some barrels and gunsmiths.
 
Originally Posted By: furmasterI was sorta leaning the barrel replacement as well. The current barrel is blued. I guess I need to research some barrels and gunsmiths.

Unless you know a gunsmith that works cheap, or is a good friend, setting back and rechambering your barrel would not be cost effective.

When ever I have replaced a barrel, I have always reasoned that the cost difference between a brand X barrel and the best barrel is considered a very good investment. Yes, you can get a brand X barrel that will shoot well. However, you can also get a real dog, and there is no way to tell until you pay for the barrel, get it chambered, headspaced, mounted and shoot it. In my opinion the risk is too great, I will pay the extra for the premium barrel.

I have never regretted the extra money I have spent on getting the highest quality barrel I can.

If you are still shooting a lot, you may want to think about starting out with the barrel finished at 26-27 inches. This will allow you to cut it back when it gets shot out and still have a barrel that is 24-25 inches.

I prefer SS.

Jim
 
Originally Posted By: furmasterI was sorta leaning the barrel replacement as well. The current barrel is blued. I guess I need to research some barrels and gunsmiths.

I've set back my own barrels but I wouldn't pay anybody to do that. It is as almost as much time and labor as chambering and fitting a new barrel, and the new barrel will be a much better performer.

Rebarreling a rifle with a premiun barrel will get you a better rifle than you had new out of the box, by quite a margin 95% of the time. If you haven't shot a hunting rifle with a properly chambered, crowned and fitted premium barrel, you have a "really" good experience coming.

You can buy a Shilen barrel pre-chambered ready for a gun smith to fit to your rifle for a reasonable cost. Or you can buy a barrel of the right taper and have a local smith chamber and fit it to your rifle. Barrels on the less expensive side of the premium barrel choices are PacNor and Shilen. My buddy has barreled a bunch of rifles with Shilen barrels and they all shoot bug holes at 100 yards, some of them shoot bug holes at 200 yards.

Krieger, Bartline, Heart, and some others are better, and cost noticably more, sometimes twice as much, but the difference will only matter to a match shooter.

The Remington 700 and Savage actions are the easiest to rebarrel. Any gunsmith can do it. Some will do it better than others. Ask around. If it is there like it is here in So. Central PA, I can drive to at least three world class gunsmiths, and two others that do a really good job. I know three guys besides myself that do their own just for fun. I do my own because it's fun and I can do it, but there are lots of smiths that can rebarrel a Remington 700.

Were it me, I'd definitely rebarrel it.

Fitch
 
I've replaced several barrels and if I were you thats the way to go.

OR, I'll buy your old gun. All I really need or want is the action. But it would give you some cash to get started on something differant.

PS: I'm still looking for remington short actions. please PM me because I find myself not reading these posts very often.
 
New barrel! And while your at it have your 'smith true the action. Lots of good barrel makers out there, I'm partial to Shilen for a hunting gun but that's just me.
 
what ducksoup said...most smiths will want to work the action over while its apart...take seriously his opinion on barrel selection...if you seriously disagree,move on...if ya can visit shop...choose carefully...be patient
 
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