First bolt-action! Rem 700 VTR

[Wombats Are Dangerous]

After building ARs for the past few years, I finally decided to try something new and just jailed a Remington 700 VTR in .308! It's my first bolt-action ever, and booooy, am I excited to learn about these things!

The 700 platform is revered, but I'm reading the VTR can be inconsistent. Most people cite the poor stock and lack of a free-floated barrel. There's also that ongoing X-Mark trigger recall, which I didn't find out about until filling out my PPT paperwork. Any VTR users out there have an opinion about their gun that they'd be willing to share? The anecdotes would help satiate my own curiosity.

I'm already building up a list of upgrade parts in my head, but I also wanted to pick your brains on your favorite upgrades. I'm looking for a trigger first, since this 700 hasn't had the recall work done. I'm looking at a Timney, but was wondering if the nickel plating made any difference? They seem really affordable after buying Geissele AR triggers for the past few years.

Was also wondering about aftermarket stocks. Seems B&C and McMillan get suggested a lot in other forums. The choices are vast, so was looking for a little help narrowing down my options. Thoughts and comments, and a little guidance, are welcome.

Finally, any other useful upgrades I should look into?


As a completely shameless plug, I'm trying to move a Waetherby SA-08 shotgun with 4 Carlson chokes and lots of ammo to make space in my safe for the Remington. If you guys know anyone who wants to buy a semiauto shotgun, or has a good scope to trade, or an aftermarket 700 stock, send them my way:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=952956

[vintagearms]

Std Timney trigger is fine
B&C or Manners stock (T4 or T2)

[vliberatore]

Timney 510 trigger
Manners stock (T5a or T6a depending on your preference) over the B&C and Mcmillian. Nothing wrong with McMillian but after dealing with Tom Manners I won't buy anything but his stocks
Other things to look at are a good scope base and good rings as well as a Harris SBRM bipod

[Pauliedad]

I stumbled into a 700 with a XLR chassis a while back and it is a tack driver. Went with the stock trigger for quite a while thinking it was good training. Finally upgraded to a Rifle Basix.
Next upgrade will be some kind of brake. They just look too cool and if it calms down the jump, all the better.

[bsg]

congrats. it's a new world.

[Fjold]

What are you going to use the rifle for?

[Wombats Are Dangerous]

What are you going to use the rifle for?

Punching paper. As far as any range will let me in SoCal. I'm closest to P2K and probably South Bay Rod and Gun.

I don't have the experience to hunt anything that doesn't have wings, or the freezer storage for the meat that may come with hunting anything bigger than a turkey. One day, but not this year.

[Wombats Are Dangerous]

congrats. it's a new world.

Thanks, bsg! I thought it was going to be a cheaper world than ARs too, buuut NOPE!

[Khromo]

If your rifle sets in the same stock as the varmint profile barrels, here are a couple of stocks that work well for not too much money.

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-614/*NEW%21*-Bobby-Hart-Long/Detail

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-304/bell-carlson-tactical-/Detail

The B&C has an aluminum bedding block and is probably a little lighter. The laminate would need pillars and bedding, and it is probably heavier, but if you are shooting off a bench it will do fine. They are probably due to manufacture that model again soon, so you should see the different finishes in stock within a month or two.

Everybody, including me, has an HS Precision taken off a 5R that suits many shooters well. The grips are a little wiiiiide, which is why mine sits in a box.

Add a good base and rings and shoot it a little to see how it performs. Brownell's makes a Picatinny base in aluminum or steel. Aluminum is probably strong enough for a paper-punching .308. Check the fit of the base carefully, as a lot of those Remington actions are a tad askew, and the bases need to be bedded.

Some of those factory triggers can be tuned up pretty well, but some don't seem to want to cooperate with the backyard gunsmith. For the money, a Timney trigger will really sweeten the package and it is pretty foolproof.

[MongooseV8]

The factory hs precision stocks are pretty sweet. They feel great, are strong, and very lightweight.

[vintagearms]

Thanks, bsg! I thought it was going to be a cheaper world than ARs too, buuut NOPE!

LOL. You can EASILY spend 3-4 thousand on a bolt action. Higher if you splurge on a good scope.

[Wombats Are Dangerous]

Std Timney trigger is fine
B&C or Manners stock (T4 or T2)

Timney 510 trigger
Manners stock (T5a or T6a depending on your preference) over the B&C and Mcmillian. Nothing wrong with McMillian but after dealing with Tom Manners I won't buy anything but his stocks
Other things to look at are a good scope base and good rings as well as a Harris SBRM bipod

Thanks for the input, guys! I've already got my eyes on a Timney trigger, but Manners is a new name for me. Will have to research some more.

I'm going to put an EGW pic rail on it for now. Not sure if I should go with the higher 20MOA rail or the standard.

Looking at scopes in the $500-$600 range like Vortex Viper HS or HST or SWFA SS. When I buy my glass will depend on when my Weatherby shotgun sells.

Keep the feedback coming! This is all super helpful.

[Shovel]

I had a VTR that I sold to a guy at work. It was a great gun. I had some consistency issues with the barrel/stock. I couldn't shoot better that 1.5 - 2 MOA. I filed the end of the stock so that the barrel was free floated and my groups shrunk to .75 - 1 MOA. That may be the first thing that you do IMHO.

[CobraRed]

Thanks for the input, guys! I've already got my eyes on a Timney trigger, but Manners is a new name for me. Will have to research some more.

I'm going to put an EGW pic rail on it for now. Not sure if I should go with the higher 20MOA rail or the standard.

Looking at scopes in the $500-$600 range like Vortex Viper HS or HST or SWFA SS. When I buy my glass will depend on when my Weatherby shotgun sells.

Keep the feedback coming! This is all super helpful.

HST is a good buy for the money, you lose out a little on the better reticle (and illumination if you like that) vs a PST but it's a lot better than the HS for adjustments.
SWFA is always a good choice, though. Which SS model are you looking at?
What ranges do you want to shoot?

[ar15barrels]

Common 700 target rifle upgrades in order of importance (assuming a plastic non-free-floating stock):
Rigid free floating stock.
Better trigger.
Muzzle brake.
Oversized bolt knob.