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  #1  
Old 07-23-2021, 04:01 AM
obijohn obijohn is offline
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Default Replacing a bolt on a Remington 700 action

I have a NIB Remington 700 EtronX rifle in .22-250, and I'm in the process of converting it to a conventionally-fired rifle. I have a new made-by-Remington 700 short-action bolt with the .308 head. I have a trigger on order. I know that I can remove the EtronX trigger and replace it with the conventional trigger, and the same with the bolt.

But, what about headspace? If I have the Go and No Go gauges for this caliber, and the bolt closes on Go but not on No Go, I'm good, right? If it closes on No Go but not on Field, I'm good, right? If it closes on Field, then headspace needs to be corrected... right?

If headspace is insufficient, then the chamber can be carefully hand-reamed until it closes on Go, and I'm good, right?

If the chamber closes on Field, then the barrel will likely have to be set back a thread and then re-chambered... right?
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Old 07-23-2021, 10:34 AM
Hog Patrol Hog Patrol is offline
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They are not all the equations with swapping bolts. How about bolt nose clearance to the bolt nose counterbore? Same goes for front of the lug clearance to the tenon? My advice is take it to a gunsmith.
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Old 07-23-2021, 05:26 PM
obijohn obijohn is offline
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In terms of bolt clearance and sufficient but not excessive intrusion into the barrel ('3 rings'), how would a gunsmith check these?

If the bolt protrudes too much, or there is insufficient clearance (the distance from the back of the lugs to the front of the bolt is too long), then I shouln't be able to close the bolt, right? The danger here is that the bolt does not extend enough into the barrel so that the '3 rings' fully surrounds the cartridge head.

How would a gunsmith check these things? Would the barrel be pulled, and then the bolt inserted into the barrel to check these things?

I know I could take it to a gunsmith. I'm trying to find out what a gunsmith would do, and how much of this I can do... what equipment I would need, etc., in order to learn. If I feel I can't do these things safely, then I would take it to a gunsmith. If I discover any issues, I'll take it to a gunsmith. Just wondering what the odds are of a new rifle being able to take a new bolt... gotta believe that Remington has put enough effort into these rifles that the expectation is that a new bolt will fit into a new rifle built to spec. My impression is that the manufacturing process has been designed to preclude the need for hand-fitting of bolts to actions... that's why bolts are no longer serialized like they used to be with, e.g., pre-64 Model 70s.
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Old 07-23-2021, 07:13 PM
Hog Patrol Hog Patrol is offline
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Best practice is to not assume anything on a Remington action.

This print shows clearance on a Remington style clone action.

https://www.viperbench-rest.com/Remi...Directions.PDF
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Old 07-23-2021, 08:42 PM
B23 B23 is offline
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Not that they're a big collector item but if you have a NIB EtronX you may be better off leaving it unmolested and just getting a different gun all together.
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  #6  
Old 07-23-2021, 09:46 PM
obijohn obijohn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B23 View Post
Not that they're a big collector item but if you have a NIB EtronX you may be better off leaving it unmolested and just getting a different gun all together.
I hear what you're saying, but I've tried to sell it for just below what a standard equivalent Rem 700 would go for... including 5 boxes of ammo... and there's no interest.

I plan to convert it in a way that allows me to replace the EtronX trigger and bolt and then use it with EtronX ammo... but I've been thinking about picking up a .22-250 for coyote and I'd rather spend $500 on the bolt, trigger, and gauges than $1000+ for a brand-new rifle.

If someone really wants an unused, unmolested 700 EtronX, speak now!
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  #7  
Old 07-23-2021, 09:50 PM
obijohn obijohn is offline
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I measured the new (new) R700 bolt today and compared it to the EtronX bolt in terms of length of bolt lug and distance from the rear of the lug to the top of the bolt nose extension... and they're within 0.001". I've got the headspace gauges and trigger on order... I can't put the new bolt into the receiver with the old trigger without removing the firing pin assembly because the EtronX trigger blocks the firing pin.

I'll install the new parts and then take it to a gunsmith for measurement/inspection. The alternative is tying it to a tree stump and pulling the trigger with a rope from behind the truck... but that risks blowing up the rifle! (I'm not going to do this!)
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  #8  
Old 07-24-2021, 02:27 PM
drover drover is offline
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I have installed numerous factory Remington 700 barrels and as long as the headspace checked good I never had a problem. I realize that the OP was asking about switching a bolt but it is the same principle whether the bolt is swapped or a barrel is swapped - as long as the headspace was good I never encountered any problems.

drover

p.s. - when installing factory 700 barrels on 700 actions I have had about about a 70% rate of the headspace being within tolerance and about a 25% chance of the lettering on the barrel being close enough to the factory orientation.

Last edited by drover; 07-24-2021 at 05:44 PM.
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  #9  
Old 07-25-2021, 02:09 PM
17tbs 17tbs is offline
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Default Identical bolt dimensions

Just ensure that the dimensions are identical. ALL OF THEM.
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  #10  
Old 07-27-2021, 09:03 PM
coyotespotter coyotespotter is offline
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Headspace so you know factory ammo can be used. Lugs need to fit correctly to prevent galling.
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