# Sending a Rifle in for Rebuild



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Dad gave me his old 30-06 many years ago. It's a Remington 721 bolt action that a buddy of his made a pretty neat walnut custom stock for (looks like Weatherby style), and for some silly reason they cut a few inches off the barrel.

I'm going to re-barrel it with a 24" barrel, bed and float, Install a nice recoil pad, mechanically inspect all of the trigger and action components, adjust trigger to about 3# and replace the old Bushnell with a new Leupold. I've got a buddy that was a military armorer who is pretty slick at this stuff.

Thought I might fix it up, shoot it a bit, then give it to one of the kids or nephew to keep in the family. Probably putting way more $$ into it than it's worth, but it will be a pretty sweet rifle when he gets done, with a story behind it.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I wouldn't be so sure it is silly a 24 doesn't give much in the way of velocity over a 20 inch barrel about 75fps an animal will never know the difference under 250 yards and the 20 is easier to carry and swing.

if it shoots , your dad probably had good reasoning behind shortening it.


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

I’m with GPC. I wouldn’t right-off the barrel just because of the length. You don’t lose that much velocity, and, unless you’re shooting at 600m+, you’ll never even notice the loss. 

It does come with some advantages, though. Most obvious is the ease of handling. Less obvious is that, all else being equal, a shorter barrel has the potential for better accuracy (at least up until the range it goes transonic). A shorter barrel is stiffer, over its length, and is less sensitive to harmonics. 

Since your plan is to bed and float, you could always opt to have the barrel work done later. I would do all the other work you’re talking about doing, have your gunsmith touch up the crown, and see how it shoots like that before I’d even think about yanking that barrel.


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## weaselfire (Feb 7, 2018)

Sounds like a pretty normal sporterizing of the Remington. Personally, if it shoots well, I'd leave it alone. But any changes you do should be because you like those changes, not because some internet forum said you have to do them.

Jeff


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## crehberg (Mar 16, 2008)

Fishindude said:


> Dad gave me his old 30-06 many years ago. It's a Remington 721 bolt action that a buddy of his made a pretty neat walnut custom stock for (looks like Weatherby style), and for some silly reason they cut a few inches off the barrel.
> 
> I'm going to re-barrel it with a 24" barrel, bed and float, Install a nice recoil pad, mechanically inspect all of the trigger and action components, adjust trigger to about 3# and replace the old Bushnell with a new Leupold. I've got a buddy that was a military armorer who is pretty slick at this stuff.
> 
> Thought I might fix it up, shoot it a bit, then give it to one of the kids or nephew to keep in the family. Probably putting way more $$ into it than it's worth, but it will be a pretty sweet rifle when he gets done, with a story behind it.


Hope we get to see some pics after you're done. I bet it'll be purdy...


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I don't disagree that it probably won't affect the performance much by going with the longer barrel, but that short barrel sure looks stupid on a bolt rifle, it's getting changed. Dropped it off last week.


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