I've ran across a model 700 in 7mm rem mag and its the first time I've seen one before.
It has a blued barrel and action but it has the words "stainless steel" stamped on the barrel.
Im wondering if this is just a stainless barrel or if the action is stainless as well. I know its in rough shape but I was thinking maybe I could use something to remove whats left of the bluing or glass bead it to clean it up a bit. The bottom metal is clearly not stainless so it might require blasting and finishing with a coat of something like ceracoat or armacoat.
My main question is, is the action stainless steel or just the barrel?
The seller has blocked the serial number in the pictures but any information on this rifle would be greatly apprecaited. Here are a few pics of the culprit.
the reason I thought it was quite a bit newer was the bolt handle.
I have an 1983 model 700 and it has a smooth bolt handle without any checkering.
Update:
I recieved this response back from Remington this morning.
Prior to 1971 our magnum calibers had stainless barrels. The barrels were finished in a process referred to as Japan black which was basically a painted finish. The rest of the rifle was carbon steel. So, your Model 700 pre dates 1971. Thanks!
The difference in bolt handles must not have to do with year, rather the model or trim level of the rifle.
When you intermingle stainless steel and carbon steel parts, the carbon steel parts will rust quicker than if it was all carbon steel.
Usually, when threads are involved, stainless steel threads will gall up if you use a carbon steel nut on them and vice versa.
Putting a coat of paint on a stainless steel barrel was just plain stupid. But back then I would figure that if you made a shiny gun that nobody would want it. The same was true with plastic stocks.
All they had to do was change the name to synthetic and everybody loved them.
This rifle looks like someones very abused science project. If you have not bought it yet I would recommend walking away. 7mm mags in the 700 are very easy to find, and I think you would be more happy with one in better condition.
I havent purchased the rifle yet. I was kind of in the market for a rifle that needed some TLC. As long as it shot okay for a year or two, I'd be happy then just rebarrel it in the future.
Like everything else, if the price is right, its worth it.
The seller is being difficult right now and for some reason thinks the rifle is a jewl.
He wanted the same price that you could buy a new stainless SPS for, then he lowered the price to what you can buy a new blued SPS for. For me, the price needs to be a lot lower than what I can pick up a new blued SPS for. Yes the quality might not be the same, but the gun will be new and guaranteed to shoot.
I've made him a very reasonable and even generous offer including the rifle which comes with the $2 scope and a set of RCBS dies and a shell holder.
I was planning on sandblasting everything down to bare metal and applying a coat of guncoat. Just throw it in a cheap take off SPS stock and its ready to go.
I'd like to invest very little money into it, use it for a while then have a good action to build somethign else with.
The picture of the bolt. Is that the same bolt that is in the gun. By time you invest all the time and money in making a gun that you probably wont get the money you paid for it you might as well buy the stainless gun. It sounds like that is what your trying to make this one into. If the appearance is that beat up whats done to it that you can not see. This is just my opinion, and it doesnt meen much. Its your money. Also the stock is not the original stock. And the unoriginal stock has a poor refinish job. I have a feeling it does not shoot good anymore.
The picture of the bolt is from an 1983 ADL in 30-06 I have. I bought it from a friend for pretty cheap and i'm going to actually rebarrel it myself as part of a machining course at our local college. Going to built a 25-06 from the action. I've already spun off the old 30-06 barrel.
The rifle in the picture is one I've been looking at. I dont want to turn a pigs ear into a handbag or anything. Figure if I could purchase it cheap enough, give it a quick sandblast and a coat of guncoat or armacoat, it might be a decent gun I could shoot or as a rifle I could loan out to friends when they come hunting with me.
As for the stock, I dont really care about it. I'm probably just going to replace it with a $50 tupperware stock from a new remington SPS.
That way I wont have much money into the gun and my less than careful friends and/or brother can come out with me and I wont be too worried about then banging it off a tree.
Im not looking to make any money from it. If I can get the gun, clean it up a bit, use it, loan it to family and friends who hunt with me, after a year or two or if it doesnt shoot that well, i'll just toss the barrel in the garbage and spin something new on.
thats the nice thing with rifles, as long as the bolt and action arent completely trashed, you can always use it as an excuse to build something new.
