6.5 NEEDS-MORE | Out of the box results

[@CplSkiUSMC]

When you're done fixing Needmoor #1 and making the comparison, you should then take Needmoor #2 and work on it without replacing parts. IE: relieve the barrel channel, stiffen the stock, bed the action, adjust the trigger, lap the locking lugs... see how well you can make it shoot without adding significantly to the cost with aftermarket replacement parts.

[@flycrew]

Yes! Because that is a likely approach for someone budget oriented

[@CplSkiUSMC]

@@flycrew I don't think they're listening... either that or they just don't believe that a budget rifle can be made to shoot well without throwing hundreds of dollars more into it. I took a Savage Axis II in 6.5CM and with the above work (except for lapping the locking lugs because Savage bolts are different) got it shooting .3" groups with hand loads.

[@flycrew]

@@CplSkiUSMC Good to know. I have the Savage Axis II XP because it was dirt cheap last Christmas time. I think $275 out the door after rebate. I only have about 30 rounds through it....at 25 yards. So I have yet to see it's accuracy. Just shooting a starting hand load for now.

[@CplSkiUSMC]

@@flycrew Is it in 6.5CM? I was surprised to find that my most accurate powder was not H4350 like most 6.5 Creedmoors love, it turned out to be 43.2gr of Win 760 behind the 140gr bullets. I used sandpaper around a dowel to open up the barrel channel, filled in the grid in the bottom of the forestock with regular epoxy to stiffen it, and bedded the action using JB Weld. Be sure to rough up the plastic surfaces to accept the epoxy, I used my Dremel. Don't forget to adjust the Accutrigger down to where you like it.

[@flycrew]

@@CplSkiUSMC Interesting. Yeah, the first thing I loaded up and still have loaded up is H4350 with a 140gr Hornaday ELDM or whatever their polymer tipped boat tail is. I forget the charge weight. I calculated it based on computer software and case measurements. Yeah, I know, not exactly working up a load but it didn't show bad pressure signs. Just loaded ~0.020" off of jam for now. I'll have to get it behind a chrono at some different charges, then go from there. Also still fire forming all the brass. Really haven't been able to spend any time on its development. I have sanded/ filed my stock down around the barrel so it is a free float but that is about it. More recently I put a 20MOA single piece rail and lapped the the rings. It still has the cheap 3-9 that came on it. I just want to get some hits out to 600y with that junk, if possible, then I'll switch it out. It may not even have enough travel to zero with that 20MOA rail.

[@TheRealFoonus]

I've had a lot of success on the cheap with these techniques : Cheek riser bolted through stock to ensure consistent cheek weld. Replace trigger spring with aftermarket spring. Modify stock to free float barrel. True bolt recoil lugs. Ensure consistent action screw torque. Glass bedding is an option but doesn't seem to last long with some of the flimsy type plastic stocks. Some of these steps can be replaced with a high quality after market stock if the budget allows, same goes for a drop in after market trigger assembly. The after market stock often means magazines that allow longer bullets, which may be a limiting factor on reloading with the existing magazine and stock, would be an easy check to measure bullet jump and see if this is the case, it might push you to replace the stock outright rather than modify the old one.

[@timothyrichburg7331]

Guys, this is why I love your videos, because they are fun to watch. When I was in the Army, I was issued a Rem 700 .308/ 7.62x51. Out of the box, that thing was garbage. Top, was an old Vietnam Vet, had me do a lot of stuff to make that thing right, like shaving the bedding and re-bed for float, sent the bolt off to the gunsmith for blueprinting and hand lapping the barrel. For comfort, took packing material and duct taped it to the stock for a good cheek-weld. It was still garbage, but would consistently put around center mass, within 300 meters, either the rifle or crappy issued ammo. Nevertheless, I learned to work with that POS enough to be effective. By the time I was going Green to Blue, and joined the Navy, they were phasing in new weapon systems.

[@Doug_Narby]

I shot a 194/200 with 5 Xs at 600yd with an “off-the-shelf” Savage Axis II .308. Decent glass and a Boyd’s stock, everything else the way it came from Walmart. Berger 155.5 match ammo. I’m reasonably confident I could repeat it with the stock that came on the rifle. Modern “cheap” rifles are way better than the ones we grew up with…(if you’re old 😝). I’m really excited to see what you guys come up with.

[@jackjill521]

This would be a great video series for the common folks. You bought basic hunting rifles. Keep the modification simple, as if you're going to use them for hunting, don't go all F-class on them. Thank you for the time and effort ya'll are putting into bring this series to us!!

[@brsmith2801]

Love this content. I've owned Remington for 40 years starting with a used 788 in 22-250 that shot lights out. My 80's rem 700 were also excellent shooters but it seems any of the standard rifles during 2000 and forward required another of work.

[@paulvenn4447]

788s are some of the greatest rifles Remington have ever made.

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

Speaking of 788's, my .222 is a sweetheart too.

[@brentigo]

This is going to be fun. Cant wait till the next video.

[@DARRELLGRIFFITHS]

Brilliant idea, this is gonna be GOOOOD. Best thing you’ve guys have come up with yet. Hope you dont go too mad on the stock and keep it Hunter or at least hybrid style as most of us use. All the best.

[@owned323]

You have never hunted with a BA/Matrix Chassis or an MDT Chassis? Missing out my friend!

[@DARRELLGRIFFITHS]

@@owned323 ye, no doubt, just not willing to Carry the damn thing.😂😂😂

[@newerest1]

@@owned323 don't get me wrong, a chassis is great, but not every rifle will work well with a chassis (a lightweight build for example)

[@kentuckywindage222]

@@newerest1 Also some can't afford all the aftermarket stuff. You know, with the, "Biden Effect" on everything you need to survive. Especially blue collar workers with families. That's where the less cost mods would come in. However, most watching Eric's channel are already past the stock rifle off the shelf. Well I mean, I still have 3 I shoot regularly that are surprisingly accurate.

[@DARRELLGRIFFITHS]

@@newerest1 my .222 Tikka has a sporter barrel sitting in GRS Warg, that’s my limit.

[@thinkfirst6431]

Funny story about a dollar bill. I was in a military school where part of the problem was to set up an object in a precise standoff to another object so that when something jumped between object 1 to object 2 it would have the correct velocity and angle. It was a tough school with a lot to remember, I went down range without my tape measure, the standoff was 3". I had just read an article about the dollar bill, one of the facts was a standard dollar bill is just over 6" long. I wipped a dollar out of my pocket, folded it in half, adjusted my standoff based on the folded dollar, completed the demonstration and stood back. The instructor measured the standoff which was well within allowable standards and passed me the first time. The moral of that story is always carry a dollar bill in case you need to measure 3" and confound an instructor with ether your brilliance in improvising or your stupidity in forgetting one of the basic tools and being able to work your way out of a failure. "Do what you can, With what you have, Were you are." TR

[@mrouija25]

Now this is interesting! Very curious to see what modifications and what order you guys do them in! Your channel just keeps getting better! Keep up the great work!

[@bradbaber1047]

Agreed This will be a good series!

[@mikecollins8241]

The first thing I'd do (to both rifles!) is add about a pound of weight to the (hollow) stock. Then I'd check the action/ stock screws for tourqe setting. Obviously free float barrels, then glass bed stocks. I'd be willing to bet you'll see a huge improvment with just those low cost/ free mods ;) Maybe mod one (but keep stock parts) and upgrade parts on the other?

[@mtnhunter5578]

I did this exact same test years ago when the first Rem 700 SPS was chambered in 6.5 CM, it was consistantly shooting 1.1-1.25 with several different types of ammo. I threw the trigger in the trash ( where it belongs ) replaced it with a Trigger Tech Primary and put it in a B&C stock, gun shot exactly the same. Had the rifle bedded about a week later, gun shot the same not much difference at all if any. At this point the barrel had about 250 rounds on it, I ordered a Bartlein # 3 barrel and had the action blueprinted.....gun consistantly shot into the .25-.3 range with off the shelf hunting ammo. Gunsmith said the barrel was pretty much garbage and the receiver was " out of round " by as much as 20 thousandths.

[@ShastaBean]

Did you happen to handload for the old barrel? The reason for the question is, if so, did the new barrel have different seating depth measurements that were closer to factory-length ammo? My rifles are budget, and most factory loads were the same range from 1.5 - 2.5" groups...Until I started to handload. Once I did some measurements, and found that factory length would result in the same size undesirable groups. Bullet jump in the .1300 range. Hand loading to get closer to the lands gave some .5" groups, but some were beyond mag-length or had to single-feed. So, the hypothesis could be that the better barrels shoot factory loads better in part because the bullet-jump isn't off the scale when using factory ammo?

[@mtnhunter5578]

@@ShastaBean No, I did not reload for the old barrel...just factory ammo.

[@ShastaBean]

@@mtnhunter5578 Thanks for the reply. I'll be buying a couple of barrels down the road, so I'll be able to eventually do some comparisons...am leaning towards a Bartlein, too...but more research still needed. I've seen discussions on forums like snipershide where factory throats is discussed, and like everything else they get into, it's complicated. There's plenty of mention of the throats in factory barrels, and how much they end up having to tweak seating depth on their loads. And since it's not just bullet jump that gets altered by doing that, but also the pressure-curve, projectile time in the barrel, the shockwave, and harmonics...it could be a number of things going on with factory barrels. Obviously if yours was out-of-round...then the throat & seating-depth likely wouldn't have been much to do with anything. I'm just curious how many people decide their factory gun & barrel are crap, when instead it's just a matter of hand loading for them. I've been pleasantly surprised that all of my budget rifles are at least somewhat capable. Getting the groups that Erik does with his setups...that's a whole other realm, though. I did throw the question at him about the measurements, so maybe we'll see him at least consider it with this video series. Of course he already knows, but whether it makes it into this project, tbd.

[@simonsmith9363]

Intriguing project which I will follow with interest. I was given a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08 about a year ago. It's now had a trigger replacement, change of stock , been bedded and now wears a Bartlein barrel too. I recently shot a 9 shot sub 1/2" group with it. Whether or not it was worth putting all that money into it I don't know, if it hadn't been a gift from a dear friend I doubt that I'd have had the work done, but I now have a very accurate and lightweight deer rifle which is a delight to use.

[@letsdothis9063]

I love the Model 7. My ex wife had one in .260rem. After using it a few times, I started the wonder why have I been lugging a big long rifle around all of these years. Hers was super handy. I live and hunt in areas where long shots are uncommon. I did take a 8 point whitetail at about 350 yrds on a pipeline once.

[@enriquegarcia2459]

I bought a really cheap savage axis 6.5 Needs moor, 😂 came with a cheap scope.. Just because it was on sale and because I didn’t have that caliber. Bought a stock for it, Boyd’s stocks. Fell in love with it bought a 20 moa rail and a viper ebr 6-24x50 . Not the best but happy with it now.

[@nomis2549]

Erik this is going to be very interesting and educational. Looking forward to watching this series.🥤🍿

[@ryanwilliams2429]

Those polymer Remington 700 stocks will have two nubs injection molded into the barrel channel at the front of the forearm. That’s why your dollar bill stopped. They started doing this to apply upwards pressure on lightweight barrels. It gives more consistent groupings in general (low shot strings). I have found that removing those nubs can actually make the rifle shoot much worse. I would advise leaving your #2 rifle stock alone.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

This is going to be a good series can’t wait for the next video

[@frankgeimer5952]

Great VL:OG Guys, I enjoyed it a lot! You two really showed how much the manufacturing process has changed. I remember when Remington would guarrantee that their rifles were sub 1 MOA, right out of the box.

[@dpwhitaker7088]

This project is brilliant and needed. Can’t wait for the next video!

[@jonathanrogers9961]

Great stuff, looking forward to see where this goes

[@patrickcolahan7499]

This reminds me of how I got into F-TR, started by buying a plinker then it just evolved. If the stock is anything like the Remington stock I got with my 700, it is a plastic POS and removing material will just make it flop around more. When I took my stock off, you could twist it with no effort what so ever. Thanks for sharing.

[@shanelowe3902]

Looking forward to seeing what you guys have in store.

[@hardball107]

Good video, I like it so far. long story short my kids beat me up and I bought the cheapest 6.5 Needmoor (I agree) rifle I could find. For $300 I brought home a used Savage 12FV with a very heavy 26" barrel, threw the scope away, mounted a 6x24x50 Vortex Tactical, a Harris bipod and warmed up my Rock Chucker ll. I bought a few boxes of Winchester white box 130's to use to get on paper and for fouling rounds and went to the range after a through cleaning. That ammo shot like crap giving me 4 " groups but I had brass. I loaded some 120gr PPU OTM bullets with a moderate charge of 748 and immediately put 5 rounds into just over 1/2moa, Tupperware stock and all. I ran 5 different powders and the 3 best were 760, StaBALL 6.5 and H350 with those 120's and Hornady 123 OT's loaded to 2.75". I was rewarded with a 5 shot group into 3/8moa (.370") at 100 if I did my part. Sure, that cartridge should have been the PRC but the Needmoor does it with just over 44gr of powder and some of the cheapest bullets I could find, important in the last few years. I have had 5 round 1moa groups at 300 yards, a few, and my years shooting National Match have served me well. Can't wait to see what you guys can do with some mods and younger eyes.

[@glennwood3912]

Eric I hope you scope the bores and let us benefit from your analysis on that. Great idea for a series.

[@Gnolomweb]

that'd be a good segment for the series! I wish we got to see "virgin barrel" vs XXX# of rounds.

[@waynelatham8094]

I owned a Remington SPS in .223 REM and found that takedown screw pressures were critical to performance. The Remington stock has a built-in pressure point at the tip of the stock. Excessive pressure on the screws distorts the barrel and impacts the grouping. I found that very light screw pressures improved the groups dramatically.

[@jefftabor595]

So that is bore sighting! Good to know. Can’t wait to see this series!

[@pinhigh1]

This is a great project. Love this kind of stuff.

[@joequixotic3039]

Nice idea. I probably would have started with a Savage so you can put in a nice pre-fit barrel with normal tools. With factory barrels I would scope the bore first and might do a JB bore paste scrub if it's really rough. Then do a break in with JB as needed. Also, definitely make sure the barrel free floats.

[@joequixotic3039]

On the Savage front, I bought a 30-06 Savage Axis XP with the Accu-trigger with the intent to make my first 284 Winchester rifle. Step one was to hacksaw the front of the receiver so I could get off the barrel nut. Step two was to lathe turn the receiver to fit a conventional (110 style) recoil lug. I got a 31" prefit barrel and step 3, I installed it with an American Rifle Company Barloc with Nucleus style recoil lug (tabbed). Step 4 was a spring change in the Accu-trigger to get it under 2 lb pull. Step 5 was mostly cosmetic, I got a fluted bolt body and a bolt handle from Glades but messing around with it I actually got the bolt running very smooth. I have a thrust bearing style bolt lift kit but I'm not sure if I'll install it. I got a Leupold 7075 aluminum scope rail with 20 MOA slope and step 6 was notching the front of the rail to accept the Nucleus style recoil lug tab, tapping one of the unused mounting holes for a set screw (to set elevation) and then I angle bedded the rail to the receiver and recoil lug for maximum elevation drop with my Bushnell LRTSi scope (in cheapo Vortex rings which were reamed for alignment). I got a clearance price MDT LSS chassis and step 7 was doing a bedding job for the recoil lug and some of the front of the receiver. Step 8 was making an extended forend. Step 9 was adding my stock and pistol grip. In the end it is a good barrel and the Barloc makes it insensitive to any misalignment between the barrel threads and receiver face. The floating bolt head allows some misalignment between the barrel threads and the bolt axis. The Nucleus style recoil lug tab means I don't have to pin the recoil lug because the scope rail is aligning it and it also removes shear stress from the scope rail mounting by acting as a recoil lug for the rail. It has a nice trigger and the bolt runs smooth. MDT 300WM magazines hold 284 Winchester just fine with plenty of room to load long. Eventually I'm going to see if 284 Winchester makes a good ELR round for shooting a mile or more but the project kind of got sidetracked when I built up a 338 RUM.

[@mrs.vasquezz]

@@joequixotic3039 ELR guys are mentally ill 😭

[@joequixotic3039]

@@mrs.vasquezz don't cure me, I like it.

[@aaronunterseher1627]

You should free float them and re shoot a 5 shot group as a control for both rifles... then follow up with an upgraded stock or chassis for the mod rifle

[@johanmalan6810]

Absolutely love this idea for a series.... just about to get my new 6.5cr license or 6.5nm :) (In south africa it takes months to get a fire arm licenced, bought it in dec 2021). Seeing what you do to improve it will definitely give me benefit. keep it up Erik!

[@grantjamrock3812]

I've been looking into the 6.5 prc so I'm excited to see how all this pans out

[@amorton94]

Huh? These are Creedmoor.

[@grantjamrock3812]

@@amorton94 well aware lol. Meaning if the 6.5 creedmoor truly needs more then the 6.5 prc will have the "more" we all need!

[@amorton94]

@@grantjamrock3812 The PRC has a couple hundred fps on the CM. That's it. The same model rifle will still "need" everything these rifles are getting, regardless of caliber.

[@grantjamrock3812]

@@amorton94 sounds like you're on a different path my friend!

[@jimk9290]

If you bed the SPS stock, they will shoot fine. A couple of points: check the crown on both rifles, especially #1 to check for damage or improper crowning. Adjust the triggers until they are much lighter trigger pull weight, or else replace with a Jewell. (These are just my steps in accurizing a stock Remmy.) Eliminate the stock contact for sure. Then bed the rifle properly. At that point, it'll be an ammo issue, IME. My personal approach also involves barrel lapping prior to any live fire. That way, there's no break-in.

[@jasonbroom7147]

I hope this series progresses quickly...very interested to see where it goes

[@AT-HB-4120]

Can't say I've seen a test like this, Definitely got my interest

[@CrippledEagle]

Thank You for doing this series! I bought a new barrel for my Remington 700 recently as I wanted to build a 6.5x47 Lapua rifle. My 700 is stock right now so following the build here ought to save a lot of frustration on my part. I’ve built lots of semiautomatic rifles but never a bolt gun. I am finding that it is turning into an expensive rifle after buying the tools needed to rebarrel, set head space and more. Fortunately won’t have to buy again!😁

[@Muschka01]

Great idea, looking forward to the progress on how you can make a factory rifle better.

[@mrs.vasquezz]

Look into Ruger American Predator

[@jordonvizer9638]

I've been checking 3 times a day for part 2 lol I'm excited to see your results to compare with mine as far as getting any factory gun to shoot and how well it does shoot when your done because most of my work goes into a very well tuned load and very minimal work to the rifle maybe this will change my approach to it.

[@eugenedanielson9678]

Currently putting together a coyote gun with the same gun and caliber very excited to watch this series

[@petebland754]

The Remington plastic stocks have contact pads in the forend and free floating will definitely help. These stocks are so flimsy that even if free floated, will eventually flex and make barrel contact. The factory trigger can be lightened to about 2.5 - 2 lbs which will also help, if lighter than that is desired it will need to be swapped out. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out, good luck.

[@markyoung7470]

Erik this going to be one fun series to watch can't wait for the next Video!

[@SL1CK1307]

This is a pretty cool series that you started. Gives me lots of educative info!

[@meboyd7796]

Great project. Can't wait to see if you can help either of the POS rifles.

[@robertmettler1910]

Love it i have a rem 700 sps varmint .223 26" barrel that shoots 3 touching at 100 only modification that has been done since shooting that group ia a triggertech trigger which tightened it up more

[@stevefisher2121]

This is gonna be a great series!!!!! Love the 6.5 Creedmoor!!!!!!

[@brianreynolds1574]

Watching his shoot and not blink is impressive.

[@louswanepoel3836]

Hope you keep this in a budget and use readily commercially available parts for the upgrades,so the average Joe can benefit from what ever comes out of this?Just bought my first reloading equipment and your videos are very helpful on my quest to load for my first rifle,also a "needs-more"...

[@ertatta]

This is gonna be fun! I’d say Ruger American, Savage Axis, maybe Howa are more representative of what you’re common man out there ends purchasing these days for hunting. Or even as a starter to get into some form of target shooting.

[@mrs.vasquezz]

Yes especially when Ruger Americans are moa outta the box

[@jamesmiller360]

Looking forward to following this series. Enjoyed the video.

[@russtuff]

This should be fun. I picked up a Savage 12FV in 6.5CM last year and it shoots under one MOA out of the box. That said, the stock is the first thing I plan to upgrade as it also hops around like crazy.

[@roncoburn1103]

Great idea, expensive guns are out of my budget. I have been working with a savage axis 22-250. This information will help me tremendously.

[@trevorhawkins8757]

Great idea for a video series, can't wait for the next one!

[@CookingWithJC]

Lovin' this already! Cant wait to see the next video in this series!

[@thomasjochum46]

This is a fun series and thank you for posting.

[@chaddfry5345]

Great content! I would suggest cleaning both rifles to bare metal and reshooting as a next step, then get into the customization. I'm currently doing the same thing with a Rem 700 in 6.5 CM, but I'm turning it into a class deer rifle. The Rem 700 platform is my favorite rifle to turn into a fully custom rifle, and I've had S.A.C. do all my custom work.

[@hbudsmalley6317]

Keep #2 stock -as is for your control piece. Float the barrel on #1 and test it. THEN bed the action in #1 and retest. The only thing you could do to both rifles that would not appreciably alter either one is add weight in the stock. Then work on the trigger in #1. Do one thing at a time to look for improvement.

[@Gunner-73]

I have shot remington 700 BDL's since early 80's. They have always needed attention ( glass bedding) of the stock as they have a high place that normally pushes up on the barrel when it gets hot. Your's seem to be pushing to the right. A Timney trigger will help.

[@twinturbomustang781]

This series is going to be awesome. I am excited to see the real world results. This is going to make me want to get the hunting rifle out and modify if results are good……. Maybe next series you get a different brand rifle and compare two of them out of the box. Just to see if a brand is more consistent rifle to rifle. 6.5 as well, that way you can use same ammunition. But either way. This will be interesting.

[@Rucksack57]

I have made a lot of these bottom end rifles shoot tight groups. Glass bed the front of the action. You have to rough up the plastic to get the epoxy to stick. Then there there is the poor trigger needs replacement. If you need a project. Or spend a little more and get a rifle with aluminum bed. Savage accurate stick and trigger good out of the box no work needed. Howa 1500 with a chassis.

[@duggydo]

I haven't bought a new Remington rifle in almost 30 years. I remember they used to put a pressure point on the front of the stock to contact the barrel. I read an article about that pressure point in Guns & Ammo a long time ago. Supposedly it was there to reduce vibrations and make the thin barreled rifles shoot better with a wide variety of ammo. It will be interesting to see what you can do with it. I suspect you tuner will help a lot. However, you will almost certainly need to true the action.

[@charleywalker2982]

Thanks for sharing your videos and keep them coming please.

[@swamprat9018]

I was leaning torque specs on the bolts, always take for granted free floated barrels. Got me on that one.

[@rangervapes571]

Great series, look forward to it. Think about Mods in price ranges ie; this series will be low budget Mods, next gun mid level Mods w/ the low budget Mod gun as the control gun and the third gun all out

[@aaronsmith7854]

This is going to be a fun series.

[@CHenry1951]

Erik, now this is an excellent project, yes these are $500 hunting rifles, not " your " typical $5K gun.... so let the fun begin !! First off, new stock second, new trigger............................

[@bayoumike544]

This is going to prove VERY interesting.

[@jswnv7775]

Looking forward to this series!

[@davebone8326]

Like it , this should be an interesting series, looking forward to it 👍.

[@Mud-LOL]

Looking forward to the series

[@ronnydowdy7432]

I am looking forward to seeing more

[@extremepyro624]

Love this video !!!!!! Very interesting I just won a mossberg patriot 308 with the vortex crossfire last week. I looked up videos for how it shoots. I didn't see one positive video. I thought, I bet doing a bunch of load development i could get it pretty decent. BUT , I don't hunt an aint up for the challenge. It was so funny to see this video after my thoughts of this 308

[@davidschmidt5810]

Great series! I’m sure you’ll do one step at a time. First step is at least free float the barrel. Then, I would hand load some ammo. One rifle is probably just tuned better for that ammo. The barrels need to be broken in some and cleaned thoroughly. At that point they should hold MOA. If you start changing out stocks, barrels, triggers, etc. it’s a different gun. But, if you want to get it to shoot half MOA, it’s probably necessary., Good Luck guys.

[@coyotiess]

I am building a long action Remington 700 in 270 I am using a Magpul Hunter 700L stock. I am still piecing it together. waiting on magazines and trigger guard with magazine frame combo.

[@0Kahless0]

At the end of this series the only thing left of the current rifle is ... the scope :D

[@DanielGuillette]

Looking forward to follow this series!

[@tomcockerham6576]

This is going to be a great series! As for a lot of us this is where we are at. Commoners rifles but trying to get the best from it. When is the next episode?

[@RMM--uv7uk]

This is going to be awesome

[@EDCandLace]

My old Rem 700 Sendaro stainless fluted with HSP stock.. my day bought for me when I was 10 so 20 years ago. I still have it and Up until recently it had maybe 200 shots down the tube 7RUM and even braked it was to much for me to enjoy shooting until I was about 16 (I'm female) and by then we was big in to LR shooting and had many other custom rifles so it never got shot. About a year ago I pulled it out the safe took the old Lupy VX3 6.5-20x50 LR off it (30mm scope that had only 60 some odd minutes of elevation travel lol, was a great scope 20 years ago... 500 bucks will buy you much better of a scope today then it in pretty much every way) and threw a NF F1 on it that I had laying around waiting on a new ELR build to get finished (it's wearing a Arken EP4 MOA now a days, fantastic 500 dollar optic) and started load dev. Didn't take long and had a load that it loved shooting 168 vlds.. I have to say that barrel didn't like anything except that load with most loads running 1.25 to 1.5 minute and it's pet load it will consistently print .7 to .8 minute, if you really put in the time you may be able to knock a 10th of a minute off the group with further load dev but it just wasn't worth the time investment with what It was gonna be used for. Once that barrels shot out I will build it in to a true half minute rifle. That 7rum isn't gentle on barrels so maybe 300 more rounds is about all it's got in it. Oh yeah I installed a match trigger back when I brought it back out as those old 700 triggers was usable at best but once your used to match triggers it like I am on my LR powder burners and PCP air rifles it was torture shooting a stock rem trigger. Now it lives as my dedicated pig rifle, when we go out and cull off hogs for local land owners it's the rifle I take as it keeps my high end rifles out nasty environments that I don't want to use them in lol.. Any pig within 800y is considered culled without much thought. Not bad for a 20 year old Remington 700, a well dialed hand load. About 3 months ago I took a pig at 600 yards and called in, in the ear and you couldn't have placed that 168 vld more center of his ear with your hands then I did... the exit side there was no telling if it came out the center of the ear as he had no ear on that side any longer lol. Because it was the first long range gun my father bought that wad for me and I wanted that 7mm rum so bad even tho I was far to little to handle it the gun means a lot. When I shoot that barrel out, I will send it in and have it blue printed and a nice new proof barrel put on her, bedded and the whole 9 yards.. I'm even gonna keep it as 7rum even tho It's not a chambering I really like all that much..

[@jordonvizer9638]

now you get a idea of what people like me are trying to work with and hone in our reloading process but some of us be getting one hole groups with our Savage axis and our Ruger Americans lol if I could take it all back I would own one of yours and not the collection of mine beginner's mistake that takes year's to recuperate from lol

[@clapton924]

Unbelievable that the MV on the box is 2900 and you're getting 2700!

[@pstewart5443]

I have fought with 6.5 Needmoors for about 2 years trying to garner every ounce of performance that I can. I just haven't found the performance promised from it. In fact, I have found the 6mm Creedmoor and other 6mm calibers to be far superior in accuracy and precision over the 6.5. I've run five or six different bullets & weight out of the platform. I just don't waste any more time on it. Sure, it's an accurate platform, and it's okay as a performance round within 500 yards, but past that, there are far more capable calibers out there which just pummel the 6.5 Needmoor. I think I will start calling it the 6.5NM out of respect for Erik & Jason.

[@dbuckner902010]

I said the same thing media just pushed it along like it was the best thing single sliced bread I will not own one so many calibers will shoot circles around it with high BC bullets

[@markroper9269]

Interesting concept! I like it!!

[@sadmazOR]

very interesting, keep doing this series

[@MichaelLloyd]

This is a great idea. The first one must've had a spray nozzle installed in the barrel. It's sad to see how far down the porcelain throne Remington quality has gone. The little .22 I bought when I was 18, 64 now, seems like it was made better than those rifles. Are you sure it's not a "Target rifle?" you know... found it in the clearance bin at Target?

[@jamessimpson3232]

When you are finished modding the second one (if it improves) maybe silent auction it off for the charity of your choice. Both signed by you and Jason. Just a thought.

[@jessiesmith8442]

I like how you are doing this

[@spysweeper]

This is a good idea for a great series!!! I would think to try the stock improvements first or the way it is bedded then move up from there! Is it threaded?? I would try your tuner after that before any barrel or trigger change!

[@fish4food449]

Wish you had gotten 2 Savage’s. Since they are still in production, and have a decent amount of aftermarket accessories.

[@maxcoatlhunter4322]

Change the stock, freefloat the barrel, change the trigger and add the E C tuner and whala! under 1/2 MOA :)

[@conservativesniperhunter7439]

A free floating bell & Carlson stock and a good bedding and lightening the trigger will should improve the accuracy and consistency of the groups . I wouldn’t be putting a heavy chassis on such a rifle with a sporter weight hunting rifle barrel . An EC Tuner might be a good idea . Keep it simple with just a few known basic accuracy mods .

[@sjseth-builds]

I would have loved to see the bore scope videos on both these rifles before they were shot... or even after a cleaning. Maybe next time...

[@chrislang5659]

I had no idea that two identical rifles could have vastly different results. Going to be interesting to see what it takes to get the bad one to one MOA!

[@MrYour1Fan]

For sure want to see how you improve this rifle

[@2dResq]

First thing I do to a Remington is to freefloat the barrel. That hump at the sling swivel inside , pushes on the barrel

[@medwynvermin8772]

Looking fwd to this. As I have Howa's in 223 and 6.5needmoore I would have preferred to have seen Howa but I am sure that the same will apply across Remington, Howa or what ever.

[@johnkizziah108]

Got 2 cheap Rems 6.5 needmore and 308. Put them in graybow bedded stocks..both are one hole shooters..or also put good triggers in them

[@johnnysaechao6218]

This is awesome to see 👍👍needs a lot more lol

[@fish4food449]

Wish y’all had gotten 2 Savage’s. Since they are still in production and have a decent amount of aftermarket accessories.

[@campingmaster2004]

little late but you should try out a Tikka t3x or Bergara B-14, from what I've seen and heard they shoot way better than the Remington 700 and just about every gun under $1000. I actually got to hold a T3X at a local gun store today and it's insane how smooth the bolt is.

[@Nonedw]

I wonder if they cleaned the barrels first. I have done this many times. Trigger job, recrowned the barrel, David Tubbs lapping bullets, new stock, bed job and they will shoot sub MOA all day long.

[@beefcakes27]

This series should be interesting. 👌