Ignorant Remington question

[Coffeecup]

I recently ran across a carbine built on an XP action (one of the old ones, not a repeater). Neat little rifle, but not a cartridge I'd shoot much. Can these be successfully re-barreled using the headspace-nut setup as on a Savage? I think it would make a nifty cast-bullet target rifle, with the potential to swap in a barrel in .221 for varminting.

Thanks,
Jim

[joesig]

Never thought of it. Other than having to hog out the stock for a nut, I don't see why not. I will say you will love the 221 Fireball. It's a fun and accurate cartridge, especially in a rifle!

[Coffeecup]

Thanks. I'm not a fan of the 221 Fireball, but I can live with it. The problem is the xp carbine is currently in some oddball .17 cal; I'd have to do a chamber cast and then have custom dies made. I don't want the headaches of that, so I'm considering options BEFORE I buy the thing. (Only took me 30 years to figure out that "think before purchase" thing, now the problem is remembering to do so!)

Jim

[phonejack]

Completely in the dark about 221fireball. But,by any chance is the boltface the same as .223? If it is, there you go!

[oneokie]

The XP uses the same action as the 600 and 660 rifles, minus the cut out for the magazine.

[rlb]

I also have thought about doing the barrel nut on a Remington. Give some pics if you do it. Good luck.

[Coffeecup]

Phonejack, the .221 Fireball is sorta like a shortened .223; the problem is that I'm not much of a 223 fan either. I just hate casting those little dinky bullets! But the 7mmTCU is a nice varmint cartridge with condom bullets and will work with cast, and the 30 Apache (30/223) is a very nice cast target cartridge.

Oneokie, thanks for the tip on the Remington family relationships, it will give me more of a starting point to look for information. I'll go dig out my copy of Otteson and do some reading.

Thanks!
Jim

[The Kid]

Being a single shooter, you could also buy another bolt with a .473 bolt face fromPT&G and not have to use the 222 case head family. Having two bolts and a barrel nut you could switch back and forth at will, or buy an action wrench and barrel vise to keep from having to rework the stock. You would also have a cleaner looking rifle in my opinion without the nut, just my opinion. XPs are fun and a neat little lightweight action for a carbine. I'd like to see pics if you end up doing this project.

[B R Shooter]

There is no reason a barrel nut can't be used on a Remington.....but why? You'll have to have a smith turn the barrel down, thread it out beyond the end of the receiver, recess the barrel and chamber it. Then make a nut, which I would assume would be the same 1 1/16x16 as the receiver.

By the time you do all this, why not just have the barrel chambered as usual, and pin the recoil lug, and you can switch barrels back and forth and never worry about anything? Any respectable smith can chamber multiple barrels to fit that receiver, align the markings, etc. And there is no ugly nut!

[Willbird]

If your making up a custom barrel for the one action even on a savage I would just throw the barrel nut away, or set it on the bench and not use it :-). if you really NEEDED to adjust headspace without altering the barrel, within reason you can just change the recoil lug thickness, you run out of room to go thinner when the bolt hits the end of the barrel. When I chamber a barrel to double check I run the barrel up snug on a headspace gauge then check the gap where the recoil lug will be with gage blocks.

Bill

[Coffeecup]

One advantage of using the barrel-nut setup is that barrels can be ordered and installed without sending the rifle off to the gunsmith. I'm not concerned about the aesthetics of the practice, just trying to figure out if it will work.

[scb]

Picture(s) worth a 1000 words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS31OY-fUI4

[flounderman]

I would think a takeoff remington barrel would fit just as it is. I think they all use the same barrel?

[rlb]

Picture(s) worth a 1000 words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS31OY-fUI4

Just keepin' it simple.

[Willbird]

One advantage of using the barrel-nut setup is that barrels can be ordered and installed without sending the rifle off to the gunsmith. I'm not concerned about the aesthetics of the practice, just trying to figure out if it will work.Well I do not think a barrel with nut for an xp-100 action is an off the shelf item typically ?? For a salvage maybe.

[rockrat]

I think Mcgowen and pac-now have "remnuts" to do just what you are curious about. I have a 300 blackout setup with a remnut. Took about 5 min. to put the barrel on. Simple to do.

[tomme boy]

Go over to the Savage forum http://www.savageshooters.com/forum.php

Look for Northland shooters supply. He sells what he calls them Rem/Age barrel.