Found a nice rifle today

[Lawyerman]

I bought a Remington 700 BDL today. Old gun, every early, square safety, fleur de lis checkering, 20" carbine barrel- .30-06. It has a Redfield 4x Widefield on it in very good shape.

I bought it for just under $300 tax and all. Some of the bluing is wore at the muzzle and it is flat dirty, bore was filthy. Actually thought it was pitted it was so dirty....hard to believe a BDL runs $600 now. Oh well, didn't pay that for this one!

Will try to get it cleaned up tonight and maybe if the weather clears I'll get to shooting it this weekend.

[C1PNR]

That's a nice find! The filthy condition undoubtedly had a lot to do with the price. I'll bet you enjoy this one after it's all cleaned up.

A friend of mine was gifted with something very similar several years ago. His was a BDL in .270 that had been in a closet for YEARS.

I volunteered to clean it up for him as I wanted him to try that caliber on the Blacktail deer there on the Central Coast of PDRK.

What a nice rifle awaited under all that grunge! Cut checkering, nicely figured wood, bluing in great condition, a spotless bore, and a decent scope (I forget the brand now). I think he eventually gave it to his son.

Good luck with your "new" rifle. Are you going to make it a dedicated cast boolit shooter?

[9.3X62AL]

L-man......

THAT is a SCREAMIN' deal on a fine rifle. Ya did GREAT.

[Lawyerman]

I shot it this weekend after a rigorous cleaning. I was using up some odds and ends of 06 ammo that I had accumulated. I got it on at 25 and then moved to 100 where I set windage and elevation and then fired for group at 200 yards. I fired two three shot groups with Remington 180 grain factory ammo-all I had. In each group the first two rounds were within an inch of each other and the third would be low by about 3" or so. The groups did not overlay as I adjusted after the first for some fine tuning.

After the really good cleaning I found the crown is a little rough and there are some rough spots about 2" back from the muzzle. However, I don't think that is the problem as a rough bore should "shotgun" the target and this rifle shows modest consistency.

I suspect a bedding issue. Perhaps I should fire each shot and then wait for the barrel to full cool so each shot is cold bore to check? I removed the action from the stock at home and found a spot where the front sling swivel has probably been touching the barrel. I will dress that down and may free float the whole barrel and see what that gives me. I am very heartened by the first two rounds of each group being in 1/2 MOA though. That's phemomenal shooting for a 4x scope, factory trigger, "bulk" sporter ammo.....

[PatMarlin]

-score-

We like pics.. :drinks:

[9.3X62AL]

L-Man......

Sounds like bedding to me, too. After getting that barrel contact point on the sling swivel addressed, see what happens. Just about all Rem 700's from the 1980's, esp. the 700V's, usually benefit from glass-bedding and a free-float. Yours sounds earlier than that, so that may or may not apply.

[Lawyerman]

This is a very early gun- the serial number is right at 100k. I figure 1964 or so. The 20" barrel didn't last very long in 700 production. It sure is handy.

I pillar bedded a 700 VLS. Boy, that friggen laminate is hard to bore pillar holes in! Gun really shoots though and the stock is as stable as any synthetic I have found though heavier.

[rvpilot76]

Not to one-up you, but I bought my 03A3 Springfield for $150. Yes, she was a dirty girl :-D , but a lot of elbow grease, cold bluing, and a little love go a long way. Good job on your find. I have a friend who got a '06 BDL for $50 as I remember. When I saw her, she looked like she had been strapped to the back of an Abrams tank during the first Gulf war. No kidding. She was that filthy. Cleaned up good, though!

Kevin