Rifle Set-up

[Scoony]

Just picked up a Remington 78 Sportsman 308 win in really nice shape. This is basically a 700 with a mat finish and stained beech stock. Shot it over the weekend and with factory ammo, shows great promise. It had a crappy scope that came with it; I took off after 4 rounds. With open sights, I was hitting a 6” plate at 200 yards. I am really digging this rifle and almost feel as if I could get rid of some other rifles and just use this one (not really). This will be mainly used for deer hunting up to 400 yards.

From what I understand, stocks that fits a 700 ADL/BDL short action will fit this. I would like to put a composite stock and BDL floor plate on this. Been looking online at some replacement stocks. Like to keep it a sporter/classic style. I know some of the stocks tend to be thick and chunky, but not sure which ones when looking at them online. What are some recommendations for a nice slim classic style stock?

I have two Leopold VX3i on hand, a 3.5-10x and a 4.5-14x. I would like to be able to shoot maybe out to 400. One is going on this rifle and the other on a 257 Roberts. Which of those two would you put on this one?

 

[Wapiti1]

Yes, the 78 was a budget version of the 700 series. Any short action stock will fit. The Bell and Carlson Alaskan 2 would fit your needs well. They are light and slender. Their medalist is a little heavier with a longer fore end. HS precision makes a nice stock as well, but they are not as slender. McMillan makes a sweet stock as well, and their classic style is slender and light, but a bit more spendy than the B&C.

I would use a 3.5-10 on both. If I had what you have, I'd go 3.5-10 on the .308 and 4.5-14 on the .257 for varmint use. Gophers are hard to see and 14X makes that easier.

Jeremy

 

[mtmuley]

That's a pretty good find. I scour the local gun racks, and anywhere else I go for one. Those and 788's. mtmuley

 

[Scoony]

Thanks, I glass bedded the stock today, still curing. That beech stock sure seemed more like pine. Going to see whats it capable of with the bedding job, plus it gives me practice doing it.

That Bell & Carson looks like a good option, now I just have to search for the bottom metal for cheap.

 

[Wapiti1]

Ebay or call the detachable bottom metal makers and see if they have some takeoffs. CDI would be one to try. A lot of the time, they do the conversion and the customer doesn't want the original parts back.

Jeremy

 

[Scoony]

Oh Snap, never even thought about a box magazine conversion. Going to have to look into those as well.

 

[Scoony]

Ordered the Bell and Carson Alaskan stock as well as the bottom metal to make it a BDL. One particular hand load put three bullets in the same hole at 100 yards so I think I have a keeper.

 

[Wapiti1]

Good deal. Share photos of the bucks you smoke with it. Last time I checked, Kentucky has a few slobs roaming the hills.

Jeremy

 

[Scoony]

The new stock and bottom metal came in so I went ahead and glass bedded it and got her back together. She weights in at 7.8 lbs with scope.

Before Pic



And after


Have a friend thats a gunsmith and is going to give me some threaded studs for the rear sight mounting holes. I really hated taking that rear sight off since it was zeroed right on at 100, but the scope would not allow it. Scope is a VX3i 3.5-10.

Got some new test loads ready. Trying some new Atlas Development Group brass and going to give CFE223 a try.

 

[mtswampfox]

what?? no fancy trigger for that rig?

 

[Scoony]

what?? no fancy trigger for that rig?

I adjusted the factory trigger, and have it to where its pretty light and crisp, but still safe. Going to have a gunsmith check it before I fire it just to make sure.