Re-barreling a Rem. 700

[Shooter 250]

I'm looking into re-barreling a Rem. 700 into a 22-250.
I would like some suggestion on type of barrel/brand, twist, length and so on?
The bullet will be a 50gr TNT, VMax or Varminator. The rifle will strictly be used for PD shooting.
I've read that after 18in the bullet actually starts to slow down?
I believe I have also read that the longer barrels stabilize the bullets better?
Any suggestion??

[beemanbeme]

Everybody has their favorites but I've had good luck with Douglas barrels. I've never shot any 50's in my 22-250's but have had good luck with 55's.  I would pass on the specialty twists and go with a standard 12 or 14 twist.  If you match the contour of the barrel you're replacing, it makes it simpler. I did have one re-barreled in what the smith called a "heavy sporter" and opened up the barrel channel in the stock a bit.  That worked okay.

[oneshotonekill]

As Beemanbeme stated everyone has their favorites.  I prefer Shilen tubes, but I have also used Douglass, Kreiger, and a Adams & Bennett.  It really depends on what you want to pay and who is doing the work.  There can be a pretty long turn around depending on what barrel you chose.  If you buy a barrel and have a local smith do the work the turn around may be a little quicker but that depends on the smith you are using.  A re-barrel with a quality tube will cost just about as much as buying another rifle.  I just got a 700 back from Shilen that they re-barreled for me and it ran just about $650 for a match grade Stainless barrel with beadblasted finish.  I've done a couple myself buying short chambered barrels and renting a finish reamer.  That was a good bit cheaper but it requires you to have some specialized tools (an action wrench, barrel vise, headspace guages, etc.).

As far as twist, barrel length etc. that will depend on what you want to do with it.  To shoot 50TNT's you would probably be best suited with a 14 twist, if you think there is a possibility of shooting longer bullets I'd go with a 12 twist.  Unless you plan on shooting long range heavy weight high BC bullets you should not need to go faster than a 12 twist.  The length and contour are personnel preference but again it depends on what you will do with the rifle.  If you will walk and call coyotes a mid weight or even sporter weight barrel may be best.  To set up on a PD town a heavy varmit contour would help with barrel heating /POI shift.  I like a mid to heavy weight barrel in about a 24" length, its light enough to carry if I need to and heavy enough to help dissipate heat.  Shorter barrels tend to be more rigid and lend themselves to better accuracy where longer barrels help achieve higher velocity due to giving the powder more tube to burn it.  As you shorten the barrel another consideration is the increase in muzzle blast.  With a 22-250 you probably would not get complete powder burn in 18" so the bullet slowing down after 18" is not going to be the case for you.  At some point powder will be completly burnt and pressure will drop then friction will slow the bullet but for a 22-250 I would expect that to occur somewhere over 30 inches.

[Rogue Ram]

All the above is good information. I have one big hint after going down this road before: get the gunsmith who has the PROPER equipment to put your tube on. Look at various benchrest sites to get the terminology down (I'm so sick right now I can't think straight) but the average smith with the basic lathe isn't who you want to do this. Douglas, Shilen, Lilja, Krieger, they are all good, but only as good as the guy putting it on. You want "benchrest quality" for the install, period. These guys are not cheap by any means, but you'll avoid issues in the long run.

RR

[skarke]

ditto rogue, $450 for a quality tube is a good price, but if you're going this route, consider having your rig trued and blueprinted.  Makes a massive difference on about half of the factory rifles out there

[roper]

Alot of good barrels out there.  I've got rifles with Broughton,Rock,Hart,Shilen,Chanlyn,K&P,Lilja,Kreiger plus afew others.  I'd use a 1/14 twist , 24" to 26" in a Rem Varmit contour if matching exist varmit contour.  If you don't have a gunsith lined up I'd send it to either Hart,Shilen or Kreiger and have them chamber one of their barrels.  Bullet pick up speed with a longer barrel and length helps with certain bullets.  I've got a Shilen SS select match 1/12  twist barrel on a 22-250AI and I've only shot 55gr bullets in that rifle and I'm getting ready to order a Kreiger 1/14 twist for a 22-250 for the 50gr bullet and it will finish at 26" or 28".  As most have said a good gunsmith is important and sending it to a Barrel manufactor that offers chamber is a sure bet of getting a good job.  I haven't tried them yet, Lawton is making a good barrel either a cut or button barrel .  I'm not too high on Pac-Nor barrels.  One thing also in using  one of the Manufactors that I mention is they will make sure the action is square if not they will let you know and what the cost will be and if the action isn't right or cann't be squared they won't put a barrel on it.  Just my .02

[beemanbeme]

A shade tree gun smith is a abomination but if I can find a competent local smith, I much prefer to use him. --local means 100 miles or less-- I like being able to look in a man's eyes when I deal with him. 

[Rogue Ram]

Alot of good barrels out there.  I've got rifles with Broughton,Rock,Hart,Shilen,Chanlyn,K&P,Lilja,Kreiger plus afew others.  I'd use a 1/14 twist , 24" to 26" in a Rem Varmit contour if matching exist varmit contour.  If you don't have a gunsith lined up I'd send it to either Hart,Shilen or Kreiger and have them chamber one of their barrels.  Bullet pick up speed with a longer barrel and length helps with certain bullets.  I've got a Shilen SS select match 1/12  twist barrel on a 22-250AI and I've only shot 55gr bullets in that rifle and I'm getting ready to order a Kreiger 1/14 twist for a 22-250 for the 50gr bullet and it will finish at 26" or 28".  As most have said a good gunsmith is important and sending it to a Barrel manufactor that offers chamber is a sure bet of getting a good job.  I haven't tried them yet, Lawton is making a good barrel either a cut or button barrel .  I'm not too high on Pac-Nor barrels.  One thing also in using  one of the Manufactors that I mention is they will make sure the action is square if not they will let you know and what the cost will be and if the action isn't right or cann't be squared they won't put a barrel on it.  Just my .02

I wasn't going to say this, but since Roper did, I'll throw this last bit in there......  I don't like Pac Nor, I don't like their barrels, I don't like their customer service, I don't like anything about them. Just FWIW.  PM if anyone needs me to elaborate. My wallet is still traumatized over it.   

RR

[Shooter 250]

Thanks for the info. There is a smith that comes to a gun show here in Des Moines. I thought about using him or the smith at Sheels(he did a great job on a break I had put on my current 22-250). I guess I'll have to contemplate on sending it to shileins or one of the over barrel manufactures.
About spending 650.00 on a rebarreld rifle. If you are getting everything trued up for that price I think that would be cheap compared to buy a Rem custom rifle for around 1,400.00

[jro45]

I've had two rebarreled with Shilen barrels. The acturacy is 1/2" to 3/4 at 200 yds.