Professional gunsmith reference for Remington 700 action and bolt assembly. Specifications, headspace, barrel threading, and critical assembly procedures.
The Remington 700 action is the foundation of American precision rifle shooting. Its round receiver, twin opposed locking lugs, and consistent dimensions made it the platform of choice for custom rifle builders and military snipers for six decades. Understanding the action and bolt assembly at the dimensional level is essential for any gunsmith performing barrel work, trigger service, or accuracy work on this platform.
Receiver Specifications and Threading
The Remington 700 receiver is a cylindrical steel tube machined to precise dimensions. The receiver ring at the front accepts the barrel at 1.062"–16 TPI (short action) or 1.062"–16 TPI (long action — same thread, different receiver length). The recoil lug sits between the barrel shoulder and the receiver ring face, providing the primary recoil transfer surface to the stock.
Receiver lengths define which bolt and magazine lengths are appropriate. Short action receivers (6.85" overall) accommodate cartridges up to .308 Winchester head size at 2.800" OAL. Long action receivers (8.50" overall) handle cartridges up to .30-06 length at 3.340" OAL. Magnum actions use the long action receiver with an enlarged bolt face to accept belted magnum cartridges.
Bolt Assembly Components and Tolerances
The Remington 700 bolt uses two opposed locking lugs at the bolt head that engage recesses machined into the barrel extension. Primary extraction is accomplished by the camming action of the bolt handle as it rotates open. The extractor is a plunger-type design that snaps over the case rim when the round is chambered—unlike controlled round feed designs, the 700 extractor does not hold the round during the entire chambering stroke.
Bolt face diameter must match the cartridge head size. The small bolt face (0.473") handles cartridges from .223 to .308 Winchester. The large bolt face (0.532") accommodates belted magnum cartridges. Blending bolt faces to accept different cartridges requires careful lathe work to maintain concentricity and the correct ejector hole position. Never attempt bolt face opening without a lathe—handwork produces eccentric results that cause headspace problems.
| Specification | Short Action | Long Action | Magnum Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiver Length | 6.85" | 8.50" | 8.50" |
| Barrel Thread | 1.062"–16 TPI | 1.062"–16 TPI | 1.062"–16 TPI |
| Bolt Face (standard) | 0.473" | 0.473" | 0.532" |
| Scope Base Screws | 6-48 | 6-48 | 6-48 |
| Max OAL (cartridge) | 2.800" | 3.340" | 3.340" |
Headspace and Timing Considerations
Headspace on the Remington 700 is set by the barrel shoulder-to-receiver face dimension and the depth of the chamber's datum line. After any barrel installation, headspace must be verified with caliber-appropriate Go and No-Go gauges. The bolt should close fully on the Go gauge (minimum headspace) and should not close on the No-Go gauge (maximum safe headspace).
Excessive headspace on the 700 manifests as case stretching, incipient head separation at the case web, and difficult extraction. The plunger extractor design makes the 700 somewhat more sensitive to excessive headspace than controlled round feed designs, as the case must expand sufficiently to be gripped for extraction. Any rifle exhibiting head separation or bright extraction ring marks on brass should have headspace verified immediately.
Critical Assembly Procedures
Barrel installation requires the receiver to be secured in a properly fitted action wrench—never grip the barrel in a vise without barrel blocks, and never use a pipe wrench on either component. Torque the barrel to the receiver using an action wrench and barrel vise at 65–100 ft-lbs, depending on the gunsmith's preferred specification. Verify headspace after torque, then recheck after allowing the action to normalize for 24 hours.
The recoil lug must be centered under the action and properly seated in the stock's recoil lug mortise. A tilted or improperly seated recoil lug introduces stress that shifts point of impact between shots. When performing bedding work, verify the recoil lug is perpendicular to the receiver bore axis using a machinist's square before the bedding compound cures.