Remington 700 in .223

[moudzj]

Hi guys,

Looking into buying a .223 rifle ATM.

Already have purchased a Howa 1500 in .308 and am not interested in buying the same action in another calibre, despite how good it is.

Ive sort of narrowed it down to two options;

A Tikka T3X

OR

Remington 700 SPS in a Magpul Hunter stock.

I am able to get the Rem700 with the stock for about $100 more than a T3X would cost me.

What is pulling me towards the Remington, is that I feel the T3X is just so vanilla/lame, and little history or charachter. I know that the T3X is built better in every way, shape and form. Its so weird; my brain tells me Tikka, heart says Remington.

What do you guys think? Its also quite an odd calibre for a Remington 700...

[in2anity]

Stay away from modern Remingtons.

[No1Mk3]

G'day in2anity,
Why would you hold "modern" Remingtons so low in your opinion? The trigger issues were fixed ages ago, and the current crop of rifles seem to have little complaint. A friend just completed a course at Ft Bragg using "out of the box" Rems, and he compared them favourably with his hunting rifles, My own are old ones, but I would not discount a new 5R if I had the dough, Cheers.

[SCJ429]

Would a m595 Tikka Sporter be less vanilla and have more history for your tastes.

Buy a Remington if you are up for a challenge, there are far more lemons to be had in their range. For me I like things that shoot right out of the box.

[GQshayne]

I find "character" of my rifles to be most important to me. My newest rifle was made in the late 1970's. There is something about older firearms that I like, nice walnut stocks being one thing for sure. I have an FN made Browning BLR, made in 1973. I bought it from a gun shop, so paid their prices rather than a private sale, but even so it cost me $100 more than I could have bought a new one.

I am not a fan of vanilla either. Perhaps your "new" purchase could be an older firearm.

[SCJ429]

I find "character" of my rifles to be most important to me. My newest rifle was made in the late 1970's. There is something about older firearms that I like, nice walnut stocks being one thing for sure. I have an FN made Browning BLR, made in 1973. I bought it from a gun shop, so paid their prices rather than a private sale, but even so it cost me $100 more than I could have bought a new one.

I am not a fan of vanilla either. Perhaps your "new" purchase could be an older firearm.

They made Ruger #1 in 223, nothing else will have the character of this rifle.

[Blr243]

I have a rem sps in 300 AAC. It shoots moa but I think I got lucky I have heard modern rem has poor quality control....emotions can get in the way of good decisions..... I would suggest Go with your brain instead of your heart and grab the tikka

[in2anity]

G'day in2anity,
Why would you hold "modern" Remingtons so low in your opinion? The trigger issues were fixed ages ago, and the current crop of rifles seem to have little complaint. A friend just completed a course at Ft Bragg using "out of the box" Rems, and he compared them favourably with his hunting rifles, My own are old ones, but I would not discount a new 5R if I had the dough, Cheers.

You are right No1 - it’s obnoxious of me to generalize. It’s just in my experience with semi-recent rems are that the fit and finish are ordinary and they don’t particularly shoot well. I just feel they are over-hyped and over priced. Nevertheless, no personal experience with a 5r, and to be fair I haven’t even handled a very recent one, let alone shot one. Perhaps they have turned a bit of a corner. Its true the recent Remlins are better than what they were. It’s just that with the Tikkas, I feel your chances of scoring a lemon are lower. Maybe I’m wrong.

[in2anity]

I have a rem sps in 300 AAC. It shoots moa but I think I got lucky I have heard modern rem has poor quality control....emotions can get in the way of good decisions..... I would suggest Go with your brain instead of your heart and grab the tikka

Sounds like a shooter

[Blr243]

It was a shooter. I have misplaced the bolt

[marksman]

I have a rem sps in 300 AAC. It shoots moa but I think I got lucky I have heard modern rem has poor quality control....emotions can get in the way of good decisions..... I would suggest Go with your brain instead of your heart and grab the tikka

+1
you know it will work

[Ziege]

I'd get the tikka before the Remington, especially with Remington in the s**t again presently.

[Strangedog]

If you do get the Tikka, it might shoot great, but if you don't like the appeal and feel of the rifle, you'll end up buying the Remington later on.

[InisBineest]

Hi guys,

Looking into buying a .223 rifle ATM.

Already have purchased a Howa 1500 in .308 and am not interested in buying the same action in another calibre, despite how good it is.

Ive sort of narrowed it down to two options;

A Tikka T3X

OR

Remington 700 SPS in a Magpul Hunter stock.

I am able to get the Rem700 with the stock for about $100 more than a T3X would cost me.

What is pulling me towards the Remington, is that I feel the T3X is just so vanilla/lame, and little history or charachter. I know that the T3X is built better in every way, shape and form. Its so weird; my brain tells me Tikka, heart says Remington.

What do you guys think? Its also quite an odd calibre for a Remington 700...

For what it is worth, my first centerfire rifle was a Rem 700 VSF in .223 and it was good. Not excellent, not bad, just good. I bought it thinking i'd be target shooting, so it being heavy wasn't a problem. Until I wanted to hunt with it that was:P It did take a few foxes and other critters though.

First thing I did to it was drop in a Trigger Basix unit, as the stock trigger was very heavy.

Owned it for about 8 years and only had one problem. Rust. It was prone to rust spots. I am pedantic with my rifles, always oiled well and always kept clean. But the Remington would rust like nobody's business! The derogatory term Rustington is not undeserved in my books.

It was a good rifle, but if it were me there again, i'd of bought a CZ 527 (i later did) or a Tikka that I could have dressed up with any number of aftermarket options (did that too with a 308)

My two cents:) All the best!

EDIT: PS My 700 did shoot 0.3 MOA with handloads though... it had its rust, but it could shoot better than i ever will!

[bigrich]

i'm in the process of swapping over from a 223 sauer 101 synthetic to a 223 weatherby s2 vangaurd . the sauer wasn't bad , but seemed affected by the cold more than my bedded timber stocked rifles .i just didn't connect with the sauer , besides , at heart i like a traditional rifle with a internal mag and floor plate design . there's more aftermarket parts/accessories for the weatherby/howa rifles, which is something i didn't consider with the sauer .also with a timber stock i can customise it easier. if i want to reduce the size/shape of the cheek rest, change recoil pads to adjust length of pull, or shorten /slim down the stock , it's all easier with timber . i looked at a new rem stainless sps, and while the fit and finish was okay , it wasn't great . the weatherby on the other hand was slick and well finished with a good trigger . it wasn't hard to choose between the two .....

between the rem and tikka, i would get the tikka and tweak the trigger,

[TassieTiger]

i'm in the process of swapping over from a 223 sauer 101 synthetic to a 223 weatherby s2 vangaurd . the sauer wasn't bad , but seemed affected by the cold more than my bedded timber stocked rifles .i just didn't connect with the sauer , besides , at heart i like a traditional rifle with a internal mag and floor plate design . there's more aftermarket parts/accessories for the weatherby/howa rifles, which is something i didn't consider with the sauer .also with a timber stock i can customise it easier. if i want to reduce the size/shape of the cheek rest, change recoil pads to adjust length of pull, or shorten /slim down the stock , it's all easier with timber . i looked at a new rem stainless sps, and while the fit and finish was okay , it wasn't great . the weatherby on the other hand was slick and well finished with a good trigger . it wasn't hard to choose between the two .....

between the rem and tikka, i would get the tikka and tweak the trigger,

I’m hearing ya BR - it’s easy to get sick of sauers boring .5 moa accuracy and I know you enjoy a challenge of bringing that weatherby into 2 moa. It takes work, but it’s ver my satisfying when you get there

[AussieCapitalist]

Would you consider the 30-06 springfield if you don't want a 308? Beautiful hunting calibre that will drop any game in Australia.

[brinny]

Im moving a Sako 85 223 SS fluted varmint with walnut stock on if you want to step up a bit....

[GQshayne]

I find "character" of my rifles to be most important to me. My newest rifle was made in the late 1970's. There is something about older firearms that I like, nice walnut stocks being one thing for sure. I have an FN made Browning BLR, made in 1973. I bought it from a gun shop, so paid their prices rather than a private sale, but even so it cost me $100 more than I could have bought a new one.

I am not a fan of vanilla either. Perhaps your "new" purchase could be an older firearm.

They made Ruger #1 in 223, nothing else will have the character of this rifle.

That is subjective though isn't it? I have no interest in them at all, and my liking of old Tikkas comes from the fact I bought one when I was 16, and still have it. Just depends on whatever floats your boat.

[bigrich]

I’m hearing ya BR - it’s easy to get sick of sauers boring .5 moa accuracy and I know you enjoy a challenge of bringing that weatherby into 2 moa. It takes work, but it’s ver my satisfying when you get there

after a fair bit of handloading i just wasn't getting that great accuracy out of the sauer taz . the weatherby/howa action is fairly proven, weatherby had a sub moa garuntee on the vangaurd if i remember correctly . i'll see how the new toy goes . if it shoots better than the sauer i'll be sure to let you know taz

back to the rems, i've heard them compared to being the small block chevy of the gun world . you throw all the factory parts away, re machine it and put good qaulity aftermarket parts into it

[bigrich]

Just depends on whatever floats your boat.

that's it in a nutshell for a lot of folks

[Ziege]

I’m hearing ya BR - it’s easy to get sick of sauers boring .5 moa accuracy and I know you enjoy a challenge of bringing that weatherby into 2 moa. It takes work, but it’s ver my satisfying when you get there

after a fair bit of handloading i just wasn't getting that great accuracy out of the sauer taz . the weatherby/howa action is fairly proven, weatherby had a sub moa garuntee on the vangaurd if i remember correctly . i'll see how the new toy goes . if it shoots better than the sauer i'll be sure to let you know taz

back to the rems, i've heard them compared to being the small block chevy of the gun world . you throw all the factory parts away, re machine it and put good qaulity aftermarket parts into it

Yep, only rems I have ever known people to rave about are ones where the barrel, trigger, stock and bolt we're all turfed and replaced with custom s**t from their gunsmith

[bigrich]

that's why i like model 70 winchesters ziege , good solid ,simple, accurate rifles with a great trigger . at least the early ones are i've a 222 and 6.5x55 that are really good shooters , however, i have a "rogue" one in a project rifle, that is great in every aspect, except it appears that the receiver is not square to the barrel .it's at a smiths right now being trued must've been made on a monday morning

in anything manufactured there is the possibility of a rogue one getting through QC . suppose that's why ya pay extra for sako's .........

[moudzj]

Damn...

All this Remington talk, and afew more hours of research has sort of put me off, despite how much I am still inlove with the idea of it.

Now considering getting ANOTHER Howa SS sporter, but in .223 obviously, and dropping it in a KRG stock or something. Not much of a background story with the Howa but its a solid action for the money and an upgraded stock would definitely sweeten it for me. Am I going to be one of those guys with 5 Howa actions in each calibre?

Still cant come to terms with the lack of flavour from the Tikka... I simply cant, lol.

I might add that I wish Lithgow would have came out with a sporter rifle now, knowing its in development. Would definitely be a customer. Spewing, but oh well.

[bigrich]

Damn...

All this Remington talk, and afew more hours of research has sort of put me off, despite how much I am still inlove with the idea of it.

Now considering getting ANOTHER Howa SS sporter, but in .223 obviously, and dropping it in a KRG stock or something. Not much of a background story with the Howa but its a solid action for the money and an upgraded stock would definitely sweeten it for me. Am I going to be one of those guys with 5 Howa actions in each calibre?

Still cant come to terms with the lack of flavour from the Tikka... I simply cant, lol.

I might add that I wish Lithgow would have came out with a sporter rifle now, knowing its in development. Would definitely be a customer. Spewing, but oh well.

hey mate, just thought i would offer some more opinions. rem 700's CAN be built into awesome tack drivers, i think you have to spend the money for a 5R, or custom build one . howas are a good affordable rifle that work, although i have heard of some rifles with qaulity control issues . which is why i went weatherby. same rifle ,but hand finished in the US to a higher standard with a longer barrel . tikkas are a poor mans sako , but they are nicely finished compared to their competition and they shoot . i have a mate who bought a tikka t3 stainless in a laminate stock second hand and it makes clover leafs at 100 with factory 69gn OSA ammo . this is a very common story for these rifles . having said all that, i don't own a tikka, they just don't gel with me . i mostly have rebarreled, bedded and customised winchester 70's or similar (weatherby) style actions as they are reliable , accurate and easy to work with .

a tikka in a H&S stock would be a good thing in my opinion. the H&S being lighter than the B&C stocks . JMHO

[Gun-nut]

Go with the remington mate, its obvious your heart is set on it. You may get a good one and be happy with it, if not you can always sell it off or return to your dealer if it gives you trouble. The heart wants what the heart wants...

[SCJ429]

You can make a decent rifle out of a Remington. Here is a bloke who spent $14,000 on his but struggling to get an offer of $10,000 for it.

https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=173067

[bigrich]

You can make a decent rifle out of a Remington. Here is a bloke who spent $14,000 on his but struggling to get an offer of $10,000 for it.

https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=173067

bit like restoring ,hot rodding old cars hey . you can be lucky to get back half of what they owe ya

[snag]

Just food for thought - I've got a Weatherby Vanguard S2 in .223 that regularly shoots .5 moa with 55gr VMaxes and a starting load of ar2207. It remains untouched, straight out of the box. Haven't even adjusted the trigger - still on factory setting. All I did was whack on a Leupold VX1 4-12x40 in a one-piece Gamereaper mount. May be a freak, but that's one I'm never parting with.

[bigrich]

Just food for thought - I've got a Weatherby Vanguard S2 in .223 that regularly shoots .5 moa with 55gr VMaxes and a starting load of ar2207. It remains untouched, straight out of the box. Haven't even adjusted the trigger - still on factory setting. All I did was whack on a Leupold VX1 4-12x40 in a one-piece Gamereaper mount. May be a freak, but that's one I'm never parting with.

that's the reason i've got a weatherby coming and am selling my sauer