Remington 700 - any personal experience?

[booomr]

Hi guys, been a minute since I posted here, but know that there’s blokes on here that have more knowledge than me.

I’d pretty much settled on a Remington 700 in 7mm-08. I really like the calibre and I’ve fired an older R700, but here’s the problem - there’s a lot of talk around that they aren’t great at the moment. Apart from the trigger issues which are fixed as part of a factory recall, I can’t seem to find much on what the current issue is! Has anybody had some experience good/bad/otherwise that can give some feedback?

[on_one_wheel]

You won't find too many unhappy Rem 700 owners.
They are a quality rifle with an extremely strong action.

I own 2 and wouldn't hesitate buying another.

Shortly we might hear from some who've never owned one but have nothing good to say about them

[booomr]

Yeah, that’s been what I’ve gathered reading some of the feedback. Thanks mate!

[Robin]

I'v had mine for only 3 weeks , no issues so far.

[deye243]

I have had 6 r700s over 30 + years
And the only one I had trouble with was VSSF11 in 204r 2moa on a good day the boys at the Gunshop actually got me a new barrel but I had sold the firearm 2 days before I walked in the shop and was told .
The other five have been trouble free and very accurate one of which is on its 4th barrel .

[perentie]

Yes ,have two long actions. Built into F class rifles for my wife. One a 6BR and the other a 6.5 -284. The 6 BR I have rebarreled twice and the 6.5 is on its 4th. Great actions and easy to rebarrel. I fitted aftermarket adjustable triggers to them though, but thats only a target thing.

[SCJ429]

The R700 action is a very sound action design and you would do very well if you bought one made in the 60s or 70s.

A friend brought me a ten year old R700 in 22/250 that shot five inch groups. The barrel was very rough and copper fouled badly. After bedding and tricking up the trigger it did not improve no matter what I fed it. He traded it in on a Tikka and was shooting 1/2 inch groups.

I would think that you have a 50/50 chance of getting a dud if you get a Remington, do a search on Remington 700 problems on the net.

[wrenchman]

the 7mm 08 is a newer chambering in the 700 my nephew has one and has done well with it

[Wm.Traynor]

I bought a 308 with a titanium action. One of the action pins worked loose and I had to remove the action from the stock because the bolt would not operate. Thank doG that did not happen when I went hunting! It was very difficult to load the advertised 4 rounds in to the magazine as they were a tight fit. In the heat of the moment I opted to only load three. The ejection port was rather small, making stuffing rounds in to the mag difficult, again, in the heat of the moment. It would group nicely under moa. I never liked the bolt knob which was not a knob at all but a flat piece at the end of the handle. It was somewhat uncomfortable to operate with my forefinger; something I did not think of at the time of purchase. To be clear, I lift the bolt with my forefinger and slide it back, returning it with my thumb. FWIW, I sold it and bought a M70 Winchester.

Good Luck mate

[Larry]

Well I found a rather big problem with my 700 when I re barrelled it. or I should say the smith did. After taking the scope rail off and putting it back on the scope was 20MOA to the right of where it used to shoot. After days of the smith going through all the possible things he could think of that he thought he may have done wrong to cause this he started going over the action as he would if he was truing the action. He found the action to be pretty good as far as the basic true was.The scope rail holes where central and all in line and parallel however when the scope rail screws where tightened down the rail would pull / slip to one side. He found that the top surface of the action which is not round from front to back was ground off center slopping in one direction more than the other. The rail had to be bedded effectively trueing the top of the action.

[booomr]

Thanks for all your feedback, guys. I really appreciate it. From what all of you are saying, I'm thinking the Rem700 is definitely the way to go. Obviously there are some QC issues along the line, but if I'm vigilant when I go to pick it up, I'm thinking I should be okay (that, and under Australian consumer law, they need to supply the item in a reasonable condition).

[marksman]

like any make or brand they can all have QC problems but luckily the remingtons have plenty of upgrade parts that you are expected to buy
ever heard of the plumbers gun
good luck with it

[Toolnup]

I've had one in 308 for about 10 years now and I reckon it's great rifle (must of got a good one), would definitely get another.

The only issue I've had is after spilling one of them moisture absorbers on it I had trouble with rust. It's off being cerakoted at the moment.

[solarpak]

The Rem 700 is one of the great actions ever made - with a countless number of aftermarket accessories made to suit the platform.

Say 30 years ago you would walk into a gunshop and either buy a Rem 700 or Win Mod 70 .......the likes of Tikka, Howa and others didn't have the traction they have today.......

Even the modern Rem 700's are a good buy if you are inclined to that marque. The only 700 i owned was an early model in 25-06 with a rust blued barrel that literally rusted infront of my eyes if used in inclement weather.......

But they are a great rifle and still a good buy either new or used.

C.

[animalpest]

Have had a number of 700 rifles since 1990. All have been accurate. Calibres are 22/250, 25/06, .243 and 375 H&H. All will shoot around 3/4 inch or less on any day.

[InisBineest]

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!

[deye243]

Yet out of 6 remingtons I never had a problem with rust .

[InisBineest]

Yet out of 6 remingtons I never had a problem with rust .

I won't speak for all Remintons, just the one I owned. It was kept wiped down often with "Tetra" gun oil with a reasonable level of ocd, but I kept getting rust spots forming on the action and barrel, and especially the trigger guard. It was kept with several other blued firearms (CZ 425, Lithgow no 1, boito shotgun) and none of them had any issues with rust. I can't reason it, perhaps mine was finished poorly. Don't know, but the thing could shoot, on that I have no criticism!

[deye243]

Yet out of 6 remingtons I never had a problem with rust .

I won't speak for all Remintons, just the one I owned. It was kept wiped down often with "Tetra" gun oil with a reasonable level of ocd, but I kept getting rust spots forming on the action and barrel, and especially the trigger guard. It was kept with several other blued firearms (CZ 425, Lithgow no 1, boito shotgun) and none of them had any issues with rust. I can't reason it, perhaps mine was finished poorly. Don't know, but the thing could shoot, on that I have no criticism!

All my trigger guards were ,are aluminium .

[on_one_wheel]

Yet out of 6 remingtons I never had a problem with rust .

I won't speak for all Remintons, just the one I owned. It was kept wiped down often with "Tetra" gun oil with a reasonable level of ocd, but I kept getting rust spots forming on the action and barrel, and especially the trigger guard. It was kept with several other blued firearms (CZ 425, Lithgow no 1, boito shotgun) and none of them had any issues with rust. I can't reason it, perhaps mine was finished poorly. Don't know, but the thing could shoot, on that I have no criticism!

All my trigger guards were ,are aluminium .

Same ...

[wrenchman]

i have had 3 i still have one in 270 i deer hunt with it some time

[deye243]

i have had 3 i still have one in 270 i deer hunt with it some time

Nice clean BDL

[wrenchman]

thanks

[Larry]

If a part is going to rust the trigger guard makes sense it is going to get more fingers and sweat from those than any other part of the gun probably. Not sure what the trigger guard was made of on mine I could check its still in a box somewhere in the shed as I replaced it when I replaced the trigger for a Huber concepts two stage a wonderful trigger I am very pleased with it. As have all of my friends that have shot with it. The amount of force and movement once you come to the wall of the second stage is really only a matter of thought. It is a firm wall but from there the trigger really doesn't move without firing after that it still has a nice amount of follow through.

[winton]

He traded it in on a Tikka and was shooting 1/2 inch groups.

What stock was it? Synthetic or Wood?

[SCJ429]

It was a Stainless Varmint, so it had a Tupperware stock..

[TimTimney]

Thanks for all your feedback, guys. I really appreciate it. From what all of you are saying, I'm thinking the Rem700 is definitely the way to go. Obviously there are some QC issues along the line, but if I'm vigilant when I go to pick it up, I'm thinking I should be okay (that, and under Australian consumer law, they need to supply the item in a reasonable condition).

Have you thought of getting a bergara B14? This is a Rem 700 clone and is supposed to have a better barrel for accuracy. I just bought on but am in Melbourne and still under lockdown. When I can get to test it I will put something up here. Cheers

[winton]

Have you thought of getting a bergara B14? This is a Rem 700 clone and is supposed to have a better barrel for accuracy. I just bought on but am in Melbourne and still under lockdown. When I can get to test it I will put something up here. Cheers

Whats the trigger like on the Bergara? As you know the rem700 factory trigger isn't that flash.

[Robin]

I'v had mine for just over a month now, so far im enjoying it , and the accuracy is very good, a few things I don't like is that it's got a internal Mag, and from what I heard, that can be modded to get a proper mag, the other thing is the trigger, even on the lightest setting, it still feels abit heavy to pull, this will be my first mod.

[TimTimney]

Well the Bergara B14 (Rem 700 clone) just arrived at my dealers today. I was told its in pretty good nick so Im Happy. Its a long action so I'm now in the market for a new stock/chassis like an MDT or similar.