I have been a Remington shooter for 50 years and was a dealer for 20; I still own some of their Classics. I cannot take anything away from the way the rifles or shotguns that I own either, they shoot fine, some better than others. I have taken lots of game and shot plenty of targets with their ammo, rifles and the shotguns.
When they moved away from the wholesalers and their dealers and started the selling to the mass market was the beginning of the end for them. For awhile they tried to keep a foot in both boats with programs for Jobbers, Wholesalers, independent stores, and finally, the big box stores. I have watched Remington cater to the discounters and transition from walnut to more and more of the Dupont influence of the black plastic faux walnut fore ends on the BDL rifles and the simulated “Rosewood” cap of the 541-S .22 rifle etc. Plastic fore end caps are not a functional issue of course, they work quite well actually but in my opinion the practice of simulating wood always was and is a sleight of hand and is cheapening to what otherwise were very good honest products. Some of my favorite hunting guns that Remington made are Classic 700 series and the 788 in 7-mm 08, I realize the stocks on the 788 are Beech and the rifle is not a 700 but you knew that going in when you bought one but on the other hand anyone who ever had one will tell you that they really shoot exceptionally well.
My favorite rifles they built are the Classic series. The mass merchandizing, the dropping of classic quality and traditional appearance is a just simply a sign of the times, what they are doing is what it takes to function in what they have defined as their market.