I bought a used Remington 700 BDL in 270 caliber. It came with a cheap banner scope 4X16X50. I bought it in an impulse. I'm not sure why but maybe I was attracted to the wooden shiny Monte Carlo looking stock. Anyway, I paid $560 for it out the door. The stock has small nicks and scratches but it still looks good. I called Remington, provided them the serial number and I was told that it was built in 1979. What do you guys think of this purchase? Did I get a good gun or I just wasted my money. BTW, it'll be use for hunting deer in Texas. Thanks...
Remington 700 BDL
- Thread starter rambilt
- Start date
Great rifle, great caliber,good deal,crappy scope. I would definitely try some 130 grainers first, they generally shoot great in most 270s. Will be perfect whitetail medicine. Let us know how she groups and clean that trigger really really well. Would love to see the wood on that beauty!
mxsailor803
New member
Its a older Remington change. On the older 700's you did have to put it in "FIRE" to cycle the bolt. I do wish I could fine a deal like that for a older 700. Everything around my parts is going for 700-900 for the BDL. Personally, I would spend money on a quality Leupold or Vortex scope and install a Timney trigger. I've got the newer (1995) ADL .270 and just installed a Leupold VXII. I've had a Shilen trigger since '98 or '99. Since then, I've used several 700's with the Timney and its too close for me to call between a Shilen and Timney trigger. If you hand load, I use a Sierra ProHunter 110gr bullet over 4064 pushing it around 2800fps. Its older data, grandfather developed it in the '70's, but it works very well on deer.
Traditional Remington design requires safety to "fire" to cycle the bolt. Silly idea if you ask me. There was a recall about 10 years ago to correct that. I'm sure it has become a permanent change in their design since.
-TL
It sounds like you got a good deal to me, one that I doubt I would have passed up anyway. The first thing I would do for piece of mind is put a Timney trigger on it, that way I would not have to worry about that is currently going on with the Remington triggers. I am not a fan of being able to open the bolt while the safety is engaged. If I were to change the old style 700's safety system it would be to a 3 position, giving the best of all worlds.
Let us know how it shoots!
Let us know how it shoots!
Here's mine...
This is my Rem 700 BDL .270 Win that I purchased brand new around 1967 for $95. I was in high school & had saved up my lawn mowing money. LOL
This rifle has accounted for a lifetime of Texas whitetails, turkeys, hogs & various other critters & is still going strong. I shot the original barrel out & replaced it with a SS Hart when I could no longer seat 130gr bullets to the rifling. That was in the 1980's. I gave the scratched up stock a make over in the 1990's. When I bought it, Remington was bragging on their super "bowling-pin" finish. I must admit it was real hell to get off! I replaced the steel butt plate with a Limbsaver, replaced the plastic tip & pistol grip with some ebony & Truoil'd it all. Yes, the safety has to be off to open the bolt; something I've learned to be very careful about. The trigger is all original & pulls at 3.5lbs & I don't see how it could be improved upon. I keep it clean & it has functioned flawless for all these years.
I may be biased, but you bought a GREAT rifle!
...bug
This is my Rem 700 BDL .270 Win that I purchased brand new around 1967 for $95. I was in high school & had saved up my lawn mowing money. LOL
This rifle has accounted for a lifetime of Texas whitetails, turkeys, hogs & various other critters & is still going strong. I shot the original barrel out & replaced it with a SS Hart when I could no longer seat 130gr bullets to the rifling. That was in the 1980's. I gave the scratched up stock a make over in the 1990's. When I bought it, Remington was bragging on their super "bowling-pin" finish. I must admit it was real hell to get off! I replaced the steel butt plate with a Limbsaver, replaced the plastic tip & pistol grip with some ebony & Truoil'd it all. Yes, the safety has to be off to open the bolt; something I've learned to be very careful about. The trigger is all original & pulls at 3.5lbs & I don't see how it could be improved upon. I keep it clean & it has functioned flawless for all these years.
I may be biased, but you bought a GREAT rifle!
...bug
Back in 1981 I got a smokin' deal on an M700 BDL in 30-06 but never cared for that ultra-shiny finish so the rifle stayed home or at best was a range queen. About a year ago when I had nothing better to do and totally bored out of my gourd, I pulled it out of the safe and rubbed the shine off with some 0000 steel wool, that gave it a coat of furniture polish. Looks a lot more like a proper rubbed oil finish now. I have two other M700s but they're Classics.
Paul B.
Paul B.
Rifles made prior to 1982 locked the bolt down when on "SAFE". Don't touch that feature. The change to the safety was made in 1982 was part of a lawsuit settlement related to the guns discharging with no trigger pull. The post '82 guns allowed the chamber to be unloaded while still on safe, but the bolt can no longer be locked down. If you do anything replace the trigger and leave the safety alone.
Good enough guns, and the pre-82's are more desirable. Price around here would be considerably less, no more than $450 and probably closer to $400. But prices vary in different parts of the country. Walmart is selling them new for under $600.
Good enough guns, and the pre-82's are more desirable. Price around here would be considerably less, no more than $450 and probably closer to $400. But prices vary in different parts of the country. Walmart is selling them new for under $600.
Good gun? Rem 700, you bet.
Deal? Fair at best, IMO.
Placing value on the stock is in the eye of the beholder, certainly has value- how much is subjective.
Given that you have no idea (apparently, since you didn't say) of the round count- and it's a 35 year old rifle- I would value it based on little more than the action itself with little or no value on the barrel.
Personally, I wouldn't have paid more than $400-$450 for it. A newer 700, with better trigger, would be more towards what you paid.
In the end, it's all about how it shoots. There are some that swear the older 700's shoot much better out of the box than the new one; I've never owned one so I can't compare.
Put some holes in a target and let us know
Deal? Fair at best, IMO.
Placing value on the stock is in the eye of the beholder, certainly has value- how much is subjective.
Given that you have no idea (apparently, since you didn't say) of the round count- and it's a 35 year old rifle- I would value it based on little more than the action itself with little or no value on the barrel.
Personally, I wouldn't have paid more than $400-$450 for it. A newer 700, with better trigger, would be more towards what you paid.
In the end, it's all about how it shoots. There are some that swear the older 700's shoot much better out of the box than the new one; I've never owned one so I can't compare.
Put some holes in a target and let us know
Thanks everyone, I sure do appreciate your responses. I will surely put a hole on a paper as soon as I get a chance to. I checked the Remington's website and according to their recall page my gun is not one of the guns that has a trigger issues. I did my check and it function okay. I will do the same check while on the range just to make sure. Again thank to all.... I'll come back as soon as I get to punch a hole on a paper.
Because 'Merica
New member
Great deal man. and a new bdl cost much more than what you paid dunno what tobnpr is comparing your rifle to but a new bdl will cost about 800$ new.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/3-0122207
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/3-0122207
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I never had a fondness for heavy rifles. But if you feel differently and don't mind the BDL'S weight. Than you got yourself a good 270. 550.00 I would say is market price on its upper scale for this rifle. Spur of the moment buying can be hard of the wallet. But once its paid for its all yours._
Did the rifle come with its factory barrel sights?
Nice to have the option of barrel sights if something were to happen with your scope on a long distance hunting trip.
When I go hunting because I choose a Rem Mtn rifle in 270 it has no option for barrel sights usage so it requires me to take 2-rifles along. Bummer!!
Hopefully you hand reload. As paper shooting a 270 can be addicting. Honestly Congradulations on the new addition to your gun rack. Good choice.
Did the rifle come with its factory barrel sights?
Nice to have the option of barrel sights if something were to happen with your scope on a long distance hunting trip.
When I go hunting because I choose a Rem Mtn rifle in 270 it has no option for barrel sights usage so it requires me to take 2-rifles along. Bummer!!
Hopefully you hand reload. As paper shooting a 270 can be addicting. Honestly Congradulations on the new addition to your gun rack. Good choice.
I wasn't comparing to cost new, I said "newer"...
I'm one that discounts used firearms heavily if I don't know their history.
Especially when it comes to barrels, and barrel-burners in particular. Unless I were going to pay to have it borescoped (not likely), I couldn't know whether the throat is toast and I'd end up paying $500 for a re-barrel after the first range trip.
I didn't make it to the range but I was able to cleaned my new to me DBL700. I replaced the Picatinny scope base with the Remington scope ring/base and also I replaced the Banner scope with a Nikon Prostaff BDC 4x12x40. I have to removed the windage adjustments to fit the scope properly. The bore was pretty dirty but managed to get all the gunk out. Hopefully she will fire straight for me.
I've seen excellent condition used ones here for $800 which was too high for me. Yours seems like a fair deal, not a steal either way but a fair deal on a great rifle in an excellent caliber. Clean her up good and see what it can do, you may not want to do anything but load and shoot. Replce the trigger if you desire, but I've never done anything to mine except perform a trigger adjustment for pull/overtravel. But peace of mind is worth a lot if you want to replace it. That rifle brings back memories for me, of a lot of 700's just by looking at the photo.
I would not change the safety, personally I put the older safeties on my newer 700s to have the bolt lock feature, which I greatly prefer on a hunting rifle. If you decide to get a new trigger, you can get them (timney I believe) so you can swap your older safety onto it to preserve the bolt locking feature. If you do not care for the bolt lock feature, PM me, I will send you a newer non bolt locking safety in exchange for your older one.