Remington 700 retrospective

G

gaseousclay

New member
I recall someone here talking about the quality of the Remington 700 rifle and was wondering if anyone here has a comprehensive list of these rifles as far as when they were made, changes in production, overall quality, etc. I know this is a purely subjective topic, I guess i'm wondering what makes some production years better than others?
 
No, I don't have a comprehensive list, but most people who don't like Remington anymore will tell you they started going down hill in 2005, 2006. Most anything before that is going to be a great rifle. Most anything after that is going to be a great rifle also. They did have to give up some fit and finish because the market dictated. Savage's increase in popularity proved to Remington that a lot people weren't willing to pay more for a great looking rifle. Accuracy was more important. Yes, there are people who have gotten lemons, but that's true of any company that produces lower end, mass produced rifles.
 
My R700 shoots .25 moa with my loads and my other R700 shoots .5, that's all I have to say to you anti remington people.

Many people don't realize that remington has expanded there line of rifles so that people less fortunate can purchase one. You won't have the same accuracy as a higher end rifle, but you get what you pay for.

Go to any comp's, look at LE, and military. When you start finding more Savages than Remington's let me know people.
 
Cerebrus Capital bought Remington in 2007. An outfit called Freedom Group was preparing an IPO last quarter; however, the Remington CEO resigned September 1st. Remington had over 250mm in debt when they sold out.
 
Go to any comp's, look at LE, and military.
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Using competitions and Militery or LEO as a gauge is not very smart.

First Military buys from who makes the product to their specs the cheapest.

Most LEO's I know also don't purchase their own long guns.

Competition in my area will find many different rifles from Remington SPS to a Full custom bench gun using a $1500 action and $2000 optics. SO WHAT.

The reason you see more Remington's out there is that they make so many more rifles than many other manufactures.

Face it Remington's m700 action is the small block chevy of the gun world. That doesn't make it the best thing out there. SO many gun smiths work on them because one they are a round action and any dope can chuck it in a lathe and 2 the metal is softer than other actions like the M70, Sako's, Howas/ vanguards.

Just because something is popular doesn't make it the best out there. Remington went from producing rifles that were great looking great working rifles to rifles that had stocks that are ill fitting, finishes that look like crap. Remington used to be the working mans rifle. Now is a the poor mans rifle. Then they came out with the SPR line and the 770 OMG I was embarrassed to see the remington name on that hunk of pot metal POS. Taking PRIDE in what you produce should be #1 not lets see how many we can crank out in the shortest amount of time for the highest profit margin.

I paid $600 for my 700 VLS in 2004. That same exact rifle 6 months later was in the same store for $950 where did the extra $350 price come from? the only thing that changed was they were bought out..... HUH

I love Remington I really do I have 5 remington rifles in my safe right now. I am ****** that so many think that the rifles coming out of Ilion now are great rifles. They are making them cheaper and charging more. That is what pisses me off about remington and will cause my next rifle purchase to be a Savage or Howa.
 
Using competitions and Militery or LEO as a gauge is not very smart.

First Military buys from who makes the product to their specs the cheapest.

Most LEO's I know also don't purchase their own long guns.

Competition in my area will find many different rifles from Remington SPS to a Full custom bench gun using a $1500 action and $2000 optics. SO WHAT.
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No, your not very smart. When you start finding more Savages than Remingtons when lives are on the line or a trophy is, let me know.

Just because something is popular doesn't make it the best out there.
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I never said Remington was the "best." It sure has set the standard though which other actions can be measured by. I'll tell you one thing, it sure as hell isn't Savage.
 
Chevy, Ford, Dodge,,,,,Remington, Winchester, Savage

Americans love "their brand of gun" for much the same reason they love "their brand of truck".

1 Grandpa had one.
2 It never let Dad down
3 At some point in the past "it" was the "best" made.
 
I sent a 700 back to Remington over a month ago and just got it back yesterday, actually I got a new one back because they couldn't, or chose not to, fix the other one which I'd only had for 2 months. The original one was shooting 3 inch groups and I haven't been able to shoot the new one yet.

They sent the new gun back with a copy of the target when they tested the new one and it is sub-moa, but just barely. They didn't clean the barrel after shooting it, and returned it with screws missing. The screws are the ones to cover the holes for the scope base so they don't affect functionality, but they do affect aesthetics and the gun I sent back to them was clean and had the screws.

It was the first Remington I've bought and so far I'm not real impressed with the company.
 
Quote: "I never said Remington was the "best." It sure has set the standard though which other actions can be measured by. I'll tell you one thing, it sure as hell isn't Savage."

Thank God! Savages are easy to work on, durable, and shoot lights out. That is how they are coming out of the factory right now and it's been that way for the last 10-15 years. During this same period, Remington's quality has gone down. Whatever Remington did 30 years ago is kind of immaterial. Now is what matters. Savage simply is kicking their butt.

For the record tachunter, I own a Remington, and like it fine. I have also been "down range" recently where my life was on the line. Of course the sniper rifles are customized and not off the shelf remmys, but if I had to take an off the shelf rifle into that rugged environment, Remington would not me my first choice (or second).
 
I just Googled 'Remington rifle quality.' Here's what I found out:

1. Quality began to drop around 1980.
2. Quality began to drop around 1990.
3. Quality began to drop around 2005.
4. The worst stretch was about 1980 to 1995.
5. Remingtons in the 1980's were great.
6. Remingtons in the 1990's were great.
7. By 2005, Remingtons were better.
 
Tachhunter's whole arguement about savages and remingtons in competition is really a moot point... REAL BENCHREST SHOOTERS are using custom actions from makers such as Kelbly, Surgeon, Stiller etc etc... You don't see many modified factory actions on the line..

For the record, I like Remington.. I have many remingtons that are good guns.. The last several I've purchased have been Turkeys!! And Remington wasn't willing to make the situation right!! Thats why I have a problem with Remington... The 700 is a wonderful gun if built right, my recent example wasn't and I have a problem with Remingtons unwillingness to make it right... I didn't buy an ADL at Walmart, I bought a new CDL that didn't shoot... I paid for quality and did not get it...

If I can coax MOA accuracy out of every other quality bolt gun I own, its not me, it's the gun!!
 
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I've been lucky with Rem...3 out of 3 <1 MOA shooters, i ea. in .30-06, .308 Win, .25-06 Rem, the last two bought in 2007 and 2010 respectively.

FH
 
Tachhunter's whole arguement about savages and remingtons in competition is really a moot point... REAL BENCHREST SHOOTERS are using custom actions from makers such as Kelbly, Surgeon, Stiller etc etc... You don't see many modified factory actions on the line..
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Great point.

Tachunter hasn't been to an F-class match either. Savage is really putting a hurting on all others in the factory class. Them Savage F-Class guns will out shoot ANY Remington 700 out there. 40x remms included.

I love every last remington I own. All 5 of them.

Just don't like the way Remington is going now for me. Next rifle will be a Savage or Howa 1500.
 
and if I'm not mistaken, Savage currently holds the 1000 yard title.. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

From a personal perspective-I have a Savage 12FV in .243 that is the MOST ACCURATE gun I have ever owned, or shot. I have shot a lot of Remingtons through the years, but this Savage, and the next 6 I bought immediately after the first one, are so far beyond what I have ever experienced with any Remington. There simply is no comparison.

I'm not anti-Remington.. However, I do really dislike those people that love Remington so much that they get nasty on internet web sites, and attack other people just because we all don't worship Big Green. I'm not saying that about anyone, or any post here.. Just in general. Remington lovers are like liberals--you better love what they love or the war is on. If you don't agree with them that Remington is the best then you are stupid or ignorant.. It's just so elitist in thinking, and the product certainly does not support that position. I am guilty of intentionally leading the Big Greenies into combat. Like I said I can take Remington rifles, or leave them. I've never had a bad one. Never had to send one off for repair. Never had one that did not shoot well. But man saying something negative about a Remington on the internet is like smacking a hornets nest with a baseball bat. And every now & then I love to stir that pot. I guess it shows me that people can still love something blindly, and that they will defend it regardless of the facts..

Yes, as I said I do own Remingtons. They are some of the best looking rifles in my gun safe. The other good news-people are still willing to pay top dollar for used Remingtons, and that gets me closer to a new Savage & good optics. There is an inverse relationship happening in my safe. Every time a Remington leaves, a Savage fills that gap. Soon (hopefully) I'll only have Winchester, Sako, Browning, Savage, Tikka, & Rugers rattling around in there waiting for the call to duty..
 
I'm just a hunter, 1/4 MOA means nothing to me.

Last year I was just sighting in with my Rem. 700 .243 on a 200 yd. range when a guy came up, looked at my targets and offered me a spot with his F shooting team. Enough said.

I also have a few of the old auto-loaders that everybody loves to hate. All that I can say is hope that you're not in my crosshairs. I have one that will shoot sub-MOA and it only cost $200 w/scope, estate sale.

IMHO Rem. beaters are losing out.
 
Great point.
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Dar dar dar

Tachunter hasn't been to an F-class match either.
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You're telling me what I've done??:o If I were you, I wouldn't assume what other people have done. You wind up looking foolish. I've been to plenty F-Class matches and will be participating in F-TR once I have my new glass. I've seen the Barnard's Kelby's, Stiller's etc. One thing I find in common, a lot of these actions have a R700 footprint, not a Savage, "I'll just throw that out there."


Them Savage F-Class guns will out shoot ANY Remington 700 out there
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Them Savage huh???:o So Savage F-Class rifles out shoot all R700's?? Man your reaching out now. You're right it has nothing to do with the guy behind the rifle.:o
 
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