Sell me on a Remington 700

T

Tikka223

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So here's where I'm at. I like plinking and varmint hunting and I'm all set up to reload for .223 rem so I'll be sticking to that caliber. My current .223 bolt is a Tikka set up for F T/R and weighs probably a good 15-20lbs. I'd like to get myself a second .223 bolt action but I can't decide what. I'm tempted to get a T3 Varmint and call it a day but that'll make it my 3rd Tikka. SO ... to buy or not to buy a remington. More specifically, an SPS Tactical and then buy a used HS Precision stock for it, then play the Lego game of accessories if I feel like it. I'm leaning very heavily towards a 20" barrel because I want this new toy to be as small and light as possible but still MOA or better accuracy.

I've never really like Remingtons, for some reason I've always thought them to be junk.

Here is what I need answered to sell me on a Remington:

1) are all their actions built to the same standard?
2) are all their barrels (not including the 5R) build to the same standard?
3) how easily do they rust if they get wet?
4) do the aftermarket DBM kits require inleting to the stock if one were to want to upgrade from the floor plate mag?
5) will it get out-of-the-box sub-MOA accuracy with hand loads?

Thoughts?
 
Why do you need to be sold on a Remington action ? They've bin selling them selves for over 60 years. Ask a military man that's bin putting his life behind an M24 what he thinks about it ? Don't want it to rust buy an XCR ... Toughest factory finish on the market. I have a cabinet full of 700's all models, custom, factory, titaniums. There all moa or better guns. Want one buy one , don't ? Don't buy one. For the money they are the best factory action on the market ... Why do you think so many have bin customized ? A gunsmith will tell you they are one of the mot superior " FACTORY" actions on the market ... Far fro
"Junk". I've never seen a built up tikka.
 
The 700 has likely the most available add ons and accessories out there.

Many custom actions are based on the design of the 700, and they can be made to shoot quite well.

It is probably the action that any smith can say he has worked on the most for a custom precision rig.
 
Very true indeed, most customs are built off a 700 action. Part of me wonders if this is simply because there are so many out there to build on. I guess what concerns me is that one of the first things to be done when "accurizing" a 700 is to blueprint the action. I haven't heard too much of this kind of work being needed on Savages or Tikkas so it makes me wonder about the quality. This new toy of mine is going to have to be something accurate that I'm not afraid of getting dirty and if I have to spend lots of money to make it accurate I won't want to get it dirty.
 
Sounds like you already have your decision made.

What happens if you built it and it doesn't shoot?

Tikka223 said:
Very true indeed, most customs are built off a 700 action. Part of me wonders if this is simply because there are so many out there to build on. I guess what concerns me is that one of the first things to be done when "accurizing" a 700 is to blueprint the action. I haven't heard too much of this kind of work being needed on Savages or Tikkas so it makes me wonder about the quality. This new toy of mine is going to have to be something accurate that I'm not afraid of getting dirty and if I have to spend lots of money to make it accurate I won't want to get it dirty.
Click to expand...
 
I bought a Rem 700 SPS Tactical off EE last year for 500 bucks..put a used HS Precision I got for 180 and my wife shoots sub MOA all day with it using handloads..can't ask for much more for that kind of money..
 
Tikka223 said:
Very true indeed, most customs are built off a 700 action. Part of me wonders if this is simply because there are so many out there to build on. I guess what concerns me is that one of the first things to be done when "accurizing" a 700 is to blueprint the action. I haven't heard too much of this kind of work being needed on Savages or Tikkas so it makes me wonder about the quality. This new toy of mine is going to have to be something accurate that I'm not afraid of getting dirty and if I have to spend lots of money to make it accurate I won't want to get it dirty.
Click to expand...

One of my good friends actually got into shooting started with 2 Tikka rifles that a gun shop talked him into. After 2 months he forced the shop to take them back and traded them for Sako 85's in the same cartridges. He now owns 12 full custom rifles... Half of them are Remingtons the other half are Sako 85's. He describes Tikka's as " JUNK " ... Just one opinion.

Although I admit Savage has built a hell of a reputation over the last 10 years ... I still wouldnt piss on one if it was on fire ! ... Just my opinion
 
42MTD said:
I bought a Rem 700 SPS Tactical off EE last year for 500 bucks..put a used HS Precision I got for 180 and my wife shoots sub MOA all day with it using handloads..can't ask for much more for that kind of money..
Click to expand...

That's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.
 
As for your friend saying Tikkas are junk, that surprises me. The two I own make me smile every time I cycle the bolt. My first LR rig was build on a Savage action. The only thing I didn't like about it was how wobbly be bolt feels. Other than that, it was a very nice and very accurate rifle.
 
Remington has always been behind the market curve whereas Tikka has usually been more with the times. Case and point barrel twists available from each manufacturer. Remington has only very recently caught onto the fast twist demand.

After that, the only hinderance against builds using Tikka actions seems to be smiths reluctance to get familiar with the action. I have had two Tikka rebarrels, have one in the shop now and will have another going in in the new year. They have a longer thread tennon than the Rems, more similar to those tennons found in 'custom' actions. No 'improvements' need to be made to the action, either. I'll bet in coming years we'll see more and more Tikka rebuilds.

The Remington trigger might be another thing to get used to. To me that points back to design integrity. Remington triggers need 'work' as far aa popular opinion goes. Tikka triggers see few complaints.

The fact that the military uses the Rem action for service rifles has less to do with design integrity and more to do with supporting domestic industry and circulating taxdollars back to the taxpayers.
 
Tikka223, my suggestion would be to just go out and buy an SPS Tactical, work with it a little and if you don't like what you see flog it and grab another Tikka or whatever else strikes your fancy. At 5-600 dollars you don't have far to fall, and you will get virtually everything you paid back if you decide to sell it. You will know long before you spend tons of money on it whether you want to keep it or not. If you want to put it in a new stock right away, keep the factory one (you won't get much for it anyway) and put it back on when you sell it.

I own, or have owned a number of Remingtons and have yet to own a dud. My last two were SPSs, one a Tactical in .223, the other a Varmint in .308. Both were sub MOA rifles with handloads. The .223 was especially fond of 69 gr. SMKs and Varget. If you search a little on this sub form I think there are a couple of threads on folk's experiences with the SPS tactical. The majority were very positive IIRC. As far as I know the actions and barrels are all made to the same standard, although some would say quality control is or was lacking at the Remington factory. My gloss blued M700s have never had a rust problem with proper care. My SPS's didn't either, but to be fair they were range guns and didn't see the abuse or weather my hunting rifles do. If you are nervous of the finish you could always use a product like Dyna Tek Gun Shield. I have had good luck with it on a matte blue Ruger I own.

One word of caution, the 9 twist Remington barrels seem to be not as tight as Savage or Tikka. Some seem to have good results with 70-75 gr. pills, others not so much.

Here's a link to a thread about my .223. I had similar results with the .308. http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...ss-wanna-be-Getting-your-feet-wet-on-a-budget Good luck with your quest.
 
Elwood Epps has Remington 700 SPS in .223 for $615.79. Have you ever tried their .223 pump actions? My brother in law has one and it has a detachable AR mag which is not required to be at 5 rounds like a semi and is just as fast with a little practice. Shoots very accurately. IMHO
 
Sell me on a 700?

Lets see...

They are the strongest, safest 2 lug bolt action ever produced.
They have an excellent trigger that is easily worked crisp and light.
They have set factory accuracy standards since the 721's came out in 1948 and really took off in 1962 with the 700 series.
They are cheap to buy, easy to work over and there are about 8 million of them out there... and there are more aftermarket accessories for them than all the other makes combined...
 
guntech said:
Sell me on a 700?

Lets see...

They are the strongest, safest 2 lug bolt action ever produced.
They have an excellent trigger that is easily worked crisp and light.
They have set factory accuracy standards since the 721's came out in 1948 and really took off in 1962 with the 700 series.
They are cheap to buy, easy to work over and there are about 8 million of them out there... and there are more aftermarket accessories for them than all the other makes combined...
Click to expand...

What? :eek:

I bought M700's because I wanted to be KOOL like the US Army and USMC snipers ! LOL

Just joking! I'm yanking yer chains. Frankly, I just did not want my #### to fall off if I did not buy an M700 like all my Precision rifle buddies in the ORA who shoot at Base Borden! :D

Cheers!
Barney

And Yes I have owned Tikka (2 of them) rifles in the past! I loved them back then. I just cannot afford them and their accessories these days.... :cool:
 
I'd be shocked if a new Remington .223 heavy barrel didn't shoot MOA or better with handloads. SPSs shoot just as well as the more expensive versions. Personally I'd still pay the few extra bucks or shop harder and get one they finished building.

About bottom metal I can't say too awful much. I converted one to a Kwik Klip the other day in about 20 minutes with a file though.
 
In short.... Rem 700 speaks it self and if you are a gun owner of more than few, rem700 actions will be likely in your safe.
Every gun will crap out if you dont take care of it.
Glass bed, free float whatever cheap rifle and most out of the box rifles are 1moa or better gun.
 
guntech said:
Sell me on a 700?

Lets see...

They are the strongest, safest 2 lug bolt action ever produced.
They have an excellent trigger that is easily worked crisp and light.
They have set factory accuracy standards since the 721's came out in 1948 and really took off in 1962 with the 700 series.
They are cheap to buy, easy to work over and there are about 8 million of them out there... and there are more aftermarket accessories for them than all the other makes combined...
Click to expand...

Thank you !!!!!!!! I dont know what the FK is wrong with people !!!! Anyone who bashes Remington makes me think they dont know the first thing about rifles !
 
Frankly, I'm amazed you haven't tried one yet. I've owned 2 Tikkas and they've been long sold.
Not sure if the SPS finish would be to your liking, so make sure you handle a few old and new models and compare before you buy.
I've never met a Rem 700 that didn't shoot sub MOA with handloads.
 
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