Experiences with recent 700s?

Buckmastr said:
You obviously haven’t bought a new gun recently.

A Model 700 is a safe buy. John in Nova Scotia listed a new production model 700 last night on the EE. It was gone in 45 min. I’m sure it has primary extraction. How much? Doesn’t matter.
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Maybe it does; maybe it doesn't. As this thread has established, it doesn't matter. Primary extraction is a feature which is not necessary. Cartridges never stick, loads are never too hot, chambers never get dirty. Rifles are never used in adverse conditions. A lot of designers, including guys like Mike Walker at Remington. wasted a lot of time obsessing over positive extraction.
 
Leeper said:
Maybe it does; maybe it doesn't. As this thread has established, it doesn't matter. Primary extraction is a feature which is not necessary. Cartridges never stick, loads are never too hot, chambers never get dirty. Rifles are never used in adverse conditions. A lot of designers, including guys like Mike Walker at Remington. wasted a lot of time obsessing over positive extraction.
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This thread has established your agenda. The millions of model 700 sold to happy owners has established the truth regarding the guns, their function and how they extract.
 
Primary extraction problems with some 700's is a real problem. I don't think Bill has imagined that... I have had to correct a few that should not have left the factory that way... but they did. It's not a problem until it's yours...
 
Not a common enough problem that you need to consider the model 700 faulty. Rough chambers or excessive pressure handloads are more likely the cause of pointing to insufficient primary extraction but again those are rare and uncommon considering the number of rifles happily in service.
 
Nobody has said 700's are faulty. I have said a lot of recently manufactured 700's are faulty. That is the question which was asked. The 700 is an excellent design with many great features. Very safe breeching system, the first fully adjustable trigger, fast lock time, pleasing profile, easy to bed; these are just some of the really great features of the Remington 700. For the last fifty years, I have always recommended the 700 as the basis of an accurate rifle because it was the best option. A large number of custom action builders are building clones of the 700 or 40X and they are doing this because the design is a good one. Good in service and good to manufacture. This does not negate the fact that QC, at Remington, in certain areas, has been lacking. The issue of a lack of primary extraction is one which is evident in a great many 700's and even in some 721's and 722's. The manufacturing process allows this possibility. One of the great advantages offered by the Remington clones is that they maximize the designed extraction capability of the 700.
 
Rem 700 Stainless Mountain Rifle 280Rem. Bought new 4-5 years ago. No problems at all.
Had to get a dealer to special order and it came in from Rem US, as none in the country.
My primary hunt rifle and I shoot mostly 139-140gr. ammunition.
 
Leeper said:
Nobody has said 700's are faulty. I have said a lot of recently manufactured 700's are faulty. That is the question which was asked. The 700 is an excellent design with many great features. Very safe breeching system, the first fully adjustable trigger, fast lock time, pleasing profile, easy to bed; these are just some of the really great features of the Remington 700. For the last fifty years, I have always recommended the 700 as the basis of an accurate rifle because it was the best option. A large number of custom action builders are building clones of the 700 or 40X and they are doing this because the design is a good one. Good in service and good to manufacture. This does not negate the fact that QC, at Remington, in certain areas, has been lacking. The issue of a lack of primary extraction is one which is evident in a great many 700's and even in some 721's and 722's. The manufacturing process allows this possibility. One of the great advantages offered by the Remington clones is that they maximize the designed extraction capability of the 700.
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Look, if you guys want to think a faulty rifle is just fine, that's OK with me. As long as you never use dirty ammunition or hunt in poor conditions, or fire a cartridge which is a little hot, you should be OK.
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You accused users of current model 700’s of hunting with a faulty rifle. Then called us blissfully ignorant because we don’t have issues.
You have a problem with consistency. Not Remington.
 
For the last twelve summers I have used a 700 Varmint out to 800 meters. A recommended handload, good optics. Zero issues other than the aging trigger actuator.
IIRC it was birthed about 2005.
Has a real stock, HS precision with aluminum insert.
Not sure if I am the second or third owner?
 
I called you blissfully ignorant because of your steadfast refusal to consider the possibility that a problem may exist with any recently manufactured 700. Plainly, I hurt your feelings.
I don't care, one way or the other, whether or not someone's rifle works as it should, unless I built it. I only ventured to answer a question. A question which, as it happens, I am qualified to answer. I didn't realize it was such a controversial topic or I might not have answered it.
Just to even things up, here are some more observations:
A large number of recently manufactured Winchester Model 70's, as manufactured and distributed by BACO, also have compromised primary extraction because the groove which retains the extractor was cut in the wrong place; too far forward on the bolt body.
New Haven -built Model 70's chambered for magnum cartridges (especially the WSM cartridges) will have chambers which are not round due to a design and manufacturing defect and poor QC.
Many Ruger 77's have mainsprings which are too soft and tend to collapse; producing light primer strikes and misfires.
Ruger 77's while a great rifle in most respects, tend to have feeding problems. The exceptions are those chambered for the RCM cartridges which against all odds, usually feed very well indeed.
I hope, by pointing out potential shortcoming with some other brands, I have helped to assuage your tender feelings vis a vis my criticism of some Remington rifles. Either that or I will be attacked by Winchester and Ruger owners. Life is hard!
 
odsixer said:
So if you were looking to buy a new 700 how can you tell if its camming properly?
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If you're buying from the store they might not let you take the bolt apart to check properly. In that case, you can look at the gap between the front of the bolt handle and the rear of the receiver when the bolt is closed. The smaller the gap the better. A large gap there would result in little cam engagement when you're moving the handle upwards.

When buying a used rifle, you can look at the finish wear on the cam and corresponding area on the bolt handle. Could be harder to see on a SS action.
 
I must be the only person satisfied with a Model 700 to make you think this thread is about my feelings.

Like everything in this world, it’s not hard to find someone complaining.

Real gun problems do unfortunately exist. You don’t need to make them up or claim they are more common then they really are.

Every recent 700 I have worked on had from zero to very little primary extraction camming. Mostly, zero.
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Leeper said:
I called you blissfully ignorant because of your steadfast refusal to consider the possibility that a problem may exist with any recently manufactured 700. Plainly, I hurt your feelings.
I don't care, one way or the other, whether or not someone's rifle works as it should, unless I built it. I only ventured to answer a question. A question which, as it happens, I am qualified to answer. I didn't realize it was such a controversial topic or I might not have answered it.
Just to even things up, here are some more observations:
A large number of recently manufactured Winchester Model 70's, as manufactured and distributed by BACO, also have compromised primary extraction because the groove which retains the extractor was cut in the wrong place; too far forward on the bolt body.
New Haven -built Model 70's chambered for magnum cartridges (especially the WSM cartridges) will have chambers which are not round due to a design and manufacturing defect and poor QC.
Many Ruger 77's have mainsprings which are too soft and tend to collapse; producing light primer strikes and misfires.
Ruger 77's while a great rifle in most respects, tend to have feeding problems. The exceptions are those chambered for the RCM cartridges which against all odds, usually feed very well indeed.
I hope, by pointing out potential shortcoming with some other brands, I have helped to assuage your tender feelings vis a vis my criticism of some Remington rifles. Either that or I will be attacked by Winchester and Ruger owners. Life is hard!
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Do the mainspring problems manifest in the Hawkeye series as well? Guessing that's at least easily fixed by swapping out the spring with an aftermarket if it happens?
 
Joel said:
Do the mainspring problems manifest in the Hawkeye series as well? Guessing that's at least easily fixed by swapping out the spring with an aftermarket if it happens?
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I do not believe I have seen this issue on a Hawkeye. On those rifles with a problem I simply installed a Wolff spring. I don't know why Ruger had this problem but assume they just got a big batch of bad springs from a vendor. It was a very common problem on 77's.
 
LittleBoyLefty said:
It’s actually kinda funny how emotionally invested some guys get in their ‘favorites’. Objectivity goes out the window.

I have, use and like 700s, but they aren’t perfect.
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It's like that with a a lot of things. Some people put their money where their mouth is.

Others put their mouth where their money went. Human nature I suppose.

I've got Remington's, sold some, built rifles on some. Found and fixed a lot of problems too, not all on my own rifles.

Things like extractors that wouldn't jump the rim, that basically made the gun unloadable. (Suuurrreee they function tested it.)

Chambers so rough they had extraction troubles with factory loads.

A 3/16" inch wide circular groove in front of the chamber.

Total lack of primary extraction.

Bevelled firing pin holes are practically standard.

Mark X Pro trigger that literally broke in two.

I put up with a lot because the damn things usually shot, a bit of a stubborn streak, others were doing it, and an unearned certainty that custom actions were over-priced ego boosters. Turns out its cheaper in the long run. Live and learn I guess.
 
Here is a picture of a recent production 'flaw'... the factory chamfered pin hole...

700-beveled-firing-pin-hole.jpg
 
Remington says a slightly beveled firing pin hole reduces the chance of having a pierced primer especially on small caliber loads.

I’ve only pierced primers on my old 223 model 700 because I was running high pressure loads with 205 primers. Running BR4’s I no longer pierced primers but maybe I could have just put a light bevel on my pin hole...
 
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