Remington 700 series

TikkaG

TikkaG

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Who here can offer some advice if this is a good choice for long range shooting?
I would like the .308 cal rifle I know they have a few choices ie: police,tactical, etc. Does anyone own one? can you share advice? pro/cons? maybe offer some alternative options for long range shooting. I just did a little research and found that the remington 700 was a well rounded rifle for this reason. I would love to hear some real feedback though.
Thanks all.
:ar15:
 
You need to define what the purpose of your rifle is, that is, what will it be used to shoot? IMHO, the .308 comes up short as a long range big game cartridge, but that depends on your definition of long range and on your definition of big game; there is a world of difference between a pronghorn and a moose and there is a big difference between a quarter mile and a half mile. Then again, perhaps you want the rifle for coyotes, and the .308 will kill a coyote as far away as you can hit him.

The 700 Remington has developed a strong following for a reason, with few exceptions it has proven to be a good looking, robust, accurate rifle. Every now and then Remington comes out with some short sighted, short lived gimmick, but if these are ignored the 700 is a fine rifle. It is quite possibly the most popular rifle bolt action rifle in North America. Due to its strong following, there is a vast selection of aftermarket products for these rifles, and anyone who makes an aftermarket rifle product, makes it for the 700 Remington be it: stocks, triggers, bottom metal, bolt shrouds, speed locks, rails, or specialized maintenance tools. So if you need an accurate .308, the 700 Remington is a top choice, short of going to a full blown custom rifle.

There is no advantage to using a heavy barreled bolt gun if you feed it normal hunting ammo be it commercial or handloads. You can expect MOA accuracy (10 rounds in 3" at 300 yards, Townsend Whelen said 20 rounds in 3" at 300) with commercial match ammo, and you might improve on that slightly if you work up handloads specifically tailored for your rifle, but that depends on how precisely you craft your ammo. Don't expect to achieve consistent sub MOA accuracy unless your rifle is tweaked to produce it. Many who claim sub MOA accuracy with off the shelf rifles are surprisingly (to them) unable to produce that accuracy on demand. But repeatable on demand 1.25 MOA accuracy is good enough to rug a coyote out to 800. Whether or not you need a heavy barrel rifle to produce 1.25 MOA is debatable, and game isn't killed by shooting groups anyway.
 
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"...a few choices..." Same rifle with different finishes and stocks. Like Boomer says, you need to define what you consider long range to be.
"...no advantage to using a heavy barreled bolt gun..." You don't want to be lugging it around either. Not a big deal if you're hunting from a blind though.
 
I should have offered more info on what I want this gun for A buddy and me have made a very long shot range at his farm complete with a burm and all. its about 1000yrds all said and done and we just want to do target shooting (long range) its just for recreation. coyotes are always a good pest to shoot too ;)
 
Personally, I think you need a 7mm-08 in a Rem 700. There's a very good reason the competitive silhouette shooters use this cartridge. Also, the ballistics pull ahead of the .308 after about 200 yards, making it as good (or better) a varmint gun as the aforementioned cartridge :)
 
The .308 and the 7-08 are so close in performance that any advantage of one over the other is theoretical at best, and could not be realized under field conditions. The .308 will push a 150 at 2900 while the 7-08 pushes a 140 at 2900, big deal.
 
Boomer said:
The .308 and the 7-08 are so close in performance that any advantage of one over the other is theoretical at best, and could not be realized under field conditions. The .308 will push a 150 at 2900 while the 7-08 pushes a 140 at 2900, big deal.
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there has to be more to it then that??
 
There is a bit more, but not a whole lot.

I find that the 7mm-08 can achieve equal performance with less recoil. Bullet sellection is vast in both sizes. Both can be tuned to group at 500 or 1000.

Slightly longer bullets(.284) vs weight may be an area of interest also.

I have heard some call the 7mm-08 a .308 in a tuxedo.

No matter how you slice it both will work.For hunting situations both will work well within reasonable game getting distances.If you want versatility I will have to give a slight edge to 7mm-08 due to the fact that you can get some lighter weight bullets in 7mm for varminting purposes that will perform.

As for the Remington 700, it is a platform that many changes and improvements can be made fairly easily and without lack of resources.





TikkaG said:
there has to be more to it then that??
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TikkaG said:
I should have offered more info on what I want this gun for A buddy and me have made a very long shot range at his farm complete with a burm and all. its about 1000yrds all said and done and we just want to do target shooting (long range) its just for recreation. coyotes are always a good pest to shoot too ;)
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Since it's just for plinking get the .308 and have some fun. Milsurp ammo available and easier to sell than 7-08 if your change your mind. There are better cartridges for 1,000yds, but you don't need the added expense for just some occasional fun shooting. You can reload some VLD bullets in .308 to reach more accurately at that range too. 155gr Palma or 175gr.
 
In my 4 years of experience in firearms, stay away from wackjob calibers unless you have your heart 100% set on them.

In my opinion (take it for what it is) they offer a few benifits over the more standardized cartridges, but have many major drawbacks such as cost/ availability of the ammunition, and cost/ availability of the rifle, and potential resale value.

If you are target shooting out to 1000, not competitively shooting, or hunting, a standard .308 will take you there with no issues. You usually know if you need a caliber with greater potential. If you want greater accuracy, invest in some handloading equipment if you have not already.

Just my opinion. :)
 
:eek: I gotta get rid of my 7mm-08 stuff???

Poor whackjob caliber!!! :rolleyes:


Kevin M. said:
In my 4 years of experience in firearms, stay away from wackjob calibers unless you have your heart 100% set on them.

In my opinion (take it for what it is) they offer a few benifits over the more standardized cartridges, but have many major drawbacks such as cost/ availability of the ammunition, and cost/ availability of the rifle, and potential resale value.

If you are target shooting out to 1000, not competitively shooting, or hunting, a standard .308 will take you there with no issues. You usually know if you need a caliber with greater potential. If you want greater accuracy, invest in some handloading equipment if you have not already.

Just my opinion. :)
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Nope, you already have it all. No need to do that. I am just saying, most people usually know if they are in a position where they want to spend a little more money for a purpose where you are essentially punching holes in paper.

And I didn't mean to call 7mm-08 a wackjob caliber (well, sorta ;)), there are plenty out there that 700's are chambered odd chamberings though. My basic point was I believe a .308 will do what he is asking for less money. His decision, not mine.
 
And...the difference between the .308 and the 7mm-08 in recoil is not to be overlooked. The 7mm-08 has noticeably less recoil than it's parent case. Look here;

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

7mm-08 has better ballistics beyond 200 yards, better SD with equivalent bullet mass/design, and is a dream to shoot in terms of recoil (which often means the shooter can do their part better/more easily. It's really an undiscovered sleeper IMO...as 'whack job' calibers go that is. :)

Yes, I have one...in a Marlin XS7 in a Boyd's laminate.
 
woodlotowner said:
And...the difference between the .308 and the 7mm-08 in recoil is not to be overlooked. The 7mm-08 has noticeably less recoil than it's parent case. Look here;

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

7mm-08 has better ballistics beyond 200 yards, better SD with equivalent bullet mass/design, and is a dream to shoot in terms of recoil (which often means the shooter can do their part better/more easily. It's really an undiscovered sleeper IMO...as 'whack job' calibers go that is. :)

Yes, I have one...in a Marlin XS7 in a Boyd's laminate.
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If we compare recoil, the 7-08's loaded with 140 gr Nosler AB over 48 grs of powder for 2850 fps is 14.75 ft/lbs. The .308 loaded with a 150 gr AB over 48 grs of powder for 2850 fps is 16.25 ft lbs, when both are fired in 7.5 lb rifles, so yes the 7-08 has less recoil by 1.1 ft/lb.

As for the claim of better ballistics beyond 200 yards, that doesn't bear out either. If the same loads as noted above are both sighted for 200 yards, both hit 1.6" high at 100 and both hit 7.5" low at 300. If you're interested in shooting beyond 300 yards, there are more appropriate bullet weights you could choose for each cartridge.

Suffice to say, the difference between the two is mostly in the imagination, and I'd be as happy with one as the other.
 
For low recoil AND excellent ballistic performance I'd have a hard look at the 260.

No slouch on deer sized game either.
 
Well I think after careful consideration and help from you guys and research of my own I may stick with the .308. I had the opportunity to shoot an sps in .308 today and I loved it. didnt get to see my shots travel far though :( (300 range) but all in all i loved the feel and I agree that there is endless options with the 700 rifle. I just want to figure out which 700 platform i want to go with. As for the 7mm I feel it would only be right to shoot one before I rule it out. just dont know anyone who has one :(
 
Full Bore Matches are shot at 900 meters with receiver sights and 7.62 match grade military ammo and has been for decades it will hold its own against any cartridge there are many factors other than cartridge that come into play when shooting the long yardage sports .
 
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