The Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle

[xl_target]

The Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle

In 1962 Remington introduced the Model 700 bolt-action rifle. The rifle became one of Remington's most successful firearms and quickly lent itself to developments of many sub-variants, including the Remington 700 BDL, Remington 700 SPS for police and law enforcement agencies (the rifle, later renamed 700P, is very popular among law enforcement agencies) and the military M24 SWS which was the US Army standard sniper rifle between 1988–2010 and still serves among other armed forces around the world, such as the IDF. Many other firearms companies designed and manufactured sniper rifles based on the reliable and accurate Remington Model 700 action.



Remington’s simple round receiver is preferred by many gunsmiths as it is relatively easy to bed and work on. Consequently it is utilized in the building of many custom rifles.
With its two massive locking lugs, it is a very stout action and has been used to build rifles all the way from .17 Remington to the mighty .458 Winchester Magnum.
The action is available in three lengths:
1. The Short action length will handle cartridges up to .308 Winchester (upto 2.8”)
2. The standard action will handle longer cartridges like the .30-06 Springfield and including the .300 Winchester Magnum (upto 3.340 cartridge length)
3. The long action for cartridges over 3.34 inches in length (.375 H&H, .338 Lapua Mag., etc.)

Craig Boddington, writing for Guns and Ammo, had this to say about the Remington 700 action:

Three Rings of Steel
The Model 700 is essentially an update of Remington’s M721/722/725 series, a postwar bolt action introduced in 1948 that was intended to be less costly than the Mauser-type rifles most common in the day. It was a push-feed action, which today is more common than controlled-round feed (not the case in 1948). This means that the bolt “pushes” the cartridge ahead of it into the chamber, rather than being picked up, trapped against the bolt face by the extractor and carried into the chamber. The extractor is a “C-clamp” on the bolt face rather than the long Mauser extractor, and the ejector is a spring-loaded plunger on the bolt face.
Although they don’t look quite as robust as the Mauser/Springfield/pre-’64 Model 70 extractors and manual ejectors, they work just fine. The biggest difference, however, is that in order to perform controlled-round feed, the bottom of the bolt face must be left open so the cartridge can rise out of the magazine and be trapped. against the bolt face by the extractor. The face of the Remington bolt is completely encircled by a ring of steel (that’s one). Then there’s the butt of the barrel (that’s two), and then there’s the forward receiver ring (that’s three).
A half-century ago, Remington made much of the added strength offered by the “three rings of steel,” and I see on their websites that they still do. The added strength is probably more theoretical than real, provided the shooter doesn’t do something really stupid like mistake Bullseye pistol powder for IMR 4350, or attempt to shoot when there’s an obstruction in the barrel.
However, it is true that the enclosed bolt face is a stronger design. It is also true that this feature provides greater and more consistent support to the cartridge, making the action more rigid and, all things being equal, resulting in a higher level of on-average accuracy. Our folks in the military shoot at the most dangerous game on Earth, and it’s not just happenstance that the Army’s M24 and the Marine Corps’ M40 are based on the Remington M700 action. Obviously, the controlled-round-feed issue that we hunters make so much of doesn’t seem to be such a big deal to our military snipers.

Read more: Here


The "three Rings of Steel" advertisement


This is an ad from the late 1980's or early 1990's








The above ads are all old ads that you don't really see anymore.


Some of the civilian 700's available today:


Model 700 BDL


Model 700 SPS


Model 700 SPS Camo


Model 700 Target Tactical


Model 700 VTR


Model 700 Long Range


Model 700 Mountain SS



Model 700 Sendero


Model 700 Tactical Chassis.

more to follow...

[timmy]

XL, the 700 is a very capable action, for sure. I had a 721 in 300 H&H, and it was certainly strong -- and also long enough to take these long cartridges, something most military actions (except, notably, the P14 and 1917 Enfields) couldn't do.

They are easy to bed and quite accurate. However, I can't say I was thrilled with the little spring steel clip that served as the extractor. I fired a number of hot rounds through mine and found that the extractor would sometimes take a sick out of the rim and come away without the empty. I believe that the 700 was supposed to be improved over the 721 in this regard, but don't know what changes, exactly, that Remington made.

After all of these years, the design is still going strong.

[xl_target]

Enough changes were apparently made to the 700 action that today it is surprisingly capable and dependable.
The 700 extractor, even though it doesn't look as big and strong as the Mauser actions, seems to work quite well.
They must have got the bugs out of the extractor by the time the US armed forces started acquiring the rifles for their snipers.

[nagarifle]

were there not some issue with the triggers while back?

[TwoRivers]

were there not some issue with the triggers while back?

Yes. Not a recall per se, but admitting that too much adhesive may have been used in the assembly of the new trigger,(sealant on adjustment screws?), causing problems with trigger function in some cases. They are replacing triggers in certain serial number ranges and models. They have not released any details of the problem. With the original trigger a combination of trigger design and user stupidity was the problem.

[ckkalyan]

Nice, nice xl_target ...look forward to your upcoming posts!

[xl_target]

Model 700 – Military versions
Some of the better known US military Remington 700 models are the US Army's M24 SWS (Sniper Weapon System), The US Marine Corps M40 rifle and the new US Army Remington XM2010 ESR (Enhanced Sniper Rifle)

The U.S. Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System and U.S. Marine Corps' M40 sniper rifles are built from the Remington Model 700 rifle, in different degrees of modification, the main difference being the custom fitted heavy contour barrel. The M24 and the M40 use the long action bolt-face. The reason for this is that the M24 was originally intended to chamber the longer .300 Winchester Magnum round. The M40 however was not intended to be chambered in the more powerful .300WinMag round, yet the Marine Corps intention was to migrate to the .300WinMag cartridge. The Marine Corps delay has led to a change in migratory direction, the current goal is for the M40 to become a rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.

Quote: wikipedia



M24 Weapons system



US Army Sniper Team with the M24 SWS

[youtube][/youtube]

adopted by the US Army in 1988. It is also used by the Israeli Defense Forces
Caliber: 7.62X51 NATO
More info: wikipedia

The M40 rifle


[youtube][/youtube]

The M40 rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle used by the United States Marine Corps.[2] It has had four variants—the M40, M40A1, M40A3, and M40A5.[3] The M40 was introduced in 1966. The changeover to the A1 model was completed in the 1970s, the A3 in the 2000s, and the A5 in 2009.[4]

Caliber: 7.62X 51 NATO
sights: Scout Sniper Day Scope (SSDS)— Schmidt and Bender PM II 3-12x50
Magazine capacity: five rounds/10 rounds. Detachable box magazine. (some versions also had a five round internal magazine).
Bipod: 6” - 9” Harris swivel bipod with podlock

The M24E1/XM2010 rifle:

The U.S. Army’s M24E1/XM2010 rifle (right view)

The United States Army’s Joint Munitions and Lethality Contracting Center has awarded Remington a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract (W15QKN-10-R-0403) for the upgrade of up to 3,600 M24 Sniper Weapon Systems (SWS) currently fielded to the Army pending type classification as the “M24E1”. The major configuration change for this system is the caliber conversion from 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester) to .300 Winchester Magnum to provide soldiers with additional precision engagement capability and range. The contract is for a five (5) year period and has guaranteed minimum value of $192K with a potential value of up to $28.2 million.[10] This award follows a full and open competitive evaluation lasting 9 months, which began with the release of the Army’s Request for Proposal (RFP) on 13 January 2010. The program will be executed under the authority of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, and managed by its subordinate unit, Product Manager Individual Weapons. In 2009 the U.S. Army has changed the weapon name from M24E1 to the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle.[11]

quote: wikipedia

[youtube][/youtube]
The MSR is slightly different but very similar.

[youtube][/youtube]

Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
Sights: Leupold Mark 4 6.5–20×50mm ER/T M5 Front Focal variable power telescopic sight featuring a 34 mm tube diameter
Suppressor: quick-attachable/detachable Advanced Armament Corporation sound suppressor with muzzle brake
Magazine capacity: five rounds. Detachable box magazine.




Remington 700 Links:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rem_700.htm
http://www.bigdeer700.com/page.cfm/go/H ... Model-700/
http://www.700rifle.com/index.php?pageid=history
https://sites.google.com/site/accurates ... ington-700
http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/galle ... nniversary

[TwoRivers]

That Wiki quote "The M24 and the M40 use the long action bolt-face." is classic Wiki, nonsense. The long action is used for the reason stated, i.e. a possible future change to the .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge. This would require a new barrel, bolt, and magazine parts. The bolt for either action comes with a bolt face suitable for the cartridge selected. For the medium action that would be three; .223, "standard" or 12mm, i.e. .308, and magnum. For the long (standard) action bolt it's 12mm and magnum.

As to the extractor, it has been changed twice from the original M721 style, while staying basically the same in claw size and function. It appears to be more reliable now, though the magnum size is prone to break at the rivet hole. For the .338 Lapua Magnum chambering for the Model 700, a "Sako" type extractor is used by Remington.

[xl_target]

Thanks for the info and the correction, TwoRivers

[herb]

Thanks xl_target for all the information. Always liked the Rem 700, I had a Rem 700 in .375 H&H for some time....



The extractor and the ejector is very different from the actions based on the Mauser 98.








thanks

[shooter]

I currently own a couple of 700s. Im not sure if ppl are aware, remis are not popular in the UK even somehow looked down upon.
I must say lots of friends commented on my poor choice.
However i didnt hear those deer complain. I would recommend a remi to any hunter.

[Oggie]

Great article XL - loved it

Here's some info From the Remington site specific to the recall:
http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and ... seven.aspx
Snippet from their website:
DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD: Remington has determined that some Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with XMP triggers could, under certain circumstances, unintentionally discharge. A Remington investigation has determined that some XMP triggers might have excess bonding agent used in the assembly process. While Remington has the utmost confidence in the design of the XMP trigger, it is undertaking this recall in the interest of consumer safety to remove any potential excess bonding agent applied in the assembly process.

Looks like quite a serious recall. They even cautioned against any usage of the affected line immediately.

[xl_target]

Thank, Herb, for those comparison photos.
Even without the Mauser's massive extractor, the Rem 700 does manage to extract empties quite capably.
I'm sure it happens but I have never had a Remington 700 fail to extract.

Shooter,
I'm quite surprised to hear you say that the 700 is looked down upon in the UK.
What legions of Remington fans, in the US, know is that the 700 is dependable, reliable and quite capable of fine accuracy straight out of the box.
With over five million sold, they must have done something correctly. Sure, it is always possible to get a lemon with any mass produced firearm.
What I have found, is that there are a huge number of rifle shooters who don't know understand even the basics of shooting rifles and tend to blame their equipment. Trying to instruct most adult males, in the US, about the fundamentals of rifle shooting is usually an exercise in futility. They are males, so they feel that they know all about shooting. I have found that female shooters are much more amenable to instruction and will tend to follow direction more faithfully and thus many of them are better shots than their male counterparts.

Would you be willing to post some photos of your rifles, here?

As Oggie has posted, there is a recall on the Remington trigger right now.
One has to keep in mind that the US is a very litigious society and one class action lawsuit could be very expensive for the manufacturer, especially if it is shown that they knew bout a problem and did nothing to fix it. As TwoRivers mentions it is hard to make any product idiot proof.
As for the warning not to fire the rifles, they are trying to avoid further liability.

[xl_target]

Out of the box, with no modifications, the Remington 700 can be quite accurate.
The 700 Police is nothing more than a standard Remington 700 with a slightly heavier barrel contour and an externally sourced stock.

[youtube][/youtube]

[xl_target]

Last fall, a friend approached me and mentioned that he had some cows calving this spring. He was nervous because Coyotes had come right up onto the cattle yard. Coyotes are known to take new-born calves, if they can. He asked me to come out and shoot them for him. Please don’t get me wrong this is not considered hunting in the regular sense. This is predator control.
In Minnesota, with their numbers increasing every year, Coyotes are considered vermin and there are no bag limits. They can be hunted at any time, day or night, with any caliber. Unfortunately, due to the fear that poachers may use this as an excuse to poach deer, the use of artificial light is not sanctioned. Doesn’t make sense to me as a poacher will poach, no matter what laws you make against it. The only people whose hands are tied are the law abiding. So if I’m going to hunt at night, I can only do so on a moonlit night when there is snow cover on the ground. Otherwise, it would be impossible to see them, much less draw a bead on them with any kind of sight.

Coyotes are generally nocturnal, coming out to hunt after the sun goes down. Skittish and canny as they are, it is going to be hard to lure them into range during the daytime. They possess exceptional senses and in the terrain that we have to operate in, they would see and smell you well before you got a shot at them. The terrain is mixed pasture/farm fields, surrounded by trees all around the periphery of the fields. Because of the terrain, the longest shot is going to be about 200 to 250 yards. The Coyote’s body is about 12 to 15 inches tall so one would have to be able to hold a 12” circle at 200 yards to be effective.

Since my AR15 is capable of shooting well within these accuracy requirements, I went out there one night with him to look over the terrain. Unfortunately, we just had a sliver of a new moon and it was cloudy. we could not see the scope crosshairs or see much of anything through the 3X scope. Granted that it is a low end Nikon scope and probably doesn’t gather much light. The traditional red dot sight, that one would think would work well, in this instance is usually too bright and tends to flare really badly in very low light conditions. So what was needed was an optic that would allow the dot to be turned way down. I like the way my AR15 is setup and didn't really want to change it.

A few weeks later I got a call from another friend who wanted to sell a Remington 700 in .223. I took one look and fell in love. I took him up on the offer and got it for a decent price.


It is a Remington model 700 LVSF (Light Varmint Stainless Fluted).
It utilizes one of the lightest Bell and Carlson synthetic stocks and a magnum profile fluted barrel.
The LVSF was considered too expensive at the time, didn't sell very well and was discontinued in about 2010.
Today, they are in demand and hard to find. The rifle weighs out at 6.75 lbs pounds naked.


The stock has no checkering but as you can see it has a textured finish, so gripping it easily is not a problem.


The barrel and action are made of stainless steel and have a non-glare, matt finish. The fluting is done at the factory

The Scope:
I put on an old scope I had on hand and took it out to the range to see if it would shoot. It did reasonably well with the cheap imported .223 ammo that I had on hand so I decided to spend a little on the scope.

I got an email message from CK Kalyan telling me about a sale that Cabelas was having that weekend. So I went down there and found a great sale price on a Leupold VX-R 4 -12 x 40 CDS (30 mm).
The VX-R series are illuminated with Leupold’s FireDot, which is a small dot at the junction of the cross hairs. The dot has variable illumination and can be turned down till it can barely be seen.

[youtube][/youtube]

The CDS (Custom Dial System) allows you to tailor the elevation dial to your load. The dial is then marked with the distance in yards.
So once you know the distance to your target, it is a simple matter to just twist the dial to the relevant marking.


CDS turrets

The scope comes with a coupon for one free CDS turret from Leupold so I will have to get cracking to find the best load for this rifle.
Additional dials can be ordered for different loads for a small fee.

Leupold Specs for the scope