Remington Quality Question

[Kestryll]

The Remington 700 is nearly always the recommendation when people ask 'which bolt action rifle..' but recently I've seen several comments about the quality of newer 700's not being up to par with the older ones.

Opinions are just that but is there any truth to this or is it just internet legend?

[JMP]

Remington has cut no corners when it comes to being cheap. For the most part, new R700s in factory configuration are tragic. The appeal that folks have with the R700 is the accepted norm design of the action with the ability to upgrade the rifle.

In all but a few models, you'll probably want to replace the stock and trigger. The plastic whiffle bat stock is about as bad as what could be humanly designed as a cruel joke. The XMP trigger is utter rubish.

[WartHog]

A basic Google search for "remington 700 quality decline" tells me more than I want to know. The sad thing is, pretty much the same thing has happened to all the major rifle manufacturers for the most part...

[Kestryll]

So the stocks and triggers are crap but the bolt, action and barrels are still good?

I'm kind of looking at getting a .223 bolt action, mostly for fun but I still want accuracy. Whatever I get I'm expecting to replace the stock with something semi-decent, I'm not looking to dump a lot of cash in to this project so the high end stocks are out.

I'm kind of kicking around the idea of a heavy barrel 20" R700, Howa or even an Axis Heavy Barrel based on the few reviews I've seen.

[Justintoxicated]

Get a 5R the stock is decent, just not adjustable, trigger was fine, but most will replace it with aftermarket anyways. Barrel is sub moa. Or get a different version if your planning to upgrade everything right away anyways.

If you want something nicer with a little more quality than a base model, you pay more.

Here is my 5r when it was still stock (other than trigger which was only replaced due to the recall)
R700 Milspec by Glamisduner, on Flickr

[JMP]

I'm kind of looking at getting a .223 bolt action.

Get a 5R the stock is decent

While the 5r is about as good as you'll do on a factory R700, the good one is in .308 and not .223.

So the stocks and triggers are crap but the bolt, action and barrels are still good?

I'm kind of kicking around the idea of a heavy barrel 20" R700, Howa or even an Axis Heavy Barrel based on the few reviews I've seen.

The bolt, barrel, and action will be as good as anything else in the price range. A key thing about the .223 is that if you get a heavy barrel 20", it'll likely be the SPS tactical. This will have a 1:9" twist, so it would be a better way to go than the 26" for shooting heavier bullets. Personally, I find a 20" barrel on a .223 rather anemic. The 26" barrel as the SPS Varmint has comes in a 1:12" twist. This barrel shoots 50-55gr bullets well with good velocity. If you are planning on shooting 55gr, which is the most common bullet weight in .223, then the 26" barrel is the way to go. If you want to shoot 69gr bullets, then the 20" Tac barrel would be a better fit; you just lose a lot of velocity with just a 20" barrel, which is something I'd not want to give up in a .223.

[Justintoxicated]

That's right the Remington does not have the optimal trust rate for 223, maybe for a savage then I guess

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[ar15barrels]

The Remington 700 is nearly always the recommendation when people ask 'which bolt action rifle..' but recently I've seen several comments about the quality of newer 700's not being up to par with the older ones.



Opinions are just that but is there any truth to this or is it just internet legend?

Its internet legend in my opinion but I only see about half a dozen new 700's per week.
Perhaps all the bad ones are just slipping by me...

[elk hunter]

Its internet legend in my opinion but I only see about half a dozen new 700's per week.
Perhaps all the bad ones are just slipping by me...

I would tend to agree with you except with the cosmetic differences in them and maybe the wood. There is no doubt most if not all American gun makers have slipped, with some more than others and some down right junk. Remington is not one of them. I also don't by into the trigger problem BS either.

[duckman1]

With the current trend to produce inexpensive rifles that shoot well many mfgs. have cut corners to get in the game. Remington still mfgs. a quality rifle if you are willing to either buy cheap and upgrade or look for one in a better grade.

[NorCalFocus]

The triggers are hit and miss. I got a fairly decent factory trigger, while others get crap. That's the only complaint that is unique to the 700. All $600 rifles would improve with a stiffer/better stock.

[Garv]

CK_32 Had a thread on 1/05/15 about rust issues on the 700.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/archive/index.php/t-1023605.html

[SMarquez]

The triggers are hit and miss. I got a fairly decent factory trigger, while others get crap. That's the only complaint that is unique to the 700. All $600 rifles would improve with a stiffer/better stock.

People piss and moan about the stocks and triggers but won't pay for a rifle with a good stock and trigger. They will buy as cheap as they can then start spending and still end up with the heart of the rifle being stock.
Look deeper in Remington, Savage, Tikka, Howa and others inventory or save some money and build your rifle with a custom action, barrel and stock to get exactly what you want. Randall can definitely get you going.
I have a Rem 700P in .308 with the stock trigger tuned to 2 lbs. It is in a H&S stock.
This rifle is way more capable than I am.

[Laddy]

I believe a lot of the Remington bashing is internet fervor.

I've shot nothing but 700s for thirty+ yrs hunting the west, it's still a fine rifle but quality on the lower end is just that, low.

The SPS I bought a few years ago ($750ish) was an F-250 regular cab, 2x4, no air, no heated seats, no power anything, which consistently shoots flat and straight, without any "issues" including accidental discharge....it's as if it thinks its my XCR II which sits right next to it in the gun safe, and cost almost three times as much when it first came out.

I'm kind of looking at getting a .223 bolt action, mostly for fun but I still want accuracy.

I just started looking myself for my first .223 bolt....it will probably be a Remington.

Its internet legend in my opinion but I only see about half a dozen new 700's per week.
Perhaps all the bad ones are just slipping by me...

Lot of brand loyalists with plenty of ammunition against Remington with the law suit and trigger recall, that's for sure.

I would tend to agree with you except with the cosmetic differences in them and maybe the wood. There is no doubt most if not all American gun makers have slipped, with some more than others and some down right junk. Remington is not one of them. I also don't by into the trigger problem BS either.

I totally agree with you.

[hollowpoint67]

Only firearm in my safe that rusts more than the others.

Stock and Trigger were the first thing to be chucked.