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Greatest rifle ever made the model 700

18K views 101 replies 40 participants last post by  Jump Master 
#1 ·
Who thinks the model 700 in 30/06 is the greatest rifle ever made. They all shoot 1/4" groups at 100 yards. Light as a feather to carry, and hit like the hammer of Thor.

Anyone missing swampman yet.... I never thought I'd say it but I'm sure beginning too miss him.

Someone needs to contact him and tell him to come home. 😀
 
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#2 ·
Greatest Rifle Ever

I'm really neither a Remmy guy or a bolt guy, but i would find it hard to argue your point. If I was allowed only one rifle (with only one barrel) in a centerfire caliber I would probably go with your choice. Because of ammo available I might consider the .308 vs. 30-06, but that aside, yup a 700 in -06.
Walt
 
#4 ·
Mine isn't light as a feather and doesn't shoot 1/4" groups but has shot some 1/2" groups and generally keeps most under an inch or at least did back when I was still able to shoot that well. I shoot so little these days I might not still be able to do that. My hands shake and my eyes aren't what they used to be.

But yes I prefer Remington for all my bolt guns and own no other brand of bolt action centerfire rifle. Over the years I've had a few that didn't shoot so well but most shoot extremely well. I could easily enough live with just an '06 but what would be the fun in that?

My current one is a limited production rifle with black/grey laminated stock and 24" stainless barrel on a stainless action. I have another limited production rifle just like it in .257 Whby magnum, the ONLY magnum rifle I own. It has an identical black/grey laminate stock but with 26" barrel also in all stainless. Now this one is a genuine half inch gun and has shot smaller groups.
 
#7 ·
To my mind the .257" 110 grain AB is a bit on the light side for elk. Personally if I were gonna use my .257 Whby on elk I'd go with the 115 Barnes or a 120 PT. I have loads for both bullets in my rifle that usually average around a half inch for 3 shots at 100 yards. But realistically I'd likely go with my '06 if I ever had a chance to take an elk.

I've not yet found a load with the 110 AB that can match the 115X or 120PT in my rifle. I do have a best so far with it that will consistently stay around an inch less more often than more but that's still about double the size of groups I get with the other two. I have some 115 PTs to try when I get around to it.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Ive had probably 3o different 700s through the years and still have 5. Now I will say that overall ive had better luck with 700s then the rest. That said the newest 700s aren't like the old ones. Now I wont say you cant get a good one. My cheap sps 06 is the most accurate sporter weight gun ive ever owned. So much so that I bucked up and bought a cdl stock to make it look as good as it shoots. But ive had some medicore 700s recently too. A 257 cdl that was a 1.5 inch gun at best. A stainless sps 300 win mag that was a 2 inch gun at best. I bedded both of those rifles to try to get them to shoot better and it just didn't help. If I had to nail down the most accurate out of the box gun produced today (reasonably priced rifle) it would be a savage. But there so ugly none have stayed in the safe more then a couple months (other then the two I bought for grandkids) Ive owned probably a doz savage bolts and all shot better then moa, even the cheap axis guns. Another gun that will give a 700 a rough time in an accuracy test and probably the rifle id recommend to someone who wanted a NICE guy that had the best chance of being exceptionaly accurate is the newest rendition of the model 70 win. Ive got 3 of them and owned two others and all 5 were exceptional shooters. The only reason I parted with the other two is one was a 270, a round I just don't care for and the other was a 243 and I found my self a little rich in 243s that I already rarely used. To me the newest model 70s are hands down better fit and finished as well.
 
#9 ·
Who thinks the model 700 in 30/06 is the greatest rifle ever made. They all shoot 1/4" groups at 100 yards. Light as a feather to carry, and hit like the hammer of Thor.

Anyone missing swampman yet.... I never thought I'd say it but I'm sure beginning too miss him.

Someone needs to contact him and tell him to come home. 😀



Can't say I miss swampy,
but can agree that my 2 M700 are my most accurate rifles.


1 is a 270 - other is a 308.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I won't argue the 700 Remington is a great accrete rifle in 30 06 because I don't have one nor want one. My Remington 700 stable in 243, 7mm08, 308, 300 Winchester mag. 50cal Muzzle loader and 54cal muzzle loader are very good rifles with factory adjustable triggers.


I also have 3 Ruger's I think highly of, 77 22LR, 77 220 swift tang safety, 77 243tng safety.


But I know some Winchester model 70's people who would say you and I are all blowing smoke.


There are also the people who bought Savages and praise them a lot.




:D Al
 
#16 ·
But I know some Winchester model 70's people who would say you and I are all blowing smoke.

:D Al
That would be me! I sold all my Rem 700s and replaced them with THE Rifleman's Rifles. :tango_face_grin:

Thanks, Dinny
 
#11 ·
Well those of you that have been around long enough to have been blessed by Swampys wisdom know there was nothing else he would own. His 700 Remington's all chambered in 30/06, would shoot farther, and better groups than was humanly possible.

I remember him telling about many 50 Rd groups that were one hole groups. All shot at 300yards. Of course to go with his Remington model 700, in 30/06 he always chose the very best ammo for it. Nothing but Remington Kor-lok 180 gr factory ammo would do. It was the best, most reliable, accurate ammo made on Gods green earth.

And to prove his loyalty to Big Green, he swore that if he cut himself he bled green as well.

What are your memories, or nightmares, about Swampy?
 
#15 ·
Your right Pete, swampy was into black powder as well. And I do remember him saying he had a brooks rifle I believe it was. Do you remember more details?
 
#14 ·
I had an older Rem 700 Classic from the early years when they were offered in about six standard calibers. Mine was a slightly used 30-06. I am not capable of shooting 1/4 groups but that rifle might have in better hands. After about 25 years I could not get a good group and I had the action blue printed and installed a Shilen barrel cut for 280AI. It too was a sweet shooting rifle but too heavy to carry ten years later, so I sold it.


I'd gladly take that old Classic as a one-un option.
 
#19 ·
Anyone missing swampman yet.... I never thought I'd say it but I'm sure beginning too miss him.
You MUST be getting dam bored there in Florida!!!

I don't think I'll EVER get THAT bored!

As for 700's... I've had VERY good luck with them, stock trigger and all...

I bought my first one in about 1971 and it's still working just fine, with nothing but keeping it clean!

DM
 
#20 ·
I hope all you guys realize this thread was about Swampman love of the Remington model 700 in 30/06. To be honest I never cared for the Remington 700. They just don't fit me very well and consequently I get more felt recoil from the 700.

Give me a Winchester 70 featherweight or a ruger rsi if I must have a bolt gun..... but my true love has always been the leveractions.
 
#22 ·
Hmm, don't know if I absolutely totally agree with you about the 700s.

None of the 700s I ever owned shot 1/4" out of the box. So, that means that to get to 1/4", you've got to tune, bed and fool with them.

If you are going to tune, bed and fool with a rifle, then there are many other great rifles out there that will probably get you to 1/4" as well..

I will say that almost all of the ones I've shot have been right around 1" out of the box, which is, to me, a really good rifle.

But, I've shot untuned Howas and Winchester 70s that would equal that.

If you can stand just a little more weight in your rifle, I believe that a used Howa Lightning with its black synthetic stock is a superior rifle to a currently brand new Remington 700 in a synthetic stock.

Another point, is that the early 700s (up through the 1960s) had a blind rivet type extractor, which was prone to breaking. Almost impossible to replace it yourself, which is not the case with mauser based rifles. And, like it or not, there is an issue with the safeties on the Remington 700s. So, I always replaced the trigger on my 700 with a Timney safety model, or I paid to add a Gentry three position swing safety to it, like the Win 70s.

I would agree that the 700 are great rifles, but not out of the box, and to say that they are the greatest rifle ever is wishful thinking.


Mannyrock
 
#27 ·
Manny, my post was a spoof about swampy. A poster that used to post here and get everyone riled up. I'm really not much of a Remington man, but ole swampy sure was.
 
#23 ·
I've literally had hundreds of 700's go through my hands, as I had an FFL for many years and sold LOT'S of them, I still own quite a few.

I've seen 700's that would shoot 1/4" out of the box, with reloads tuned for THAT rifle......under an inch was much more common though.

I was in a gun club that had REALLY good bench rest shooters/matches, several BR records were broken at that club, by those shooters. I can tell you, if you didn't show up with a CUSTOM made action, you better be carrying a Remington "IF you wanted to have ANY chance of winning a match!

I saw it over and over in EVERY class, Rem's would win again and again! Guys would show up with anything and everything, thinking they had the Remington beater of beaters, and by the end of the day, be leaving with their tail between their legs!

I've seen a few 700's that just didn't want to shoot well, but only a few and bedding did make them better.

I use to offer action bedding at my shop, and I've seen more Winchesters and Rugers and other brands that needed bedding/tuning than 700's...

NOW, I bought my first 700 in about 1970, since then I've NEVER had an extractor fail in any way... I've seen guys BEAT a bolt so hard with a hammer they would rip the rim off a case and not kill the extractor.

I've NEVER had even one trigger fail in any way, OTHER than two 700's that had not been fired in about 30 years and gunk had "gunked"" up the trigger. Cleaning/oiling those triggers got them working like new again...

I've used 700's in below zero weather and in the desert heat and never having even one problem with them.

My personal brown bear rifle was built with a 700 action and it always kept me and the guys with me safe, working just like it should, so I guess you could say, with a record like THAT, I think Remington 700 actions, make a pretty good rifle...

DM
 
#26 ·
As far as feeling right to the shoulder and a quick sight picture I prefer the style of the old 721-722. I've had over a dozen 700's the first in 1965 and the newest a 1981 (unfired safe queen) 280 Mtn Rifle. All have been accurate....some exceedingly so as with a Classic in 25-06. That said, I have some tang safety Ruger 77's that are equal and I like the fit-finish-action of the old Rugers. Never had a problem with extractors, safeties, or triggers until running into an early Model 7 with a crappy trigger. I've tried everything but cannot get the slop out of it....don't trust it and a Timney awaits installation.

I wish all these rifles would just shoot half as good out of the box as the old 788! Just bought a safe queen low mileage 788 22-250 and a 1965 vintage 700 ADL 243 that I believe is unfired. Deja vu.....back in the 60's these were the only rifles I had. Shot the barrels out on prairies dogs and jacks and got rid of em.
 
#28 ·
Thanks Pastorp,

I shoulda gotten that, but I didn't.

We don't need to spoof Swampy. He was already a spoof of himself.

The more you questioned him, the more furious and "Swampy" he got.

He liked posting pictures of his guns, leaning up against trees. I remember that.


Mannyrock
 
#29 ·
Only problem I've ever experienced with a 700 was a frozen firing pin. Rifle was in a heated truck during a morning of freezing rain. Rain stopped and temps fell. Tried to shoot a deer and the firing pin would not move. I could hear the hammer strike the pin. I believe condensation was frozen inside the bolt. Not the rifle's fault.
 
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