Remington 700

1962; a group of four lads in Liverpool started up the Beatles, Dr. No was the first James Bond to hit our screens and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the doorstep of disintegration. A small footnote on the calendar is the birth of what has become one of the most revolutionary and copied rifle actions shooting has seen, The Remington 700.

Along with the legendary Mauser 98, the Rem 700 has sired many offspring. It is a bit of a Marmite gun that has lovers and haters but it is hard to ignore just how much its simple design and longevity has filtered through to countless other guns. Especially those wishing to benefit from its long trail of generic components and aftermarket accessories.

P14 CLONE

In truth this quintessential American design owes its existence to Britain. In World War 1 we Brits were looking for a replacement for the SMLE and came up with the P14, essentially a Mauser 98 chambered in 303.
With mass production problems we turned to the US to make them for us and they did amongst these was Remington. They latter made the same rifle with a few minor tweaks in 30-06 (the P17) as a stop gap for the then lack of 1903 Springfields. So much so that many doughboys went to the trenches in 1917 with P17s.

The design stayed on Remington’s books and in the post war era of 1948 their models 721-722-725 breathed new life into the generic P14/P17 action and their direct descendents the models 30 and 30S. Mike Walker of Remington wanted to produce a rifle at low cost to compete with the Winchester Model 70. A simple round action machined from steel billet featuring two bolt lugs, a c-clip extractor and no third lug or Mauser claw seemed to fit the bill. First appearing in 1962 chambered in the also new 7mm Remington Magnum cartridge, both halves of the recipe have endured.

Aesthetic and ergonomic improvements were made with a minimalist trigger guard featuring both bolt release and floorplate catch. The now instantly recognised angled bolt handle and `fly’s eye` knob were a thankful departure from an ugly dogleg assembly in the past. However, you can instantly recognise the P14/P17 parentage!

Monte Carlo stock design made from attractive walnut and profiled carefully handled recoil in a modest manner and was well received by critics. Two years later, Winchester’s introduction of a re-vamped, post-64, push feed Model 70 action went down like a lead balloon. Its followers feeling cheated of the cherished `controlled feed` action, Remington’s sold like hot cakes although being push feed themselves.

ALONG THE WAY

First offered in ADL (blind box magazine), BDL (external hinged floorplate) and Safari grade, over 40 models and style variations are currently available 5 million rifles later chambered in nearly 50 cartridges from .17 Remington up to the 458 Win Mag. Heavy BDL Varmint barrels appeared in 1967 with a dedicated left hand model born in 1972 and detachable magazines in 1995. We even saw the EtronX where electronics replaced the conventional firing pin to ignite the primer. Even with special primers available to the handloader, the system disappeared quickly. The recent highs and lows of the breed are symbolised by 2005’s introduction of both economy SPS models with polymer stocks and the CDL or `classic deluxe model` exhibiting best walnut furniture. In the 1960 2” groups at 100 yards were par for the course, today we expect half that or better and where barrels have often improved, stock design has often done a `U` turn.

Polished blue chrome molybdenum steel has been accompanied by matt blasted/ Parkerized variants and stainless steels. Lately even these have featured the most modern synthetic coatings to aid corrosion resistance such as the XCR `Extreme Conditions Rifle`.

It also went to war as in 1966 it was adopted by the U.S. Marines as the M40 sniper rifle, which is now in its Mk 5 variant. Whether this is clever marketing or just a
good weapon, it is hard to ignore that 50 years from its introduction, it still rides high on the list when it comes to specification of an effective tool.

THE FOOTPRINT

The 700 holds a great reputation as a custom build. As a donor action it’s a functional starting point to build your personal design. Whether for vermin or stalking, the choice of a barrel and chambering takes the first step in a long, but more importantly, reliably accessible list of sub-components from which your ideal tool will be completed. The Remington footprint in either long or short action is easily `suited and booted`.

THE FULL CUSTOM

The end result is we return full circle to the action. Manufacturers across the world as well as in the UK offer there are many close tolerance versions. These are not only compatible with triggers, but the actual dimensions of the action’s `footprint` and bolt spacing meaning all the same stocks are compatible. Where the 700 was drilled and tapped for scope mounting, some descendants of the breed feature integral bases whose full-length, inclined Weaver/ Picatinny rail helps add strength to the originally open-topped action.

Although computerisation and CNC machining is now the norm, the 700’s design has varied very little. Triggers particularly have wavered alongside legal niceties regarding what is and isn’t as `safe as a house` and current safeties don’t lock the bolt closed as they have in the past. Key locking bolts appeared in the late 90’s but thankfully disappeared quickly and the latest X-Mark units with external adjustments are safer for the user to adjust but older triggers and actions are often beauties. My oldest gun is a 1984 30-06 and its operation and accuracy are sublime compared to some 20 years its junior. I’m pleased to report that over the last few years, the guns I have seen are returning to this pedigree.

WHAT COULD THEY HAVE CHANGED?

As custom manufacturers choose to discard or maintain design features, we see what could and couldn’t be done too. The “Three rings of steel” and bolt design that was such a significant feature of the original are well copied with the bolt’s nose inserted within a recess at the rear of the barrel, safely re-directing case rupture gas venting. What is never copied is the `fly’s eye` bolt knob or internal steel clip extractor!

Often criticised for being a little delicate, it is commonly replaced in some factory actions and never retained in customs as if it does break, it is day over. Clones choose to feature a bolt stop and release catch recessed in the side of the action as opposed to the trigger- mounted unit originally specified.

The 700’s separate recoil lug is sandwiched between the action and barrel and once fitted is solid and reliable but if the barrel is removed, the lug has to be carefully re-aligned. Lugs are sometimes pinned to the face of the action to maintain a constant This very new SPS Tactical is an economical gun yet demonstrates a resurgence of decent trigger mechanisms and improved quality control location in re-built guns. However, this system beats a lug fastened into the stock, weakly locating the underside of the action.

SORRY, I’M A LOVER

When I got my first `700` I was infected with its potential for personalisation. I learned to epoxy bed them, work triggers, change stocks and so the whole handling personality of a gun still based on the same `organs`. Much of this is what taught me how although we are all riflemen, subtle tweaks can turn the same genes from a Varminter into a stalking rifle, showing either appeal to a truck roof shooter or a hill-walking hunter.

I take my hat off to how designers have utilised modern CNC machinery to make their ideas real. However, after 50 years in today’s fast moving, well informed consumer society the Remington 700 represents something about the gun industry in general, you cant re-invent the wheel. Anything that can last for half a century deserves our respect. Happy 50th Remington 700, I take my hat off to you.

Watch out over next few months for articles looking at Remington 700 upgrades from stocks and triggers to bottom metal and bolt knobs.