Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why do we love our 700's

I have 2 model 70s that shoot 1/2 MOA or better all the time and both are untouched factory rifles, one featherweight 270 and an old push feed sporter 30-06. And a third that shoots MOA and better with my handloads, another featherweight. I didn't do anything to make them shoot. They just did. And I've been around lots of other bone stock Model 70s that shoot just fine.

Hear lots of things about 700s and how great they shoot. I just don't care to own one.

I love the way they look and the way they shoot.

Awesome selection of aftermarket and takeoff stocks
Most always great shooters (along with many other brands)
Simple, and effective action design
Most all 700s balance near perfect in stock form (say that Ruger WSM owners)
Huge selection of aftermarket parts
Steel parts (except for the floor plate which really pisses me off)
Made by white people

I also love the fact that over the course of a few months I can piece together an unmatching frankenstein-like gun and have it shoot lights out And hang with the best of them...

Simple, relatively compact/lightweight action, shoot well, look good have very quick lock time with short firing pin travel. With an aftermarket trigger they can have a trigger as crisp as any high dollar target rifle. I have many rifles that cost much more than 700's but I keep coming back to the 700's. They also carry very well being slender in the magazine area. I hate carring a pregnant guppy feeling stock.

What Tanner said on page one....they shoot!

Had'em when I was young, went to others when middle aged. Now I'm getting older and kind of like them again. Go figure!

Agree with Tecnoman.....been around enough of both.

Love ya man, but I wouldn't own one (again). All kidding aside, it's just a preference issue.

EVERY Model 70 I've owned and they've been many, have been at worse MOA shooters.."right out of the box".

Having seen a safety off a ruger, I really don't like Remy safetys

I've had good luck with the M700's(and 600's) that I've owned.

Yea,a lot to be desired...

Where the heck is the bolt lever arm?

It's laying on the ground....nice work,Remy!

i've plenty of both, but i'll take the M700 if pressed

+1

If I want something to shoot I go Savage 110 cuz I can tinker myself. If I want a serious custom I go Mauser 98 and variants including Springfield 03. I'd love a Winchester M70. Never had the slightest bit of love for a 700... Just like the 243 & 270 Win cartridges... Nothing necessarily altogether rational, 'cept they suck and everybody and their brother has one.

One can modify a Rem700 to try to bring it up to Win M70 standards:
1) Glue a shroud to the receiver to get a flat receiver bottom to resist bullet twist torque.
2) Get a Sako extractor modification to replace weak extractor with a bigger extractor.
3) Safety blocks trigger, not firing pin..... Gentry 3 position safety on firing pin
4) Recoil lug not attached... drill receiver and buy a Holland pinned recoil lug.
5) Barrel may shake loose, apply glue. Vaughn also has proposed Rem700 design change.
6) Bolt handle soldered on and will break off, TIG weld on handle or drill and tap and add some fasteners.
7) Not controlled feed... no cure
8) Plunger ejector instead of knife blade ejector... no cure
9) Failed case head shoots shooter in the eye with gas... wear eye protection

What does it all mean?
The Rem 700, of all the bolt actions, is the purest example of designed to be cheap to build. With the money saved, Remington can put good barrels on them. Rem 700s shoot well with the original barrels.

I own lots of Rem700s and many others.
The Rem700 is at it's best on a low budget ground squirrel hunt.
The Rem700 is at it's worst in on high budget dangerous game hunt.

.....the flip side is even God himself doesn't have enough money and resources to make a M70 shoot as good as a M700 with a good barrel. Like Steelhead said earlier, if you're not concerned with accuracy.....

I've not had or seen the accuracy problems with 700's I have with 70's. I like 70's too though. Yes ill admit to spending money on both. Sometimes for accuracy reasons sometimes to upgrade parts and sometimes for cool factor.

Agreed.

Why buy a rifle you have to take a chance on?

Other makes guarantee accuracy - and for less money too.