I'm looking at a Remington 700 SS with a J-Lock that Remington made a few years.

Anyone have any problems with this system? I keep reading I SHOULD'NT buy one but no one seems to know WHY.

Also, I see there are replacement assemblies available. I'd also like to hear any feedback on how that worked out for someone who did so and how hard it was to DO so.

Any help is appreciated.

it's not an issue to buy one that has a J-Lock ... and it will work just fine, as long as the lock doesn't 'shut' on you when you least expect it ... it can do that on it's own, but it requires the key to unlock it ...

The other thing about them, is that for some strange reason the spring in them is all catty-wompus and "snake-like", instead of being nice and straight ... it rubs the inside of the bolt, and can cause inconsistent ignition ... can't say how much that factor is worth, but when you see what I'm talking about, it will likely screw with your head knowing it looks like that ...

best bet is if you dig the rifle, get it ... replace the firing pin assy with an aftermarket one w/out the J-Lock when you can - costs around $40 ... Callahan, Tubb, Gre-Tan, etc... you can get them from places like Midway, Brownells, Natchez, etc...

for me, projectile vomiting & firehose diarea.

And also the heebie-jeebies.



But I think the J-lock is treatable, Some say it can be cured completely.

Maybe look into the 3 position safety bolt shroud from Gentry.

That way it'll look a little bit like a Winchester & your J-lock will be gone

So far so good guys. I'm looking these up as you post. Anyone else feel free. Cant hurt my feelings. lol

Gentry looks interesting but I've been shooting 700s for most of a half century and I'm sure that would confuse me when charged by a bull groundhog. lol

Sides......thats a quarter the cost of the gun at the price I saw! YIKES

I'll be watching. Trying to decide between a slightly used LVSF and a 700 BDL, same caliber. About the same price but the LVSF has a J-lock.

Ive got a VSSF........kinda like those fluted SS barrels but the J-lock has my trigger finger nervous.....can't have that.

thanks again
Steve

Steve-
I've replaced any J-locks I've had. Never had an issue with them but it's easy preventative maintenance. (see WGM's post)
Had Greg Tannel replace them and highly recommend going with the complete firing pin assembly (to get rid of the coiled snake in the bolt shroud) and have him bush the firing pin. IIRC the last one I had done was around 125 clams and I had it back in less than a week. Money well spent IMO.

Here's Greg's link:

http://www.gretanrifles.com/

yeah the more traditional shroud/spring & such replacement is honestly the way i would go.

I just can't pass up an opportunity to toss a Win dig at a 700

3 position safety on a 700, it's like putting a small block ford in a 57 chevy.... nobody does it!!!!

Two of my rifles came with the J-lock. One of them got a replacement shroud/pin setup by Callahan for $45. Easy fix. The other one still has the j-lock, as the bolt operates just fine. I'll likely swap it out eventually.

I like the Gre-Tan replacement. It's not so much the lock to me but that abominable factory spring.

Brownells sells the non-J-lock factory replacement. I have converted 3 of them. J-Locks give me a rash.

I appreciate the input, guys. I just have to decide if the SS Fluted barrel ( and NO FLOORPLATE...what the crap, Remington? )is gong to be worth the hassle for me to put more into the gun and the ISS out.

It's not like I dont like BDLs!! hmm

I like my VSSF and the LVSF is kinda a "mini me" VSSF.

I DO appreciate all your thoughts and links! It really helped (confuse me, lol). I'm KIDDING!

Steve

no floor plate... that's kind of a kick in the junk.



what cal? what cha usin it for?

I like a floor plate or mag for situations where you will be loading & unloading frquently for entering/exiting trucks or cabins etc.

But up in the mountains or in tent hunt remote location type hunts where you load up & stay loaded all day (please don't go jeff O on me, not talkin bout one in the ramp vs not)

I don't mind the blind mag for these types of hunts, the type you settle in to for ay least all day.

dave

17 Rem, for varmints and coyotes......don't flame me too bad.

Steve

can't flame ya.

My one & only blind mag is also my varmint rig, or I should say my fav varm rig.

Sav 12bvss in 22-250

Ugly as hell, but best shooting rifle I own.

So, you do what you gota do, cycle that bolt to jack it empty, not a big deal if you dig the rifle.

dave

you don't even have to fully cycle the bolt on a blind mag rifle ...

I'll assume that you carry a cold chamber until it's time to shoot ... so, for getting in/out of a vehicle constantly, just make sure the bolt is closed on the cold chamber, and put the rifle away or hold on to it until it's time to get out of the vehicle again ...

for unloading at the end of the day, just cycle the bolt forward enough to move the round out of the feed rails, then just take it out of the ejection port ... do that for each round, instead of fully chambering the round, then extracting it ...

and, I got bored, and decided to take a pic of the two firing pin assemblies side by side ... someone else did this a while back, but I couldn't find the pic ...



top is the normal pin, bottom is the J-Lock ... note the snake-like spring, and size of the shroud on the J-Lock assembly ... it just doesn't excite me, regardless of how well it might work ...

Thanks for that, WGM. Interesting.

The spring like that and no floorplate, reminds me of my 1971 Vega I bought new. Always a Rem and GM lover, you can imagine my thoughts when AFTER I bought it, I found out it didn't have a water pump!
AND......the breather was all one piece to "make it easier to change the air filter". HUH? 53k miles later I had a warped head...the one on the CAR! Not mine.....before anyone gets funny. LOL

Think Im gonna buy the BDL instead.

Steve

I bought a NIB Mtn Rifle LSS in 30-06 direct from Remington a couple of years ago. The J Lock malfunctioned during my last range session a week before a late season cow hunt last December. I had unlocked the device and left it that way. The malfunction locked the firing pin. The key could not unlock the device when I got it back to the shop. I prompty ordered another GreTan and lived happily ever after.

I replace most factory firing pins and oftentimes the entire assembly, regardless of the stupid J Locks. I can't honestly measure an improvement in accuracy, but it sure helps my attitude and I am definitely the weakest link.

Ye gods! What is that coiled up thingy in that picture...a snake? No wonder M700s bolts fall open all the time...unlike M70s, which everyone knows is better...

Is there somewhere I can read about how to do this replacement myself?

Thanks, Outdoorag

really all you have to do is screw the old pin out and the new one in (if you buy the whole assembly)

the only trick is to place a dime in the retainer slot (place the sear engagement notch in your bootlace and pull the boltface towards you. when you see the slot on the end of the cocking indicator slip a dime in it. this relieves the tension. screw the firing pin mechanism out and the new in. (clean the bolt body first).

there are directions in the packaging.

An LVSF has it all over a walnut BDL in my book, even if you have to spend another $45 on a pin/shroud swap. Floorplates are overrated, big time. Take the LVSF and run. How much will it cost you to upgrade the BDL to a SS fluted barrel and decent fiberglass stock? A hell of a lot more than $45. (grin)

You can always shoot it with the J-lock until you've got some extra change for the swap. Easy, easy decision.

Jpro, I had those same thoughts.........however, I have been doing several searches and found more than one or two posts where guys were not able to get them to GROUP. As in nothing less than 1.5 inches at 100 yards..with ANY loads.

I found one (already gone)that the guy sold for 450 SHIPPED because of that reason. Most you know what a Stainless Fluted bolt gun cost normally......

Gut instinct tells me the LVSF is the better deal but BTW, the 700 BDL was upgraded to a B&C stock but is blued, non fluted but lordy have I had a ton of em just like that without any complaints.

I'm up in the air on this and think I'm just going to wait (maybe). I have the Swift VSSF to shoot and a 243 to move here in a couple weeks, (maybe) "HERE" as in our classifieds here on this site.

Kinda HATE waiting........17 Rems in a LVSF aren't the most COMMON gun around......the 17 Rem in a nice gun (that I can afford) PERIOD isnt all that common.

I apologize to those here for the J-lock only info........I get side tracked and DO appreciate everyone's opinion.

Steve

BIG +1. While I have a bunch with and a bunch without, if it's a new build, it's always sans the floorplate.

NEW BUILD? I WISH! I'm not only old (even if "NEW" here) the thought of a "new build" is akin to Caddy Escalade to drive to work for us "average lower middle income" gun nuts.

Might be an interesting new thread? To be HONEST, out of all the 700s in dang near 50 years of owning them, I've never had one without. Just used to one AND see the resale value differences, unless I'm missing something.

To Floorplate or Not to Floorplate.....That is the Question!

and WHERE did my signature go? It SAYS "add signature to post" and it's checked. Dangit
Steve

While I wouldn't have an issue buying a Rem with a J-Lock, I would definitely consider the cost of the replacement as part of the purchase price and negotiate accordingly.

We've got 2 with J locks and haven't had any trouble.

the J-Lock sucks for many reasons ... but the reality is that as long as you carry the "key" with you, and maintain the rifle properly, the odds are that it won't cause you any ills ...

so, don't let a J-Lock scare you away from a potentially nice purchase ... just run it as-is, until you can replace it - IF you feel it needs replacing.

And as far as people with LVSF rifles that won't group ... I haven't heard of that yet, but I guess it's possible. The one I have - which started life as a 7mm-08 - didn't group like a bench rifle at first, but with some load work-up and a re-crown, it stays around 3/4MOA, which is more than fine for a hunting rifle ...

of course, right now, it's being punched out to 7-08 Ackley, but that's just because I felt like it ...

I have one of those pictures too. The Cult of the J-lock replacement!


Art was kind enough to replace mine and adjust my trigger. Thanks, Art!