I picked up a rather interesting Remington 700 today, one I've never even heard about (much less seen). Its an early model gun in .243, with a 5-digit serial number. The chambering caught my eye first, as I'm always looking for short action 700's, but the low serial number really got me interested. I could tell it was an older gun based on the iron sights and aluminum butt plate, but the low serial number was really cool.....I've never seen a SN on a Remington bolt rifle that low.

But what's even cooler about the gun is the slot milled in the receiver for stripper clips. Based on my limited research, it seems like some of the earlier 700's had this slot, as it was a hold over feature from earlier 721/722 actions. According to Remington, my gun was manufactured in 1963, which I believe was the 2nd year of 700 production.

Its probably the most intriguing 700 I've ever come across, certainly the neatest one I've ever owned. It has a decent stock with press checkering, and (of course) has the old style trigger and safety that locks the action with the safety engaged. Barrel length is 20", and has very good balance.

Here are a few pics:






Iron sights, with broken front blade...no worries, I'll be removing them.

Safety, trigger, etc...

Stripper clip slot...





Nice surprise, barrel has been full length bedded...

Nice rifle. I'm having a custom built now on a similar vintage action. The older one's didn't have the anti-bind slot on outer bolt lug. They seem a bit smoother without it.

I have a 6mm Remington which looks exactly like your rifle. I don't know if you noticed it. There is no threaded hole on the bottom of the receiver to accept a screw for the ADL style magazine box. I am not sure which year they started doing that change.

nice rifle. The bolt handle and trigger guard are better made and have more detail.

So you are going to hit that antique barrel with a torch?

A friend has one in 30-06. They made a carbine model with 20" barrel. Check out the trigger sear. It's a laminated (two piece) Model 721 sear. The early 700s used leftover triggers from the 721s, 722s, and 725s. His is first year of manufacture, and it's an ADL.

What is the assembly date code on the barrel?

The assembly code for 1963 was "K".

My 20" 700 ADL in 6mm Rem Mag was made in February 1963, "LK", and carries SN 579xx.

Not sure what you mean, it has the normal style internal box, and three screws on the bottom of the stock (all are standard threaded screws).



????

That's exactly what it has, thought it looked a little odd.

You mention that you are removing the sights

A few years back I saw a rifle like yours in 308, but it was not as good of shape. Should have bought it.

What's the story with the stripper clip slot?

Not sure why you would need a torch, they're held in place with cap screws like most other 700s I've seen....




...only difference is it uses only one screw up front, centered between two posts to hold the front sight in place. Seems like a lot more work versus simply threading two holes.




Just have to figure out a way to make that a little more attractive, find a scope, and she will be ready to shoot. Worst case, I can simply reinstall the front sight with a new bead, and call it a day.

The 721/722's were just after World War II, and virtually anything without a detachable box magazine was using stripper clips or en bloc clips to load internal magazines. I guess Remington decided to design the 721/722s around this concept as well, and it carried over to the early 700s.

"PK" = June 1963

Watch out for scope mount dimensions. I can't recall the cutoff date, but early 700's had a different, lower I believe, rear receiver top.

My bad...I should have been more clear...
TiG torch...as in filling in the ugly unsightly holes with parent metal and then re-blueing

If those sights are like mine they have different hole spacing than later 700's. They are hard to come by.

The slot is not actually a stripper-clip slot but was a slot which was used to locate the receiver for subsequent machining operations to the magazine opening. I believe Mike Walker discussed this in an article in Precision Shooting. Stuart Otteson mentions the slot being a result of the method used for machining the magazine opening as well. The Pre-war Model 70 (and post-war target models) do have a genuine stripper clip slot. GD

The current ADL internal magazine boxes have a little tab which is secured to the bottom of the receiver by a small screw. Mine doesn't have the tab or a place in the receiver to place the screw.

Cool rifle.. I saw a 20 " barrel .30-06 in Grices this past summer.. It was pretty badly beat up.. Yours is a gem..

True.

I built my 6.5-06 on an old 700 and had to use Signatures and the offset insert kit to get it on plane with mechanical zero.

Cool old survivor. I'd leave it as it.

The front sight is easily removed by driving the sight blade out and removing the screw which is underneath the blade.

By removing the small screw of the side of the rear sight blade you can get to the screws that secure the rear sight.

I've bought two four digit 700's a while back, both in 30/06. One in a local gun/pawn shop and another off of Gunbroker. I found serial number 21XX at the gunshop while looking for a "beater" rifle for adverse weather. When I saw the serial number, for a bit over $300, I couldn't pass it up. The other which came along a few months later on Gunbroker was even earlier and in better shape so I paid a bit (!) more for that one.

If I were you, I'd really douse the trigger assembly down really well with carb cleaner or a similar solvent to ensure the split sear isn't stuck together.

I had #3333, a 700 ADL in 222, for awhile. Wish that I'd kept it, but other things came up and down the road it went.

Well, no luck finding a scope for it today...went looking for an older steel tubed Weaver, but think I will stick with something a little more current.

You need a purple Leupold.

Really?

???

Purple Leupolds should only be mated to purple Rugers!

The difference is only a few thousandths... if drilled straight the difference is essentially meaningless. If drilled crooked the minor difference is not the issue...

I think it's seventeen thousandths, which on a short action is worth approximately 10 moa in the wrong direction if you're trying to get the most out of the vertical adjustment range of the scope.

If standard mounts/rings are being used it's also a seventeen thousandths step discontinuity between front and rear ring heights that has to be made up by deflection of the scope tube over the length captured between the rings. No thanks, I'll shim for a better fit.

I think you're right!

Yep. Mine was a LA and it was a rather larger gap with a one piece base. I scratched that, went Leupold DD bases and the right Burris inserts to get mechanical zero close at 200yds. An interesting note is it was first tried by the builder with a one piece, which induced stress and accuracy suffered. He switched to sigs and 2 piece bases, which brought accuracy to his 1/2moa gtty. I further corrected the issue with the offset inserts to gain travel. It worked out quite well.

Lay it on me Ed.....I'm all ears

To the OP,

I have a 243 of the same vintage. It shoots Barnes TTSX 80's really well, surprisingly well with IMR 4831, Lapua brass, and F210's.

fyi - check the trigger closely, it probably has two sears unless it has been replaced. This is the original Walker trigger, which has caused Remington lots and lots of trouble with unintended discharges when it is pushed into "fire." Also, the trigger has a tab, which locks the bolt in place, while on "safe." The safety has to be pushed to "fire" to cycle the bolt to unload it. Any gunsmith with any experience can grind the tab off while you wait, so the trigger can remain on safe while the rifle is unloaded. Definitely worth the effort, or just put in a Timney, Rifle Basix, or a Jewell.

Check the barrel markings for a heart symbol. Some folks claim that some of the barrels were made by Hart, but others say no. Never really saw a conclusive answer out of Remington on the question.

What's the easiest way to determine if mine has the offset?

Lay a straight edge along the holes on the top of the receiver.

Check youtube for how to bed a scope base for a R700. Easy to do.

I have a 5 digit .243 EK date and it does have a heart symbol followed by G>. I'm debating leaving it alone or putting it in a McMillan stock with timney trigger. It is missing the rear sight, had an old waver K4 60-B on it.

Save the original parts, but put it too use. Triggers and stocks swap easily enough.

Mine really shoots well.

I did a little looking around, and the change occurred about 1974. So it's pretty certain yours has the older offset.

Interesting. Did base/ring manufacturers ever manufacture a base specifically for the older rifles, or is it close enough that bedding the base will suffice?

Interesting. My adl 308 has the cut. Serial # 141xxx the date code is 29 A M

Yes, Redfield did. There may have been others.

The Redfield base extended into the cutout on the receiver as well.

Below is a base and ring set for the receivers in this time window as used on a M40A1. Marine smiths took the Redfield base and rings and welded the rings into the base for durability. Watch ebay for the bases, they come along.

But you will do fine using any of the current bases and just bedding or adding some aluminum shims (some have been known to cut beer cans to make a shim. )

Now that's pretty cool!

Remington (freedom group) sucks! I grew up with Remington, I understand the need for price point marketing but when you reduce ALL OF YOUR products to [bleep], then you get what you deserve.........eventually bankruptcy! They can cheapen there production but when you lower your barrel quality you leave no room for the consumer to fix your junk! If I need to replace a trigger, stock or bed the action that is one thing but when you leave the customer with nothing but a receiver worth keeping you are on your way OUT! Those of you like myself want to be loyal to the rifle manufacturer that you have grown up with actually view your Remington barrel through a bore scope you will agree with me that Remington has passed into the night as a quality firearm worthy of any kind of American loyalty. You can cheapen the action, stock and trigger but when you ad the junk barrel to the mix.............your done...........SAD..

You need to stay ahead of the curve with your Midol...

What in the hell are you talking about??

Jason, I'm with SuperCub's suggestion. These early carbine 700's are collectible & considered by many the best of the 700 series. Your rifle appears in very good condition & I'd suggest replacing the front sight blade & leave her as is. If you want a scope, look for a Leupold M7 or early M8 4x and you would be set. JMHO

Good info, I will be looking for one now.

Nice find!!!!

I sold
this first yr 700 bdl carbine on here to somebody in 308 a few yrs back, one I should have kept!

Jason280 I just happen to have an old Weaver 6x, I was going to sell.Contact me if interested. memtb

I actually lucked into an older Leupold M8 4x, may end up using it...although I did send a PM about the Weaver 6x mentioned above.

How concerned should I be about the older style trigger? I know that the 600/660 rifles had trigger recalls, but not sure about the older 700s.

Just make sure the trigger innards are clean.

My guess is that front bead was broken and then reversed in the slot, either out of ignorance or in an attempt to create a better sight picture without replacing it.

Overall, the rifle appears to be better finished than a lot of new ones are, and not just Remingtons.

I wonder what are the chances a newer Remington bead will fit, I have a few extra sets of newer 700 Remingtion sights...