Remington (RemArms) needs to focus on things people want out of a 700. If I were in charge, here is what I would do:
-Ensure and verify ever bolt is timed properly before it leaves the factory.
-Ensure every recoil lug is parallel and start pinning them to the receiver to ensure proper alignment.
-Improve timing of factory threads and ensure machining would allow pre-fit barrels.
-Begin making premium finishes, perhaps nitride, were standard.
-Work out a deal to ensure every 700 comes with a Trigger Tech trigger out of the box.
-Improve all twist rates and throats to ensure modern, premium bullets were optimized. For example, twist .243 Winchesters to 1:8" and throat them for something more like a 103 gr ELD-X rather than an 80 gr Core-Lokt.
-Incorporate quality stocks on base models that won't flex and will free-float the barrel, even under a load.
-Offer semi-custom rifles; optional carbon fiber stocks, carbon fiber barrels, cerakote, bolt fluting, etc. for a premium.
When people want cheap rifles, they buy Axis, American, TCs, etc. When people want good quality rifles, they spend more. If the quality of a Tikka T3x, Browning X-Bolt, or Bergara can't be met for a similar price, the 700 is doomed.
Plenty of custom rifles out there for what it would cost to build one of these.
Tikka, Browning or Bergara don't have what most would consider a quality stock that won't "flex". Have owned em.
As far as twist goes 90% of the crowd that doesn't follow the trend on the net is perfectly happy with original twists that most chamberings came with.
Throat something in a 243 for a 103 and it may not be worth a ph.uuuck for a 55-70 grain bullet.
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It wouldn't cost anything to do things like properly timing, changing chambers and twists, etc. And yes, a .243 that shoots 103s can and will shoot 55-70s fine. Its extremely rare to create a twist that will over-spin lighter bullets except in rare circumstances. Meanwhile, other companies are doing this...despite your notion people are happy with old-school.
Look at a Browning stock, their cheap synthetics, it doesn't flex into the barrel under load. Remington USED to sell a lot of rifles with H-S and B&C stocks.
Things like timing don't cost anymore, and hell, they used to come that way.
Their other option is to just fade into oblivion because the budget 700s can't keep the 700 afloat and nobody seems to want them.
I also left off a lot of things I would want to see; 8-40 base screws, side bolt release, Sako-style extractors, one-piece bolt, more secure attachment of the bolt handle, etc.
