Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What happened to "Sucks?"

I realized a short while ago that I had not seen the word "Sucks" used as a reference to Remington rifles for quite some time. This is a piece of 24HourCampfire lore that needs to be documented. I came rather late to the game (late 2002) and Sucks was already in usage. I never did get the full story on how it got that way.

Why did our esteemed campers call a Remington 700 a Sucks? Who started it? Any idea why it stopped?


My own experience on the subject was that Remington 700's were always just out of reach when I wast starting out. I remember going to Service Merchandise in the early 80's and handling one and just not having the scratch that day for picking it up. I later bought a used Winchester 760 and spent a winter refinishing the stock. Overall, I'm glad I did. The 670 is still in the hands of my youngest son. He loves it. It has taken a bunch of deer over the years for me.

The finish on those 700's looked just too good. I remember standing at the counter in Service Merchandise thinking I was going to have to up my game quite a bit before I'd dare take a nice rifle like that out in the field. Indeed, my first rifle purchase was dominated by that thought. My buddy Jerry offered me a Remington 742 and a 760 for the same price-- take my pick. I bought the 742, because the 760 had fewer marks on the stock-- I wouldn't want to mar that finish.

It's hard to believe that about a third of my life had passed before I handled that first Remington 700, and another 3rd before I heard the term Sucks. About another third has passed here on the Campfire. Time flies.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/73092/1

As to why it stopped, probably because many who were around back then, and adopted it as a term of endearment, are no longer.

I have 10 to 12 Remington 700’s. I don’t think any of them suck. I have older rifles up to the newer made rifles. BDL’s, CDL’s, Sendero’s, C grades. All shoot less than an inch. Here is some of them.




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I have a bunch of 700s, many customized. They have been reliable and accurate for me.

My 700 sucks.

I've only ever owned one, and that in 30-06. As purchased it was an ADL and would spray factory Rem or Federal ammo in all directions but the orange dot. Never could get it to shoot minute of mouse. But it mattered not much as all my shots were under 150 yards anyway. I still killed lots of deer and don't recall ever missing one as I always took lung shots.

Fast forward 25-years and I'm older, wiser, and more knowlegable about firearms and ballistics. I bought a B&C Medalist stock in BDL configuration and did some hand loading for it. It now shoots 1/2" groups at 100 yards with my handloads and one particualr Hornady ammo. Both are HEAVY loads at or near max, punish me rather hard, but they both shoot consistantly accurate and precise with 3-shot groups.

I think the ADL stock left a lot to be desired. And my bench shooting technique back in the day lacked as well. But it was the low end of the line back then and I knew squat.

"SUCK"? I would not say so. Utterly reliable and 1/2" groups work for.

It started many years ago by a member who experienced a bolt handle falling off. Some other members ran with it describing a rifle as e.g. Sucks ‘06, 22”, twisted 10”.........

They over penetrate too....

Another classic.

A few problems out of MILLIONS produced and
A few who didn't like Rem just kept beating the drum.
I have and HAVE HAD more 700s than ALL others combined = = Not ONE problem,

The question should be, "WHY resurrect the idea ?

Post count ? Looking for companions ?

I'm gone and will not be back to this thread.

I have had many model 700`s.None of them sucked and neither did the Leupolds I had on them.

God bless 700’s and Leupold scopes. They have taken lots of game!

Remington 700 and Leupold scopes are what we use for Ranch loaner guns, they hold up to abuse better than any other rifles in their class, they get run over, dropped, banged around, and get the hell shot out of them, we replace a few when needed. Rio7

That should tell us something. If a hunting operation uses them, they must be good.

If'n you woulda read the link I posted, you'd see bolt handle falling off wasn't the problem. My memory isn't what it used to be either...

The sucks thing was pretty much a tongue and cheek thing started by Big Stick.
Along the lines of the barrel brake in thing where they throw a rifle on a pile of rocks.
I always thought both of them were pretty [bleep]-ing stupid.
There were two issues about sucks.
Hammer mechanics which shouldnt be allowed within 100 yards of a remington trigger.
Would, without a clue what they were doing, Adjust the trigger.
Screw around with it for awhile. Claim they couldnt get the creep out Screw it up so bad, it actually was dangerous.
And then sell it.
Someone would buy it without knowing johnny hammer mechanic had dicked up his trigger and then have a AD.
Thats bad juju

Then trying to get that extra 100 FPS that they read in a book somewhere.johnny hammer mechanic now turned world class reloader.
Would over load his 7mag and get a stuck case.. use a 2x4 to hammer the bolt open.
then whine and cry like a little girl when the bolt knob popped off.
I think that about covers it.

dave

Thanks for the link.

I have many (6) Remington Model 700s and (2) Model Sevens. Never had a problem with them in my life. They aren’t exactly my favorite but I can’t bad mouth them. Always functioned flawless and were quite accurate.

On the other hand; my father in law, who was a life long DuPont higher up and Remington/DuPont/IMR through and through, has had MANY problems with (1) particular Model Seven. His Stainless/Synthetic Model Seven .300 RSAUM has popped 9 bolt handles off during it’s lifetime. Working on the 10th as we speak. Each time the bolt handle has fallen off while shooting, either in the field or from the bench. Load the rifle, pull the trigger, BANG, attempt to cycle the action, no bolt handle on rifle.

Remington has replaced the entire bolt each time. The rifle has functioned perfectly with each bolt assembly. The rifle has always been sub MOA accurate. The bolt handles just keep falling off.

Whittail, Read you post and understood what you were talking about, I'm pretty sure most of us have heard the same stories about the R-700, in my case I do what works for us. I'm sure you do the same. RIO7

That's what really Sucks.