Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why did Reminton make the 700SA and the Model 7?

It never made sense to me. powdr

The Model 7 is much lighter with an 18-20 inch barrel over the 22 inch minimum barrel in the 700 SA. Ruger have/had the Ultralight with 20 inch barrel as well as short actions, same with Winchester's Compact. Ruger and Winchester built their lighter rifles with the same short action used in their other short action rifles, however Remington produced a slightly smaller action for the Model 7. I have just bought a Model 7 in 308 and am going to rebarrel it to 6.5x47 when this Covid crap is over and I can get my rifle to the gunsmith.

Why they did it? I guess to offer a lighter option than a standard short action.

It's not the barrel length that makes the difference. The model 7 action weighs less than the model 700 short action. Not sure how much lighter, but....
The model 7 has a shorter action, with a somewhat shorter magazine box than the sa 700.
The idea was to make noticeably lighter rifle and, iirc, the model 7 action was derived from the model 600 action.

Remington 700 short action BDL 2 lbs. 4 oz.
Remington 7 2 lbs. 2 oz.

Because they saw that there was more consumer demand for a carbine than they realized after they had discontinued the 600/660/600Mohawk series?

I bought a stainess Model 7 in 223 to replace a perfectly good 660 in 222 for calling coyotes in cover because I felt that stainless would be more durable and require less attention than blued CM.

I don't care for the butt-heavy nature of the Model 7s and think that a 20" 700 SA balances better than either an 18.5" or 20" Model 7.

The marketing concept of incirmental shelf space may also be a factor. in that more differentiated products take up more shelf space and crowd out the competition. What PM did with the Marlboro brand to wreck RJR's Winston brand back in the 1970s.

Elvis the average factory barrel weighs 1/2 oz. per inch at the muzzle

One handles better than the other.

My understanding is the Model 7 started out in life as a "pistol" ( or rifle/pistol) I forget the Model # right now ( getting to be a bit regular!)

XP 100
GreggH

I have never seen a whole lot of Model Sevens for sale, new or used, in any of the gun shops that I have visited

I guess so. But the Model 7 also has a slimmer barrel than the standard short action 700, to cut more weight. I put my M7 308 against my M700 222 and the M7 has a much slimmer barrel. Very similar to the Ruger Ultralight's skinny barrel vs the standard contour on Ruger rifles.

The mag box on the 7 and 700 have the same OAL.

The model 7 predator is one of the best balance bolt guns around. Mb

Elvis: In a 22" barrel a #1 contour (muzzle diameter .550") eighs 1 lb. 13 oz. A #3 contour (.muzzle diameter .625") weighs 2 lbs. 10 oz.

I was under the impression that the model 7 came out to compete with the Winchester FW.

I have no qualms with a M7 action, although I'd like to see the rear action screw be larger, like a 700. I just don't like the way the pencil-contours balance on standard M7 offerings. The magnum contour versions have always felt better to me.

The easier route is just to get a 700 and chop it at a shorter length, unless you find an existing youth model in your desired chambering.

This one is 700 SS, cut back to 20" (7mm-08). When I bedded it, I even epoxied-in a few handgun bullets in the forend, just for a couple ounces more ballast. Still rather lightweight package though, even with the 3-9.

When I had Model 7s rebarreled with 24 in ch sporter barrels, I always had that rear screw opened up/rethreaded to the regular(but shortened) Mod 700 receiver bolt. Works great.

It does fix the problem, but I'm not sure why Remington didn't do it themselves?

I just think they felt it was enough to handle the pistol barrel originally and it was a cost effective measure ( Ol mammon again! ha)