Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Used Rem. 700 BDLs...Where are they???????

I've called a great many places in the Good Ol US of A and cannot locate a used Rem 700 BDL standard action rifle. A good friend, Larry, is looking for one to rebarrel.We just can't seem to locate one ANYWHERE. What's going on? Has anyone noticed this in their home area? Are people hoarding the 700 the way primers and powder is being hoarded? I've even called out to Mule Deer's home town. None.

Whatcha looking for? Any short action bdl to rebarrel? What bolt face

They’re hard to find because they have been bought up as donors just like what you’re looking to do.

They are all on Gunbroker, 191 at the moment.

Maybe if you start one more thread about it?

This friend Larry, is his last name Root?

Why would you want to rebarrel a used 700 when you can buy what's basically a new one from any number of clone makers? Same stocks, triggers etc.

I don't seem to have any trouble finding used Remington 700s.

What, specifically, is your friend looking for?

Long or short action? Does he want a complete rifle or just an action?

Polished blued CM, matte CM, or SS?

Since there isn't any limit on the number of firearms that a U.S. citizen can own, there can't be any hording.

Quite a few years ago I bought a used model 700 BDL in .243 Win with the intent of a donor for a future project. After admiring the beautiful finish and way it was put together, I decided to leave it unmolested in my safe. Just plan to use it when I get too old for anything with more recoil in my later years.

Firearms like that deserve to go unmolested...

Frog---OUT!

Plenty in the pawn shops here

Just saw a nice BDL in .308 at a local shop for under $700.00 this past Friday.
Seemed like a good price these days.

Roanmtn: Indeed the venerable Remington 700 BDL's are quite popular and have increased in value to a VERY noticeable amount!
I see them for sale in gunshops and at gunshows less often now than I used to several years ago - I think people are realizing they are "valuable" now and production of them is slow or non-existent today.
I was on a foray to Minnesota/Wisconsin/Dakotas last year and stopped at many gunshops along the way - saw ONE Remington 700 BDL in all those shops - and I bought it.
It was a mint perfect never scoped appeared to be unfired specimen in 30/06.
I bought it for $695.00 (and thecocksuckers charged me $54.00 in sales tax!).
I think I could sell this mint perfect example for $875.00+ today.
A look on auction sites shows Remington 700 BDL's (especially the Varmint BDL's!) going for stunning prices.
The "demand" for Remington 700 actions (especially the short actions!) is never ending by custom Rifle enthusiasts.
Long live the Remington 700's.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The more I become familiar with the various 700 clones, the less I like the 700s, especially the goofy bolt release, much cleaner on the clones. However, my son has a 700 BDL from the 80s that I bought and he now owns and I recently put a trigger in it for him. I couldn't help notice how the 700 BDL feels in hand, comfortable, natural pointer. They did get it right when they made it but I've since moved on to receivers I like better.

That's where I am. A Solus fits the 700 footprint for 800 bucks. An Origin isn't much more.

Basically what you're going to pay for a 700 and I get it - trip the old barrel/stock but time=money and you still need to true the action etc.

For a buddy, I am looking for a 30-06/.270 length Rem. 700 BDL action to rebarrel to a 6.5-06 or whatever he decides to to do with the standard action. Of course if the price is too much he is just going to buy a new rifle. I've encouraged him to wait as something will eventually show up.

Justy my luck when a buddy really wants to do a special project now that he is retired.

Yep! I've told Larry he may just need to go Wally World and buy a new rifle..... It will be cheaper and less bother and he needs to investigate which will be the cheaper way for him to go.

OK........ I'll let Larry know. Thanks

Thanks. I now realize Larry and I missed the boat about 3-4 years ago when COVID gave everyone the excuse to go up in prices.

Tell Lary we all said helo

He is not looking for a short action. He wants the long action for the 30-06/.270 length cartridges. Perhaps he will change his mind if, as all of you guys say, the prices have climbed to unbelievable prices.

Well.... It has been over twenty years since I purchased my last rifle as these guns tend to become my children and I keep them. I had no idea that prices were now outrageous. My buddy may just have to buy a rifle from Wal Mart and go from there.
.

OK. Thanks. We'll check the pawn shops.

No. His last name is not Root.

Doesn’t Brownell’s sell 700 actions?

That wouldn’t be a cheap way to go, just a thought.

DF

Ive pretty much given up trying to find my vintage of 700.
My vintage is the one where the safe locks the bolt down.
It's a issue for me.

I still have a few builds I'd like to try and just can't find the 700s I want.
So I've started looking.
Took a hard look at the Howa action.
Other than a metric receiver thread it's a pretty nice action.
The metric receiver thread messed up my number one plumber. So that's a problem.
Then there's the Tika action.
16 threads per inch.
Short bolt throw.
There's a lot to like about the Tika.
The safe on the Howa and the Tika both lock the bolt down. Neither break the bank.
I've looked at the clones.
Haven't found a clone yet where the safe locks the bolt.

Dave

You can get M700s from PTG .
If you dig into there sight there's a M70 style 3 position safe for a 700 .
It's a option.
No so sure I want to deal with them.
dave

It's an easy fix....it's not an action issue, it's a safety lever issue. All you need is an early style safety lever, the notch in the bolt body and the slot cut in the action if it's not there. For a long time after changing this, the 700 bolts still had the notch. If you need to add it, it's easy to do. Same thing on the many clones...early safety lever and notch the bolt/slot the receiver.

Good shootin' -Al

if he is now just retired then he has so much time its not a rush then.

Hi Al.
The first thing Rem did is just bob the length of the safe lever later models no longer have the the slot under the bolt handle.
Later again they no longer have the slot in the action for the lever to go under the bolt.
I detest actions that don't have a way lock the bolt down and won't carry one.
You can actually fit a Rem safe to a rifle basic trigger.
But my problem is I just can't find decent used 700s any more.
I just don't see them.
Dave

I just bought a used BDL in 7mm Rem Magnum. It's in great shape, but a newer model, so I'm having the trigger/safety replaced with the older style Remington trigger that locks the bolt on safe and having the trigger adjusted to 2 3/4 lbs like I have on the BDL in 270 I gave my son. Already had my gunsmith put on a Declerator pad and mount my scope. Apologize for the crappy picture.

Nice
I have a few....


dave

I realize that. Again, it's a simple matter to add the bolt notch and the slot to work with the early safety locking lever. The last one I did took about a half hour. And I'm just a dirt clod on the prairie in a sod hut.


They're out there. The cost and quality of some (not all) of the 'clones' makes buying a 700 action and having it worked on not very appealing. It's not that they can't come out well, it's just a poor investment. But if that's not a concern, the used 700's are out there. The later CND'd bare actions are much better for straightness than the early ones. But the later 'RR' series also went to a longer tube length on the bolt without changing what that did to the primary extraction. Which brings you back to a decent clone.

Nothing to it but to do it. -Al

Yep! Larry is so stressed out from honey do at home in retirement he has agreed to go back part time just so he can get some rest. Also, he needs a little extra cash to support his bad habits of powder, bullets, primers and guns. Problems, problems!