Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Remington 700 vs Winchester model 70

I ignored that obviously uneducated (or trolling) post from yesterday.. Easier on the blood pressure that way..

I always bring a backup rifle with me,usally my Marlin 336.I've never had an issue with my Rem. 78 or 700 but it just seems,IMO, that the Winchester paid a little closer attention to details.

Just curious,i've seen the bolt handle on a few rems. pop off,would it make sense to buy a spare bolt or are they to expensive?

MLF,thank-you for education, that was an informative post.I'm not a gun looney,just want another "tool" in my shed. I only own 2 rifles,Rem. 700 & Marlin 336 so i want another bolt that i can use for whitetail and maybe a occasional elk hunt.

It won't start a shidt storm, but I hear this all the time about pre 64 M70's....yet I personally know a lot of pre 64 shooters,one fellow a Match shooter with a pair of palma guns through which he had put close to 150,000 rounds and several barrels...if he ever lost an eye to a pre 64 M70 I never heard of it....I know guys who have shot game all over this continent and globally for that matter, with pre 64's.

If case lets go, could you have a problem? Sure! My answer is don't do stupid things with handloads and you won't have a problem!

How do I know? Because I have put tens of thousands of rounds through pre 64's.

The Kimber action (everyone's darling lightweight)is a basically a slimmer, smaller M70 in many respects....pull the bolt,look at the left lug raceway, the bolt stop, the cocking piece shroud....it doesn't offer any more gas protection in the event of a blown case than a M70....but you never hear anyone say anything about that.... Better than a M70? Talk to me in 60 years....

The M70 technology is ala M98 with Springfield breeching....the Mauser may be the best of all in purest form.

The safety? Well if you aren't possessed of four thumbs and have the dexterity one step above a tree sloth,it can thumbed off in a heart beat....I meet the previous qualifications and have shot "jumped" game with M70's with seconds to react and shoot;even did it year befor last at the age of 60 after a long stalk...and when carrying "hot", I always have the safety fully back.

Triggers? In a rifle meant for BG hunting, nothing comes close to a M70 original for dependability and durability...unless maybe a military Mauser.

As Savage 99 notes, the safety disengages the sear when fully back;locks the bolt handle down. This is helpful as a pal who dotes on Rem 700's found out while still hunting a New Hampshire cedar swamp,when he saw buck,threw off the safety,fired, and no "bang".......turns out he had not paid attention and the bolt handle worked its' way "up"...the sear released with a dull "clunk". That really sucks.....

You can fall, gum up an action with dirt, have it load with snow and freeze up....that M70 bolt can be pulled apart in the field, stripped and cleaned(without the dime you left on the dashboard in the pickup),the action cleaned up and rinsed off.Or that frozen gunk on the firing pin stuffed in a pocket to thaw out.

Extractor breaks? Bring a spare along!I just had one fit to my 375 to include with my "kit"....might never need it.Just swap it out. The hunt continues even if it's back at camp in the middle of no where........shidt happens! Bust a Rem 700 out in the boonies....see what happens.It's your hunt!

I'm watching the bedded buck through the bins about 300 yards away,when the rifle cracks,dust kicks up just below him, and he takes off (wounded?). I expect more rifle shots but instead my pal yells,"I'm stuck! Shoot him".....Which I did.

My pal is fumbling with the rifle....clears the jam, the Rem extractor tore through the rim of the case,leaving the fired empty in there.Like I said, shidt happens!

I do like Remingtons,and Rugers,and Kimbers,and Sako's....but I hunt with a M70 or a mauser, because I can only carry one rifle at a time....YMMV.

'Nother 'spot-on' post..

Kudos..


But ya hafta unnerstan' Bob, many times common sense eludes a lot of Remmy owners..













More gas on the flames...









Heheheheee.e.

Just FYI toad,

The older original design model 700s safety locked the bolt down.
You can not open the bolt with a round in the chamber.
I still have a few that are like that, and it doesn't bother me, but I never let the kids, etc. use them.
Remington changed this later on and even recalled them at one time.
Maybe Savage_99 isn't so stupid............

Ted

Exactly.. Had one in for that frozen trigger two weeks ago and the owner had me modify the safety to allow a bolt lift with safety on..

Takes about ten minutes, tops..

no [bleep]? you mean if this is an issue to you, you just get the recall done?

and yes he is.

see, i used to be a big M70 fan 'till i realized that the extra 1#-1.5# that comes with them is just fluff. Kimber does the 3 position safety and claw extractor without the weight penalty.

Kimbers ain't exactly problem free...

The fluff you refer to is taken out of the action, bolt and barrel.

I'll take mine on the fluffy side:



Hold the bs though....

safe queen pics always prove a point.

My 300 ultra with a 4.5-14 zeiss on it weighs a around 8lbs all up. You can have a rifle that weighs much less than that.

I never really thought about the weight difference between the Mod 70 and the Mod 700 but it is quite significant. In the areas I hunt Whitetail's I do relish a light rifle, I just hope that after I hike into these remote areas I hunt that when the time comes my damn bolt handle don't break off! or God forbid I need a back-up shot and My damn cardboard extractor disintegrates like dust! that would be a real bitch ..............Hb

Now that made me smile!

What does a Kimber 84L Montana in 270 weigh,scoped? Anyone know?

Had to file/grind off a few safety levers myself Redneck....

Not sure if Remington still does it or not, but they used to have you send in your rifle and they wanted you to pay them to change it.
HECK OF A DEAL !

Not sure exactly Bob. I've loaded ammo for and shot four of them, but never weighed any.
Just an educated guess, but I'd say in the high 6lb range to the low 7lb range depending on what type/weight scope and mounts you use.

PS: Rumor has it that Kimber will soon be doing further weight reduction measures by removing the barrel lands and going smoothbore.
They hope it will improve their accuracy and tighten groups

ME TOO..

Good idea!

Brad told me these 84L's would shoot and looks like they will. I have only shot one, but it shot good ina pretty brief range session....no screwy fliers and sub MOA. There was a report on an 84L Montana in Rifle Shooter Mag,280AI. Looks like it wanted to shoot good.


Mmmm...............just what I need...another lightweight synthetic stocked rifle...