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Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:28 pm
by DavidABQ
I keep reading about how poor the QC is on Remington products built after 1972 and I wonder if it is even worth my time to put a new trigger on mine.

I thought a model 700 would make a decent silhouette/plinking rifle to bang away at steel. Fortunately I don’t need to shoot that far; our gun club only has steel out to 600 yards.

So is a Remington product built in the late 1980’s worth keeping or should I cut my losses and go get something else?

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:17 pm
by hermit5
I was thinking the same only how the newer Marlins ( REMLINS)particularly the 39A.I know that it had lots of problems with misfires,extraction,ejection.That was about 7 years ago maybe more.I have not seen a new one on any store or gunshow for that matter.So has anyone acquired one since then or have any news if they have gotten better.
To answer David,I would believe the 700 models would be still ok,710/783 types not so much.I could be wrong as I have not purchased one in 700 some time.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:27 pm
by atomicbrh
David, more Remington 700 rifles have been produced than any other bolt action rifle in the history of mankind and is probably second only to the AR15 platform in total production numbers. A good rifle builder/machinist can build a 700 into the proverbial sewing needle driver if yours came from the factory as only a measly tack driver. The only thing I look for in a 700 is that the holes for the scope base are not drilled offset and the price is cheap. Also, more choices in aftermarket triggers than any rifle available. Enjoy your 700.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 8:56 pm
by jbolt
I shot a 2012 factory 700 SPS with the light barrel in 7-08 for several years before re-barreling and truing the action. With the right load it would shoot under 1 MOA.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 1:45 am
by topclass
I had (both are now with my grandson) a "modern" 700 (purchased within the last three years) in .308 (SPS mounted in an HS Precision stock) and .204 Ruger (Varmint weight barrel in factory laminated stock). Both were outstanding shooters (sub moa) once the triggers were replaced with jewell triggers.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:18 am
by DavidABQ
I hope this 700 of mine shoots well once I do some load testing. Right now it's groups would make a shotgun proud.

To be honest I have not tried good factory ammo in it, just the cheap stuff. I hope with some good bullets and Varget powder I can find an acceptable load.

I guess bashing Remington products are some people's favorite pastime. Thanks everyone.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:41 am
by richard
I have a few 700s and they shoot well. It is worth changing out the trigger though. The last one I bought was a .223 and I have not done much with it but I did have to get adjustable scope rings to get it sighted in so based on that one gun the QC is falling off a bit.
Someone asked about the Marlin 39a. I talked to a Remington rep at the Harrisburg sportman show in February and was told that they will only be made in their custom shop. They are not cheap and he talked like they would build them until they used up their parts supply. More and more Henrys are showing up at our silhouette matches.
Rick

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:12 am
by atomicbrh
David, I worked at three different gun stores. At all three stores, the litmus test to quickly see if a 308 would shoot was to shoot 3 rounds of factory Federal Premium 168 grain Sierra Matchking BTHP at 100 meters. That ammo was always on the shelf and easy to grab for a quick test on used rifles that customers wanted to trade in. I think you bought a 308? Most heavy barrel 308s with a good scope would shoot a one hole group with that ammo at that distance. If it did not shoot a nice group, we knew something was wrong with the rifle.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:50 am
by hermit5
Richard thanks for the reply about new 39 Marlins.I did not know about custom shop only.What a shame.
Seems the older ones are worth investing in.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:27 am
by Jerry G
According to a returned rifle my friend sent to Remington, 1 3/8 minute group meets their spec. If you can live with that, buy one.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:19 pm
by Pagunner
David,

They are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Personally, I have better successful with savage 10's. I have four and they all shoot 1/2 moa.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:24 pm
by Doodaddy
Pagunner wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:19 pm David,

They are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Personally, I have better successful with savage 10's. I have four and they all shoot 1/2 moa.
If there was a two stage trigger available for the Savage actions, they would be much more appealing to me. I basically don't want to build rifles anymore that don't use the Remington 700 pattern trigger.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:44 am
by Joaquin B
One thing that has not been mentioned in this thread is how the rifle's set-up is the primary driver to precision. Yes, precision, not accuracy.
Accuracy is the rifle being able to shoot where you aim it. Precision is the ability to put round after round in the same spot.

The rules:
1.- Make sure the barrel is free-floating.
2.- Adjust the trigger to a pull weight you find comfortable, then adjust to remove as much creep as possible.
3.- Even if the action is not yet glass bedded to the stock, make sure the action screws are torqued tightened to 65 lbs.-in.
4.- Make sure the holes for mounting scope bases, the scope base screws and the scope bases are properly degreased with alcohol. Then apply a small drop of BLUE Loctite to the threads of the screws and tighten the scope mounts. Leave the rifle overnight for the loctite to set before installing the scope.
5.- Tighten the scope rings to the mounts snug. Make sure the scope's crosshairs are level, then screw the tops of the rings on and tighten then as you would the lugs on a car tire. Do not over-tighten. Once this is done. slightly loosen the screws that hold the ring to the mount, push the scope forward and tighten the front screw past snug, followed by the rear screw. Finish tightening the scope ring/mount screws on tight.

Your rifle is now ready to test an established match load, or for load development, since you will have eliminated many, if not all, mechanical variation.

The next factor are your benchrest shooting skills while developing and testing loads.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:16 pm
by K Danz
A few years ago, I was at the HP Nats and a few of us "cornered" the Remington rep. In 2007, Cerberus group purchased Remington. Per the Remington rep, not long after that, the bean counters took control and told Remington to cut costs. Hence, the downward spiral in quality. I will say however in the last several years, it looks like they got their act together and the guns are much better than they were after 2007. If the Remington you own was made prior to that, it oughta shoot. And I have a couple newer ones with mixed results. I have a 243 that I purchased about 4 years ago that will shoot one hole groups with just about every bullet I load for it. On the other hand, I bought a 25-06 last year and am not happy with the results. I should add that this the 4th 25-06 I have owned over the last 30 years and I have yet to find one that will shoot to my satisfaction. I had an older 700, an older Ruger 77 with the top tang safety, a Tikka and now this latest 700. Biting the bullet and putting on a Broughton barrel and a HS Precision stock.

Re: Are Remington products as crappy as I have read?

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:17 am
by Jerry G
Put a good after market barrel on a trued 700 action and you will have a good gun. And don't forget to teplace the fatory stock.