There is no doubt that the Remington 700 action, is by far the most known, used and modified bolt action in the world. It is so popular in fact, that almost 95% of the custom rifle bolt actions the exist, are based on the Remington 700 footprint. That being said, it has been designed a long time ago, so there have been many advancements in the design of bolt actions and how they function, and as with anything, it can be improved upon. You do not necessarily have to shell out big money for a custom action to compete at the top of the game, and with just a few improvements, the Remington 700 action could be made to run with the best of them.
Bedding
If you would like to keep your factory or wood stock on your Remington 700 action rifle, at the very least you need to have proper bedding done to is to ensure it fits tightly and stays put, whilst also allowing the barrel to free float.
For my purposes, I prefer to just upgrade to a good Remington 700 chassis or aftermarket stock with aluminum bedding block already in. For a competition rifle it will often be a MDT ACC, MPA Matrix or similar, but for my hunting and other general and some competition use rifles, I go for the MDT XRS chassis.
Bolt
Some prefer to have their bolts fluted for aesthetic looks, but for me, it is more function than anything else, so after truing the bolt face and lugs, and polishing the lugs, the last thing I do is ad a custom tactical bolt knob which can be quickly and securely gripped under pressure and my bolt is ready to go. Just a final good lube up before installing it into the action, and smooth as glass she runs.
Trigger
The Remington 700 trigger from the factory leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, I would go as far as to say it is one of the worst factory triggers from the mainstream manufacturers. Personally I found it worse than the Winchester, Howa, Tikka, Sako and Bergara factory triggers. Thankfully, because of the popularity of not only the Remington 700 action, but also the widespread use of it’s platform, there are MANY aftermarket Remington 700 triggers for it that are superb.
Personally, I would not waste the money to get a gunsmith to try and get the factory trigger any good, like how it is easy to get a Tikka and Howa factory triggers to pro-quality trigger pulls and feel with just a good trigger job through polishing and spring replacements. It is much easier and sometimes cheaper to just buy a good replacement trigger for your Remington 700 action, something like a Timny, Jewell, or Bix ‘n Andy or my personal favorite so far, the Triggertech triggers.
Truing The Action
For total accuracy and consistency, concentricity of ammo and rifle components need to be achieved, and as most modern rifles like the Remington 700 is mass produced in a factory, the tolerances are not as tight and strict as with individual or custom manufactured actions and rifles. What you want to achieve, is to ensure that the bolt face, threads, lugs, bolt lugs and receiver face are all square to the center line of the receiver and to one another, this is what truing or blueprinting a bolt action entails and personally it has become a ‘must-do’ step for me for any factory rifle I buy or build and I have personally seen accuracy improvements in every single action I had trued.
Extractor and Ejector
The extractor on your Remington 700 bolt, is what grips the case rim, and pulls it out of the chamber after firing a round, the ejector is what expels the case out of the action outlet.
The Remington 700 extractor is what usually causes extraction issues on standard Remington 700 actions because of it’s aged design, especially after heavy duty competition use. To remedy this, gunsmiths can replace the stock Remington 700 extractor with either a Sako style or a M16 style extractor. But for small and standard bolt faces, I would recommend staying with the factory extractor unless you have had a failure with it, as I have seen more aftermarket extractors on these actions fail during PRS competition than I have seen factory ones do.
If you do however get a M16 extractor kit installed, you might as well also have the second ejector kit installed to, they are great and ensure a spent case is ejected well clear of the action before the next round is loaded, even when running the bolt hard.
Barrel
The factory Remington 700 barrel usually leaves much to be desired when it comes to competition or precision rifle shooting. Not only are they not as accurate as custom aftermarket barrels, but they are also usually thin profile which causes them to heat up quickly after a string of 5 or more shots and then the point of impact of the bullets starts to drift. Not ideal for a PRS competition for example where one stage usually consists of 8 or more shots in quick succession.
About The Remington 700 Action
History
The Remington 700 rifle action is a renowned firearm part that has been used by law enforcement organizations, shooters, and hunters for decades. After its 1962 debut, it soon established a reputation for precision, dependability, and adaptability. The 700 action is a bolt-action model, which means that cartridges are loaded and ejected from the chamber using a manually controlled bolt.
Remington 700 Action Review
There are two basic variations of the 700 action: short and long. The long action can hold cartridges up to 3.34 inches in length, while the short action is intended for cartridges with a maximum overall length of 2.8 inches. Both left- and right-handed variations of the action are offered.
The Remington 700 action is extremely robust and resistant to wear and tear since it is manufactured from a solid steel block. The dual-lug bolt design of the action ensures accuracy and dependability by offering a firm lock-up when the bolt is closed. The 700’s cocking system is among the most reliable and smooth on the market, and the bolt feels controlled and smooth.
The 700 action also has a distinctive extractor design that makes it possible to remove used cartridges quickly and effectively. The cartridge is kept firmly in the chamber until the bolt is fully opened thanks to the extractor’s mounting on a sliding plate. The 700 action is a well-liked option for both hunters and law enforcement organizations because of its design, which also helps to eliminate jams and misfeeds.
The Remington 700 action’s flexibility to be customized is one of its key benefits. The action is extremely adaptable and may be equipped with a variety of aftermarket parts, including stocks, triggers, and barrels. Because of this, it is a well-liked option for hunters and shooters who need a rifle that can be customized to their unique requirements and tastes.
The accuracy of the Remington 700 action is a further benefit. The action’s sturdy build and dual-lug bolt design ensure a robust lock-up that guarantees consistent accuracy from shot to shot. The action also has a recoil lug, which lessens recoil and boosts accuracy. The 700 action may deliver outstanding accuracy that is unequaled by many other rifles on the market when coupled with a top-notch barrel.
The Remington 700 action has drawbacks despite its great benefits. The trigger, which has been criticized for being overly heavy and unpredictable, is one of the most noteworthy problems. The factory trigger can be readily fixed, though, by using an aftermarket one in its place. The safety of the action has also been criticized for being challenging to use while wearing gloves. This is a small problem, though, and it can be resolved by practicing with the rifle and getting comfortable with how it works.
Overall, the Remington 700 rifle action is a tried and true component that has proven itself to be a reliable, accurate, and versatile choice for hunters, shooters, and law enforcement agencies. While it may not be perfect, its many advantages and customization options make it a popular choice for those who demand the best in terms of accuracy and reliability.
Frequently Asked Question
Is the Remington 700 accurate?
In simple terms, yes, the Remington 700 is an inherently accurate rifle system, but, there are many other factors that contribute to making a rifle accurate that needs to be considered. Ammunition being one of the elements that form part of the consistent accurate of a rifle, but not as big an influence as most people suspect. As how Bryan Litz from Applied Ballistics has shown that the muzzle deflection of a rifle barrel during a has such a large effect on bullet dispersion, that it has a larger impact on accuracy than most ammunition effects. So before worrying about getting your reloading of ammunition right, you should first focus on getting the parts of the rifle system accurate and consistent.
The factors of the rifle system that has an effect on accuracy, includes the bedding or fit of the rifle action inside the stock or chassis, the aligned fit of the barrel, the barrels ability to free float inside the stock stock forend, the consistency of the trigger pull and the accurate consistent fixture of the scope or sight, and the tracking of those sights.
Can you hunt with a Remington 700?
As with most bolt action rifles, you can certainly hunt with a Remington 700 rifle. What will make it a good hunting rifle, will be determined by the caliber, scope and stock of the specific rifles for the purpose it is intended for.
Modern Remington 700s any good?
There is a common myth running around the internet and shooting industry that modern Remington 700 rifles which have been made after the acquisition of Remington arms, are not good or accurate anymore. Apart from a few specific addressed QC issues, the modern Remington 700 is still one of the best rifles made.
The Remington 700 308 rifles have been the basis for both military and police sniper rifles across the world, for many years, hence the proven track record, and popularity of the Remington 700 footprint and why most custom bolt action manufacturers focused on the precision and long range shooting world, base their actions on the Rem 700 footprint.
Remington 700 Stock
Because of the large popularity of the Remington 700 rifle footprint, not only from original Remington 700 action rifles, but also the Remington 700 clone custom action, the rem 700 stocks, are the most popular footprint aftermarket stocks by far. The same with Remington 700 chassis, the most popular footprint available by far. The reason why so many Remington 700 tactical stocks and chassis are so popular, is because the precision rifle market has boomed considerably in the past few years.