Are Remy's overrated

[straightshooter]

Just wondering if so many guy's build on Remington actions do to popularity and the availability of after market product. From what I read their actions do not seem to be the best for stiffness, or strength. They don't seem to be the best out of the box rifle, and I"ve even heard mumblings about safety issues. If a guy was to blueprint and true almost any other action, screw on a super matchgrade barrel from a reputable manufacturer, get an adjustable stiff stock, and throw in a target trigger, would a remy with the same work out shoot it? I know do to after market, that building a remy may come out cheaper, have all the little extras a guy may want, and take less time to build, but would it be a better rifle?

I am looking to build a long range target rifle that one day may be used for long range hunting. This rifle would be a build over time rig. So I am looking for an out of the box action that would give me the most reliable ACCURATE RIFLE possible. To me that means the stiffest action that I can find a smith for. I am willing to pay extra to have the action worked over and for buying the parts needed to complete the build ie stock, trigger etc. I know this sounds like I should go with a custom action, but that is not what I want. I want the best over the counter action that I can shoot now and I just don't think that is a remy.

 

[ol mike]

Answer to the question -No -they are not overrated -they are very popular b/c they are very good.They are the 350 chevy engine of the gun world and when tweaked a little they shoot as good as anything factory made .

There are many many good rifles to be had browning -sako -cz -savage the list could go on and on.
Myself i started out w/a rem 700 and now have four that shoot and function great -also have a couple of cz's that are nice.

A rifle action is just a bullet launching device it's not rocket science -if an action is square and has a match grade barrel , chamber ,crown etc. good trigger - good optics it will launch bullets where it's pointed.

So i'd say go out and just pick out what looks good and feels good to -you- ..

Good luck -Mike

 

[straightshooter]

I am not saying that remy's are not a good choice. I may be wrong, but I am under the impression that the action is the foundation of accuracy. By that, I mean, the action is what holds it all together and helps control barrel harmonics. You do not want an action that flexes under the weight of a heavy barrel, and it must bed as solid as we can get it. Most all actions can be trued and spared but once the bullet is on the way we do not want that action to move. Yes remington actions have definitely proven themselves, and are the go to action for the custom build. I am just wondering if that has more to do with the after market availability than quality of the action. I guess what I am asking is who makes the stiffest over the counter action that has a magazine cut out.

 

[BountyHunter]

Precision Shooting did an article on action stiffness and Rem was not near the top. However, they have a lot of aftermarket parts and that makes them workable and desirable from that aspect.

Stiffness is one part of the equation, not the whole thing.

As for buying a Rem and accurizing it, IMO not the most economical way to go to end up with a 50% loss when done. It will cost you twice what it will be worth when done. That fact is proven time and time again.

for no more than $450-500 you can buy an accurized action on one of the boards, here, snipers hide, BR central, Varmint masters etc.

Look at picking up a used BR 1000 yard light gun for $1000-1500 and selling the stock for $350-450 and going from there. Most have been trued, rcvr faced, lugs lapped etc and many have Kiff bolts or sleeved bolts.

Gunsmiths love $300-700 rem action jobs with recutting threads, sleeving bolts, facing rcvr, lugs etc.

You would be smart money wise to buy a custom action that is already to go with longer barrel tenon and such. You will never regret it.

BH

 

[rdm]

No there are a million after market addons for Remmies. That makes it much easier to get a custom rifle made with the features you want. From an accuracy stand point, other actions can do just as good as trued Remmies or even custom actions if given the same attention to detail by a good smith. For an action i ask is it solid and does it have the features i want. I feel the barrel, trigger, stock, and optics have more effect on accuracy than the action does. Just mho.

 

[BountyHunter]

Classifieds - Firearms

Here is a complete BR rifle with trued 700 rcvr for $950

Here is a trued Model 70 with AMU barrel, which is a lot stiffer than the model 700. Price $850
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=752300&gonew=1#UNREAD

Buy a used one if you are not going custom.


BH

 

[linksmechanic]

Just buy a sps at walmart for $380.00 see how it shoots, throw the stock and barrel away and build off of it. I have built several guns off stock 700 actions(you don't always have to accurize them if an action shoots it shoots).

 

[J E Custom]

Straightshooter

This is another on of those debates that has no winner.

As stated by others there are a lot of good actions available so
go with what you like.

But as Old Mike said they are the small block chevy in a world of
good engines, Very simple,tons of parts are available,well made.
and respond to tuning very well.

As to strength , They are as strong as any action in there price range.

The only factory action that is stronger in my opinion is the Weatherby mark 5.

Also if you look at most custom actions they are cloned after the 700 Rem
just bigger.longer or with modifications that make them different.

If properly barreled and bedded they will shoot with any rifle because of there
design.

So buy what you like (Just like the chevy,ford and dodge).

Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM

 

[davewilson]

J E, when you say they are as strong as anything in their price range, i would disagree. when hanging a barrel off the front, as in floating a barrel, the mod 70 winchester is about 3x as strong.

 

[rdm]

Dave, I'm a huge Model 70 fan. I have a 7mm rem mag, 22-250, 25-06, and am putting together a 7mm STW all on M70 actions. My question is what makes the M70 that much stronger than the M700? Is it the extra metal in the front of the action and the integral recoil lug. I'm not a smith but it looks to me the Winny would be easier to bed. By the way, I'm also putting together a 300 RUM built on a M700 Remmy. It will be my only Remmy.


This is my 7mm Rem Mag:

 

[TheReeper]

I would look at Stiller Custom Actions. You can get the Stiller Predator for around $800.00 and it will be better than a trued Remmy and the resale value will be excellent.

 

[davewilson]

RDM, nice looking rig. i heard a fellow explain this and got his information from the book, Rifle Accuracy Facts, by Harold Vaughn. he said they tested the gravity induced stress put on an action and reported the strength of each. supposedly the win was 3x as strong as the rem in this particular test. i don't have the book, maybe someone can chime in and verify if this is accurate.

 

[J E Custom]

Dave

I wasen't knocking the winchester but I have an issue with 3x as strong
for several reasons .

1 =The port size has a lot to do with the bending/flexing strength of an action.

2 =The cross section of the action at the center of the port would have to be
3x the thickness of a remingtion to be 3x stronger because they use the same
material.

On the strength issue they are all built with a 50% safety factor so it does not
matter as long as they do what they were designed to do.

H P White laboratories tested all factory actions to see how much they could
take and they were able to blow up every action except one by overloading
the round well above SAAMI specs remingtion was one of the last to give it
up only the weatherby stayed together(Even though it welded its self with
molten brass and could not be hammered open).

A little side note; Try to buy a new mod 70 for under $400.oo .

As I stated in my first post It all boils down to what you like and I prefer factory
actions in this order. weatherby,remingtion,sako,savage,ruger,winchester and mauser
based on my experiences with accuracy,cost,dependability,machine tolerance and
durability.

I,m sure I hurt some feelings with my order of likes but it is just "MY" opinion for what its worth.

So if you want a better/stronger action than the factorys then buy a Custom Action.

Besides I just got back to ground zero for IKE and found I still have a house and all of my
guns (Including some winchesters)and consider my self lucky!!!!!!!!

Have a great day
J E CUSTOM

 

[rdm]

Dave, Thanks for the compliment that rifle gets quite a few for some reason. I guess the test your speaking of is an action "flex" test? I could understand the M70 testing better in that type of test as it has the integral lug and all that flat metal under the action where is it is actually bedded to the stock. Where as the M700 is a round "cylinder" screwed to the stock. The M700 probably has more actual suface contact with the stock than the M70.


JE, Glad you still have a home. I work for an Electric co. that has been doing power restoration around Baton Rogue and Laffayette. My crew was going to Texas and work following Ike but they decided to keep us home because 2 fellow lineman had a contact accident last night. Anyway, the action wouldn't have to be 3x as thick if it is machined with "gussets" along the length of the action or has a flat bottom as some custom single shot actions do. That doesn't mean it will handle 3x as much pressure, it just flexs 3x less. Am I understanding this correctly? If the M70 flexs .006", for example, the M700 would flex .018" if anchored to the same barrel. Anyway, you didn't hurt my feelings. I like intelligent debates with logical opinions and factual info to back it up. It's how I learn. Having said all that, I've learned I'm still a DUMBA$$. Jeez.