Remington 700 Factory Actions

[morgaj1]

I'm curious why Remington 700 actions aren't true from the factory? I've had Tikka's and Howa's rebarreled and both have been true from the factory. Not throwing rocks at Remington, just curious. I actually have a Rem 700 action at a gunsmith being built right now.

 

[Deleted member 109523]

I'm hoping the new Remington company fixes this along with some newer features and options, instead of just making a fancier model that shoots the same as the lower grade models. Like the top end BDL's and CDL's wearing match barrels, match chambers, trigger tech triggers, and a decent stock, updated chamber options, and twist rated. Instead of just looking good.
But with the technologies we have now, there's no reason to NOT have a trued action.
4 years ago or so, my first semi custom build was built from a Winchester xpr. YEP, really didn't have it figured out yet.
Had a very reputable smith build it. When talking to him while picking it up, he mentioned that it was surprisingly straight and true before he touched it. I own 2 now. they both shoot under a .5 MOA. I bought them both for for a little over 300 bucks, before they were built.

 

[Jud96]

Some of the RR prefix Remington's aren't that bad as far as how "true" they are. The thing is what makes something true or straight? What's the actual tolerance to say something is true or straight? Some factory actions are better than others. They're all massed produced and when things are made on a large scale it can be easy for things to slip by or less care to be taken during production. I'm not defending poor workmanship or saying anything negative about any manufacture, but ultimately they're just mass produced actions. It's hard to expect perfection when you're not paying the price for a custom action.

 

[morgaj1]

Some of the RR prefix Remington's aren't that bad as far as how "true" they are. The thing is what makes something true or straight? What's the actual tolerance to say something is true or straight? Some factory actions are better than others. They're all massed produced and when things are made on a large scale it can be easy for things to slip by or less care to be taken during production. I'm not defending poor workmanship or saying anything negative about any manufacture, but ultimately they're just mass produced actions. It's hard to expect perfection when you're not paying the price for a custom action.

I agree with you on defining "true." I'm just wondering how it is that Howa and Tikka can hold better tolerances on mass produced actions that cost roughly the same as Remington.

 

[Koda_]

I agree with you on defining "true." I'm just wondering how it is that Howa and Tikka can hold better tolerances on mass produced actions that cost roughly the same as Remington.

My guess is because Remington never put quality above profit as demonstrated by their trigger debacle. They basically got lucky with popularity of the 700 action years ago from military and police use but its hardly mentioned that those were often customized.

 

[adam32+P]

I agree with you on defining "true." I'm just wondering how it is that Howa and Tikka can hold better tolerances on mass produced actions that cost roughly the same as Remington.

Foreign country manufacturing vs. 'Merica.

 

[Jud96]

I agree with you on defining "true." I'm just wondering how it is that Howa and Tikka can hold better tolerances on mass produced actions that cost roughly the same as Remington.

Most likely the quality of machinery and quality of employees. The machines are only as good as the machinists/operators running them. Remington is known for having poor leadership and owners for the past couple decades. If the people running the business can't make good decisions and can't make things work, then I wouldn't trust their decisions on who they hire and how their employees are trained. It could be a whole number of issues. Any manufacturer should be able to make good parts at high rate. The problem is it takes a lot of money and a lot of good employees with good training to do that. Remington went bankrupt for a reason, so I don't think the money was used very well. They definitely have potential but unless everyone is on the same page to make good, high quality, production guns and parts then it won't happen. Obviously Tikka has their ducks in a row and are utilizing great equipment and employees and they are all working towards the same goals.

 

[Jud96]

My guess is because Remington never put quality above profit as demonstrated by their trigger debacle. They basically got lucky with popularity of the 700 action years ago from military and police use but its hardly mentioned that those were often customized.

I have to disagree about their popularity. A lot of the old Remington's are very good rifles. They shoot good, they look good, and they were affordable. The best group I've ever shot was from a Remington 700 Varmint special in .308 Win. Yeah the military and police use helped, but that's not the main reason they're popular. I've personally seen many older Remington's that are bone stock other than maybe some bedding and a tuned trigger that shoot excellent. The newer ones were definitely more hit and miss. The 700 action is an excellent design, especially for the time it came out. It has a few minor draw backs such as the bolt release isn't the most convenient and some people have had issues with the extractors, but overall a good design. The main issues with it are the years of manufacturing and ups and downs within Remington have caused quality control issues. I'm biased and prefer custom actions for many reasons, but the 700 was a great design and still is a viable option if you get a good one or you're on a budget.

 

[WapitiBob]

Garbage equipment, poor fixturing, and nobody that cares enough to make stuff right. My sps barrel was missing rifling; not real hard to have procedures in place to eliminate that getting out the door.

 

[shortgrass]

The new actions, made on CNC machining centers, are straighter than any of the receivers made on 'manual' equipment. I can see all operations made without moving the 'part' from fixture to fixture. There is no excuse for poor quality control. The Remington of "Freedom Group" got themselves far in debt and and let quality slip in the name of profit trying to survive. That was probably the opposite way they should have gone and stressed quality instead of quantity, and sold off some of those other businesses to avoid bankruptcy. Hopefully, the new "Remington Arms" will do a better job. I have only handled a couple of new actions made by the new company but both had positive extraction. The RR series of actions (CNC made) are straighter than they have ever been. Their big flaw is lack of positive extraction , and most owners of those never notice it.

 

[Rosebud]

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I agree with you on defining "true." I'm just wondering how it is that Howa and Tikka can hold better tolerances on mass produced actions that cost roughly the same as Remington.

Agree completely. I've a How's mini action 6.5 Grendel that will shoot with any custom gun I own. That's on a Boyd's laminate plywood stock, AT1.

 

[kgunz11]

It's because of the manufacturing processes employed by Remington to save money. Half of the receiver was machined in the annealed state, then it is heat treated and finish machined. This caused some warpage in the parts. This is why we bed rifles today.

 

[Reelamin]

When investors who give a crud about the product or customer and who only care about profit control a business. Happens all the time and more and more frequently as the world "globalizes".

 

[shortgrass]

It's because of the manufacturing processes employed by Remington to save money. Half of the receiver was machined in the annealed state, then it is heat treated and finish machined. This caused some warpage in the parts. This is why we bed rifles today

Remington actions, right along with the rest of the bolt action 'sporting' actions are made of pre-heat treated steel, whether it be CM or SS. The steel arrives already heat treated by the mill. Heat treated 4140 can be cut with a file, and high speed tooling, too. It's hard on high speed tooling, but in todays world carbide it the tooling of choice. We bed rifles today because neither stocks or actions are 'perfect'.