Faith in Remington????

[Elkwonder]

Ok guys, need a little help here. I have decided to clean out the safe of some junk and get a couple rifles that will be my primary hunting guns. I THINK I have my three calibers figured out.
Keep in mind I will be reloading for all of my guns
First let me say that as I plan to play out to a thousand yards or so, my comfort range on animals will always be around 500 or so. SO with that said, I really only need to worry about my caliber performing well on game out to 500 or so.
My calibers SO FAR are 7-mm-08 as my main hunting gun for here out west on mule deer and the occasional elk.
308 for my play around long distance paper puncher. Then 35 whelen for my elk and bear hunts.
My question is what gun???
I have found some Remington models that I really like, but after reading all the recent stuff about Remington, Im sacred to do so.
I would like to pick up the Remington CDL Stainless fluted in 7mm-08 as my main gun, but all the recent reviews I have read have been pretty bad to say the least.
I also like the Remington 5R mil spec in 308 as my paper puncher. The reviews on this gun seem pretty fair, but still not great.

My other option would be to get these calibers in a Tikka and add a Bell and Carlson stock, but there are things I don't like as well about the tikka. I like the heavier weight of the Remington barrel on the 7-08 as well as it is 24 inches long instead of Tikkas only being 22.
As for the Remington I like the heavier barrel of the 308 over the tikka as well, also the 24 inch length over the tikka 20. ( t3 ctr)

I already have the 35 whelen, so it is a nonissue.

SO whats the general consensus? Should I be scared to take a chance on the Remingtons, or should I just stick with the proven accuracy of the Tikkas? Also is there any other gun I should look at in these callibers? Please keep in mind I want to shoot the 7-mm08 from the bench a lot, so i am not interested in anything with an ultra light pencil barrel on it. Also please keep in mind that i will be reloading. Thanks in advance

 

[WildRose]

I'm not a huge fan of Remington but I wouldn't let the hype about their safety/trigger concern you. If you are afraid of them put an aftermarket trigger in and be done with it.

I would though say your choice of the 7mm-08 is not a caliber I'd choose for your purposes. It's just too light in the britches. Your 308 would be a better choice.

If you want to stay with a 7mm there are much better choices out there from the 280 Rem, 7mm Rem mag, 7mm wsm and on and on. Why go with such an under powered round?

 

[MudRunner2005]

7mm-08 with a 168 Berger VLD should be fine for 500 yards and in. I've had one for over half my life, and it's been a great whitetail rifle. I do agree though, that for mulies a .280 AI or 7mm RemMag would be more along my first choices, as well.

I am a bit confused where someone would have put out bad reviews about the 5R Milspecs... I have 2 of them (24" .308, and 26" .300WM), and I can't find a single thing wrong with either of htem, except that they both came with those horrific X-Mark Pro triggers. I swapped them both out and am much happier. My .308 will shoot 1/4 MOA groups with handloads factory, and I am not aware of how my .300WM shoots, as I have not had time to get out to the range since purchasing it.

If you want to limit yourself to a 3-gun (centerfire) battery, here's what I would pick, if it were me... I would put Jewell triggers in each one of them.

Target/Range/Practice - Remington 700 5R Milspec .308 (24" barrel).
Main hunting rifle for everything from whitetails to moose - Remington 700 Sendero or 700 Long Range 7mm Rem Mag.
Varmints/Coyotes - Remington 700 VLS .22-250

And of course you'll always need to have a 12ga, and a .22 LR for squirrels and stuff.

 

[Wedgy]

I'm not really a Remington fan either as I has 2 repair issues on guns less that a year old and they wouldn't cover the cost and my last three were subject to the trigger recall. Sometimes a factory gun will shoot well and sometimes not. I think most would agree that the major upgrade on a gun is the barrel, and on a Savage you can do that yourself very easily in 15 minutes. I just got a barrel from X-caliber in 243 Win, 7 twist, fluted, threaded muzzle, #4 Douglas contour 0.650" at the muzzle for $300 shipped. So for $300 more I have a custom gun that I know is going to shoot. Changing the bolt face is something else you can do on a Savage. So with my 30-06 which is now going to be a 243, I could easily change it to 308 or 22-250. I'm also building a 458 SOCOM for pig hunting from a 308 and got that barrel from $150.....just because I can. If I don't like it I can change it back or try something else. Get a model with the detachable box mag so you have more options in change outs and stocks.
I was impressed with my buddies Tikka lite 308 but the borescope showed the barrel to have a lot of tooling marks and sure enough it takes forever to clean, it shoots ok but not outstanding.
Other than the barrel changing I think it's a Ford vs Chevy but I have had great out of the box accuracy from all my Savages.

 

[Elkwonder]

Soory, I should clarify something here. Im not concerned with the recall stuff, Im concerned with their accuracy. Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I wouldn't buy a Remington if it was the only brand left...and that has NOTHING to do with the trigger or safety.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I wouldn't buy a Remington if it was the only brand left...and that has NOTHING to do with the trigger or safety.

That's how I feel about Salvages... I'll take my 700's any day of the week.

My factory 700's are still factory and untouched for a reason...They still shoot sub-1/5 MOA groups with handloads.

My semi-custom 700's will shoot 1/4 MOA or better with handloads...With free-floated factory hand-lapped Remington barrels, bedded actions, and old-style Rem/Walker triggers (wide-shoe).

I guess some people just know how to make guns shoot, and some don't want to bother with learning, or don't care to, because they have the money to drop on a full-custom rifle on a Borden action, McGowan barrel, McMillan stock, etc...And top it off with a $4,000 Schmidt & Bender. But most of us can't even afford just that scope, or just that rifle... So we make do with what he have available to us.

Yes, some Remington barrels won't shoot no matter what...But guess what, so does EVERY manufacturer who produces their own barrels. Even custom barrel makers have a lemon leave their factory every now and then. Nothing man-made is perfect.

I have faith in my Remingtons, because I've seen what I can make them do, and what my smith can make them do... And when the factory barrels are toast on them, they'll be getting Bartlein 5R barrels back on them. But for now, a factory barrel that is shooting 1/5 MOA or better, is just fine for me.

 

[Jluck]

I think your on the right track for a all around rifle in 7mm-08, Yes there less trendy in the "I always hit them in the temple at 1800 yards" crowd but it is a sweet all around cartridge. That's where the agreement stops with me though.

Why bother having a 7mm-08 and then taking a step backwards to a 308 for LR target shooting? Such little difference in case and a BC loss with the 308 and most factory twist barrels will not handle the longer 308 bullets. I don't see the need for both. Get one of better quality.

In your options and a factory rifle was desired, I think I'd go with the Tikka actually. The CTR is a great rifle and value, Remember barrel length DOES NOT equal accuracy, a shorter stiffer barrel is usually better especially in the smaller cased rifles. I would also look in to a Steyr ProHunter 7mm-08, The best factory rifle out there for the money I honestly believe and they come with a fast barrel out of the box and are known to shoot lights out.

Maybe consider two better rifles (custom 7mm-08 maybe) rather than three OK guns.

If you want a second dedicated long range thumper maybe a 300 or 338 RUM is worth a look for the second.

 

[scf]

In 2012 I bought a Rem 700 in 7RUM. Could not get it to shoot but wrote that off to the wimpy barrel and over bore caliber. Then bought a 700XCR tactical with B&C stock and heavy barrel in 300 Win mag. It wouldn't shoot either so I sent it back to Remington. They recrowned the barrel and sent it back with a test target. The four shot group from the Remington shop with 180 gr bullets at 100 yards measured 1.8". Not quite what I was hoping for and thus the end of my dealings with Remington factory rifles. They do not seem to be the old Remington which I had faith in. I have several factory Savage rifles and they all shoot well. I would only buy a Remington for the action. I would have it trued, rebarreled with Bartlein, Brux or Kreiger and a Jewell trigger installed.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I never said they weren't accurate, most are...

My gripe is their quality control...5 rifles in 5 years that had to go back for service that wasn't performed to my satisfaction...and some of these were expensive models...they were all MY rifles, not hearsay or buddies rifles...mine.

Improper headspacing (2), bolt handle coming off in my hand, barrel that fouled so badly it wasn't even good for 20 rounds, a model 7 that just plain wouldn't shoot no matter what....for many years I was a hard core Remington man, nothing else would do, at one time I owned more 700's than a large gun shop would keep in stock...but those 5 rifles done me in....I sold them all.

For me it isn't about snobbery or what I can afford...its about what I will accept...while that may sometimes sound like snobbery, believe me when I say it only sounds that way...I'm just a poor boy myself (truck driver)...and I don't believe in throwing good money after bad, I cannot afford it.

My point is...its easy to get enough money tied up in some "so-so" rifles to pay for something far better.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'll never send a rifle back to Remington (or any manufacturer) for repairs... I trust my gunsmith who lives 15 minutes away, who can do WAY better work, than what they'll even attempt to do in-house for a very reasonable price. Bum headspacing...Thanks Remington, give me a legit excuse to snatch it apart, blueprint it, re-work the barrel, and reset the headspace within spec.

I will agree with you completely on that. Even if they offer a trigger recall, I'll just swap it out with a Jewell or Timney before wasting my time and effort to send it back to them. I can swap and tune it here at home and save myself about 6 months of waiting.

I agree. It can get expensive. Out of all my 700's, I've never had any bolt handle issues. I've only had 1 that wouldn't shoot no matter what, and that barrel got snatched. I am lucky my smith charges me extremely reasonable prices for working one over. And because of that, he is a wiz with 700's. He knows how to make even some of the bad ones shoot acceptably for your average hunter. I'm ALOT pickier than your average Alabama whitetail hunter, so he spends a bit more time ironing out the kinks in my rifles I bring him. So far, every single one of them that I brought him that used a factory barrel is shooting lights-out with handloads.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I personally would never own a remington. From what ive seen from them lately I have absolutly no interest. Id own a savage or browning any day of the week over a remmy. The only thing I'd want is a 700 action for a build but their off the shelf rifles no thanks. My grandfather bought a 700 cdl sf in a 6mm Remington about 2 years ago and your lucky to see 1 1/2 in groups. However, he also has a Remington 700 bdl varmint special in a 6mm rem that he has had for 15 years and thats a sweetheart of a rifle and it shoots very well. Not hating on remington or remington owners I just feel they aren't the rifle they used to be.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I prefer to have things done right the first time...

Sad thing is thats getting very hard to find no matter what flavor you prefer...even some of the semi-customs are pretty iffy these days.

I'll take my chances sending my hard earned green stamps towards a company I believe will build it right the first time...who will also make it right if they don't.

Thats a short list...and it begins with semi-custom.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I'll tell you this, I'm not strictly 700... I will take an A-Bolt II rifle/action any day of the week, as well.