Is Remington quality too big of a risk now days?

[MudRunner2005]

Emphasis mine. Unfortunately few of them do as a percentage.

Sadly Remington has about 2 or 3 issues consistently bringing their quality down and there's just no justification for it. The 700 action has been on the market now since what the late 60's? It's more than time the bugs were worked out.

1962, and yes, as one of the biggest 700 fans out there, I agree they need to get with the times and step-up their machining tolerances. It's 2016, not 1916...We have fully-automated CNC's, they should be able to produce fully-machined and trued actions with quality barrels for what these factory rifles cost these days.

 

[Dosh]

I've not seen any major rifle manufacturer produce a consistent problem-free product. I find it difficult to single out any as great out of the box and if you consider all the various models offered, it's difficult to decide. From the recent budget models to the top line there's a huge disparity in quality. I have a first year 700 that still shoots very well with its Timney and my friend's new Sendero shoots outstanding with its new Timney. As some say it's a crap shoot getting great accuracy out of the box. Mudrunner, I think I had your Mark V's twin once and lost my a** also.

 

[HARPERC]

........I almost feel like I'm stuck having to forgive a spouse who's cheated on me twice to get back into bed with Remington........

I like that!

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

I own at least 10 model700's, a few model 7's and an xp-100...never again !! Not about quality just their corporate greed treatment of reloaders with their availability of brass...you want to bone us, we'll bone you right back !!

 

[J E Custom]

I don't believe the OP asked anything about a Savage...So, how about we stick to the topic at-hand...

It is overblown...Not necessary WAY overblown...But it's still overblown in my opinion. People these days are so used to instant-gratification, they don't even realize that FACTORY rifles are not a guarantee. I had a $2,000 Weatherby that had a bad tube on it from the factory... Lost my ***** on that deal... So, just remember, it could always be a lot worse than risking the money on a new 700.

Now, if you want it simply for the collectability and intrinsic value of the rifles themselves because they are limited editions, then go for it, and don't worry too much about shootability, keep them in the safe, and only shoot them on occasion, if at all. And they are really nice rifles, and some folks collect just to have, and not to use. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm certainly not rich enough to have a collection like that... All of mine are hunters and shooters and have scratches and "battle scars" on them.

BUT if you are wanting those cartridges just to have those cartridges, and to shoot and hunt with them, then I suggest you go buy 3 used 700 actions and have Bartlein barrels put on them by a professional smith, and then enjoy the rifles. You'll probably spend about the same amount of money, and you'll definitely have accurate shooters.

Very well said !!!!!!

Every factory rifle has the potential to be good or bad ! All manufactures have quality control problems at one time or another (No exceptions)

I recommend a two pronged approach to buying a factory rifle.

Buy one that has a good stock (No Tupperware Please) and a medium weight barrel (Magnum to Sendero contour) and the availability of lots of aftermarket parts, and go shoot it.

If it shoots well you have a winner. If it doesn't, then a re barrel is a good option (You already have everything you need to start with). Then later if you want to bed or add a aftermarket trigger to improve accuracy you can.

Like it or not, there are some action designs that respond to accurizing better than others, and can be made to shoot extremely well. also ask a/your smith which action he likes to work on in the event that yours doesn't shoot. And just remember that any rifle can be a poor performer, Even the custom unless the shooter has good skills and feeds it good ammo.

Don't buy the cheapest model of any rifle because they will have all of the cheapest parts and the chances are good that they will not shoot very well are high. The mid range will normally have the better parts and chances are better of getting a good one. Top of the line factory rifles normally have the same barrels as the mid range rifles but you will pay for looks and a few extra features
that will have little or no effect on accuracy.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[FEENIX]

The ironic thing is that Remington's cheapest model has some of the best reputation for accuracy. And yes I'm talking about the Rem 783. And yes the rifle is a rebadged Marlin XL7. And yes, it's a copy of a Savage anyways.

They are not a nice rifle. But Remington makes them here in a US, and they are accurate. So as a company, they can still make accurate rifles.

One of the best, honest, and straight to the point assessment I've seen in a long time.

 

[Pdvdh]

The only two Rem 700s I own have been completely worked over by gunsmiths, actions blueprinted, custom barrels, Sako extractors to replace the weak and failure prone 700 extractors, aftermarket triggers, aftermarket stocks. Why? Because Remington factory quality is suspect. The only reason I own these two 700s is because I purchased them used at an attractive used cost, after the customization work had already been completed. I've never owned an unadulterated 700 straight from the factory.

Therefore, my comments on 700s is largely based on my local gunsmith's experience with, and opinion of, them. He stocks and sells very few new 700s in his shop. He's owned and operated the predominant gunshop within 150 road miles of his location, and been repairing 700s, for 30+ years. He doesn't hold 700s in high regard, and prefers to sell other brands of factory rifles. I'll find some used Rem 700s in his shop every now and then, which he'll acquire at a bargain price and place on the racks for re-sale. A few months ago I was in his shop when a customer came in looking for a 700. Customer proceeded to describe his lifelong romance with 700s and how he already owned more than a dozen of them. I was a bit surprised when the shop owner responded by telling the customer he didn't care for 700s and didn't stock them. Customer asked for some further explanation. Gunsmith said he replaces approximately 20 broken extractors on factory 700s every year - on average - year after year. With factory Rugers and Winchesters, he receives a rifle with a problematic extractor maybe once in 5 years. Customer walked out of the shop looking a bit deflated...

This gunsmith happens to be my brother. So I have a good background and ability to judge the basis of his opinions on 700s.

 

[Elkwonder]

The only two Rem 700s I own have been completely worked over by gunsmiths, actions blueprinted, custom barrels, Sako extractors to replace the weak and failure prone 700 extractors, aftermarket triggers, aftermarket stocks. Why? Because Remington factory quality is suspect. The only reason I own these two 700s is because I purchased them used at an attractive used cost, after the customization work had already been completed. I've never owned an unadulterated 700 straight from the factory.

Therefore, my comments on 700s is largely based on my local gunsmith's experience with, and opinion of, them. He stocks and sells very few new 700s in his shop. He's owned and operated the predominant gunshop within 150 road miles of his location, and been repairing 700s, for 30+ years. He doesn't hold 700s in high regard, and prefers to sell other brands of factory rifles. I'll find some used Rem 700s in his shop every now and then, which he'll acquire at a bargain price and place on the racks for re-sale. A few months ago I was in his shop when a customer came in looking for a 700. Customer proceeded to describe his lifelong romance with 700s and how he already owned more than a dozen of them. I was a bit surprised when the shop owner responded by telling the customer he didn't care for 700s and didn't stock them. Customer asked for some further explanation. Gunsmith said he replaces approximately 20 broken extractors on factory 700s every year - on average - year after year. With factory Rugers and Winchesters, he receives a rifle with a problematic extractor maybe once in 5 years. Customer walked out of the shop looking a bit deflated...

This gunsmith happens to be my brother. So I have a good background and ability to judge the basis of his opinions on 700s.

What stock guns does he now have for sale at his store? What brands does he like as a factory option? Thanks

 

[Waynzee]

I'm not a fan of the NEW Remingtons any model. Had some real issues with customer service.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Remington die hard here...so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but my three Remington's are all 1 MOA or less rifles and have all been built after 2003. My only complaint are the triggers which are set at 7lbs from the factory. I just replace mine with timneys anyway. In my experience The majority of the complaints are from people who have a friend who knows a guy who's distant cousin had an incident with their trigger recall.

Take it for what it is, a nice, clean, accurate (for the majority of us or else we wouldn't be having this convo) rifle with a solid history of performance. its not your stiller or difiance but it's good enough and if you build it, it's even better. So stop comparing them to $5,000 rifles and saying the quality sucks. Thats like comparing a corvette to Ferrari then saying Chevys quality control sucks. This is not directed at anyone in this thread, it's just from what I've seen from my friends and tons of threads on multiple forums.

And personally I haven't seen many factory rifles that have impressed me as much as remingtons. I've seen accutriggers get stuck inside the trigger blade, winchester model 70s that grouped 5 inches at 100 yards, and rugers that had a wandering zero.

 

[Pdvdh]

What stock guns does he now have for sale at his store? What brands does he like as a factory option? Thanks

In centerfire rifles, I see Winchesters, Rugers, Tikka T3s, CZs, and a few Savages on display. I'll ask him and add to this response if I've missed any brands that he stocks in any significant quantity as new factory rifles.

He doesn't compare 700s to custom rifles, because his customer base is predominantly hunters and shooters that purchase a factory rifle and use them as is - straight from the factory. And customers that return all variety of firearms for repairs. His comments are relative to other factory rifles in a similar retail market price range. His comments would include little consideration of value and benefit of a factory rifle for after-purchase customization. Although he'll re-barrel lots of rifle actions as part of his business.

If you're planning to buy and customize, improve, and modify a mainstream factory production rifle after purchase, many gunsmith's on this Forum express their preference for 700 actions for the abundance of after-market improvements available for the 700 action, and because they find that action more convenient and simpler to accurize, compared to some of the other common factory actions.

 

[AKCody]

I have a Remington 700 in .308 and for what it is it is good, the triggers could be better for sure but that is just my opinion. The action hasn't failed to extract a round thus far and on one day I put it through the ringer shooting as fast as I could reload just to see how it would do and it held its own. I think the Bergara B14 and Tika T3 are what the 700 should have been, very very happy with my B14 and my Ruger American. I personally have no problems or issues with R700s, I think they are good rifles for the price point. You just have compare apples to apples, you cant compare a 700 to a Gunwerks or GAP rifles.

 

[engineer40]

Maybe we hear more complaints about Remington's because they sell more rifles than anyone else? We all know that it's the bad news that travels. I'm curious if their actual percentage of problems compared to the quantity they produce is higher than other manufacturers?

Just food for thought.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

You just have compare apples to apples, you cant compare a 700 to a Gunwerks or GAP rifles.

Unless your GAP Rifle is based on a Remington 700, then it could compete with all the rest!