I have gotten two of them. They were definitely "$300" guns.Where is that pawn shop that has Rem 700s for $300?
How many years ago was that, Lance? Here in Oklahoma, $300 won't come near buying a Rem 700 from a pawn shop, or anywhere else! $450 is about the bottom for a rusty 'wreck' , today! $300 wouldn't have paid for a rusty & broken 'wreck' 6-7yrs ago.I have gotten two of them. They were definitely "$300" guns.
An 18" R700 BDL, gloss wood stock, blued barrel, looked like it fell out of the truck on the way home from a hunt. But the action was fine. Which is all I used.
A 22" .260 BDL that was surface rusted, and barrel was pitted. Plastic stock scratched to hell, blued finish. Again, just kept the action.
But after spending money on them to get them even kind of close to the features I wanted, it makes no sense.
Square bolt face, true action and lugs, recut threads, extractor, flute the bolt, replace firin pin and springs, swap the bolt shroud, cut a side bolt release, tac knob, Nitride, and you have now spent more than about half the custom actions out there.
I won't do it again.
If you don't do all the "extras", you can be into an R700 for $500-600 with just truing/squaring one up.
Things have changed drastically, price wise, in the past 3 years! 3 years ago, no one was worried about Brandon and more gun control, and Covid wasn't even on the radar, and Remington was still pumping out rifles and actions, complete rifles that could be bought for $329 if you'd catch a sale. Sorry, your information and recommendation to "check the pawn shops" for $300 Remington 700s is completely out of date! You can't fill up your pick-up for what fuel cost 3yrs ago, nor can you check-out at the grocery for what you paid 3yrs ago, reloading components have sharply increased in price. You can not buy much of anything for what you'd have paid 3yrs ago! With steel prices on the steady increase and operating cost on the steady rise look for the prices of those customs to increase, right along with custom barrel blanks. I recently (last Friday) called for quotes on structural steel (wholesale pricing). Looking back at only a year, wholesale prices are up 35%-55% overall for the same steel. Just think for a minute what 416R and 4140 have or will increase.My last one was about 3 years ago.
I have actually had 3. One was just a donor for my brother 3 years ago. $300. Which he still hasn't done anything with. An ADL, plastic stocked, 22" matte coated rifle. Ugly and beat.
My two were about 8 and 10+ years ago.
The LA has been: .30-06, .25-06AI, .280AI
The SA has been: .260 Rem, .250AI, 6.5SLR, 6.5SLR. Definitely my most shot action I have ever owned. Over 5k out of that action. Smooth like butter.
With today's prices, makes even more sense to go custom. $450 is halfway to a Kelbly Atlas, Defiance Tenacity, Defiance AnTi, or Bighorn Origin. With the work you SHOULD put into an R700, you are already passing these custom prices.
Cabela's/Bass Pro still sells Rem 700 ADL models for $499. I've bought a couple in the past and used the actions for custom builds...Where is best place to buy Rem 700 actions? I have heard PTG can be hit or miss.
this....got a .308 rem700 ADL for $320 after a $100 mail in rebate from remington. then i sold the factory barrel on here for $75 i think. i havent seen rebates or sales on them since then though. i used it to build a budget 16" .308 for whitetails with a remage style barrel.Cabela's/Bass Pro still sells Rem 700 ADL models for $499. I've bought a couple in the past and used the actions for custom builds...
Remington Model 700 ADL Varmint Bolt-Action Rifle