Blackpowder72
Well-Known Member
Any good or bad on these Remington 700 ML ? I see most of the ones I have looked at have percussion cap ignition . Do they make a update so you can use a 209 primmer ?
Remington 700 ML
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ENCORE
Well-Known Member
Review of Hunter Remington 700 ML 209 Primer Conversion Kit, by Badger Ridge - Badger Ridge Industires
Remington 700ML 209 Conversion Kit
Might want to check over on Doug's for others who do the conversion.
One thing to really check before you purchase a used one is to take the bolt apart and check to see if it is all rusted up. With the design of the bolt and using percussion caps it lets gasses blow back into the bolt body and it will rust it up quickly and cause it to misfire or just freeze up. A lot of people use these to rebuild into smokeless muzzle loaders. I have a friend that has two of these built into smokeless and man are they shooters. He kills deer regularly in the 300 to 500 yard range.
my82cam
Well-Known Member
I have one in SS as a back up rifle, it is a great rifle for the money. I converted mine to 209 and it shots quite well.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Encore, do you think this is the best Kit available for the 700ML ? I have one that my Wife uses and although she rarly needs to shoot very far from her favored stands, it may happen and I would rather she could use Blackhorn 209 as I do in my Encore.
Thanks
ENCORE
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if its the "best", but I know some use it and haven't had any issues. I'm just not that familiar with the 700ml, although I have one in the safe I purchased for a possible conversion to .45cal.
Have you considered her having a T/C Pro Hunter FX? Problems solved and she'd have a similar rifle..................
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Well, that's a thought but this particular Remington is the most accurate ML I have ever fired with the 290/300 grain bullets I prefer. So, looking at the cost weighing against the rem which is paid for, I would have to know the TC was giving us performance we would not have with the 700. I have not been thrilled with my Encore.
Thanks
ENCORE
Well-Known Member
What's wrong with your Encore? I shot the platform for years, actually since it came out and always had outstanding accuracy with them. Now I must admit I made a few cheap modifications to each of them, but those mods made all the difference in the world, like having a different rifle. Costs are around $40 if you do them yourself.
Not sure who or what may be the "best" at the 700ml mod. IF..... I were to convert mine and not do a complete upgrade with a new barrel, I'd probably have them do my rifle. Good luck with your decision.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
What's wrong with my Encore, it's not very accurate. In fact, when I first bought it I sent it back to TC. They informed me that there was a burr where the QLA met the rifling and they smoothed that out. They said it would shoot a group after that of 1.5" with a 250 Shockwave and 2 Pellets and when I got it back it would do that, but no better and not as well with any load and hated 300 grain bullets. I told a guy that and it was OK with him and I sold that barrel. I bought a Bergara 28" and it is better but still does not like heavies. I am going to try the oversize B. pin and I heard sanding the ears on the forearm down where they don't contact the receiver will help. This is a sample of 1 and I don't view this as a slam to TC, just my experience with this one. I do have a Contender Super 14 in 30/30AI and a 223 14" tube and they are stupid accurate.
ENCORE
Well-Known Member
Don't want to hi-jack your Rem700ml thread, but since you asked.
I've owned Encores and Pro Hunters since they came out in, I believe "97". Each one of them have been extremely accurate rifles. I sold my last just after going custom and the person who bought it, shot a really nice 3/4" group at 100yds before handing me the cash. There were a couple bullets left and I told him the rifle would shoot better than 3/4" at 100yds, then asked if he minded me shooting HIS new rifle. It shot 3/8" on a new target, which he took.
I've never found that any of my Encore platform rifles were to fussy. In both the Encore and Pro Hunters, my loads were ALWAYS 110grs BH209 and a Barnes 250gr TMZ bullet. I shot CCI209M primers, cleaning the flash channel after around every 10 shots. Never swabbed the barrel.
What I did know with each and every rifle, they shot and grouped better AFTER being fouled with 2 shots. When BH209 hit the market, that really served my purpose well.
I've had a number of shooters with Encores and Pro Hunters shoot with me on my range. Many that "thought" they had a rifle with a problem, really turned out to be the shooter themselves. NOT saying this is your case. I even had the U.S. Coast Guard Commander - Lake Huron Group here shooting his Encore, which according to him, wouldn't shoot worth a darn. Before he left that day, he was shooting 1" or less groups consistently. I actually heard from him, that he took 2 nice bucks with it that fall....
Now I've always "tricked out" the frames. I was never satisfied with the trigger pull and a few other things that make them shoot better. Your best possible information you can find is here: Home of TC Performance
Take a stock Encore platform rifle and make about $40 worth of changes and a little time, you can make it feel and shoot like a completely different rifle. I do not care for the adjustable hinge pins some sell. I prefer a ridged pin.....
Things I do to Encore platform rifles:
Replace the factory hammer spring (30#) with a Bellm 51# spring
Replace the factory firing pin spring with a Bellm HD spring
Replace the factory locking bolt spring with a Bellm HD spring
Replace the factory heavy trigger spring with a Bellm trigger spring (I like 2#)
Hone and polish the sear smooth to eliminate any felt creep
IF you're good with small parts, this can all be done yourself. Mike now has an FFL and is doing trigger jobs himself..... an option.
If you're shooting loose propellant, especially BH209, seat your bullet tight on the propellant. I do it using two hands with a hard "thump". Actual force measurements indicate my seating force on BH209 is 106#.
Good quality scope, tight rings and mounts makes them awesome rifles for me.
I've owned Encores and Pro Hunters since they came out in, I believe "97". Each one of them have been extremely accurate rifles. I sold my last just after going custom and the person who bought it, shot a really nice 3/4" group at 100yds before handing me the cash. There were a couple bullets left and I told him the rifle would shoot better than 3/4" at 100yds, then asked if he minded me shooting HIS new rifle. It shot 3/8" on a new target, which he took.
I've never found that any of my Encore platform rifles were to fussy. In both the Encore and Pro Hunters, my loads were ALWAYS 110grs BH209 and a Barnes 250gr TMZ bullet. I shot CCI209M primers, cleaning the flash channel after around every 10 shots. Never swabbed the barrel.
What I did know with each and every rifle, they shot and grouped better AFTER being fouled with 2 shots. When BH209 hit the market, that really served my purpose well.
I've had a number of shooters with Encores and Pro Hunters shoot with me on my range. Many that "thought" they had a rifle with a problem, really turned out to be the shooter themselves. NOT saying this is your case. I even had the U.S. Coast Guard Commander - Lake Huron Group here shooting his Encore, which according to him, wouldn't shoot worth a darn. Before he left that day, he was shooting 1" or less groups consistently. I actually heard from him, that he took 2 nice bucks with it that fall....
Now I've always "tricked out" the frames. I was never satisfied with the trigger pull and a few other things that make them shoot better. Your best possible information you can find is here: Home of TC Performance
Take a stock Encore platform rifle and make about $40 worth of changes and a little time, you can make it feel and shoot like a completely different rifle. I do not care for the adjustable hinge pins some sell. I prefer a ridged pin.....
Things I do to Encore platform rifles:
Replace the factory hammer spring (30#) with a Bellm 51# spring
Replace the factory firing pin spring with a Bellm HD spring
Replace the factory locking bolt spring with a Bellm HD spring
Replace the factory heavy trigger spring with a Bellm trigger spring (I like 2#)
Hone and polish the sear smooth to eliminate any felt creep
IF you're good with small parts, this can all be done yourself. Mike now has an FFL and is doing trigger jobs himself..... an option.
If you're shooting loose propellant, especially BH209, seat your bullet tight on the propellant. I do it using two hands with a hard "thump". Actual force measurements indicate my seating force on BH209 is 106#.
Good quality scope, tight rings and mounts makes them awesome rifles for me.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Not the shooter, I can park the Encore and shoot sub MOA with the Rem right away or my son's Optima and shoot my centerfires just fine. And it changes immediately if I want to shoot 300 grain bullets, unacceptable. Like I said, I have no issue with TC and for anyone who shoots Contender handguns realize that a Super 14 is harder to shoot/hold well than a good rifle & my 223 tube will deliver 1/2 moa with 40 gr. BT. Just one of those things.
Nomo,
I sent my Encore barrel to David White and had the QLA cut off and recrowned. It could use an oversize hinge pin yet. It shot much better but I only used it a couple years and went back to my 700ml. Just cant beat the accuracy from them right out of the box. I ended up picking up a second 700ml, customized it to a .40cal and upgraded to the hunters bolt nose kit for 209 primers as well. You can shoot a 195gr Barnes sabotless over some BH209 with great accuracy. The options with the 700ml's are almost endless. They are a greal ml and getting harder to get. I'd get it if you know its a shooter.
I sent my Encore barrel to David White and had the QLA cut off and recrowned. It could use an oversize hinge pin yet. It shot much better but I only used it a couple years and went back to my 700ml. Just cant beat the accuracy from them right out of the box. I ended up picking up a second 700ml, customized it to a .40cal and upgraded to the hunters bolt nose kit for 209 primers as well. You can shoot a 195gr Barnes sabotless over some BH209 with great accuracy. The options with the 700ml's are almost endless. They are a greal ml and getting harder to get. I'd get it if you know its a shooter.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
Thanks for your input, you are not the first I have heard about that had the QLA removed. If you go back and look, my Wife has used the 700Ml for awhile, likely has taken 15 or so Whitetails with it.
ENCORE
Well-Known Member
I have a MINT, almost NIB Rem700ml .54cal in my safe. I lucked out and got it with 2 stocks very reasonable. The intent is to change the barrel to either a Brux or Douglas .45cal for shooting BH, which I can't shoot from my BP Xpress.
