Remington Model 700

The Remington Model 700 is a series of bolt-action rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962.^[1][2] All are based on the same centerfire bolt action.^[3] They often come with a 3-, 4- or 5-round internal magazine depending on caliber, some of which have a floor-plate for quick-unloading, and some of which are "blind" (with no floor-plate). The rifle can also be ordered with a detachable box magazine. The Model 700 is available in many different stock, barrel and caliber configurations. It is a development of the Remington 721 and 722 series of rifles, which were introduced in 1948.^[4][5]

Design details

The Remington 700 action is designed for mass production.^[6] It is a manually operated bolt action with 2 forward dual-opposed lugs. The bolt face is recessed, fully enclosing the base of the cartridge, The extractor is a C-clip sitting within the bolt face. The ejector is a plunger on the bolt face actuated by a coil spring. The bolt is of 3-piece construction, brazed together (head, body and bolt handle). The receiver is milled from round cross-section steel.^[4]

Models

The Remington 700 comes in a large number of variants, with different stocks, barrel configurations, metal finishes and calibers.

In addition there are three lengths of action (not including the Model Seven's lightweight action, which is even shorter than the 'standard' short action). There is the short action for cartridges up to 2.800 in (71.12 mm) in overall length like the .308 Winchester cartridge family, the standard action for cartridges up to 3.340 in (84.84 mm) in overall length like the .30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge families and the long action for magnum calibers exceeding 3.340 in (84.84 mm) in overall length like the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum and .375 Holland & Holland cartridge families.^[7] The symmetrical two-lug bolt body has a .695 in (17.65 mm) diameter.

To these can be added various magazine configurations; a blind magazine which has no floorplate, a conventional magazine with detachable floorplate and a detachable box magazine. There are standard consumer versions as well as versions designed for military and police use. Some variants come with bipods, slings and other accessories.

Model 700 – public version

There are several variants of the consumer version of the Model 700, including:

• Model 700
• Model 700 SPS
• Model 700 ADL
• Model 700 BDL
• Model 700 CDL
• Model 700 VTR
• Model 700 Safari.
• Model 700 5-R "Mil-Spec"
• Model 700 Tactical Chassis
• Model 700 Long Range
• Model 700 AICS
• Model 700 AAC-SD

Remington also produces the Mountain LSS model with a stainless steel barrel and laminated stock. Heavy barrel versions with laminated stocks like the Model 700 SPS varmint are available for varmint hunting. The Model 700 ADL was replaced as the most economical Model 700 by the Model 700 SPS (Special Purpose Synthetic) in newer production.^[8] The 700CDL is usually higher priced than the 700BDL, but has a longer barrel in comparison.

In 2002, catering to long range varmint and target shooters, Remington introduced the 5-R "Mil-Spec" as a small-quantity production run stainless steel rifle, matched to a non-adjustable H-S Precision stock with an aluminum bedding block with two forward sling swivel studs. The "Mil-Spec" refers solely to the 5-R rifling profile designed by Boots Obermeyer and used in the single broach-cut barrels he produces for use in the M24, M40, and other sniper rifle systems. The contour of the hammer-forged production Remington barrel is much thinner than that used in the M24 and M40 rifle systems.

Remington produced a 700 ML muzzleloading rifle from 1996 onwards. The EtronX electronic primer ignition system was implemented in the Model 700 EtronX introduced in 2000.^[5]

Model 700P – Police version

Remington Model 700P.

There are two main models of the 700P – the standard 700P with a 26" heavy barrel and the 700P Light Tactical Rifle (LTR) which has a 20" fluted heavy barrel. Both rifles also come (optionally) in a Tactical Weapons System (TWS) package, complete with telescopic sights, a bipod, and carrying case.

Remington markets the 700 to military forces and civilian law-enforcement agencies under the Remington Law Enforcement and Remington Military banner, with the military/law enforcement 700s being called the Model 700P ("Police").

The 700P series appears to have been influenced by the designs, features, and success of the M24 Sniper Weapon System and the M40 series, with one feature of the Model 700P series being the heavier and thicker barrel for increased accuracy and reduced recoil. The rifle was chambered for the .308 Winchester cartridge as well as the .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, 7 mm Remington Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, and .338 Lapua Magnum. The 700P has a 26" barrel, an aluminium block bedding in its stock, which is made by HS Precision.

The police version (700P) is also marketed to private citizens and is very popular with shooters and hunters who like the "government issue" appearance as well as the handling and accuracy. Remington also sells the standard, U.S. Army-issue Leupold Mark IV M3 10x40 mm telescopic sight used by the Army's M24 as an optional feature. Remington offers similarly styled, less expensive versions under the Special Purpose Synthetic (or SPS) name. They are similar in most respects to the 700P but lack the H-S Precision stock. The SPS Varmint has the 26" heavy barrel and the SPS Tactical has the 20" heavy barrel.

Model 700 – Military version

IDF M24 SWS (right view)

Both the U.S. Army's M24 Sniper Weapon System and U.S. Marine Corps' M40 sniper rifles are built from the Remington Model 700 rifle, in different degrees of modification, the main difference being the custom fitted heavy contour barrel. The M24 and the M40 use the long action bolt-face. The reason for this is that the M24 was originally intended to chamber the longer .300 Winchester Magnum round. The M40 however was not intended to be chambered in the more powerful .300 Winchester Magnum round, yet the Marine Corps intention was to migrate to the .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge. The Marine Corps delay has led to a change in migratory direction, the current goal is for the M40 to become a rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.^[9][10]

The U.S. Army M2010 rifle (right view)

The United States Army’s Joint Munitions and Lethality Contracting Center has awarded Remington a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract (W15QKN-10-R-0403) for the upgrade of up to 3,600 M24 Sniper Weapon Systems (SWS) currently fielded to the Army pending type classification as the “M24E1”. The major configuration change for this system is the caliber conversion from 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester) to .300 Winchester Magnum to provide soldiers with additional precision engagement capability and range. The contract is for a five (5) year period and has guaranteed minimum value of $192K with a potential value of up to $28.2 million.^[11] This award follows a full and open competitive evaluation lasting 9 months, which began with the release of the Army’s Request for Proposal (RFP) on 13 January 2010. The program will be executed under the authority of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, and managed by its subordinate unit, Product Manager Individual Weapons. In 2009 the U.S. Army has changed the weapon name from M24E1 to the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle.^[12]

Cartridges

Remington maintains an up-to-date list of its "Centerfire Rifles by Caliber",^[13] which includes current production and discontinued models. The following table (of unknown source or date) is said to provide a comprehensive overview of the available cartridges and barrel lengths in Model 700 firearms.

Users

•  Australia: New South Wales Police Force State Protection Group^[14]
•  Canada: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).^[15]
•  Indonesia: Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) tactical diver group and Komando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) special forces group.^[16] Also, the Remington 700 based Pindad SPR-1 is the standard issue sniper rifle for the Indonesian military.
•  Malaysia: Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK).^[17]
•  Philippines: Philippine Marine Corps (PMC).^[18]
•  United States: U.S. Border Patrol,^[19] United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Army.^[20]
•  Pakistan

Misfiring controversy

On 20 October 2010, CNBC televised a program, Remington Under Fire: a CNBC Investigation, reporting that the trigger mechanism used prior to 2007 on the model 700 could fire without the trigger being squeezed. The report stated that Remington has received thousands of customer complaints since the firing mechanism was introduced in the 1940s, and that nearly two dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries had been attributed to inadvertent discharges of 700 series rifles. Through internal Remington documents, the program showed that on multiple occasions, the company considered recalling the product.

The inventor of the firing mechanism, Merle "Mike" Walker, 98 years old at the time of the documentary, told CNBC he proposed what he called a safer trigger in 1948 while the product was still in the testing stage. Walker said his enhanced design was rejected because of the added cost, 5 1/2 cents per gun (adjusted for inflation: $0.54).^[21] Critics of the documentary countered that every incident featured on the program involving loss of life was the result of firearms mishandling where owners pointed their rifles at other human beings.^[22] Remington responded with the Remington Model 700 Network which gave direct rebuttals to the program, and their perspective on the incidents the program makes claims about.^[23] Remington dismisses the allegations, pointing out that in every case either trigger mechanisms of the rifles were adjusted or altered beyond recommended specifications,^[24] rifles were poorly maintained and left to rust, or the misuser of the rifle admitted to police they might "possibly" have pulled the trigger.^[23]

Though Remington has since changed to a new, cheaper, trigger mechanism design, the original Walker trigger continues in production to meet the needs of the US military and buyers of custom rifles.^[23]

On December 6, 2014, Remington announced that as part of actions put into place to settle multiple lawsuits and to avoid future legal actions, they are replacing all triggers in Remington 700 Model's.^[25] Over 7.85 million rifles are included in this agreement, making all of them eligible for the replacements.

See also

• List of rifle cartridges
• Table of handgun and rifle cartridges
• List of firearms

References

• "Remington 700 Model History" at Remington Arms web site
• "Model 700™ Tactical Chassis]" at Remington Arms web site

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Remington 700.

• CNBC program on the Remington 700
• Remington Model 700 product page
• Remington Law Enforcement Model 700 page
• Remington Military Model 700 LTR page
• Remington Society of America
• Model 700 blueprinting

Remington Firearms and Cartridges
Rifles	Bolt-action JuniorTarget 521TL Remington-Keene rifle M1903 Springfield rifle Pattern 1914 Enfield M1917 Enfield Model 5 Model 6 Model 7 Model 30 Model 34 M40 Model 341 Model 504 Model 511 Model 512 Model 513 Model 521 Model 580 Model 581 Model 582 Model 600 Model 660 Model 673 Model 700 Model 710 Model 720 Model 721 Model 722 Model 725 Model 770 Model 788 Model 798 Model 799 M24 Sniper Weapon System M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle Modular Sniper Rifle Pump-action Model Six Model 14 Model 121 Model 141 Model 572 Model 572 Fieldmaster Model 760 Model 7600 Model 7615 Semi-automatic Nylon 66 Model Four Model 8 Model 24 Model 241 Model 522 Model 552 Model 597 Model 740 Model 742 Model 7400 Model 750 R5 Remington Gas System Model R-15 Model R-25 RSASS Automatic Adaptive Combat Rifle Single shot Rolling Block
Shotguns	Pump-action Model 10 and 29 Model 17 Model 31 Model 870 Model 887 Semi-automatic Model 11 Model 11-48 Model 58 Model 878 Model 1100 Model 11-87 Model SP-10 SPR 453 Break-action SPR 100 SPR 310
Handguns	Semi-automatic 1911 R1 Model 51 R51 RM380 Revolver Model 1858 Model 1875 Model 1890 Derringer Model 95 Rider Single Shot Pistol Zig-Zag Derringer Other XP-100
Cartridges	.17 Remington Fireball .17 Remington 5mm Remington Magnum Rimfire .22 BR .22 Remington Jet .221 Remington Fireball .222 Remington .222 Remington Magnum .223 Remington .22-250 Remington 6mm BR 6mm Remington .25 Remington .257 Roberts .25-06 Remington .260 Remington 6.5mm Remington Magnum 7mm BR Remington 7mm-08 Remington .280 Remington 7mm Remington Magnum 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .30 Remington .30 Remington AR .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .300 Remington Ultra Magnum .32 Remington 8mm Remington Magnum .338 Remington Ultra Magnum 7 mm Remington Ultra Magnum .35 Remington .35 Whelen .350 Remington Magnum .375 Remington Ultra Magnum .416 Remington Magnum .44 Remington Magnum