Once in a while, a weapon comes along and changes the course of history. The AK-47, M1 Garand, Beretta 92, and the Remington 700. This rifle has had just as much influence on gun culture as any of the firearms listed beforehand. It's the worlds most popular hunting rifle, it is one of the most dependable target shooters, and it protects the lives of our soldiers overseas. The 700 is not only a "jack of all trades," It's a master of them.
The Remington 700 can be as basic or as nice as you want it to be. You want a rifle that can take a beating while maintaining its reliability? Get a synthetic stock with blued or stainless barrel. Do you want to have a gun that looks at home on the top of a stone fireplace in your log cabin? Get an engraved walnut stock. Do you want a gun that looks like a military veteran's wet dream? Make it tactical! Whatever you choose to do with this gun, it will never let you down. the 700 comes in more variations than I can count, and all of them will put a smile on your face.
Having had experience with several bolt-action rifles in the past, I know what to expect from a hunting rifle. And I have to admit, when I held a 700 for the first time, I couldn't really see what all the fuss was about. Especially when holding one with a synthetic stock. Yeah, it was nice, the bolt was smooth, and it seemed like it was an overall solid weapon. But once I took that first shot, it all became clear.
The particular rifle that I used was a Remington 700 SPS - synthetic stock with blued barrel that is chambered in .270 Remington.
After firing that first round and ejecting the casing, it was clear that this wasn't just any ordinary bolt-action rifle, this was a weapon that was built with a purpose. The recoil (while not that intense with a .270 to begin with) did not even register when I pulled the trigger. It had very little kick, allowing my scope to be easily realigned with my target. The bolt itself had a nice, crisp throw that allowed me to chamber a new round without any hesitation or stoppage. If I had to sum up this rifle in one word, it would be "tight." Every piece on the rifle seems to be made up of very high-quality materials. The best part was, this particular 700 wasn't the fancy/high-end one. After about 5 shots, I was sold on the Remington.
However, no weapon is without it's flaws. there were a couple things that I would have changed. The magazine of the .270 model only holds 3 rounds. There is, of course, no +1 with this internal magazine design. This isn't a huge issue, being that 3 rounds is the maximum you can have when hunting in the U.S. anyway. The other small issue is the bolt throw itself. I loved the feel of the throw, but the handle comes VERY close to the scope. I know that this will vary depending on what scope you have, but if the scope on this rifle had a larger eyepiece, I could easily see the handle scraping on the side of the scope when ejecting and chambering a round. But those are my only gripes about the Remington 700 after the time I had with it. As far as negatives, these were pretty insignificant.
If I were to get a 700, I think I would try to get one with a dark wooden finish and stainless barrel. If I'm ever need to get my rifle in an area where it might get a little battered, I've got my reliable 770. Overall I was extremely happy with the way the Remington 700 felt and shot.
