Remington 700 BDL Questions

[Patrick Darby]

I am seeking some advice. I want to get a 30-06. I came across a 1987 Remington 700 BDL with a Leupold Vari-X II 3-9 for 700 USD. It's in great condition. I plan to take it to Africa and hunt PG along with my .300 Win Mag. I am cautious with all the Remington issuesI want to get some input from the experts on AH. Is it a Fair price? Is it a quality rifle I can depend on in Africa? I don’t know much about and have no experience with leupold scopes. Is it a good scope? What are your thoughts in general about this rifle.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

It will be OKAY for plains game. But don't even THINK about going after dangerous game with it.
1) It's a pushfeed.
2) Remingtons jam
3) Bolt handles have been known to break.
4) They became famous in the past for going off on their own. I was in High School when stories of this started circulating.

 

[sestoppelman]

My brother took a Remington 700 Classic in .300 H&H to Namibia and it worked just as well as my CZ 550 Mauser. Any rifle can jam.

The trigger issue was largely put to bed and most of the so called accidental discharges were proven to be unsafe gun handling. I don't think it was ever definitely proved that the triggers were at fault. However Rem did recall those triggers and retrofit many rifles.

If you like the rifle, give Rem a call and talk to them about the trigger or any other questions you have. They will fix whatever needs fixing, if anything.

Lest we forget the Army and Marines both used this platform for their sniper rifles since Viet Nam and still do.

A Leupold Vari X II is a very good scope worth about $200 used. That rifle has very nice wood too. Overall I would consider the price towards the high end but not stupid high. Make the guy an offer, worst he can do is say no.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Agree with @sestoppelman comments. The rifle and scope do look nice, but the "white spacer" is viewed as somewhat dated and no longer a desirable feature.

One question I'd ask you is why do you want a 30-06 when you already have a 300 WM? Those two calibers have a lot of overlap.

 

[TTundra]

Echoing what @sestoppelman has said. Nothing wrong with a 700 for PG. I've used one on both my PH hunts with flawless results.

Trigger issues as stated above were almost entirely proven to be handling of homemade gunsmiths.

Price wise, agreed is at the high end. I'd like to be in that rig for no more than $550-$600, but $700 isnt out of line for asking.


@375 Ruger Fan pointed out the bigger question. Do you just want a 30-06? If so, do it! Otherwise a 300win and 30-06 make a redundant 2 gun africa battery

 

[Red Leg]

Surprised more 700 fans haven’t jumped into this one. I am really not an acolyte, but I bet have owned six or seven in various calibers over the years. Each one was boringly accurate and went bang each and every time the trigger was pulled.

There is nothing wrong with the rifle or the action. The 700 has been the basis of the Army and USMC primary sniper systems for decades. Hundreds of police departments use it as well. The military uses it because it is accurate and dependable in the worst possible conditions. Hunters have been taking the 700 afield for generations. The hunting rifles are accurate, dependable, and affordable. There have been more target and precision long range rifles built around the 700 action than all others combined - far more. For many years the 700 was the basis of Kenny Jarrett’s famous “Beanfield” rifles.

There are likely fewer 700 users on this site than most because of our African focus where controlled round feeding is a bit of a fixation (whether really necessary are not, a topic for another day). I’ll simply say a push feed rifle, particularly a 700, is not an issue for any PG hunt, and there have been a lot of buffalo, elephant, cats, and hostiles with AK 47’s piled up with 700s over the decades.

As others have noted, if rifle and scope are in excellent shape, that is a fair, if not bargain basement price for the rifle. If you don’t like the white spacer it is easy to remove. I too would not bring a .300 and an ‘06 on a hunt, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with owning both - I do, as do many others here.

 

[Luvthunt]

Great rifles with a little up grade. I would change the trigger to a Timney and replace the extractor with an M-4. Check your feed and you should have a life time firearm.
Geed luck, try $600 shipped you can always come up. Remember you will have the cost of an FFL on your end.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Gunbroker sales are in the 500 to 700 range. I would say $650 would be a fair price IF the bore is in good shape. Look for any signs of rust on the outside. If so, it's probably in the bore too.
Below is the link to recent sales of this model. Take note a lot of them have cheap scopes.

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search/completed?Keywords=remington 700 bdl 30-06&Timeframe=1&Sort=1&PageSize=48

 

[Hoss Delgado]

I always post some Radical view on a particular fire arm , and then realize how how unreasonably hateful , l might have been. Truth be told , the others are right .
When my Dad did his Tour in Vietnam , he remembers seeing that the .308 Winchester Remington Model 700 had just started becoming the standard rifle among snipers. Before that , the standard rifle was a Winchester Model 70 in .30-06 with a heavy barrel.
Lots of American Custom Makers base their rifles on the Remington 700 Action.
Hart Custom Rifles use the model 700 action exclusively and my father in law is a big fan. Here is an email from them when l asked them if they could build me a DETACHABLE MAGAZINE rifle in .22 Savage Hi Power . For non dangerous game , you will most likely be fine.
However , l must say from my own personal experience , reliability of the Remington model 700 has been ... Mixed. At least , this was  the case when l was growing up in the 1980s. Were they accurate ? God , yes. If they weren't , so many precision rifles wouldn't be built on model 700 actions. It was 1986 , l believe , when a guy in the ranch next to ours accidentally shot one of his prized cattle when his new Remington 700 went off for no reason. He is still around now. Hunts White Tail with my Dad. He is a VERY careful shooter. So l doubt he would negligently discharge a rifle . He installed an after market trigger in the model 700 and it worked well until he sold it in 1999. Probably , Remington has fixed all these issues by now. But the stories of the Remington Model 700 jamming are a little too numerous for my liking. Some of them, to people l personally know and not just online. Even more numerous than your standard pushfeed. I would not recommend it for Dangerous Game like Grizzy Bear .
P.S : I will say that most of these issues occur on the .416 Remington models from my observations

 

[Ridgewalker]

My $.02. I’ve probably owned 6-8 of which at least 3 were ‘06. Only 2 now with 1 in ‘06 and 1 in 222. They all shot extremely well occasionally clover leafs...but my number 1 gripe is some of the bolts lock closed in safe position and some do not! I hate the ones that do not lock! Several times I have had my rifles slug on my shoulder, rushed to get into position for a shot only to discover the bolt had come open and the cartridge fell out somewhere down the mountain!
Just a dislike of mine. No clue why some do and some don’t and I haven’t found a fix for it yet.
I also agree with everyone’s thoughts on the redundancy of the 30-06 and 300 WM. Even though I too own both, I wouldn’t take both on a PG hunt unless there were two hunters.

Best of luck deciding what to do!

 

[D.M.V]

Nothing wrong with the rem 700. Put a timney 510 in it and your good to go. Like others have said the price seems a little high. I would offer 1-200$ less especially if you're dealing with shipping and ffl fees. I've built a lot of 700s the aftermarket on these rifles are second 2 none. They are the AR15 of bolt actions.

 

[TTundra]

when his new Remington 700 went off for no reason. He is still around now. Hunts White Tail with my Dad. He is a VERY careful shooter.

No offense by this comment, do you know how many "unloaded" guns I've unloaded working in the shooting industry (I work for and have worked for the largest firearm distributors in the US and NA) by people who claim to always be "safe"? Or how many people state the exact same as above, "it just went off" only to later find they had fiddled with their trigger, bought it used, or had work done by a "competent" gunsmith, flat out lied, etc.

Ive seen 1 true AD (did not confirm if gun may have been 'tweaked' prior by a home smith)....everything else has been a ND....and every ND someone tries to cover up with an excuse which usually starts with, "I'm always safe" or "It just went off"....

 

[Red Leg]

No offense by this comment, do you know how many "unloaded" guns I've unloaded working in the shooting industry (I work for and have worked for the largest firearm distributors in the US and NA) by people who claim to always be "safe"? Or how many people state the exact same as above, "it just went off" only to later find they had fiddled with their trigger, bought it used, or had work done by a "competent" gunsmith, flat out lied, etc.

Ive seen 1 true AD (did not confirm if gun may have been 'tweaked' prior by a home smith)....everything else has been a ND....and every ND someone tries to cover up with an excuse which usually starts with, "I'm always safe" or "It just went off"....

My experiences exactly.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

No offense by this comment, do you know how many "unloaded" guns I've unloaded working in the shooting industry (I work for and have worked for the largest firearm distributors in the US and NA) by people who claim to always be "safe"? Or how many people state the exact same as above, "it just went off" only to later find they had fiddled with their trigger, bought it used, or had work done by a "competent" gunsmith, flat out lied, etc.

Ive seen 1 true AD (did not confirm if gun may have been 'tweaked' prior by a home smith)....everything else has been a ND....and every ND someone tries to cover up with an excuse which usually starts with, "I'm always safe" or "It just went off"....

You are in all probability , right. However , there is a saying " Where there is smoke , there is always a fire . " There are too many independent accounts of this happening , to be regarded as an internet myth. The issue is , in all probability , grossly exaggerated. But l have no doubt in my mind that it has happened. The guy l mention , owns 63 fire arms ( that's right , 63 ). Out of them , at least 17 of those guns are Remingtons ( Including a really nice 5mm Rimfire Magnum ) . He never had one go off. The only one which did was a .30-06 Remington Model 700 , at a time when rumors were circulating about them going off. What are the odds that he negligently discharged the ONE gun in his entire life , which had reports of going off on their own ?

 

[Rob404]

I own a Rem in 35 Whelen built in 87-88 it's solid as a rock and shoots fantastic, mines traveling with me to Namibia

 

[Ryan]

My father has owned a M700 BDL in 30-06 for over 20 years. Shoots as well as he does, zero issues. My host and guide my first trip in Namibia carried one, again in 30-06 he'd had since at least the mid 1970's when he lived and worked in Alaska. Claimed it killed a moose a year there for years plus an occasional caribou and then plenty of animals on that farm in Namibia. No issues that he mentioned. I have a 3-9 VX-II scope on my T/C Encore, it's worked well for 10 years now. If the bore is in good condition, it shoots a good group and the wood is that condition on the side I can't see I'd buy it at that price.

 

[TTundra]

You are in all probability , right. However , there is a saying " Where there is smoke , there is always a fire . " There are too many independent accounts of this happening , to be regarded as an internet myth. The issue is , in all probability , grossly exaggerated. But l have no doubt in my mind that it has happened. The guy l mention , owns 63 fire arms ( that's right , 63 ). Out of them , at least 17 of those guns are Remingtons ( Including a really nice 5mm Rimfire Magnum ) . He never had one go off. The only one which did was a .30-06 Remington Model 700 , at a time when rumors were circulating about them going off. What are the odds that he negligently discharged the ONE gun in his entire life , which had reports of going off on their own ?

Being that it is a mechanical instrument, there is always the chance, however, it is no surprise that someone who owned a Remington at a time when lightening a trigger was all the rage and at a time when you were told its "Remingtons fault" if you make a ND, that someone would attribute it to the manufacturer and not themselves.

Quantity of firearms does not make you proficient, and 63 isn't impressive to many circles I'm privy to be around. You want proficient, speak to the guys whom shoot thousands of rounds a week and chase 2 legged critters all over the world and go thru multiple selection processes to get to that level. I lend an ear to their word over most.

Again, not to be offensive, but nothing stated above takes away from the Remington 700's accomplishments and ability as one of the finest rifle platforms used by hunters and professionals alike. Its reputation is sound, and people love them out of the box or accuratized and many here, myself included, have multiples of each.

 

[meigsbucks]

I concur with everything said by these erudite AH members. Collectively they have covered pretty much everything.
My main concerns would be:
The trigger: I had a coworker who had his 700 go off when he closed the bolt. Although you can contact Remington about replacing it with their newer Mark X, I’d rather have a Timney.
Price: I’d try to talk him down a little as I think $700 is a bit high, but not crazy.
Taking both a .300 mag and a .30/06 would be more or less redundant.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Being that it is a mechanical instrument, there is always the chance, however, it is no surprise that someone who owned a Remington at a time when lightening a trigger was all the rage and at a time when you were told its "Remingtons fault" if you make a ND, that someone would attribute it to the manufacturer and not themselves.

Quantity of firearms does not make you proficient, and 63 isn't impressive to many circles I'm privy to be around. You want proficient, speak to the guys whom shoot thousands of rounds a week and chase 2 legged critters all over the world and go thru multiple selection processes to get to that level. I lend an ear to their word over most.

Again, not to be offensive, but nothing stated above takes away from the Remington 700's accomplishments and ability as one of the finest rifle platforms used by hunters and professionals alike. Its reputation is sound, and people love them out of the box or accuratized and many here, myself included, have multiples of each.

No offense taken It is always good to learn from someone who has more experience than me. I would still not recommend a Remington model 700 for shooting Dangerous Game.
For Plains Game , l would think of no reason not to own one.
Also , l am have not served , but my father has. And he says something which l tend to agree with : A rifle good for tactical work may not necessarily be a good rifle for hunting. The Remington is used by most Police Department snipers in the US along with our brave Military. Clearly that speaks wonders about how effective the Model 700 platform is . For Dangerous game , however , a Remington 700 would be pretty low down my list of choices. Varmints ? Sure. Deer ? Sure . Plains Game ? Sure .
And just to confirm , l just phoned the guy ( he lives nearby ) . That Remington Model 700 was new from the factory . He only changed the trigger after the incident. And he still sings praises about it. It worked perfectly with an after market trigger.
I will conclude that there WAS a real problem , which Remington has fixed.
And yeah. 63 isn't comparatively impressive . I would keep buying a lot more , if l could. Currently , l only own Five . But Will add two more in a couple of years ( one will be a purchase and one will be a build )

 

[cls]

For what it's worth there has been a recall on the Rem model 700. They don't do recalls just for fun. I would check the recall status on this particular firearm.
Just my 2 cents.