416 Remington Magnum

[Ruraldoc]

I have Model 700s in 270, 7mm/08, 280,7mm Magnum, and 30-06. Taken a bunch of game with Remington 700s.

I think they are great rifles but are not my choice for dangerous game. Deer, elk and plains game are sensible choices for a Model 700. But when the hunt involves animals that can kill you, It’s best to have a well tuned Mauser or Model 70.

This is opinion of every PH that I have spoken with as well. I’m sure there are clients and PHs who think otherwise but why not stack the deck in your favor when you can?

 

[mauserhunter]

I

I mean, I like the M700 a lot. I have a Custom Whitetail Rifle in 7mm-08 built on a Rem 700 Action.
Super accurate and handles amazingly. Killed a bunch of Whitetail with it.
Took it to Africa and took Blesbok, Bushbuck, Nyala and Mtn Reedbuck with it.

But why try and turn a M700 into a Model 70???

Like the 700 to, tho if I'm buying one now it will be a early 700 or a updated clone, to may extractor problems and I hate not having a locking bolt on a hunting rifle. But yes I agree why make 700 into a 70

 

[rifletuner]

Exactly

Why go through all that when you can just by a Win Model 70?

Makes zero sense

Makes a lot of sense to put out a video like this if you own a gunsmithing supply company.

Its no different to an automotive parts supplier putting out a video telling you that you will double the horse power on your car by installing their newest exhaust. And it should be seen in the same light as this.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I
Like the 700 to, tho if I'm buying one now it will be a early 700 or a updated clone, to may extractor problems and I hate not having a locking bolt on a hunting rifle. But yes I agree why make 700 into a 70

Yea, mine is on a Rem 700 Action from like 2005

 

[Medicine]

Another vote for the Winchester

 

[Rule 303]

I like and use the Rem 700 and have one in 375H&H that I would not hesitate to use on DG.
When it comes to the fabled Mauser CRF they are prone to failure like any rifle. When I first got into shooting I looked at the CRF and ran into several different people at ranges and one mate who had nothing but problems with them. This includes things they are not supposed to do. Things like double feed, fail to extract, fail to eject and was well and truly put off them. It took 20 odd years and a Mauser aficionado to explain to me why these things happened and how to rectify them.

The M700 was used to hunt the most dangerous game on earth, enemy soldiers. The extractor is cut so as to bite into the case rim so it will not jump the rim, but some do, and it has about the same bearing area as a Sako extractor. If you are going to break the gas seal of the 700 bolt face then an M16 extractor is better than a Sako extractor.

So what does this mean. Anything designed and built by man, can and will fail. To me your safest bet-esp with Rem quality nowadays-, is to go with a CRF. As has been said, when you get it practice, practice with it and run alot of fast bolt manipulation and reloading. then do it again and again while shooting. If it shows up a fault replace it or have it fixed.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hands down, Winchester Model 70 Safari Express.

The extractor of the Remington Model 700 is not strong enough to reliably pick up large magnum length cases such as .375 Holland & Holland Magnum or .416 Remington Magnum during high stress situations where the bolt must be operated quickly for multiple firings (esp. in hot, dusty hunting conditions such as in the Zambezi Valley or in the Kalahari).

I actually had the extractor of a variant in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum BREAK during an African safari. During the Zimbabwe Professional Hunter's Training Course, more than one Remington Model 700 in .416 Remington Magnum has failed to extract.

That said, there is a way in which you can make a Remington Model 700 (chambered in a Magnum length cartridge) more reliable- By having a competent gunsmith fit the Model 700 with an M-16 extractor. I personally hunt African big game these days mostly with my son-in-law's Remington Model 700 (in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum). @Red Leg was an extremely generous help when it came to recommending the best American gunsmithing services that could fit an M-16 extractor to the Remington Model 700 for me. He recommended McBride's Guns in Austin, Texas and these people were extremely competent at their job.

Nevertheless, the Remington Model 700 cannot and will not even remotely hold a candle to the Winchester Model 70 (esp. in heavy caliber chamberings). There is a reason why the Winchester Model 70 is still being manufactured in Safari calibers, while the Remington Model 700 is not. And this is coming from someone who absolutely loves Remington products.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Model 70 you will never regret your purchase.

 

[DelRock83]

As one who has owned both and a die hard Remington guy.
If you choose the Remington send it to LRI for M16 extractor up grade. Or buy the Winchester. Both were accurate, just make sure if extractor for DG

So remington has retro fits to handle 416 Rem Mag....interesting what all does that retrofit include

 

[Ruraldoc]

There are custom modifications that make a Remington 700 better for dangerous game.

Fitting a M16 type extractor, reinforcing or replacing the bolt handle, replacing the trigger and safety are all common.

Frankly I would just use a Model 70, Ruger or Mauser and have it smoothed over or tuned by a gun smith if necessary.

 

[Bonefish2150]

460 Weatherby Magnum 22inch barrel.

 

[grand veneur]

460 Weatherby Magnum 22inch barrel.

That is certainly not a Nearly Perfect Safari Rifle.

Even for the cartridge 416 Remington Magnum, which is the topic of this discussion, a 24" barrel minimum would be more appropriate.

 

[Aussie Chris]

Larry Potterfield’ nearly perfect model 700 has been nearly turned into a Model 70.

He has installed a M70 style safety and a larger more positive extractor.

Would have been simpler and less expensive to use a Model 70 to begin with.

Also, the custom extractors fitted to Remington actions are still smaller and weaker than the extractors on M70s.

And finally, the custom modifications to Model 70s to make them more reliable do not make them a control feed action, they remain a push feed.

Potterfield jumped through a lot of hoops to customize his Remington action but it is still inferior to a properly set up, Model 70.

Yeah. My problem with it is less that he has a push feed and more that he has so many Remingtons haha. I have absolutely no problem with someone using a push feed provided it’s super reliable and they are sure they won’t short stroke it. So when he said “I just got a Remington because that’s what my safe is full of” it was like “bro, why do you have so many Remington’s in there?” Haha.

A bit tounge and cheek. I can’t say that I’ve shot much and maybe they were way better in the past but they always seemed like such cheap and nasty things. 20 years ago when I was 18 I was so excited to get a Remington 700 Sendero SF II. Its fluted stainless barrel looked so cool to me in the gun magazines. I imagined setting up somewhere cool and doing a long sniper shot on some unsuspecting game (typical 18 yo stuff haha).
I went to the gun shop and asked to have a look at one. As soon as the rifle was handed to me I looked down the outside of the barrel and was horrified to see the flutes were all wonky. I repelled in disgust. “Have this junk back” I said to the shop owner. I also noticed the stock was not nicely finished, just tacky.

I asked to have a look at the current (at the time) Sako 75 next to it. I fell in love. What a difference. One was some mass produced crap that competes on price and the other was a well made firearm that you can keep forever. Since then I’ve known people with the Remington 7600 pump actions that always jammed etc. Just nasty things in my very limited experience.
I mean, if the guy in the video had a Sako he’d not need to change the trigger for instance. So I’m with you, he insisted on a Remington and then went about spending a fortune on trying to turn it into something better which he could have bought off the shelf from any number of manufacturers.

 

[M70375!]

Don't even consider the Remington, I have several, but I always useCRF rifles for DG, plus the Winchester has a bombproof safety in addition to a far better extractor

 

[Muskox]

I do appreciate everyone’s input and everyone who will continue to chime in on this.

I have mainly Remington 700’s in many different chamberings and love them! I was almost sold on the Remington 700 in 416 Rem Mag, BUT have heard in the heat of the moment, the model 70 will outperform it every time. Very, very interesting to me

This is horseshit.

A 700, is a 700. Extractor sucks, but beyond that it is a hell of a rifle.

A 70 should be better, but most of them are not.

 

[CoElkHunter]

460 Weatherby Magnum 22inch barrel.

I’m very surprised that with ALL the customizations ‘ol Larry had done to this rifle, he didn’t have a M16 style extractor installed on the bolt for his “perfect” DG push feed rifle? My Browning X Bolts have the M16 style extractor from the factory and they’re not DG rifles. Hmm.

 

[CrewSafeBC]

I have several Dangerous Game rifles for work and play. ALWAYS RUN CRF.
I use a Winchester Stainless Classic CRF in 416 Rem Mag as my got to,,

 

[dgr416]

I have 4 416s one win model 70 express two rem 700 and one weatherby.I had to put weatherby springs in both remingtons to make them work right .I got one guide gun 700 and one kevelar stock 416 had to put a bdl floorplate on it and a muzzlebreak but today i would probally jusf get a 416 ruger hawkeye .I have shot my 416s thousands od times and have lots of fun shooting them .The 416 rem mag is my limit with my torn rotator cuff and i shoot it well .I bought two 458s never shot either sold both just like the 416s so much to me they are way better than 375s and way more versitile than 458s plus kick less .I swear kevelar stocks kick less than wood stocks .I also like 22 inch barrels on 416s and i dont like them to be too heavy .My two favorites are 7.5 pounds with kevelar stocks the 700 rem but for the money today just buy a 416 ruger stainless and put a hs stock on it and have fun .