Help choosing a Remington 700

[AZ308]

Hi Sniper's Hide
My first post, thank you in advance for any constructive feedback you can offer to my question.

I am stumped on choosing a Remington 700 and I'm looking for some more experienced input.

Caliber and use: .308 win. I have other rifles in .308 so I am wanting to keep with .308 to keep the ammunition needs consistent and affordable. I am looking for a light weight and portable hunting rifle solution among these three choices.

Choices:
Model / Barrel Length / Twist / Barrel Material / Finish / Stock / Weight

700 Mountain SS / 22" / 10" / 416 Stainless / Stainless / Bell & Carlson Aramid Fiber / 6 1/2lb


700 VTR / 22" / 10" / Carbon Steel / Matte Blue / Synthetic w/Hogue Overmold Grip / 7 5/8lb


700 VTR SS / 22" / 10" / 416 Stainless / Matte Blue / Synthetic w/Hogue Overmold Grip / 7 5/8lb


They are all very similar and within a $150 of each other.
The VTRs come with a pick rail on top and a bipod as well as heavy triangular contour barrel with integrated muzzle break
The Mountain is 1 1/8lb lighter

I am set on Remington 700 and I am not wanting to build a rifle. I want to run it right out of the box.

Thank you for your help!
Brian

 

[VoodooMountain]

I would, hands down, choose the VTR. Stainless or not is up to you, but there is always a trade off with either choice.

 

[ugotbit]

Mountain comes with the best stock out of the box.

From the research I've done the Houges are prone to flex.

It's also, obviously, the lightest.

 

[AZ308]

Note,
I am uncertain if the 1-1/8lb difference is due to the pic rail and bipod or not.

 

[AZ308]

VoodooMountain,
What is the trade off between SS and not?
Thanks
Brian

 

[JBNj]

Of your choices I'd go with the mountain ss. Weight will be similar compared with the vtr once you add a bipod an rail. But that hogue stock is complete junk on the vtr especially with the bipod use. If you plan on upgrading the stock then i forget the three you have listed and look at the sps tactical aac-sd 20" heavy threaded barrel. 1 in 10" twist compared to the 12" twist

What bipod comes on the vtr?

 

[AZ308]

Thanks JBNj

Remingtons site does not say what bipod and I have not seen in person.
I do however have some caution to the products used in "package deals"

 

[para72]

I would go with the mountain.But I live in WA where its usually raining! Good luck with your choice

Sent from my SCH-I605

 

[DepthAfield]

I'd go mountain but with a non stainless finish on the barrel. Not fond of shiny hunting arms.

Do you imagine you'd use a bipod all that much while hunting? May simply be a branch magnet and a pain in the butt to deploy unless you are stand hunting from a decent distance. In my experience game appears much of the time other than where I may have my rifle poised.

 

[09jisaac]

The stocks that are listed are not Hogue stocks, just have Hogue grips built in.

They're still the typical Remington stocks, JUNK.

The stocks flex too much for very precise shots.

The VTR stock feels alright for an injection molded stock, but that isn't saying much. It works well for a hunting stock, as it isn't that heavy.


I own the VTR and don't care much for it. The built in break isn't much, the stock is alright, and you cannot thread the barrel. Mine is an alright shooter and would probably do good with a different stock.


Also, like what was said, don't get a package deal for the package. Remington scopes are junk. I bough a Walmart 700 that came with the scope. My GF would make a shot, we'd adjust for it and the scope would track PERFECTLY. Then we'd adjust it again and it would be off the paper. Shoot again and it would be close, but not where we adjusted. Shoot it again and it would be way away from the original group.

I thought it was just the GF. NOPE. I wouldn't do as well as she could.

Replaced the scope with a Nikon and the groups immediately improved.

Something in the scope was loose, this was happening with the first 20 shots in .243.


I have bought one gun from Walmart and will never do it again.

 

[Deerhunter 28]

Take a look at the 700P.
It has a HS stock and a different trigger than the 700's you mentioned.
It may be a 40XB trigger?
I'm not sure on which trigger it is but better than typical 700's.




PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out

 

[gac700]

The 700 mountain ss is an excellent choice. It will be money well spent and you won't experience buyers remorse afterward. Scope, sling and your good to go.

If you ever want a heavier barreled .308, look at the 700 LTR, P, or as previously mentioned the sps tactical aac-sd 20" heavy threaded barrel. 1 in 10" twist compared to the 12" twist.

 

[AZ308]

Thanks everyone, great feedback.
Good point about the actual use of the bipod for hunting.

I'm leaning towards the 700 Mountain SS.

I appreciate all the feedback!
Brian

 

[dorklord]

I had a VTR, and was unimpressed. Now let me say, it wasn't a bad rifle, but at the end of the day it shot a little better than my regular sporter barrel 700, but the muzzle brake didn't seem to do much to reduce recoil (probably because if you look at it, the rifling ends and the barrel diameter opens up before the brake. The brake did manage to direct more sound back at me.

As far as the bipod goes, how useful it is hunting really depends on where you are hunting. If you are going to be someplace where you will be shooting prone, it is great, but if you are moving through the woods, and likely to be taking standing shots, it won't do you any good, and if you moving through brush, it'll get caught on stuff.

This year for deer season I carried my bipod in my pack, and only pulled it out and put it on when I was sitting out in a field. Even then, I don't know if it was really worth it for me to carry (since previous years I used my pack as a rest).

I would guess that you would be quite happy with the 700 Mountain Stainless. The only real downside I've heard to stainless is that is more shiny... well that's an easy fix with same paint...search the forum, you'll find plenty of threads about people doing very nice finishes on their rifles, usually camo but the same techniques and paint types in black will give you a rifle that looks like the non stainless version (if that's what you want).

 

[AZ308]

Ok,
I've decided on the 700 Mountain SS but I'm now trying to decide .308 Win or 30-06 Sprg!

Any thoughts?
Use will be Elk primarily but I want a good versatile round as I only plan to have one dedicated hunting rifle.

Brian

 

[para72]

06

Sent from my SCH-I605

 

[HAZORD]

I haven't read all the little details about the different versions that you have mentioned, but I will offer my .02.

The Sendero and the Milspec both have the aluminum bedding blocks in the receiver area which provide a solid bedding system. I have heard bad things about the three sided barrel. You should definitely investigate that before buying. The Milspec and maybe the P model come with threaded muzzles so you can attach a muzzlebrake/Suppressor mount very easily. You also have a choice of rifling. Currently SS barrels with 5R rifling seem to be the hot ticket and rumored to be more accurate than other rifling.

In addition to all of this, there are sportsman's wholesalers that order special runs of M700s that have specific parts. AcuSport ordered up a factory run of "Milspec" rifles that have the aluminum bedding blocks, SS 5R barrels, threaded muzzles, and better than average triggers. You can look up AcuSport on the internet, and find the sales rep that covers the area where you live. He can give you the name of the stores in your area that carry their products if you do decide to go with one of their special runs.

 

[JBNj]

Ok,
I've decided on the 700 Mountain SS but I'm now trying to decide .308 Win or 30-06 Sprg!

Any thoughts?
Use will be Elk primarily but I want a good versatile round as I only plan to have one dedicated hunting rifle.

Brian

Personally I'd go with the 30-06. .308 is good but depending on your hunting situation(type of landscape and how far your shooting) the 06 will do it better. But the long action will increase the weight of the rifle vs the short action .308. now for me a few lbs of weight shouldnt be really a factor. Especially when you get your animal and have to drag it back to your resting grounds. I wouldnt be able to tell 5-10lbs difference in carrying weight. Especially with a sling. You should think about getting into handloading in the future if your not already into it.

 

[BPaulk]

As mentioned above the 700P is the way to go. HS stock it has the pillar bedding block 40 x trigger BDL bottom metal 26 " barrel mine is a great rifle 1 to1/2 inch Moa at 100 yards. There is one for sell here now I guy from Ok for 875.00 NIB was asking 925.00 great buy He brought it to help a friend out with some medical bills.

 

[Dshooter]

+1 for '06