Current production Remington 700s and Winchester model 70s

[Spec ops Grunt]

Anyone know how the quality is on them?

I'd really like a left handed bolt rifle in the classic american style with wood stock etc.





Also, how come bolt rifles with the american style stock never have iron sights?

Any other brand suggestions are fine. I'm thinking of either 30-06 or .308, tho I do wonder how far out .223/5.56 can reach out in a bolt action.

 

[69Precision]

The current versions of both are great, just depends which you prefer. For classic wood stock American rifle, I'd probably lean toward a Winchester featherweight, but that's me. Most rifles these days don't come with irons cause the fact is few people use them on a high powered centerfire. I think cz has some in their lineup, but not something I'm interested in so I'm not sure.
As far as how far a 223 can reach, depends what you're doing. Punching paper they can go to 1000 yards+.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Yeah its just I noticed CZ doesn't put irons on any gun with an "American" style stock, whereas their Bavarian style and Mannnlicher rifles have irons.

Guess its just a USA vs Europe thing? Maybe has to do with hunting methods or something, I'm pretty curious about it tbh.

 

[eastbank]

my rem 700 LH BDL in 30-06 has sights on it, my rem 700 LH sps 7mm08 does not and i wish it did. eastbank.

 

[Robert]

My M70 Safari Express has iron sights. I am very happy with my Winchester, after I had the bedding and crown fixed. The factory bedding was hard iin some spots and silly putty in others and the crown was off as well. The thing patterned like a shotgun... But a trip to the local smith corrected those issues, that Winchester did not consider issues, and now it is amazingly accurate.

 

[jmr40]

I'd really like a left handed bolt rifle in the classic american style with wood stock etc.

Best bet is the Ruger Hawkeye for lefty's with a classic style stock. I'm not sure about Remington options for lefty's, but Winchester is not making one.

Although for a right handed shooter I'd highly recommend a Winchester over Remington with Ruger Hawkeye a close 2nd.

Also, how come bolt rifles with the american style stock never have iron sights?

Because no one ever uses them and a decent set will cost more than a decent quality scope adding $200 to the price of a gun. Todays scopes are at least as rugged and reliable, in 40+ years of shooting and hunting I've had more iron sights fail than scopes. The few that still make rifles with irons stick them on there more for decoration than function.

Yeah its just I noticed CZ doesn't put irons on any gun with an "American" style stock, whereas their Bavarian style and Mannnlicher rifles have irons.

That is because of the stock shape, you couldn't get your face low enough on the American stock to see the irons. On European style stocks you have to use extremely high mounts and hold your cheek off the stock to see through a scope.

Roberts 375 is an exception, the stock is somewhat of a compromise allowing the use of irons and optics. The Ruger Hawkeye and Remington CDL use a similar design. The BDL and older ADL wood stocks with high combs are a poor choice with irons.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Looks like either rugers website is broke or the leftie Hawkeye is discontinued. Slightly related note, while it isn't a traditional rifle, how accurate are the gunsite scouts?

 

[Mike J]

There are some lefty Hawkeyes in different calibers available here http://www.cdnnsports.com/rugerr-m77r-hawkeyer-308-walnut-left-hand.html#.VYnOh0YSjIU

I just linked one but other calibers are available if you look around there.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Thank you very much! How do they compare to the 700 cdl and model 70? I don't know much about bolt actions

 

[Mike J]

I'm sorry I can't answer that question. I've been using a post 64 model 70 since 1989 & haven't really had any reason to change. I was looking at the Rugers recently though & remembered seeing some left handed ones there. I am tempted to get one just to see what I've been missing by not having controlled round feed.

 

[vnhill1981]

Looks like either rugers website is broke or the leftie Hawkeye is discontinued. Slightly related note, while it isn't a traditional rifle, how accurate are the gunsite scouts?

I actually just got mine up and running. For right now it has a 3-9 x 40 Nikon Prostaff on it (kinda defeats the purpose of the rifle but will have to do until I get the funds to set it up with an Eotech with a magnifier). Anyways with that said, this thing shoots OUSTANDING. Here's a pic of my 2 shot group at 105 yards (to give perspective the center dot is 1/2" in diameter). The nice thing was running the barrel hot (15 rounds in rapid succession, the group only opened up to 1.75 inches and held that).

 

[vnhill1981]

Oh yeah also forgot to add that was with just standard Remington Core-Lokt 150 grains

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

That's pretty nice. How does it handle compared to more traditional hinting rifles you've handled.



Like I am considering the scout but I fell in love with the classic hunting rifle look

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Also what's better 3006 of 308, of maybe even 243 or 270?

Mainly plan on target shooting but I might take up hunting.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Either four of those calibers are fine. Personally, I'd pick a 6mm, 6.5mm, or a .30 caliber cartridge for ease of reloading components, seen even more so for the .308 and 30-06 cartridges.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

Sell at least I've narrowed my choices down. Thanks everyone!

 

[desidog]

Winchester hasn't made any lefties since they left New Haven.

A great sub is the Montana M-99 if you want a new lefty M-70.

Remington CS has tried hard to convince me to never buy another Remington.

 

[CB900F]

Spec Ops Grunt;

I'm a lefty also, and am somewhat familiar with the options available these days. Yes, the Ruger Hawkeye is your best bet for American made in my opinion. But, if you want to examine the full field, also take a good look at the Tikka guns for lefties. I have three, and am happy with all of them. They're all accurate and have good-to-great factory triggers. The only lefty centerfires that CZ offers are the 527 guns that are true short action firearms & they're .223's. Good guns, I've got one. There is the .375 H&H Safari, but that seems to be out of your interest range.

If you're making the choice between .308 & .30-06, I'll go with the ought-6 every time. However, my current go-to hunting gun is a Tikka based custom in 6.5 Swedish Mauser. I live in Outer Montana, do hunt elk, and use the 6.5 without concern about having enough gun.

900F

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

I think I'm trying to make a choice between the 30-06 Remington CDL or the Ruger Scout.

It would probably take me a while to get the money for a scope so i could atleast shoot the ruger then.

 

[d2wing]

Either Remington or Winchester makes good accurate rifles, but I would look at Tikka, Sako, or Weatherby as well. I am very happy with my Remington's and 7-08 tikka.
Can't go wrong with either 30-06 or .308. The 30-06 can handle bigger bullets and has a little more power but the .308 is great to shoot and very accurate.
The .223 is also very accurate, and varmint hunters and target shooters get hits way out there up to 600 yards. The .30's will have more range. Also if you are going to hunt deer the useful range of the .223 is very limited. 200-300 yards max in my opinion. But realistically that is a long shot on deer for most of us anyway.
My current favorite is a Tikka in 7-08. But I found out that necking down a cartridge doesn't mean the smaller bullet is any faster or flatter shooting by any noticeable margin than the parent cartridge in many cases. I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. Like I said can't go very wrong with a .308 or 30-06.

 

[Doc7]

A few months ago I looked at Remington 700s in the store. Brand new rifles. I was shopping for my first centerfire rifle, so I had no brand loyalties whatoever.

The Remingtons which were supposed to be the really nice ones had quite a bit of finish issues on the stock (the fake white spacer to imitate the spacers of old wasn't even fully painted all the way around, etc) and it was a huge turnoff for me. I thought the Winchester Model 70s were worlds better in fit and finish.

 

[Agsalaska]

The current run of Model 70s are the best looking rifles Winchester has put their name on in a long long time.

Too bad they dont make them in lefty.

 

[Water-Man]

Tikka T3 Battue comes with sights.

 

[hseII]

Find and buy a used 700 or M70 LH in 308 or 30-06 and call it a day.

 

[Stony]

I picked up a .308 Scout on a whim, and have been very pleasantly surprised with it's performance. It loves the Remington Core Lokt 150 grain bullets and groups consistently into an inch. Mine wears a traditional 3x9 Leupold and is a short handi rifle. I have taken numerous hogs with it so far...with deer in it's future too.
My friend has one in .223 and is still working up loads for it, but it shoots some of the factory loads well. The only drawback on the .223 version as I see it, is the fact that no mags are available for it less than 10 rd. capacity. Maybe Ruger will correct this some day.