Does this exist?

[Wes Janson]

I've been doing some thinking lately, which is always a very dangerous thing, about maybe saving up for a Remington 700. The catch is, after looking through their website I can't seem to find what would seem to me to be an obvious product. My specs: left-handed carbon steel 700 action chambered in .308, without barrel fluting or a funky stock-just plain synthetic (something like the Special Purpose Synthetic).

At the bottom of this page: http://www.ozarkguns.com/rifles/rem/lh.htm is something that sounds like it might be "it", but I can't find any listing of that particular rifle on Remington's website, nor anywhere else, which makes me suspect it's actually something else.

Can anyone make any suggestions for me? Particularly if I'm looking to keep the price pretty low ($600-700 or less)?

 

[CB900F]

Wes;

I'm also a left handed shooter & have accumulated a complete, for me, battery of LHB guns. My advice is to not get in a hurry to buy anything, just do a lot of looking. One of the best places used to be GunsAmerica, just to see what was out there, but with the new and 'improved' site, you can't find squat.

For LHB .30 caliber guns though, there are some choices if you're both patient and ready to act when the deal comes around. Never turn your nose up at used either, just make friends with a good smith if you don't trust your own judgement. Ask for a 3 day evaluation period.

There are many Savage bolts out there in .30-something. No problem getting just about any combination of stock & finish you want, if you want a Savage. There are also very good numbers of both Ruger & Remington .30-06's, but rather fewer .308's. However, the Remington 788 was made in LHB .308. If you're not familiar, the 788 is left bolt, but right ejection port. They also have a well-earned reputation as being outstanding shooters. There are Winchester new model 70 classic's in .30 LHB. They're good guns, but are overpriced now. The pre-64's were never available in LHB, only the USRA model 70 classics that I know of. Maybe when Browning starts bringing in the Japanese made model 70's there'll also be a left selection. But don't hold your breath on that one. Oh, there are a very few LHB conversions of pre-64 model 70's, but they are one-off by gunsmiths. Extremely few of those work well. Tikka is supposed to be, finally, importing LHB T-3's any day now. If you can find an older Tikka Whitetail Hunter it'll probably be .30-06, but I'm not sure there weren't .308's as well. There are select Sako's, Mannlicher's, and Steyr's out there too. But they aren't for those on a budget.

My advice is to not get your heart set on a .308. The .30-06 will do everything the .308 will & is a whole lot easier to find in a good LHB gun.

900F

 

[Eightball]

My personal advice would be to special order a Tikka or Sako left hander. Might be toward the high end of your price range (or a few hundred more), but the bolt design is far and above that on a 700. Also, they have free-floated barrels (to a point on the Tikka, all the way on the sako). Quality control is out the roof with them, you cannot go wrong.

Or maybe ordera browning A-bolt. One of the most complicated bolts ever, but man, if they aren't smokin' accurate!

 

[220_Swift]

Is this what you are looking for? It is a pic of the same rifle that was described on the Ozarkguns website. Remington made them for a year or so. I had the same gun, but right handed, and it was a great shooter. Once I developed a load it liked, using 168gr BTHP Matchking bullets, it would cosistently group 1/2" at 100 yards. I still kick myself for selling that rifle. Hope it helps some.

http://www.thegunman.com/catalog/rm700vslh.htm

 

[Wes Janson]

Yup, that looks pretty much like it. Maybe not so much the funky stock, but that's more or less what I had in mind. Does that price on Ozark Guns look about right for the rifle? I'm wondering if they even have it in stock...seems kinda unlikely.

 

[220_Swift]

I would give them a call and see if they have it in stock. That is actually a very good price. And yes, the stock does have the webbing. But it does look pretty neat in person. Good luck

 

[RockRifle]

Remington Model 700 Police

I ordered one a year ago through my local dealer. I found them in Shotgun News and they sent it to him. In left hand... Might be a little more wait, but I don't see it being a problem. HS Precision Stock, 26" varmint taper heavy barrel. with the scope weighs 11.5 lbs. It's basically a Model 700 VS (varmint synthetic) that is just the facts, good action, and in the price range you are looking. The trigger was 6lbs, so I swapped it for a Shilen and have NEVER regretted it. Also, the crown was messy, so had that done... and now she shoots!!

 

[Sunray]

Not for $700. Remington lists the VSF in .308 at $1185. OUCH!. Look into a Savage 11FL. Lists at $501 with a synthetic stock, no sights. Best bang for your buck.

 

[dmftoy1]

I was having the same dilemma over the last six months and what I ended up doing was putting a deposit down at the local dealer and telling them to backorder the rifle. (In my case a savage 10flp - lefty bolt .308) They said they didn't think it would come in at all but if it did I'd be waiting 6 months. To my surprise they called back 7 days later and had it sitting at the shop. I'd imagine you might have similiar luck with a remington 700 as I was looking for one of those as well and neither was listed as "in stock" at any of the distributors my local dealer uses.

FWIW.

Have a good one,
Dave