Remington 700 for beginner,recommendation?

[LunaRain]

A new guy here. Just finished hunter education,my alien firearm license is on its way. Have tried to shooting some guns of my friends already. Looking for some advices for my first long gun in my life. Ok, so I am interested in both hunting and shooting. After doing some research, I decide that my first gun would be either an AR15 or Remington 700. I preferred Remington 700 since bolt action rifles usually more accurate and have higher quality in the same price level due to their simplicity. My budget is about 900 dollars. Any recommendations for brand? For both ar15 style and Remington 700 style.

I prefer.308/30-06 for bolt action, 223/556 for ar15. I plan to go deer hunting with it. I am not sure in what range I am gonna to hunt yet, I would figure out in what distance I can guarantee a clean kill when I go and practice in shooting range.

 

[tark]

Welcome to the monkey house!!!

Where to start? I would go with the AR because you can get a good one for far less than $900 and that leaves plenty for ammo left over. It is the most versatile platform on the planet With one lower you can swap uppers and have different calibers and barrel lengths.

And the icing on the cake? You will probably find the AR is more accurate than most Bolt actions.

 

[Telekinesis]

What are you planning on hunting, and what distance are you wanting to shoot at the range? Those two questions will help narrow down what cartridge. You are correct that generally a good bolt action gun is going to be more accurate for a given price point, but also note that unless you handload it will likely be more expensive than an AR in .223 (this is assuming you get a bolt gun in a larger caliber).

Remington 700s are decent guns and have been around for a long time. If you're buying used, be aware that there is a recall on the triggers which spans from the first production run (back in the 1960's?) to about 2016. Make sure the trigger has been upgraded before you buy a used one. New guns should (hopefully) be ok.

Personally if I were just getting into a bolt gun, I would take a good look at the Ruger RPR. It has a very nice setup and from what I have seen it has very good accuracy right out of the box (a consistent 1/2 MOA on a friend's rifle). And if you want to later change the barrel (caliber, barrel length, or just a higher quality barrel) it is relatively easy compared to a Remington 700 (The RPR uses a barrel nut to hold the barrel to the receiver - like an AR15 or a Savage bolt rifle - which with a few tools means you can swap barrels at home instead of paying for a gunsmith to do it).

If you're just looking to hunt deer or target shoot at 300 yards or less, pretty much any caliber will do (check your state regulations about hunting with .223, some states have restricted that in the past, and may still have rules about that). If you want to shoot paper at longer ranges, you may want to look at a 6 or 6.5 Creedmoor which will do well. Make sure that ammo is available locally. Most places will have your main cartridges (.308, .30-06, .270, etc), but as you get into less common rounds, you generally have less selection and/or pay more per box.

And avoid the temptation to buy the biggest/loudest cartridge you can find. You have to be shooting at fairly long range to find the point where a .300 Win Mag has enough advantage over a .308 to justify the extra recoil and cost. If you're not shooting at those distances, you're getting more recoil and more expensive ammo for almost no benefit.

Good luck!

 

[Demi-human]

Welcome Aboard.

Any recommendations for brand?

For a Remington? Or a Remington patterned rifle? I am partial to Savage in this area.

my first gun would be either an AR15 or Remington 700.

That is quite the difference. I like them both, too.

Ok, so I am interested in both hunting and shooting.

For just one rifle I guess I would think about what is the biggest game I would hunt and then a round that could do that, while being cheaper, to promote plinking and practice.

Did you have a caliber in mind?

The whole practice is easier if one handloads.

 

[troy fairweather]

welcome. For a new remington 700 the best for the money out there are the bergara rifles.

 

[ontarget]

Welcome aboard. Tons of great knowledge here. You will find an answer for anything that's on your mind.
I like both the 700 and AR 15 but as others have mentioned, what cartridge you choose is a very important part. If you choose a cartridge not chambered for the AR platform then you will have different choices to make. Pretty much any of the name brand bolt actions have a very serviceable option in the entry level budget category. Don't forget about your sighting system and don't cheap out on that whether you go iron sights or optics. Good luck.

 

[Frostbite]

What do you want to hunt? On which terrain?

 

[cdb1]

You will probably find the AR is more accurate than most Bolt actions.

I have a hard time believing that.

 

[Sappyg2.0]

I preferred Remington 700 since bolt action rifles usually more accurate and have higher quality in the same price level due to their simplicity. My budget is about 900 dollars. Any recommendations for brand?

Welcome to THR.
A 700 may or may not be more accurate than an AR and you can find ARs at great prices.

In a bolt gun I would suggest a good look at the ruger American predator or ranch rifle. You might need a scope and your budget allows for a decent leupold 3-9x freedom. Add rings and you'll have enough in the budget for ammo. The more the better.

 

[LunaRain]

Welcome Aboard.



For a Remington? Or a Remington patterned rifle? I am partial to Savage in this area.



That is quite the difference. I like them both, too.



For just one rifle I guess I would think about what is the biggest game I would hunt and then a round that could do that, while being cheaper, to promote plinking and practice.

Did you have a caliber in mind?

The whole practice is easier if one handloads.

I am interested in big game hunting. Deer and Elk seems to be popular quarry in Washington State(where I am living in).So if I go bolt action gun, I may choose.308 or 30-06.

 

[LunaRain]

Welcome to the monkey house!!!

Where to start? I would go with the AR because you can get a good one for far less than $900 and that leaves plenty for ammo left over. It is the most versatile platform on the planet With one lower you can swap uppers and have different calibers and barrel lengths.

And the icing on the cake? You will probably find the AR is more accurate than most Bolt actions.

I love ar15 as well as m700 Any recommendations for factory made ar15 within my budget range? What about s&w’s m&p15?

 

[otisrush]

Take the following with a grain of salt. I'm not a hunter. I own an AR but it's .223/5.56.

I think given your hunting and budget objectives it seems to me the only thing that fills the bill is a 700 or some other similarly priced bolt action. A quick check of M&P 10 prices (what's needed to get to .308) are easily at $900 and up.

My AR is an M&P 15 Sport I. It's a great, great gun. But - my use model is only plinking at the range. It has been flawless and it's very accurate. So strong endorsement here for S&W rifles in general.

I also bought a 700 a couple of years ago (.243) and it has been a great gun. Again - target only. But it shoots very well.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I have a hard time believing that.

I was very late coming to the AR game- got my first at 40- and I have owned bolt actions all my life. I own an immaculate old 700 BDL and 2 ARs. I have come to the conclusion that all traditional bolt action rifles are only as good as their bedding, and this can be highly variable over the course of a rifles manufacturers production run as quality rises and falls with changes in management as well as individual rifles as their stocks age.

Getting a consistently accurate AR is generally just a matter of matching the barrel length and twist to a bullet it likes, and once a good combination is found they tend to stay accurate. Certainly there are other factors- a good trigger being chief among them, but in general I think the average quality AR is more accurate than the average new production 700.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[stillquietvoice]

Welcome to the forum. You stated that deer and elk are on your hunt list. What terrain are you hunting in. Some states the elk are up high sometimes in excess of 9000 ft. Ar platform rifles tend to be heavier causing fatigue faster at high elevations plus the air gets pretty thin at high altitudes. Elk often requires slot of walking in touch terrain. So I would recommend mid weight bolt rifle in stainless with composite stock. It will resist the elements better than blue and wood.
If you could swing it id think about 2 one in 223,556 for cheap practice and one in Amy cartridge from. 264 cal and up.

 

[MikeInOr]

Do you have any family or friends with some background in hunting rifles? If so I would leverage their knowledge to find a quality used 308/30-06. You can most likely get a good deal on a quality used rifle and scope combo... if you or someone you know has an idea of what to look for. Do you specifically want a Remington 700... or do you just want a quality bolt action rifle? There are numerous manufactures of quality bolt action rifles.

A year ago or so a friend of mine picked up a beautiful old Kimber in 243 with a Leupold 2-7x for $400. He didn't really need it... but he certainly could not pass up the deal!

 

[LunaRain]

Do you have any family or friends with some background in hunting rifles? If so I would leverage their knowledge to find a quality used 308/30-06. You can most likely get a good deal on a quality used rifle scope combo... if you or someone you know has an idea of what to look for. Do you specifically want a Remington 700... or do you just want a quality bolt action rifle. The are numerous manufactures of quality bolt action rifles.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. None of people surround me is interested in hunting I am still looking for experienced hunter or hunting partner who I can accompany with

 

[troy fairweather]

Unfortunately, the answer is no. None of people surround me is interested in hunting I am still looking for experienced hunter or hunting partner who I can accompany with

what state are you in.

 

[stillquietvoice]

There is a thread on hunting mentors in the hunting sub forum you might be able to contact aemtor via pm in your
area.

Do some research on sportsman clubs close to you..

 

[Bayourambler]

From a few experiences with friends, I’ve seen the Remington 700 sps in 308 shoot very good with a little tweaking. Bed the stock and drop in a timney trigger and you will have a very versatile rifle that you can learn a bunch from , and hunt with. I personally haven’t seen one that shot over 1 MOA with good ammo. I see these used all the time for good prices. I found 1 for $275 years ago and still love it! I still shoot it a bunch. If you could find one for a decent price and go for a good scope you will be set. As Troy Fairweather said, the Bergara is a fine rifle. But on a $900 budget , you wouldn’t have much room for a good scope.

 

[Varminterror]

$900 can buy a respectable Rem 700 AND a decent AR carbine.

Skip the 30-06. Of the two, get a 308win, better still, get a 6.5 Creedmoor.

Remington 700 ADL for $400 or less, Ruger AR-556 or S&W M&P Sport II for the AR, wait for sales and get these for $500.

No question, a little tweaking on a $350 Rem 700 will yield better accuracy than a low cost AR like these. Even sitting a $900 AR beside a $900 Rem 700 model, the bolt action will be more accurate. Might need free floating and bedding, but it’ll shoot smaller groups.

 

[LunaRain]

what state are you in.

I am living on Washington state, Tacoma area. The only related club I found near me is called Tacoma rifle&revolver club. I sent an email to them for putting me on the waiting list of “new member course” which held once a month. They added me on the list but I need to wait for about 3 to 4 months. I plan to go indoor shooting range and take some classes before that.

 

[troy fairweather]

I am living on Washington state, Tacoma area. The only related club I found near me is called Tacoma rifle&revolver club. I sent an email to them for putting me on the waiting list of “new member course” which held once a month. They added me on the list but I need to wait for about 3 to 4 months. I plan to go indoor shooting range and take some classes before that.

hope you find a hunting buddy by you. you will learn quick once your out there. if you have any questions just ask. if ever in new york your welcome to stop by for some hunting.

 

[cdb1]

In no particular order:

Weatherby Vanguard
Bergara
Winchester M70
700 ADL and replace stock and trigger

Since OP wants to go after deer and elk I believe the AR-15 platform is off the table. I don’t have near the experience with AR’s that I do with bolt actions, but from what I’ve experienced a sub $1k AR may be as accurate as the above referenced bolt actions but they aren’t more accurate.

 

[illinoisburt]

As far as hunting there in the Pacific northwest, elk and deer pretty much means in the mountains and rain. Elk are big animals and even though there are folks who kill them with small calibers, stick with a reasonable mid bore like 308 with 165 or 180 grain bullets as a beginner. They are time tested and proven reliable for big game at reasonable ranges (300 yards is a long ways out regardless what anyone tells you).

You dont need a ton of fancy stuff. Just a solid bolt gun with a synthetic stock and a decent scope in sturdy mount. Add a comfortable padded sling for all day hiking. Basically any of the $300 to $500 bolt guns from Savage, Ruger, Remington or any other name brand will.be fine. Handle a bunch at the gun counter and go with the one that feels comfortable to hold to your shoulder and feels smooth operating the bolt.

Don't fall prey to a cheap scope. Budget $250 for a Leupold, Nikon, or similar 2-7, 3-9, 3-12x that looks clear and bright to your eyes. Lighter and smaller are your friends when carrying a rifle around all day. Higher magnification is wonderful on shooting ranges, but really not needed and often a hindrance when scopes get very long with big objectives. Get a good set of flip scope caps to match and have it mounted with solid rings. Get at least 5 boxes of the same ammo you would like to hunt with - fusions are good and tend to be accurate, as are any of the old standards from Remington and Winchester. Literally millions of these rounds are used every season to successfully bag game.

Any decent gun counter should sell you all the pieces, put it together, and boresight to get the gun close for sightin at a range. Sight the gun in 2-1/2 inches high at 100 yards to give a point blank range of 0 to 300 yards (meaning hold the crosshairs mid chest and the bullet will impact within the kill zone without holdover or other adjustments for distance). It may not be exciting or fancy, but it works really well.

Go out to shoot regularly to learn good form and get comfortable with the gun. Once it's sighted in, practice shooting from standing and other positions off the bench. It's a learned skill and takes time to build up.

Definitely check around for mentorship programs. The state rifle association and department of natural resources may very well have educational programs for new hunters, too.

Most importantly, remember to have fun. Hunting can be a great rewarding pastime.

 

[LunaRain]

I have a direction now. Thanks for all comments.