used Remington 700P?

[SW45]

I've got a chance at picking up a used Remington 700P in .308 with a "tactical" bolt knob (Badger?) already expoxied. Asking price is $750 from the LGS.

The barrel crown looks fine; barrel is properly free-floated; lug wear looks pretty even. There are a few minor pinpricks in the stock finish. Receiver top is missing two of the four receiver plug screws. No dings in the metal anywhere. It has a standard Remington recoil pad -- not a "supercell" or anything.

I don't have a pull gauge, but I'd characterize the trigger as "deliberate." Fairly crisp, very little overtravel, but on the heavy side. A Timney Model 510 replacement is $125, plus installation.

I've seen these NIB online for $860-$900, plus shipping and transfer fee.
Badger charges $98 for the bolt knob, installation and return shipping.

I figure I could save $320 over NIB with the Badger bolt knob installed, which is maybe a year's worth of match ammo --or the cost a Harris bipod, Warne rings and a rail.

My purpose is an introduction to precision shooting, begining at 100 yards. The scope will come in a few months, either Leupold, IOR or Nightforce.

I'm going back to the LGS Friday with a BoreSnake, a Remington bolt disassembly tool and maybe a socket set to inspect the bore, the bolt and action out of the gun. I'm told the rifle was formerly owned by a "target shooter," but the heavy trigger tells me otherwise.

Thoughts? I haven't seen a used 700P in my parts in ages, and I'm kind of taking today's find as a good sign...

 

[kis2]

I would always try to find out the round count. if a target shooter owned it, he would know, AT LEAST a ballpark if nothing else.

but if the round count isn't high, it sounds like a good deal to me. it will certainly make a good precision rifle. mine shoots like a champ, you can see in any of the threads I've started I'm sure

and as you improve, you can make upgrades to that same rifle that will take it up to a new level. I like the factory trigger on mine (down from 12lbs to 3lbs), but certainly there are better out there if thats what you really want.

 

[JDGray]

A target shooter would probably swap the trigger assembly, stock, back to factory, and keep his target stuff for the next R700. If someone with a bore scope could look at the rifling for you, and it looked good, that price would be good to go.

 

[Geno]

The only factory-original parts on my own M700 police is the barreled action. Every other part was swapped-out for a "better" part. Well, better to me. That said, the M700 police is an excellent rifle as it comes from the factory.

In terms of price, I have seen recent posts here of folks finding theirs at $799.00 NIB. My own was $899.00 NIB. Regardless, the original purchase of the rifle, likely will be a mere fraction of your cost at the end of package assembly. Add a a custom trigger, quality scope, rings, rail and bi-pod. <<shudders>> I swear they can literally absorb dollars. You can very quickly "invest" $4,000.00 into such a package.

If you can save a buck on a good used one, you're money ahead.

Geno

 

[kaferhaus]

the 'target" shooter likely put the stock trigger back in it. Which is exactly what I do when I get rid of one...

The price is only "okay" in my opinion, certainly not a bargain.

Buying a used target rifle is always iffy.. Without inspection with a high quality bore scope I'd walk.

 

[SW45]

Thanks for your input.

I have read online that Remington is shipping SOME new 700p's with the 40x trigger. I'll ask the guys at two of the LGS that I frequent if they can confirm this with their distributors and, if that's the case, my first preference would be to buy a NIB 700P w/a 40X. I have tried that trigger in the past and am mightily impressed with it.

Again, many thanks for your replies!

 

[SW45]

Update:

Well, I'm picking it up tomorrow. I spoke to the asst. manager who said the previous owner hadn't owned it long, and then he broke his hip. I ran a Boresnake and some CLP through the barrel about 10 times; rifling looks very good, and the bore is bright and shiny. I'll give it a thorough cleaning this weekend.

The best part: They took 8% off the asking price, and gave me $100 for an H&R single shot trade in. So the final price was $590 plus tax.

 

[kis2]

congrats! thoughts on your glass and mounting yet?

make sure to give us a range report

 

[SW45]

Kis2, thank you. I spoke to a salesman at the LGS who checked their supplier and told me a NIB 700P is $930 plus tax (almost $1,000 OTD) but there are none in stock with that distributor. So, with my close inspection and the price discounts I figured $580 was a safe first step, if not a downright bargain. We'll see how it -- and I -- shoot!

For glass I had always dreamed of a Nightforce NXS, around $1,400 (then again, I always dreamed of a Sako TRG-22, a GA Precision or an Accuracy International!) Since this is my first foray into precision shooting, and with three kids, a wife, two dogs, a job, and several other rifles and handguns, I'm not sure I'd wring enough trigger time out of any rifle to justify that kind of scope. Frankly, I'd rather save the cash and buy another AR or shotgun!

So I am doing a lot of research and am now looking at:

1. Super Sniper 10x42, $300
2. Super Sniper 10x42 HD, $800
3. Sightron III 10x42 MMD or 3.5-10x44 MMD, $549-$720
4. Bushnell 6500 Elite 2.5-16x42mm, $680

Each is approx. 13" long, weighs 17-20 ozs., has mil-dots and 3.75"-4" eye relief. I think it's going to come down to glass quality, turrets, parallax adjustment, and repeatability. They all seem to be in the same ballpark (though I know the base model SS is the bargain here.) I has a base model SS 10x42 on an old Remington LTR in .223 and it worked very well, but I sold it along with the rig some years ago.

My understanding is the SSHD has very good reviews and the turrets match the reticle (milrads). I am probably leaning toward that at the moment.

 

[kis2]

I have a buddy who is currently in pain over if he should get matching turret/reticle or not, so if you have good arguments, for his sake post them!

fwiw, mine wears the bushnell 6500. I love it (see my posts). I liked the idea of low end mag with high end for group shooting. I was happy with repeatability, can dial in 900, hit, come back to 100 and be in the red.

all depends on what you want though, any of those are sure to be good choices. don't rule out vortex either!

good luck

 

[SW45]

I'll just turn to Zak Smith here, since my personal experience is nil:

http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-optics/?p=7