What's your preference?

[Bobson]

Neither. To me, the "best grade" of any rifle implies a fine wood stock and shiny blued metal... I wouldn't be comfortable shooting a rifle like that for fear of damaging it.

Give me stainless/synthetic. Boring. Functional. Who cares if it gets scratched? That's my preference.

 

[PowerG]

Both are very good rifles, I have just had better luck over the years with Remington as far as accuracy goes.

 

[bannockburn]

Have always had a thing for pre '64 Winchesters.

 

[up 2 snuff]

My newer 700 BDLs are wonderful firearms. The quality and workmanship is excellent. The are more accurate than my pre 64 M70 30-06, which is also a fine gun. I hunt with them all, but my favorite gun to hunt with is my Rem 788 in 308 and would take another one of the over the 700 or M70.

 

[CB900F]

Jeepnik;

As a lefty, and an owner, I can tell you that Winchester has made LH model 70's. They were produced during the USRAC era, which was between Olin/Winchester and the FN Winchester's. Mine's stainless, and .30-06, and a very nice gun.

As far as the poll goes, I'll go the pre-64 even though it won't be a lefty. There were a very few LH conversions attempted on the pre-64 actions by various gunsmiths over the years. I have no idea what the actual numbers were, but let's say about two dozen. Maybe two of them worked well, but all of them were expensive.

900F

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Right after my second tour in Viet Nam, I had a 94 Winchester, an M1917 Enfield and an M1916 Spanish Mauser, but I wanted a "real" hunting rifle.

This was 1970, and the Post-'64 Model 70 was out of the question. I looked at the Remington 700, but in those days they were coating stocks with the same stuff used on bowling pins. I looked at a couple, and they were using pressed checkering -- pressed so hard that splinters rose up around the checkering, and they just slathered that bowling pin stuff over the splinters. I figured it they were that careless about stuff the customer could see, who knew what other messes were hidden?

I bought a Ruger M77 (in .30-06) -- the closest thing in those days to the pre-64 Model 70 -- and kept my eyes open until years later I found a pre-war Model 70 at a price I could afford.

 

[entropy]

Neither. I'd rather have a Remington 721.

 

[The Big D]

Even before Remington was forced by lawsuits to recall every 700 since the beginning of time due to safety and trigger problems, I would have taken the Model 70. Smother bolt operation, better safety, WAY better extraction, and better ejection. At least as good an options for the trigger too.

Looking at it, I don't really see any favorable feature of the 700 other than the price.

 

[HKGuns]

Remington is junk.

Sako

 

[Gtscotty]

I'd take pretty much any decent M70 over any 700, just not a fan of the Remington action design.

 

[DM~]

I'd choose the mod. 70 BUT ---------------> ONLY<---------------- if it's the new made mod. 70, that's been made in the last few years.... But, the Rem. 700 would probably be more accurate...

At least, that's been my experience over the last 45+ years...

DM

 

[jeepnik]

Jeepnik;

As a lefty, and an owner, I can tell you that Winchester has made LH model 70's. They were produced during the USRAC era, which was between Olin/Winchester and the FN Winchester's. Mine's stainless, and .30-06, and a very nice gun.

As far as the poll goes, I'll go the pre-64 even though it won't be a lefty. There were a very few LH conversions attempted on the pre-64 actions by various gunsmiths over the years. I have no idea what the actual numbers were, but let's say about two dozen. Maybe two of them worked well, but all of them were expensive.

900F

Thanks for the info. Never knew about them. But being from a "Remington" family I never watched "that other" company's offerings that closely.

 

[CB900F]

Jeepnik;

I'm sorry you were raised in a Remington family, but there are black sheep in every family. Admitting it & getting it out in the open is an important first step to recovery.

We'll introduce you to Tikka here in a bit.

900F

 

[jmr40]

Call it paranoia, but the safety problem on those remington's bother me.
You and me both. And changing the safety so it DOESN'T lock down the bolt is no solution.

You can buy an after-market 3-position safety for the Remington 700 -- but I'm not going to shell out extra money for something the manufacturer should provide.
Vern Humphrey is offline Report Post Quick reply to this message

Just to be clear there is nothing wrong with the safety on the Remington's. The problem is with the trigger. Remington changed the safety in the 1980's in the hopes that it would prevent discharges. The old style safety had to be moved to the "fire" position to unload the chamber. If the trigger had failed the gun fires when the safety is moved. The newer design allows the chamber to be cleared with the safety on. This does prevent a lot of problems, but didn't address the real problem. This was Remington's 1980's attempt to solve the problem without admitting they had a problem.

I have a 1974 made 700 that has had the trigger fail. It has now been replaced with a Timney. I still like the Winchester design better, but with an aftermarket trigger the 700 is a nice gun.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Just to be clear there is nothing wrong with the safety on the Remington's. The problem is with the trigger. Remington changed the safety in the 1980's in the hopes that it would prevent discharges. The old style safety had to be moved to the "fire" position to unload the chamber. If the trigger had failed the gun fires when the safety is moved. The newer design allows the chamber to be cleared with the safety on.

It also allows the rifle to be disabled by inadvertently lifting the bolt handle, as when moving through blowdowns. I want a safety that locks the bolt down, and can still be unloaded with the safety engaged -- a' la the Mauser, Springfield and Winchester Model 70.

 

[SwampWolf]

QUOTE: "... I want a safety that locks the bolt down, and can still be unloaded with the safety engaged -- a' la the Mauser, Springfield and Winchester Model 70..."

Same here-and the choices include the Savage Model 110 variants and most Ruger Model 77/MKIIs. I even prefer 2-position safeties that have the bolt locked down when on "safe" but have to be unloaded with the safety "off" to any safety that doesn't lock the bolt down when on "safe". Keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction while unloading (or any other time, for that matter) makes the choice of which safety to have largely moot and personal in nature.

 

[mavracer]

I'll take a nice pre '64 Winchester over a 700 any day and go ahead and make it 30-06, but given a choice of classics I'll take a nice custom mauser in 7X57 go ahead and put it in a manlicher stock and butter knife bolt.

 

[cdb1]

I'll take the latest iteration of the Model 70 over a pre-64 any day. Because of the accuracy I'll take a pre-Freedom group 700 over a post 64 70 and maybe even a pre-64 M70. IMO the newest M70 is as accurate any 700 ever built and higher quality. FN makes good stuff.

 

[joed]

I have equal numbers of both Remington and Winchester. The problem with Winchester, for a good while was try to find one. You could go into a gun store and find all kinds of rifles but no Winchesters.

Myself, I prefer the safety on the Winchester over Remington.

 

[Gtscotty]

QUOTE: "... I want a safety that locks the bolt down, and can still be unloaded with the safety engaged -- a' la the Mauser, Springfield and Winchester Model 70..."

Same here-and the choices include the Savage Model 110 variants and most Ruger Model 77/MKIIs. I even prefer 2-position safeties that have the bolt locked down when on "safe" but have to be unloaded with the safety "off" to any safety that doesn't lock the bolt down when on "safe". Keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction while unloading (or any other time, for that matter) makes the choice of which safety to have largely moot and personal in nature.

I agree, the X-Bolt's bolt release button effectively gives it 3 position functionality as well. I wish Tikkas had a third position, but at least their safeties lock the bolt. The unlocked bolt is one of the chief things I don't like about the 700.

 

[Vernon1]

Remington vs. Brand X

No debate here-move along folks-nothing to see....


Move along to your homes......


Clean your Remington when you arrive at your home......

 

[The Bushmaster]

Neither...Browning A-Bolt in .30-06.

 

[SwampWolf]

QUOTE: "... The unlocked bolt is one of the chief things I don't like about the 700..."

It is interesting to note that Model 700s were made with "lock-down", 2-position bolts until around 1982. Then the attorneys got involved...

 

[Nature Boy]

My savage model 12 has a 3 position safety.

 

[jeepnik]

Jeepnik;

I'm sorry you were raised in a Remington family, but there are black sheep in every family. Admitting it & getting it out in the open is an important first step to recovery.

We'll introduce you to Tikka here in a bit.

900F

Years ago I found Weatherby. While I can't afford a full stable of them, the one's I have serve me quite well. Never had a .460, never will need one, but I want one.