Accuracy of a bone stock Remington 700

[Remsen]

Odd as it may seem, I recently bought my first Remington 700 (this doesn't include custom rifles based on the 700 action, which I have)...I have a few dozen rifles but none of them were a plain ole 700.

It's a used SPS (the base one, not the varmint or tactical) with the detachable magazine in 7-08, round count unknown but untouched as it came from the factory. I didn't expect much in terms of accuracy (I bought it for antelope and deer hunting and minute of boiler room is all I hoped for) so I loaded up a few different brews of 140 and 150 gr rounds, popped a cheap Nikon Buckmasters scope on it and headed off to the range this morning.

No doubt about it, it won't bughole like my GAP, but the damn SPS shoots far better than I would have ever imagined. Consistent 5 shot groups under an inch (which is amazing to me for a $400 rifle with a $100 scope). Before this I was sure I was going to have to get a new stock and bed the action. Instead, I'm pretty much set for hunting season as it stands now.

So the question is whether Remington 700s are damn accurate just from the factory or whether I had really low expectations (or maybe I just got really lucky?)

 

[ogonzalez13]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Both my remington 700P and SPS Tactical in 308 win. shoot easy 3/4" groups and when it all come together 1/2" groups. Pretty Good for factory rifles.

 

[carbinero]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Likewise for my ADL Varmint in 308.

 

[tacticalrifleman]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I work for a state agency and we use the remington 700 for our precision rifles. We have rifles that are old enough to be varmint specials, and 700p's for the newer ones (none newer than 1997 as far as I can tell). We had about 72 or so of these until a few years ago. I can say that the average rifle out of the armory shot less than 3/4 MOA with fed gold match, and most were around 1/2 MOA at 100 yards.

There are a couple of things I think that contribute to this, one they have all been shot enough times that their bores were mirror smooth, an they had been maintained to a degree by detail oriented people. I will say after having either shot, or witnesed them being shot I only seen one that would only hold an inch at 100. There were also a fair number that would hold under half MOA for five shots with shooters who were capable of that kind of performance.

They did eventually become worn enough and with our duty rounds changing that we got them rebuilt. We taylored them to our new duty tound and they are performing at a very high level consistantly. I have had several stock 700's personally that were outstanding shooters as well, but have seen some that were only fair, and a couple that were poor shooters. I woud say with the numbers of them I have experience with that I think the odds are in your favor to get a fairly good shooter from remington. HTH

 

[Kaisersose]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

With the right ammo you can be surprised.

I had a bone stock LTR with gold medal that would almost put them in the same hole at 100

Also have a buddy that has a bone stock Remington 7mm mag that would shoot right around 3/4 to 1/2 moa with federal premium.

You just never know till you shoot one

 

[Tacticalrum]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

My SPS didn't shoot all that great out of the box (stock) My 300 RUM back when it was factory shot lights out 3/4 groups @ 100. My 25.06 Remington 700 Custom Deluxe from the day I brought her home until now shoots pretty much hole in hole. The last 2 listed I have owned more than 10 years for one and 9 for the other. A remington bdl is all that I would buy for a bolt hunting rifle.

 

[SuckitTrebek]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Is it surprise that all the custom rifle makers want to you to think that you NEED there services when in fact you can get damn good results straight from the factory much of the time?

Most shooters can't shoot to the accuracy capacity of their firearms in the first place.

 

[dmg308]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YourMotherTrebek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is it surprise that all the custom rifle makers want to you to think that you NEED there services when in fact you can get damn good results straight from the factory much of the time?

Most shooters can't shoot to the accuracy capacity of their firearms in the first place. </div></div>

Your mostly right the exception that I see alot is if you shoot a fast 10 round string most factory barrels will start to open up pretty quick after the 5th or 6th round.If its a magnum much less.They just are not stressed relieved very well.Most will usually benefit from a bedding and trigger job as well.

 

[Diablo]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

My experience (having had several M700s during the past 20 years) was that some shot pretty well right out of the box.

But, I've also had some that would not shoot MOA even after bedding.

There's no way to know if that factory rifle is accurate until you spend some time with it and see how well it shoots.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

With a custom rifle from the right builder you are paying for consistency.

With a mid level factory rifle you are rolling the dice. You may get one that shoots extremely well or you may get one that just shoots...."meh". I have been lucky and gotten some good ones.

With a non-free floated barrel the AAC-SD we just started working with looks to be a sub-moa rifle. I won't be sure until I get a real average.

 

[SuckitTrebek]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With a custom rifle from the right builder you are paying for consistency.

With a mid level factory rifle you are rolling the dice. You may get one that shoots extremely well or you may get one that just shoots...."meh". I have been lucky and gotten some good ones.

With a non-free floated barrel the AAC-SD we just started working with looks to be a sub-moa rifle. I won't be sure until I get a real average. </div></div>


Lets see if that's a good sign for me. I'll be sighting in two AAC-SD remingtons today, one in a 2.0 another in an HS precision. lets see how they shoot.

 

[marku]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

It just depends on what Remington 700 your buying. For example a Sendero I think will have a better change of producing smaller groups than say a SPS because of the heavier barrel and aluminum beded stock.

I know Remingtons especailly the Senderos have a excellant chance of shooting really good. I own a Sendero in .300 Ultra with a 1-11" twist factory barrel. The only thing i did to it was adj the Mark X Pro trigger down and also used Tubbs final finish bullet in the barrel. My last time at the range I shot a .207" 3 shot group at 100 yards with it. That was with a 210gr Berger VLD and 89.0 gr Retumbo.

Customs have their places though. If your just starting or if you dont think your expierence behind the trigger is worth the $4000 price tag then buy a factory remington and shoot the heck out of it. At some point as you get better and want a custom you have a soild foundation for building a very accurate rifle.

 

[pappy83]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

My LTR shoots just under a inch, it is completely stock and I am happy with it. I think you kinda roll the dice with stock rifles from any manufactuer whether thier going to shoot really good or not.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: marku</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> My last time at the range I shot a .207" 3 shot group at 100 yards with it. That was with a 210gr Berger VLD and 89.0 gr Retumbo.

Customs have their places though. If your just starting or if you dont think your expierence behind the trigger is worth the $4000 price tag then buy a factory remington and shoot the heck out of it. At some point as you get better and want a custom you have a soild foundation for building a very accurate rifle.
</div></div>

Put two to seven more shots in that group and you will quickly see the difference. Remember a $600 SPS and a $4000 AI shoot the same size one shot groups.

I do agree with the second part of your statement though.

 

[Basher]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I don't know the age of my 700P, but it's got the old 24" barrel on it, and other than a nice 3lb. trigger job, it's bone stock. Regardless, with some decent handloads and quality factory match ammo alike, it'll do 3/4" 5 shot groups all day long at 100 yards. With better handloads, I've done consistent 1/2" 5 shot groups a few times. I've never shot paper past 100 with this particular rifle, but it'll peg a coke bottle out to 300 just fine.

Need to get some glass on it (sold the old scope a while back), and then I'll be taking it out to a 500 yard F-TR match, but that may be a ways off yet. We shall see.

 

[remau308]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

You will be surprised at how the SPS Tacticals can perform. My friend was able to put three shots in one hole at 100yards with a Nikon, bipod, rear sandbag, and 168gr FGMM. We were completely shocked when we measured it to be 0.05" center to center. Maybe he got lucky, or maybe the gun is a 1:1000 bone stock tackdriver.

 

[SS-8541-dono]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

my factory sps varmint will shoot 1/2 inch moa

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Here it starts. This thread is getting ready to go to Hell in a hand basket.

 

[bmt]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YourMotherTrebek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Most shooters can't shoot to the accuracy capacity of their firearms in the first place. </div></div>

Amen.

Many shooter+ammo+gun combinations can barely achieve Minute-of-paper-plate at 75 yards.

But from a tree stand, that covers most of the deer that can be seen.

BMT

 

[vman]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I think one of the biggest let downs on some remingtons is not the action or the barrel, but the stock itself.

 

[kill_goose]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think one of the biggest let downs on some remingtons is not the action or the barrel, but the stock itself.

</div></div>

Yup!


I have yet to own a 700 that wouldn't do sub MOA out of the box with "cheap" factory ammo. I think most guys that claim otherwise maybe aren't capable of shooting better than that, so they blame the rifle. (remember, I said MOST, not saying Remington doesn't occasionally produce a true lemon, they do, but I think it is rare).

And lets face it. For the majority of the weekend warrior hunters/shooters out there, MOA is perfectly acceptable. Anything under an inch at a hundred makes em think their Bob Lee himself! I know for most of the deer hunters around here their idea of "sighting in" is if they can put 3 shots on a pie plate at a hundred yards. Whats that? Minute Of Pie?? Cant expect much from guys that shoot less than 20 rounds a year for one weekend.

Now for the rest of us, MOA accuracy is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Deathrowdave]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Most of the time missing is not the RIFLE, but the operator !!!!
Newer 700 plastic stocks aren't much for accurate shooting with .

 

[vman]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

Yup. Swapped my mates plastic stock from his VSSF, over with my HS and the gun went from minute of barn, to MOA at 100 yards.

 

[mortarguy5611]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I have a 700 SPS in .270 that shot .75 at 100 all day with cheap corelokt before i had the barrel cryoed. Now it wont shoot corelokt in a 3 moa but it will now shoot federal premium with 130 nozler balistic tips in sub half all day and when i do my part it will do .38. This is still in the factory tupperwear as well

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I've got three Rem 700s: XHR in .25-06, SPS SS in .308, SPS Varmint in .308 (this last bought as a project gun). All three are sub-MOA with most loads, <0.5 MOA with my hand loads using SMKs. All are bone stock at the moment...if I can get 0.5 MOA, I'm having trouble justifying mods.

FH

PS-these results were obtained shooting off a Caldwell Leadsled to test ammo and rifle

 

[Tangodown911]

Re: Accuracy of an bone stock Remington 700

I agree stocks are an issue with Remingtons but my issues have been with the insane large cut chambers and throats that are a mile long. Especially true for the 5Rs. To me Remingtons are quite the crap shoot. A gamble I am no longer willing to take. The good Lord has been more than generous to me and allowed me to experience to pleasure of owning relieble consistent custom rifles. And for that I am thankful. But nonetheless less I feel the pain of you guys that trust big green with your money and wind up investing another $1k or better in the rifle to get her to act right. But not to worry not all s lost. You will have gotten practice and the ability to know just what you want or don't want in a custom rifle.

If you got the money or love shooting, go custom.