What would you vintage folks do to this vintage caliber 1984 R700?

[ChrisBCS]

Remington 700 Long Action ADL in .30-06
Found this, put it on layaway. In love. Made the year I was born. They wanted $399. The action alone is worth more. Completely unmolested.

Step 1: outfit it with an M1907 pattern sling.
Step 2: shoot it. A lot.
Step 3 through N: different bolt handle? New barrel crown? Glass bed stock and float barrel? Or get a stock with a floor plate/larger magazine then bed/float? Better optics?

 

[2Shots]

Long action, 30-06. Go kill a deer with it, I'd leave it alone.

 

[ChrisBCS]

I shoot a lot and hunt almosd never. I'm obsessed with the .30-06. I'd like to use this rifle/action to learn load development and better/proper optics use. although the longest range I know of in central TX is eagle peak (300 yds). The optics are an old Bushnell sport view in Weaver rings.

 

[aur0ra145]

Best of the West is in central Texas. It's close to Liberty Hill, TX.

About the rifle. Keep it and shoot a deer with it. Then give it to your son/daughter as their first deer rifle. Barring that, give it to your daughter's husband or something. Just make it into a family heirloom and don't screw with it.

 

[mtrmn]

Better scope. Work up a good handload. Nothing else unless you just can't get good results out of it. Pass it down to the next generation.

 

[ChrisBCS]

Thanks folks. Good scope and hand load sounds like a plan.

Re: hunting, I appreciate the sentiment. My deer rifle growing up was an ADL in 7 mm mag. But, I haven't hunted in a decade and don't see myself doing it in the future. I bought this rifle to turn it loose regularly. I bought it as a .30-06 shooter. That's not to say I won't hunt with it, but that's not its primary niche for me.

 

[Mister Ridge]

Leupold standard style rings and bases properly installed. Vintage Weaver T-10 with crosshair reticle. If you get so far as to re-barrel, a slightly heavier contour in .25-06 or 6.5mm-06, with the stock properly inletted, would be nice.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I agree mostly. A .30-'06 700ADL heirloom is about as classic a deer rifle as they come.

Matters of maintenance, and upgrades of components that do not alter the underlying rifle would be more than acceptable to me.

I would replace the scope and mounts with something of a modern nature. Good modern mounts and optics, along with a crown restoration, would meet with my own definition of appropriate.

I like the Leupold 'JR' type windage adjustable bases; just received delivery from Amazon of two sets of two piece bases and turn-in rings yesterday for my own pair of heirloom 700BDL's, one .25-'06, the other a 7mm Rem Mag. They will be set up, cleaned up, and in my Son-in-Law's hands in the next week or two.

My Wife says I have too many rifles, and she is right.

BTW, I am still looking for a pre-X-Mark takeoff trigger for the 7mm.

I took a NIB Bushnell 4-12x40 generic package scope off my new Savage 11VT that he liked, and will mount it on the .25-'06 for him.

Greg

 

[Badgerord]

The bolt handle suggest that its older than 1984, either it is not the original handle or its older than you think.

What is the serial number?

 

[ChrisBCS]

 

[Dan M]

The B prefix is right for an early 80's rifle.

I'll bet that rifle has a Sportsman 78 bolt installed in place of the original bolt.

 

[Badgerord]

Dan,

You might be right.

 

[Dan M]

I don't own 700s now but did in the past. If memory serves me correctly the s/n for the rifle was ep'd on the bolt. The OP needs to check to see if the s/n on the bolt matches the rifle... doubt it since it is most likely a Sportsman 78 bolt.

Checking the headspace should be done before shelling out any more coin.

 

[MescaBug]

'DE' on the barrel. Sept 1984.

Dan, Remington never ep'd the serial on the bolt on 700 rifle.

 

[Mossyrock]

OK....for the record? 1984 IN NOT VINTAGE, YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER!!!!! Oh, and GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

 

[Mossyrock]

Gonna have to disagree with you on that one. I have a seven-digit 700 with the serial number EPd on the bolt. .243 caliber.

 

[George Az]

Yup! 1984 isn't vintage. I have a pair of boots older than that, a very nice pair of Heyer Mahans if you are interested. I can't believe you would shoot it. Polish it and put it in the safe. In 75 years maybe.....on the other hand, replace the scope and rings and go shoot it.

 

[kraigWY]

Shoot the sucker. Bet you'll find out it shoots pretty good.

As to the M1907 type sling. Yup, I'd go for that. I have a Mid 70s Model 700 I used in LE C/S. First thing I did was put a M1907 sling on it, works great (its a varmint gun now).

I use this sling on all my hunting (as well as target) rifles.

Other then that I wouldn't do anything with it until you see if it shoots. Bet it does.

 

[pmclaine]

Its beautiful as is but truth be told Im not preferential to a shiny woody.

Just as a what would you do mental excercise I WOULD buy a Numerich 700P stock and finish it with a GI oil finish, mount a heavy profile barrel, properly bed, and parkerize/black oxide the metal and finally mount a vintage scope Weaver T10, Redfield 3-9X, and Id add a M1907 sling as you suggest.

Thats what I would do.

 

[Hairball]

Leave it "as is" and enjoy it for what it is...a hunting rifle. I had one from the late 70's and sold it many years ago and still wish I would have kept that one.

 

[HD-Ghost]

Steel: get rid of the aluminum rings and bases. Replace with steel 1-piece base and steel rings. If you have the money, buy a Colorado Redfield scope.
Handloads: start with 40.5 gr. of IMR 4895 w/ 168 HPBT.

 

[MescaBug]

Gonna have to disagree with you on that one. I have a seven-digit 700 with the serial number EPd on the bolt. .243 caliber.

Was done by a previous owner. Call Remington, they will tell you. I seriously doubt it was done at the factory. I have 6-digit, 7-digit, A, B, C and E receivers, never saw a EP'd bolt. I can take some pics.

If it was a factory standard procedure, all bolts would be EP'd right? If 1/10 is EP'd, I dont consider it to be a standard procedure.

All markings at Remington were roll marks or punch stamps. And then after passing every inspection and quality assurance tests, a worker would mark a brand new bolt with a funky electro-pencil? Doesnt make sense. If all bolts were EP'd, why did the armorers were told to EP'd the Remington M40 bolts? They woulnt have to.

Marty (BadgerOrd): What do you think? You handled what, thousands of 700's?

 

[Dan M]

The 700s I had the last 4 of the s/n ep'd on the bolt, and they were NOT done by the previous owner... they were marked when the rifle was unboxed.

This is how REM does it now... this a brand new 700 AAC :

4788 is the last 4 of the rifle's s/n.

It makes sense when you want the bolt the rifle was proofed with to make it into the same box the rifle is shipped in... I take it you have never been to Illion...I went to Remington's Armorer school there. They have some people working there that could break an anvil with no tools if given the time.

PS... I have been informed that some ADLs made it out with smooth bolt handles during the time period in question, so it very well could be the correct bolt.

PPS- grabbed a photo of 700 bolt with factory ep of last 4.

Full s/n ep'd

Never say never.

 

[Asperly Aimless]

Shoot it.

Off Topic: Is that Flatwoods gun shop?

 

[ChrisBCS]

OK....for the record? 1984 IN NOT VINTAGE, YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER!!!!! Oh, and GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

I didn't say the rifle was vintage. I said the caliber/cartridge was. And I respect the opinion of the vintage forum goers the most. So I asked here.

 

[ChrisBCS]

Shoot it.

Off Topic: Is that Flatwoods gun shop?

Nossir, it's Burdett and Son in College Station, Texas.

 

[ChrisBCS]

Picked her up today

Optics are an old Bushnell Sportview 3-9x. I have no idea how to use it. I haven't shot a scoped rifle since I was a teenager.

I'm pretty sure the trigger is all factory, ridges seem correct, but it is VERY VERY nice... I hope none of the screws have been messed with.

 

[steve123]

Too me there's nothing particularly special about it. The same rifle one see's in just about every pawn shop except in slightly better shape is all. I'd throw some money at it and turn it into something really nice, maybe a Bartlein barrel in 280 or 280AI, a stable stock with adjustable hardware, old trigger would tune nicely, 20 moa base, decent scope.

 

[sinister]

Get the crown checked out, maybe re-crown.

Get a good base, rings, and scope.

Shoot the dang thing until it no longer holds MOA. Re-barrel, rinse, repeat.

Nice looking rifle. $399 was a very good deal.

 

[CMH]

Just an FYI Bushnell from that era = fail. Otherwise looks like nice rifle.

 

[ChrisBCS]

By the way, electropencil on the bolt. Matches the last four of the rifle serial. So the smooth bolt is true to the rifle. Dan M was right on all counts.

I wouldn't mind having a stippled, matte handle, though.

 

[Dan M]

Nice rifle Chris... now go out and shoot the hell out of it out of it.

You have many choices for optics, bases and rings. As funds become available you can think about which direction you want to head with it.

 

[ChrisBCS]

So I just stripped it down to get a better look:

The trigger/sear engagement looks gunky, like it needs a good cleaning. Any recommendations?

 

[ChrisBCS]

But this was definitely the biggest surprise:

 

[11:11]

From first hand experience with old family hunting guns. I can tell, that one is a gem. Very well taken care of from what I see of the wooden stock. It will always tell on a gun.. Keep it the way she is, and make a family heirloom out of it..

 

[ChrisBCS]

Barrel channel on the stock touched up to float the barrel, inexpensive web sling fitted until I can get my hands on a nice leather M1907. As American as apple pie and Jesus.

 

[Dan M]

Chris

You had asked about cleaning the trigger... I am far from an expert on cleaning triggers but I have had good luck in the past using Zippo lighter fluid to flush accumulated grime out of installed trigger assemblies.

 

[pmclaine]

Range report.

 

[Tx_Flyboy]

Shoot the damn thing and post target pics for our review and comment!

 

[ChrisBCS]

Uhh... It shoots.

After much frustration getting the scope anywhere close to zero, this was my final 5 shot group. 100 yards, sandbags. This is just a $19.99 box of Remmy core lokt. I went super cheap anticipating zeroing difficultly

 

[11:11]

Yea, lighter fluid, let it dry, then try out some KG Industies dry moly lube for the trigger.. It will be smooth as silk!

Chris

You had asked about cleaning the trigger... I am far from an expert on cleaning triggers but I have had good luck in the past using Zippo lighter fluid to flush accumulated grime out of installed trigger assemblies.

 

[JoshcBoucher]

OK....for the record? 1984 IN NOT VINTAGE, YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER!!!!! Oh, and GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

Ditto! I'm pre-64.getting close to vintage.

 

[gatorbait308]

welcome to the hide, good find, she looks like a good shooter, I would put a good scope,base,rings and hand load for your new baby. I dont think you could find a better all round hunting and shooting rifle than you have. thanks for showing your new old classic.

 

[JoshcBoucher]

Ditto! I'm pre-64.getting close to vintage.

But,I have to sayGreat buy.I fondled a gun like yours,but they wanted $750 for it. I passed.

 

[sinister]

SWEET!

Imagine your group with Sierra Match Kings, Lapua Scenars, A-Maxs, Bergers, or Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Keep shooting it!

 

[Deej]

looks like got a shooter, when find the handload for it and get scope sorted out I'm thinking will amaze you. nice rifle hope you enjoy it.

 

[mallrat]

Yep, 1984 ain't vintage. And any song recorded after I started high school ain't a "Classic Flashback".

I'd say leave it as-is and shoot it. But then, I like "retro" stuff and that rifle really takes me back.