Remington-700 - the secret of the popularity of the American carbine

Remington-700 carbines are simple bolt-action rifles. The Remington-700 rifle is currently a legend, as it served in the Vietnam War. The Remington-700 trigger mechanism is used on such famous American sniper rifles as the M-24 (used by the US Army) and M-40 (used by the Marine Corps). For fans of weapon tuning, third-party companies produce a lot of different components and additional equipment.

The history of the appearance and popularity of the famous Remington carbine

The history of the Remington 700 is in many ways similar to the history of another weapon from Remington - the 870 series shotgun. Like the shotgun, the Remington 700 carbine became popular due to the Vietnam War, although it was on the verge of failure.

The Remington-700 has been produced since 1962 and immediately gained many fans in the United States. For almost 5 years, sales of this hunting rifle have remained consistently high. However, with the advent of more advanced models of hunting rifles, the popularity of the Remington-700 began to gradually decline. It seemed that the fate of the Remington-700 had already been determined - the carbine should give way to more advanced models; the Vietnam War gave this weapon an unexpected chance.

Already in the first years of the Vietnam campaign, the American military was faced with an unexpected problem - the sniper rifles of the Marines were completely unsuitable for long-term use in the constant humidity conditions that existed in the tropical jungles of Vietnam. Problems with rifles led to large losses among personnel, so in 1966 the US Army command announced a competition to replace the old M-14 carbine with a more advanced and reliable carbine model. The new model of military carbine was supposed to hit a target at a distance of up to 800 meters, and its work had to be flawless in the humidity of the Vietnamese jungle.

Quite unexpectedly, even for the military, a simple hunting carbine won the competition, with which all gun stores in the country were littered. Since this weapon had been sold for a long time, and the military urgently demanded to replace the outdated M-14 rifles, the Remington-700 SPS carbine was put into service without waiting for the end of the tests. Evil tongues say that the Remington company has reached an agreement with the army leadership, both in the case of the 700 series carbine and in the case of the 870 series shotgun. Most likely, this weapon model was chosen due to the following qualities:

• Low price of weapons;
• Reliability and simplicity of design, proven over several years of operation;
• The use of thick-walled steel for the production of weapons, which made the weapon truly “indestructible.”

As a result, the Remington-700 SPS became the new military carbine. In the US Army he was assigned the index M-40.

History of the Remington 700

Since 1962, the Remington 700 hunting rifle appeared in gun stores in the United States. The prototype was the Mauser G98 of the Mauser brothers, which combined all the best at that time.

If it were not for the Vietnam War, Remington would have remained “one of.” But by 1966, the dissatisfaction of Marine snipers with their standard weapons, which could not withstand the jungle climate, was heard in Washington. They urgently announced a competition with wishes for a sniper rifle.

As a result of the tests, it turned out that the Remington 700 is suitable in all respects.

An order was placed for 700 pieces and, with the name M40, the rifle was accepted into service.

The climate of Southeast Asia with its humidity quickly helped to identify the shortcomings of the hastily adopted model, and in 1977 the Marine Corps was modernizing what was, in principle, a very good weapon. The stock wood was replaced with polyamide, the barrel was made from stainless steel, and the optical sight was replaced with a more suitable one.

The modernized rifle called M40A1 began to be assembled at Quantico at one of the Marine Corps bases. The supply of components was arranged from different companies. Each collected sample cannot be sent to the troops without passing rigorous accuracy tests.

The US Department of Defense could not stand aside and in 1987, using the Remington 700 as a model, it designed and launched production of the SWS M24 sniper rifle, equipping all ground units with them.

The difficult fate of the Remington-700 SPS

Despite the bright prospects, the Remington-700 SPS turned out to be not at all the weapon that was required for the war in the jungles of Vietnam. Soon his numerous shortcomings appeared, which in other climates did not manifest themselves in any way:

• The wood stock of the Remington-700 SPS was constantly swelling, causing it to change shape. Excess wood had to be trimmed with a knife;
• Mud, which is an essential part of the jungle, hit targets between the stock and barrel of the Remington-700 SPS. This led to rapid corrosion, which raised the barrel of the gun slightly, changing its ballistic characteristics;
• Shells appeared in the trunk;
• Constant dampness contributed to the appearance of rust on the outside of the barrel;
• It was not possible to repair the weapon after the battle due to a lack of spare parts.

It seemed that it was time to change the Remington-700 SPS carbine to another model, but since a lot of government funds were spent on replacing the M-14 rifle, it was necessary to urgently upgrade the existing rifle. The modernized version received the following design changes:

• Water-repellent camouflage coating;
• The stock and stock are made of plastic;
• Deep chrome plating of all internal mechanisms and parts;
• Stainless steel barrel. Although this reduced the resource of the Remington-700 SPS carbine, in the conditions of the humid jungle it became a real salvation.

All the remaining years of the Vietnam War showed that modernization was very successful. The Remington-700 remains in service with the US Army to this day.

Specifications of Remington-700-223 Rem

Since Remington-700-223 and Remington-700-308 differ only in caliber, their performance characteristics are practically no different from each other:

• All Remington 700 carbines are bolt-action (or bolt-action) repeating rifles;
• The barrel length of the Remington-700-223 Rem is 559 mm;
• The magazine holds 5 rounds, with one more in the chamber. The .308 has a 4-round magazine;
• The stock is made of plastic and has elastron inserts. Her uniform is half-pistol;
• The total length of the carabiner is 1050 mm;
• Weapon weight – 3.2 kg. The Remington .308 weighs 3.6 kg.

Although carbines with a plastic stock and buttstock are better suited to humid climates, many users prefer a traditional wooden stock. The wood stock has a Remington-700 VLS.

Flaws

1. Inconvenience of charging (only from above) when the rail is installed instead of the optical sight.

2. For many hunters, a short descent is not an advantage.

3. On models with a muzzle brake, it cannot be removed or replaced.

4. The bolt lever protrudes greatly beyond the dimensions of the rifle and can interfere with hunting.

5. The compact arrangement of all components for use does not contribute to offhand shooting.

6. Lack of an external sight, which prevents the use of the carbine at short distances. For example, during a driven hunt.

The reputation of all Remington 700 rifles has not suffered at all over the half century that it has been produced by the American company Remington Arms.

She is known and loved all over the world, Russia is no exception in this regard.

Even a Remington 700 fan club was created by fans of this weapon. Our gun stores always have the widest selection of models available, which is limited only by the amount the buyer is willing to pay.

The price ranges from approximately 40,000 rubles for a simple carbine to approximately 170,000 for a police version (Prices for 2017).

Description of the Remington-700 VTR carbine

The carbine of this modification almost completely copies the famous Mauser-98. In order to have an idea of ​​what the abbreviation “VTR” means, you need to decipher it:

• "V" is for varmint, which means hunting small animals, usually various agricultural pests;
• “T” stands for “tactical,” which refers to the carbine’s short barrel. In this case, the effective firing range is reduced to 300 meters;
• “R” – rifle (Rifles).

This rifle is distinguished by high-quality coating of the inner surface of the receiver and bolt. This feature has led to the fact that the carabiner can work for a long time not only without lubrication, but also without cleaning. This will reduce its resource, but sometimes in combat conditions there is simply no time to clean the weapon.

The thick-walled barrel gives the rifle excellent ballistic characteristics. In addition, the special coating of the barrel ensures that it cools quickly. There is an integral muzzle brake-compensator, which significantly reduces recoil. The fuse can block the operation of the trigger when it is in the “Stop” position.

An interesting solution for an inexpensive carbine is an adjustable trigger pull. The trigger stroke itself is very short. The stock is plastic, which allows the rifle to be used in various climatic conditions.

Remington-700 SPS and its features

The Remington-700 SPS is the most popular civilian model of the Remington-700. This is a simple and inexpensive rifle with a good service life. Used for hunting small or medium game. If this is a modification of the Remington-700 SPS varmint 308 win, then with this rifle you can hunt larger prey. This carbine can be used in a wide temperature range from -50 to +50 degrees.

Since the Remington-700 SPS stock can be customized to suit any hunter, this makes the rifle even more popular. Since most Remington-700 SPS models are chambered in .223 caliber, this rifle is legal in a number of countries.

Modifications and performance characteristics

The 700th version became the basis for the development of a wide variety of models (hunting, police, sports, etc.) for different ammunition.

The civilian version has more than 700 different models. All are called Model 700 and have various designations added to it.

Here are the main ones:

1. Model 700 SPS - the simplest of all carbines The abbreviation SPS (Special Purpose Synthetic) means “special purpose synthetics”. Undemanding to care. The laws of all countries allow the use of this sample for self-defense. The stock is made of special synthetics. Produced in three calibers.
2. Model 700 SPS LEFT HAND (Left-handed) - produced specifically for left-handers. It has the same characteristics as model 27363, its article number is 84178.
3. Model 700 SPS DM is almost the same as 27363, only with a detachable magazine and item number 27337.
4. Model 700 SPS SS – barrel and receiver are made of stainless steel. Available in two calibers.
5. Model 700 SPS VARMINT – designed for precision shooting. Made in three calibers. The thick-walled barrel, the flat bottom part is made with an extension, which makes shooting much more convenient when shooting, and through cutouts in the front of the fore-end allow you to shoot at a faster pace, because these holes dissipate additional heat.
6. Model 700 SPS VARMINT LEFT HAND is an analogue of the previous model, made for left-handed people and available in two calibers. Article 84227 is similar to article 84215, and 84229 is similar to article 84218.
7. Model 700 Target Tactical - features a triangular-section barrel. The X-Mark Pro's trigger is customizable. The tactical stock with a rubber butt pad is adjustable in height and length. It has article number 84456. It differs from article 84218 in the size of TWIST-R-H1TURN IN - 11.25”, overall length (100 mm longer) and weight (5.3 kg).
8. Model 700 Varmint SF - unlike the Model 700 SPS Varmint is produced with a stainless steel barrel and receiver, with a fuller on the hanging barrel. The fillers lighten the weight and help cool the barrel better. Article 84343 from 84215 and article 84345 from 84218 differ in barrel length (1160 mm).
9. Model 700 VL SS Thumbhole (Varmint Laminated Stainless Steel) - means "laminated stainless steel". Designed for high precision shooting. The laminated stock (Monte Carlo) with a hole makes this example easily recognizable. Forend in the shape of a “beaver tail”. The thick-walled stainless steel barrel can withstand high rates of fire without overheating. It is produced in one caliber with article number 27445, which differs from 84215 in weight (4.1 kg) and barrel length (1160 mm).
10. Model 700 VLS (Varmint Laminated Stock) - article number 27499. It differs from the previous model in the absence of a hole in the barrel, caliber 308 Win (7.62 × 51 mm) and weight (4.25 kg).
11. Model 700 VTR (Varmint Target Rifle) - has article number 84371 and differs from 27445 in its unusual barrel cross-section (triangular), low weight (3.4 kg), ventilated stock, target crown on the muzzle, butt and fore-end made of green plastic . Very good for tactical use and precision shooting.
12. Model 700 XCR TACTICAL LONG RANGE RIFLE - translated as a tactical long-range rifle. Features an adjustable trigger (40-X) and a target crown at the muzzle. Barrel with wide channels for cooling. Forend – “beaver tail”. All metal parts are protected by a specially developed coating. The butt has a rubber butt pad of increased thickness. Forend with rubber inserts. Released in two calibers.

Police version.

The police have two options.

The first is the standard Model 700P with a standard 660mm weighted barrel and the second is the 700P Light Tactical Rifle (LTR) with a 508mm weighted fluted barrel.

Both rifles come with a carrying case, bipod and telescopic sight. Seven different types of cartridges are used.

Military versions.

Rifles of the US Army (M24) and Marine Corps (M40A1) from the 70s of the last century to the present have taken part in all wars and local conflicts.

Remington-700 LTR - elite copy

The Remington-700 LTR modification is very rare. This is a real tactical sniper rifle chambered in .308 caliber. This modification costs much more than the popular Remington-700 models, and therefore differs in build quality. All metal parts of the weapon are coated with black Teflon, which is why in the USA this rifle is called the “Black Rifle”.

Fiberglass was used to create the stock. This made it possible to reduce the total weight of the weapon. The rifle body can be designed according to the taste of the future owner. There is a notch on the butt plate of the rifle that prevents the butt from sliding off the shooter's shoulder.

Operating principle of Remington-700 carbines

Shooting from Remington-700 carbines takes place according to the following algorithm:

1. First you need to load the cartridges into the magazine hopper. Loading can only be done through the cartridge ejector window. To carry out this procedure, you need to move the safety catch forward, then lift the bolt handle and move it (the bolt) as far back as possible;
2. When the magazine is filled to capacity with cartridges, you can add an additional cartridge to the chamber of the carbine. To do this, the cartridge is simply placed on top of the stacked cartridges, after which the bolt must be moved forward and its handle lowered down. If safety requirements dictate the absence of a cartridge in the chamber, then the last cartridge must simply be “sunk” in the hopper by passing the bolt cylinder over it;
3. After this procedure, the carbine is ready to fire. If there is no need to shoot at the moment, the weapon is put on safety.

If you need to completely discharge the carbine, you need to use a special hopper lever. All cartridges are unloaded, the bolt is jerked and a control release is performed. In this case, the barrel of the weapon must not be pointed at people or animals.

Advantages and disadvantages of Remington-700 carbines

Since the Remington-700 has been produced virtually unchanged for more than 50 years, there are very few shortcomings in its design, but an impressive list of advantages can be made:

• The simplest design of the weapon makes it incredibly reliable. Since the reloading mechanism has a Teflon-type coating, it requires virtually no lubrication;
• The barrel, made of thick-walled metal, has excellent ballistic properties. It is virtually vibration-free when firing. Also, due to the thickness of the metal, it does not deform when overheated and cools very quickly;
• Muzzle brake significantly reduces recoil;
• Since the magazine is non-removable, this eliminates the possibility of it accidentally falling out;
• A simple, but nevertheless reliable fuse that locks the trigger mechanism and blocks the bolt;
• The ability to adjust the trigger pull is extremely rare for rifles in this price category;
• The rifle stock, made of impact-resistant plastic, is not afraid of sudden temperature changes, shocks and humidity. The semi-pistol grip and forend have special elastron inserts that prevent the weapon from slipping out of wet hands;
• The forend has a number of holes designed to ventilate the barrel of the Remington-700 carbine. The forend itself has a trapezoid shape, which allows you to fix the carbine on almost any stop. A bipod can be attached to the forend.

As with any design, the Remington-700 also has disadvantages, although there are few of them:

• Loading the carbine is not very convenient, since reloading can only be done through the shell ejector window on top;
• The trigger travel is very small, which creates certain problems for users. On the other hand, a military model should have just such a trigger, because in battle moments count. For some hunters, this feature of the Remington-700 creates certain problems;
• The shutter lever protrudes too far. If you use the Remington-700 for walking hunts, this creates certain problems, since the lever can cling to bushes and branches;
• The fixed muzzle brake, although it significantly reduces recoil, eliminates the possibility of installing a muffler or muzzle brakes of other modifications;
• Although the shape of the stock is ideal for aimed shooting, it is inconvenient for high-speed shooting offhand.

Those hunters who are considering purchasing the Remington-700 as a carbine for hunting need to know that the lack of external sights makes this weapon ineffective in dynamic driven hunts, where shooting is carried out at short distances.

The Remington-700 carbine is widely represented on the Russian arms market. It is perfect for ambush hunting. This weapon is not very suitable for dynamic driven hunting or as a universal carbine.

Advantages

1. The main advantage of the Remington 700 is its reliability and ease of use. The manufacturer makes all parts of the bolt and receiver with a Teflon-like coating, which allows you to avoid contamination and avoid lubrication.

2. Easy to repair and customize.

3. The use of a triangular barrel shape in some models helps improve ballistics, provide additional cooling and eliminate vibration when firing.

4. The trigger safety device is well made. On an intuitive level, it is clear that the forward position is “fire”. And back - “stop”.

5. Some models allow adjustment of the trigger stroke.

6. Durable plastic stock with elastron inserts (a material similar in properties to rubber) helps to securely hold the weapon when shooting, and the trapezoidal shape of the forend allows it to be conveniently positioned on any rest.

7. The ability to use optics from most manufacturers is also an undeniable advantage, as is the presence of a bipod in sniper models.