If you are new to shooting or hunting and are just starting off, then you could consider the Remington 700, which is among the best rifles for beginners. The Remington 700 has been an icon in the American gun culture for over 50 years. The Remington 700 is a bolt action rifle which is ideal for precision shooting and is extremely easy to use and maintain.
PROS |
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✓ The recoil of the rifle is easy to manage✓ The ammunition is inexpensive and quite easy to buy✓ Recommended for beginner shooters |
CONS |
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x Additional safety device |
Image Remington 700 CC2.0 Moto "Club4AG" Miwa via FLickr
Over the years, Remington has introduced several models of the 700 and in hundreds of calibers. Although, today, the Remington rifle may not be a shiny and spiffy model compared to other state-of-the-art advanced rifles available in the market, yet it is still quite popular and affordable too.
All the models of the Remington 700 rifle feature the X-Mark Pro, the trigger system patented by Remington, which has around 3.5 lbs pull weight right out of the box. However, the biggest advantage of the X-Mark Pro is that it can be adjusted externally.
Designed as a modern rifle, it was possible to manufacture the Remington 700 much cheaper than the older designs available during the time. The Remington was comparable to the Winchester 70 and Mauser and in the 50s, it could be produced with greater automation and lesser human assembly.
The lightweight weight action, easy-to-use push feed design and the extremely affordable price point made the Remington 700 a huge success. Although it had fewer features compared to other rifles in the market, the accuracy and its customizability made the rifle a hot favorite with civilian shooters who liked custom-made rifles.
The universality of the Remington 700 rifle also aided the military to adopt it for all their precision rifle needs. The rifle was popularly used to train marksmen in various branches and snipers in the U.S. military and was a favorite rifle of sharpshooters in law enforcement. The military designation of the Remington rifle led to its widespread use in law enforcement and it became among the most exported rifles of the United States.
In short, it is extremely versatile and can adapt to any kind of scenario, which is the reason for so many variants of the rifle available in the market. In this article, we will be discussing some of the variants of the iconic Remington 700.
Introduced in 1962, this rifle is a premium hunting rifle. It is based on the traditional Remington 700 design. This is a highly accurate and reliable rifle which is why it is the favorite rifle of hunters and firearm collectors. The CDL 700 is practically ready for anything you throw at it and once the scope is mounted, you’re all set to rock it. All the Remington CDL models feature an American walnut stock that has a satin finish which gives the rifle a sophisticated and elegant look.
This is a deluxe model that is functionally very similar to the Remington CDL; however, it has a different stock. The BDL model also has the same American walnut finish like the CDL model, but the Monte Carlo design makes the BDL slightly different due to the raised cheekpiece, lighter coloring, and checkering pattern. The BDL also has a built-in sight. The main difference between the Remington CDL and BDL models is that the BDL model has a barrel that is much shorter in length compared to the CDL.
The main reason why the SPS Varmint model of Remington is cheaper compared to its other models is that of its stock design. Instead of the traditional wooden stock which gives the Remington 700 rifle its classic look, the SPS models feature a synthetic stock.
If you’re not really looking for aesthetics in your rifle, then the SPS Varmint is an excellent Remington model that you can own without creating a dent in your savings. Apart from the black matte finish and the synthetic stock, the Remington SPS Varmint has nothing major to write home about.
This is basically the same rifle as the Remington SPS Varmint, except for a couple of upgrades. The Varmint SF has a polished stainless-steel finish instead of the matte blue barrel, which makes the SF look sleeker. The barrel of the Varmint SF has 6 flutes that help to improve the cooling and also reduces the weight of the rifle.
The main difference between the Varmint SF and SPS Varmint is that the SF’s stock has 2 swivel studs that allow you to attach the bipod easily. The SF — like the SPS Varmint — comes only with 26-inch long barrels.
The VTR model or the Varmint-Target Rifle is a fantastic long-range precision rifle designed to give you maximum accuracy. The VTR model is much smaller compared to the other variants of the Varmint and all the VTR calibers have a 22-inch barrel, which makes it quite easy to carry the rifle around.
The triangular contoured barrel and the ported design of the barrel make the VTR different compared to the other Varmint sub-models. The triangular barrel contour design helps in reducing the rifle’s recoil and muzzle rise. The stock of the VTR is quite similar to the Remington SPS Varmint; however, it has a dark earth color instead of a black color scheme. The rifle also has black colored grip panels over the front portion of the stock.
In terms of the function, the Remington’s VLS (Varmint Laminated Stock) model is quite similar to the SPS Varmint, except that it has a laminated stock. Instead of having the black matte synthetic stock design like the SPS Varmint, the Remington VLS has a woodgrain finish stock that gives the rifle a classic vintage look.
The VLS rifle has a raised cheekpiece like the BDL and a beavertail front end. Just like the SPS Varmint model, the barrel length of the VLS is 26 inches and the calibers too are the same.
The Remington 700 XCR Tactical has a barrel that has a TriNyte PVD coating which offers extra protection from scratches and corrosion. The rifle has a synthetic stock by Bell and Carlson and the olive coloring of the rifle with the black webbing gives the XCR a truly menacing look.
It has a few other cool features such as an extended grip, the depressed thumb groove that is just located behind the grip which offers added comfort when you’re shooting off a bench or shooting while lying prone, the beavertail front end and the dual studs located on the front of the stock of the rifle.
All these features make this rifle stand apart from the other models and also makes it worth the higher price. All the calibers of the Remington 700 XCR Tactical feature a 26-inch long barrel and all of them are equipped with a contoured barrel with 3 flutes.
The Remington Long Range rifle can hold long-action calibers, which makes it ideal for big game hunters. The rifle is equipped with an aluminium bedding block, a synthetic stock made by Bell and Carlson and an additional swivel that allows you to mount a bipod whenever required.
The Remington Long Range rifle features a 26-inch contoured barrel that has a barrel crown which has a concave shape. Overall, the Remington Long Range rifle is very similar to the Remington SPS Varmint model but is more suited for long-range shooting.
The Remington 700 SPS is almost the same as the Remington SPS Varmint, except that in terms of the overall length and its barrel length, it is a few inches shorter. Also, there are more calibers available for this rifle as compared to the SPS Varmint.
This rifle is a very basic model, which is a smaller version of the Remington SPS model and just like the SPS model, it has no additional features which make it stand apart. In fact, the Remington 700 SPS Compact looks exactly like the SPS rifle. All the barrels of the Remington 700 SPS Compact are 20-inches long.
This is an upgraded version of the Remington SPS and includes a contoured barrel, a beavertail front end and being slightly smaller in build, offers greater maneuverability. The Remington 700 SPS Compact offers a 20-inch and a 16.5-inch barrel.
If you’re looking for a rifle which is sufficiently strong for law enforcement or military purposes, this rifle is the perfect gun for you. The Magpul pistol grip and adjustable stock and the 100% consistency, makes the Remington 700 Tactical Chassis suitable for every scenario.
The rifle has an aggressive design, very similar to the AR-10. The Remington 700 Tactical Chassis rifle has a Picatinny rail mount at the top, it is bipod ready and also has an AAC suppressor mount. However, the best feature of the rifle is that it has a detachable box magazine that accommodates 5 rounds.
The Remington 700 Magpul may be a tamer gun compared to the Tactical Chassis model; nevertheless, it is a fantastic rifle. The rifle does not have a suppressor support, bipod swivels or a rail mount; however, it has an extremely comfortable stock which is adjustable and a box magazine that is detachable and can hold 5 rounds.
The Remington 700 Magpul is an excellent rifle if you’re looking for a long-range optimized rifle with all the AR-10 features without paying a bomb for it.
For over 50 years, it has been America’s popular and iconic rifle, that is a favourite firearm of soldiers, shooters and hunters. With over 30 models to choose from and several calibres that they come in, the Remington 700 is the best rifle for beginner shooters. The recoil of the rifle is easy to manage and the ammunition is inexpensive and quite easy to buy. The functionality of the rifle is a lot more than you can imagine and can be used for target shooting, hunting, and home defence. The Remington 700 is probably the most adaptable and versatile rifle that you can buy.
QUALITY | PRICE | RATING |
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BEST | $$ | 4/5 |
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