Remington 700 Upgrade or Buy New Tikka?

[Montana Craig]

I've done as much searching the internet as I can and now I need some help.

I have a Remington 700 ADL (blind magazine) it has the wood stock and weights 9lbs 3 oz scoped and sling. It was manufactured in 2002 and I bought it used 12 years ago and have no idea what the shot count is I've probably put ~300 rounds though it. The wood stock has started to warp and it rubs on the barrel this makes the first shot dead on but a shot or two later it starts shooting up and to the left. Doing the dollar test I'm only able to slide it in about an inch. How much free-float should it have? The other thing that bothers me is the recoil seems so much more compared to my friend's Ruger American 30-06.

A few months back I started looking for a new rifle and from what I've read on here the Tikka seems to be the thing to get. I was thinking of getting a 7mm rem mag but after months of looking at ballistic charts and talking with people the 30-06 seems to check all the boxes for me. If I were to do it all over again (12 years ago) I think I would have chosen the 270 win.

So what I'm getting at is would a Bell and Carlson Mountain "TI" Sporter for ~$285 be a good upgrade or would the McMillan fiberglass classic be far superior for ~$625. It seems to be difficult to find stocks for the "ADL" and the McMillan's are back ordered for almost 2 months.

I also think a trigger upgrade would help a ton it looks like people really like the triggertech (~$200). Does anyone have other suggestions for a great trigger that can withstand Montana mountain abuse?

This puts me at the price point of $500-$800 does this make sense to invest in this rifle or just go buy a tikka or something similar? I will be using this rifle to hunt where I live in western Montana for antelope, deer, elk, and a sheep (ewe got drawn this year).

Thank you!
~Craig

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[WRO]

They're pretty easy to convert into a BDL, just buy some bottom metal for it unless you don't want to.

 

[Fonkie]

If you just want a functional accurate rifle & plan to shoot factory ammo I would sell the Remmy to someone looking for a donor action & purchase a T3 in one of the many variations they come in today. Accurate & a great trigger. If your going through the trouble & expense with the 700, I’d go all the way & have it trued & a new tube screwed on while your at it.

 

[Dustin the wind]

Mine is an ADL converted to BDL with new bottom metal and it’s highly accurate. All of my fathers half dozen 700s are BDL and shoot extremely well, better than $800 high dollar synthetic stocks he is now selling. Unless you just want a new look I would get a BDL with bottom metal and bed it, see how well it will shoot and adjust loads if need be. Save your money.

Edit: yes spend that money on a nice trigger

 

[Blueduck1957]

Got a 700 BDL 7MM that is 30 years old. Shoots fantastic. Only shot about 600 rounds thru it. Don't clean it near as much as I should, but still delivers excellent groups. Had a 700 BDL in a .308 before that one and had great luck with it. One major factor for tight groups is optics, rings and bases. I tend to send as much or more for the scope then the rifle.

 

[16Bore]

Trip it for the Tikka and be $$$ ahead.....

 

[realunlucky]

I have an adl wood stock sitting around if your interested. I replaced it with the b&c Alaskan which came over the advertised wieght and it took some fitting so be aware of that if leaning that direction. As stated you can get a bdl bottom metal and choose whatever stock you want but it definitely adds to the costs. Earlier production triggers can be polished and set by a gun smith for usually less than a Trigger tech but won't be adjustable or go near as low pull. I like older Remington's alot but a Tikka has most of the wanted features as a production rifle or for a very reasonable cost after market.

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[Rob5589]

Have both models, and the Tikka is a nicer action. My 700 has been worked over by a gunsmith yet the Tikka is still smoother. I'd move it and use the money toward a Tikka, new or used. But, if attached to that 700, a new stock and having the trigger worked over isn't a horrible idea.

 

[TxxAgg]

Tikka

 

[22lr]

I decided to go the new stock route with my Win 70. I just need to get home from this deployment that never seems to end and install it.

It's easy enough to refloat a barrel channel in a wooden stock, just take a socket in the appropriate size, wrap it in sand paper, and while using gloves (will save your fingertips) just sand away until your floating again. Just make sure to reseal the barrel channel with a good finish (I like using a few coats of tung oil). If you haven’t bedded the action, it will help a ton, and the gel bedding kits from Brownells are easy enough to use. For my Win 70, I decided on the B&C Medalist stock, time will tell how I like it! haha.

If all you needed was a new stock, id say its the hands down solution. You don't need a $600 stock unless you care about weight that much, and you have the money to blow on your rifle and not other gear that could show a lot more of a weight savings. The bottom metal and trigger will add up quickly, but you might be able to find a set from another home builder that replaced theirs. The beauty of the 700 is that there are tons of takeoff parts out there from newer model guns that are significantly better than the older ones. Just keep your ear to the ground and throw some WTB adds up to see if you get any bites. If money isn't the issue, there are hundreds of triggers out there for the 700, definitely worth upgrading.

If it was me... id sell it and buy a Win 70...

But that's just me, if you asked me the same question about my 70, id say upgrade the rifle you have, if you like it. But I'm always the kind of guy that is happier with something that I customized for myself over buying a mass produced item. But I totally understand that there are $350 and $400 rifles out there than can best my pre-64 Win 70 in the accuracy department, I just like my buttery smooth Win 70 controlled feed actions and having a rifle that is customized to me. Im also a grumpy old man at heart so old = better.

 

[kcm2]

What is your goal? Are you trying to lighten it, or just make it more accurate, or ???

I'm a lefty. When I bought my LH BDL in 270, light rifles were hard to find and no lefty lightweights were on the shelf. A 700 action is a good start for a light mtn rifle. Mine now has a #1 contour Lilja barrel, a Jewell trigger and a Garrett fiberglass stock. Weight with scope and loaded magazine 6.5 lbs. Shoots better than I can. Took me about 8 years to do it all, but it's a gem.

You can do the same thing by nibbling away at it every year. Some changes are cheap, some not so cheap.

Nothing wrong with the Tikka, either. Just depends upon what your goals are.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Replace the stock and you're set.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Not much of a rifle guy compared to some. I started out with a tikka 308 that I bought used and that shoots like a laser. I bought a 223 700 for smaller critter control and liked it. I picked up a 700 in 300 WM that as a pretty solid shooter although I am not sure I have the right load yet. I wanted am update on the 308 so I bought another 700. Between the trigger and the stock and guns smithing I have a bunch of money in it pushing cost without glass close to $2k. I cant get it to group well after several loads and I throw up in my mouth every time I think about it.

I just feel like Remington QC for rifles and shotguns is all over the place and though they used to be A great platform for someone wanted to modify a gun, nowadays there are others.

i ended up picking up a Stainless 6.5 creedmoor tikka t3x lite and that remmy 308 hasn’t been out of the safe since. I wouldn’t say never, but I dont think I will be buying another 700 anytime soon And don’t think I would put a bunch of money in the ones I have. I am in no rush, but if they got sold and replaced by tikkas in the next few years, I wouldn’t be surprised.

if I were you, I would sell that remmy and put my money toward a stainless tikka.

 

[Skerhunter]

One of my best shooting guns is a 700 in .270 from the 80's. When it was passed down to me I put in a timney trigger (~$110), updated the optics, floated the barrel, and spent multiple hours cleaning it. I've also had good luck with dropping the newer 700's into Bell and Carlson medalist stocks.

 

[Montana Craig]

Mine is an ADL converted to BDL with new bottom metal and it’s highly accurate. All of my fathers half dozen 700s are BDL and shoot extremely well, better than $800 high dollar synthetic stocks he is now selling. Unless you just want a new look I would get a BDL with bottom metal and bed it, see how well it will shoot and adjust loads if need be. Save your money.

Edit: yes spend that money on a nice trigger

So would you recommend a factory take off BDL stock? Then what BDL bottom would you get?

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[Montana Craig]

What is your goal? Are you trying to lighten it, or just make it more accurate, or ???

I'm a lefty. When I bought my LH BDL in 270, light rifles were hard to find and no lefty lightweights were on the shelf. A 700 action is a good start for a light mtn rifle. Mine now has a #1 contour Lilja barrel, a Jewell trigger and a Garrett fiberglass stock. Weight with scope and loaded magazine 6.5 lbs. Shoots better than I can. Took me about 8 years to do it all, but it's a gem.

You can do the same thing by nibbling away at it every year. Some changes are cheap, some not so cheap.

Nothing wrong with the Tikka, either. Just depends upon what your goals are.

My goal is to make it more accurate and more enjoyable to shoot. I plan on keeping it and possibly buying a tikka too so that I can have a second rifle for when family and friends come over to hunt.

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[Montana Craig]

Replace the stock and you're set.

Any recommendations?

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[Sccritterkiller]

I got a AG composite for my R700 300wm couldnt be happier with it...Its 8.3 pounds with optic.

 

[mmac]

Check out the MC3 stocks by mcmillan. I put one of those on an old remington and it made a huge difference. They are $300 and I was surprised the accuracy improved as much as it did.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I like my synthetic stock but added a muzzle brake, aftermarket butt pad & Timney trigger. Now my 300WM is my favorite shooter.