Remington: The Good Stuff

[ISCS Yoda]

When I finished my brief tour of Army basic and advanced training I came home in love with the M14 and the 7.62 NATO round. Shortly thereafter I married (first of three - oh, well!!!) and one day I decided that owning my dad's old .22 (Heym; made in the 1950s) was insufficient to satisfy my love of firearms so I bought a Remington Model 788 in .308 Winchester to match my 7.62 craving. That rifle will be fifty years old in the not too distant future and it is still a tack driver.

Around that same time frame I discovered the Nylon 66 and and around 40 years later I bought one!

My other Remingtons (no pictures) are a couple of 870s and a lovely Model 700 ADL in .223 caliber. All good shooters. I did have a Custom Shop Model 700 in .257 Roberts but I sold it back when money was more important than that particular rifle.

I hate to see Remington is such trouble.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Hope they pull it off and get on line with their quality control. In my mind their one shining star is their line of R1 1911's. I have three of them and they all really impress me. Last year I wanted to buy a 700 in .308 and was lucky to find a really nice older model BDL.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've had a few Remingtons over the years, and have been pleased with them all. I hope the bankruptcy will get things straightened out for them; they are a valued piece of American history.

John

 

[SOTVEN]

My first shotgun has been a humble 12 ga 870 express. Simply flawless. Since then, I gathered an 1187 3 inch, and an 1187 31/2 inch. Both the 870 and the 3 inch 1187 had been bought new and each has about 10 thousand shot shells through them. The 3.5 inch I bought used, but in great shape. Unknown how many shots it has had, but works fine with 1 ounce bird shot. I know that many consider the 1187 a low end gun, but for me, its the other way around. to this day, I have not fired or seen another auto loader that can master recoil so magnificently, have so many aftermarket accessories, be fully supported in parts by the company 3 decades after its debut, and still cost much less than anything that tries to come close. Then again, that's my personal opinion, and other people's mileage may vary. I respect that. As for the company's future, my take is can anyone here spell Remington in Chinese? If so, please write it down for us so we start getting used to the image...

 

[SOTVEN]

I agree.
20 or 30 years from now those wonderful collections of Pre-1964 Winchester bolt-action rifles, Model 12 shotguns, classic Weatherby and Mauser rifles will only bring pennies on the dollar of their current values. It will be even worse for guns from the black powder era, with the POSSIBLE exception of Colt SA Armies. Wealthy Arabs, Russians, and Chinese Communist Party Officials may be the ones buying those up, at reduced prices.
Most younger shooters want adjustable plastic stocks, rapid fire, quick-change components and accessories, and have little knowledge or appreciation for good quality hand fitted guns required years of experience to learn how to fit them up right.

Loss of hunting habitat and land suitable for recreational shooting
are more and more of a problem every year, not to mention the nasty politics involved. These make it easier for prospective shooters to opt out entirely and choose something less controversial to do in tjeir spare time like golf and video games.

I have foreseen the same ugly truth friend...

 

[Collo Rosso]

Got this made in 1973 1100 around 92'. Shot lots of clays with it for a long time. Got serious with sporting clays and the Italian bug bit. The 1100 now sits at the ready in a new role.

 

[C J]

With no exception that comes to mind, ALL the American Gun Company's are not much more than a shadow of their former selves.

I TOTALLY disagree with that assessment Savage has always made very good rifles and today they have improved their models by a big margin. They make some of the finest guns on the market IMO. I have a Savage 12 LRPV in .223 that will shoot a 5" group at 500 yards all day if the wind is right. And it cost me about $900. At 300 yards it is so accurate it's almost boring. Even their much cheaper MkII rimfire rifles are exceptionally accurate much of the time. They aren't made with the same amount of quality control as the LRPV but my MkII is the best shooting rimfire I own and I own several including a CZ 453.

How about a couple of targets. I don't have any 500 yard targets because the range where I shoot has a dip in the road where you can't be seen and if you don't have someone watching from the shooting area you can find yourself under fire. And I usually like to shoot alone so I don't get distractions. Anyway I do have a 125 yard target with a 4 round group. I was sighting in a scope so I only shot a few times. I also have another 4 shot group shot by my MkIIBTV. I ran out of ammo when I shot this at 50 yards. I can barely make a bullet fit through the hole. I have lots of other targets I could post from the rimfire and a target of sorts I shot at 500 yards with the LRPV. IMO any company that makes rifles that shoot like these is doing pretty well. And the 12 LRPV is an exceptionally well made rifle in addition to being very accurate.

 

[mstem]

I have my dad's Model 1100 12 gauge & his Model 742 in .308. Both guns have never had a single problem. Both were made in 1975. The 742 is the most accurate rifle I own. Better than my Savage 110 in .308 & just a bit better than my T/C Contender in .309 JDJ. The Model 1100 shoots any shell & has never hung up. Not once! I also have a Model 870 12 gauge with 18" barrel & a 26" vent rib barrel with interchangeable choke tubes. Picked the barrel up at a gun show for $100.00 in new condition.

 

[MG34/bar]

First non-22 firearm I bought was Remington rolling block in 7mm Mauser caliber in about 1955. Gun stores had barrels full of them for either $8 or $9. they were well built (although modern 7mm ammo was a bit hot for them; about 1 in 5 shots would result in a separated case).

Still have a couple of old military rolling blocks in .43 Spanish. It's surprising how much fun I can still have with those old rifles and 20 black powder cartridges.

 

[2152hq]

One of my favorite pump shotguns is a Remington Model 10T (Target). That's the V/R barreled version of the bunch.
Those early Remington shotguns like the 10, 11, 31 Vent Rib bbls were made of all one piece.. rib, posts and bbl. No soldered assemblys or separate top rib that slides onto the posts.

I'm just staring to get into a restoration and upgrade of a Remington/Lee Mod 1899 bolt action sporter. Orig caliber is 30-30WCF,,they left off the WCF in the marking through. I'll keep it that way.
Also a Model 1894 SxS DE Grade 12ga awaits help, lots of help!

 

[weatherby]

This was beyond the good stuff.
From an old 722 in 300 savage.





and to the nay sayers............hope remains

 

[44wheelman]

Was just thinking... the only Remington’s I have, are ones I can’t get rid of: Grandpa’s 760 deer rifle in 30-06, wife’s grandfathers ‘03, a 572 brother & I got, and prolly end up with Dad’s 1100’s & 700. Things may have been different 50 years ago, but I never really appreciated the newer remingtons. I guess they seemed cheap to me... always thought someone else made a less expensive higher quality alternative. Ithaca, Savage, Browning, and Winchester, and even a Beretta are my preference for shotguns & rifles.

 

[cbore]

My first shotgun was a Remington 1100 when they first came out. Not a big shotgun like my revolvers to much. But after years in Law Enforcement addicted to my 870 magnum. Just added some Mag Pul items and had ghost ring installed years ago. Shot a tactical shotgun course a while back and sort of proud of myself.

I got my Dad's Sportsman 58 in 16 ga. his squirrel gun. He his honor going to use it opening day of season this year. Yes there is a 22 and 30-06 Remington in the safe also not about to go anywhere

 

[wundudnee]

The only Remingtons I've ever owned, a model 4 and a model 6 .22s.

 

[sheepdawg]

I agree.
20 or 30 years from now those wonderful collections of Pre-1964 Winchester bolt-action rifles, Model 12 shotguns, classic Weatherby and Mauser rifles will only bring pennies on the dollar of their current values. It will be even worse for guns from the black powder era, with the POSSIBLE exception of Colt SA Armies. Wealthy Arabs, Russians, and Chinese Communist Party Officials may be the ones buying those up, at reduced prices.
Most younger shooters want adjustable plastic stocks, rapid fire, quick-change components and accessories, and have little knowledge or appreciation for good quality hand fitted guns required years of experience to learn how to fit them up right.

Loss of hunting habitat and land suitable for recreational shooting
are more and more of a problem every year, not to mention the nasty politics involved. These make it easier for prospective shooters to opt out entirely and choose something less controversial to do in tjeir spare time like golf and video games.

I tend to think quality always holds it's value and the youngsters will grow up and appreciate it just like we did.

Lets hope so since I own a bunch of Mausers, a Model 12 and a superb Remington 700 BDL varmint special in 22-250 made in 1980.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Remington 700C from about 1974:

And an 870 from about the same year:

A model 121 that's so much fun it might be illegal:

And a 24 from the early 20's, I think I remember
Still shoots fine with standard velocity ammunition:

I've got a few more, but no pictures. I really like the 510 & 511 rimfires.

 

[explorer13421]

If and when Andrew Cuomo tries to run for President, please remember he was the Governor of the State of New York, the historical home of Remington, who essentially ran Remington out of New York State.

 

[Rpg]

My favorite Remingtons are the M 600 and 660.

 

[jtcarm]

Remington 700C from about 1974:

And an 870 from about the same year:

A model 121 that's so much fun it might be illegal:

And a 24 from the early 20's, I think I remember

Still shoots fine with standard velocity ammunition:

I've got a few more, but no pictures. I really like the 510 & 511 rimfires.

What caliber is the 700 Classic?

I used to love the way they came out with a different ,non-catalog chambering every year, like .257 Roberts or .300 H&H.

 

[Bullet Bob]

It's in .243, but the C is for Custom, not Classic. I think the Classic series started about 1981. Back in the early 70's Remington was trying to make it semi-affordable for a guy like me to buy something from the Custom shop.

Quoting from the 1973 Gun Digest catalogue: "Same as the 700 BDL except choice of 20, 22, or 24 inch bbl, with or without sights. Jewelled bolt, with or without hinged floorplate. Select American walnut is hand checkered, rosewood forend and pistol grip cap. Hand lapped barrel. 16 weeks for delivery after posting order".

The listed retail price in the catalogue was $345.00, and the recoil pad was an additional $12.00.

The BDL price that year was $174.95.

Of course if you had real money you could get the Peerless Grade for $595.00, ot the Premier Grade for $1295.00.

It's a slick machine in operation.