History Of The Remington 700
Installing a Scope on a Remington 700
Since its manufacture in 1962, the Remington Model 700 has had unmatched toughness and precision right out of the manufacturer. With over 50 models and large caliber selection, it is no wonder why this rifle is the most sought after bolt action rifle in America. In fact, it is currently used by the US Marine Corps to this day in long distance training and for real sniping applications out in the field. What is so different about the Remington Model 700 that makes it so special? The answer to that question will be found as we take a closer look at the history of the Model 700.
post World War II, near 1948, Remington released the model 721/722 family of bolt action rifles. These rifles came to be very popular with civilians and hunters due to of the out-of-the-box durability. For that time, these rifles were also quite accurate right from the factory, and most factory created rifles were not able to match the Remington standard of quality. In spite of the truly outstanding accuracy and strength, the 721/722 variations had a fairly short life. This issue is what brought on the engineering of the Model 700.
When Remington released the Model 700 in 1962, it was right away a best seller. The guts of the 700 were essentially the same as the 721/722 models, but there were a few drastic improvements to the cosmetics of the rifle. Now boasting some sleek new looks, in addition to the standard Remington quality and toughness, the Model 700 became a must have in American hunting and shooting. With general machining equipment and rifle know-how, you can keep a Model 700 functioning at optimum performance for the rifle’s whole life.
Evidently, the outstanding reputation of the Model 700 obtained the interest of the US Marine Corps, because in 1969 the Marines took in the Model 700, calling it the M40. The ruggedness and precision of the Model 700 served the USMC well, and were more easily fixed than the Winchester rifles that the US Marine Corps had previously utilized. The wood bodies were having some issues keeping up with the exhausting regime of the USMC, so they updated to the McMillan fiberglass stock, renaming this rifle the M40A1. This model was in use by Marine snipers for over 3 decades before again upgrading to the M40A3.
Today, the Remington Model 700 is made in over fifty models, ranging from classic wood bodies and internal mags to cutting edge man-made bodies and removable mags. It also has a large caliber choice anywhere from .17 Remington (coupled with a Nikon Monarch scope would be awesome for varmint hunting), all the way to .458 Winchester Magnum. With more than 3.5 million Model 700’s made since the early sixties, the Model 700 continues to be one of America’s favorites. One thing is for sure; throughout the years, Remington has proceeded to surpass the overwhelming demand for quality and accuracy in its rifles.
