Remington 700

PawPaw · November 5, 2011, 08:04 PM

We were talking rifles at the deer camp today, and my brother-in-law, who is a huge Remington fan, was talking about pros and cons, and he said that one con of the Remington 700 action was the inability to work the bolt (unload the rifle) with the safety in the ON position.

I'm basically a Savage guy, but I've got a Remington in the locker, and when BIL said that, I sipped my coffee and thought about my Remington 700. Mine is an ADL model, built in 1983 according to the date stamp on the barrel. I got home, cleaned up, then decided to take the Remington out of the locker. I applied the safety to the ON position, then flicked the bolt. It slid open as slick as snot.

So, BIL says that his Rem700s won't let him open the bolt with the safety applied. My Rem700 lets me open the bolt with the safety applied.

The question for the knowledgeable folks here: Does the proper function of the Remington 700 lock the bolt when the safety is applied?

stu925 · November 5, 2011, 08:10 PM

Been a long time since I had a 700 (stolen in the early 90's) but as I recall I could work the bolt with the safety on. Maybe they've changed something in the years since I owned one.

Stu

Savage32-20 · November 5, 2011, 09:05 PM

Original 700's couldn't have the bolt operated with the safety on - they changed this later (i believe in the 70's) so that the newer ones could be done with the safety on.

His rifle should be checked to see if it can "slam fire" or "fire off safety" - check these articles for things about Remington 700's

new thread

older version

and another

fatwhiteboy · November 5, 2011, 09:43 PM

Mine is about 7 years old. The bolt operates with the safety on...

roklok · November 5, 2011, 10:01 PM

The change was made in 1982. After that, the bolts can be operated with the safety on. I prefer the bolt to lock shut with the safety on, so I have retrofitted my newer 700s with the older safetys.

jmr40 · November 5, 2011, 10:28 PM

Right, older guns locked the bolt down, but required the gun to be placed in the fire position to unload the chamber. The change was made in an effort to cut down on the number of guns firing without the trigger being pulled.

ligonierbill · November 5, 2011, 10:33 PM

Remington recalled early 700s to replace the safety. Didn't have to send the gun anywhere, just take it to a Remington authorized smith. My Dad's had the bolt lock safety, and when he gave it to me, I took it in for the fix. This has to do with the beaten to death issue of AD in some 700s. My newer 22-250 safety does not lock the bolt.

PawPaw · November 6, 2011, 07:55 AM

Huh! Thanks guys. Now I know the answer. I'll spring it at an appropriate time on my unsuspecting BIL.

He has three of the prettiest Rem 700's I've ever seen. There was an old man near Jena, Louisiana who had a shop in his back yard, a retired machinist who built rifles on Rem 700 actions. The old man died last year and BIL got probably the last rifle out of his shop, a custom 7mm-08 that is simply pristine. The old man insisted on Douglas barrels and put a pillar-bed and a glass skim in the stock, then fitted the stock until it looks like the wood grew around the metal. Really nice work, and extremely accurate rifles.

Thanks again for the replies.

hooligan1 · November 6, 2011, 09:06 AM

In 1985, I traded this ole gent out of his 700, 3006 in the ADL model, And it does not open with the safety on. Now as far as dating is concerned, I'm not for sure when it was made, A6481---. It definetley does not open when on Safe.

GeauxTide · November 6, 2011, 09:21 AM

Have owned six 700s and two 788s over the years. All locked the bolt with safety on.

PawPaw · November 6, 2011, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooligan1

I'm not for sure when it was made, A6481

That doesn't look like a date stamp. The date stamp is normally two letters, on the left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver and close to the proof mark. Mine is WD, which according to this forum thread, puts the manufacture date in August, 1983.

hooligan1 · November 7, 2011, 04:49 AM

On the left side there are two 0's, and REP. On the right side there are two proof stamps,(which are peculiar in shape) and an M inside of a triangle. I'll get pics next weekend.

PawPaw · November 7, 2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooligan1

On the left side there are two 0's, and REP. On the right side there are two proof stamps,(which are peculiar in shape) and an M inside of a triangle. I'll get pics next weekend.

With two "O"s on the date stamp, that puts it made in July of the year, and they used O as a year stamp in 1977 and 1994. Because we know that they changed the safety from one that would lock the bolt to one that would unlock the bolt and that occurred in 1982, we can surmise that your rifle was made in 1977. So, your rifle was probably built in July, 1977.

hooligan1 · November 10, 2011, 05:15 PM

Thanks PawPaw, I appreciate the leg-work man.

Joe Chicago · November 11, 2011, 01:15 PM

I had a 1998 Rem 700 and just bought a Model Seven. With both the bolt can be cycled while the safety was on.

November 5, 2011, 08:04 PM	#1
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Remington 700 We were talking rifles at the deer camp today, and my brother-in-law, who is a huge Remington fan, was talking about pros and cons, and he said that one con of the Remington 700 action was the inability to work the bolt (unload the rifle) with the safety in the ON position. I'm basically a Savage guy, but I've got a Remington in the locker, and when BIL said that, I sipped my coffee and thought about my Remington 700. Mine is an ADL model, built in 1983 according to the date stamp on the barrel. I got home, cleaned up, then decided to take the Remington out of the locker. I applied the safety to the ON position, then flicked the bolt. It slid open as slick as snot. So, BIL says that his Rem700s won't let him open the bolt with the safety applied. My Rem700 lets me open the bolt with the safety applied. The question for the knowledgeable folks here: Does the proper function of the Remington 700 lock the bolt when the safety is applied? __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

November 5, 2011, 09:43 PM	#4
fatwhiteboy Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Posts: 317	Mine is about 7 years old. The bolt operates with the safety on... __________________ Fat White So Cal

November 6, 2011, 07:55 AM	#8
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	Huh! Thanks guys. Now I know the answer. I'll spring it at an appropriate time on my unsuspecting BIL. He has three of the prettiest Rem 700's I've ever seen. There was an old man near Jena, Louisiana who had a shop in his back yard, a retired machinist who built rifles on Rem 700 actions. The old man died last year and BIL got probably the last rifle out of his shop, a custom 7mm-08 that is simply pristine. The old man insisted on Douglas barrels and put a pillar-bed and a glass skim in the stock, then fitted the stock until it looks like the wood grew around the metal. Really nice work, and extremely accurate rifles. Thanks again for the replies. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

November 6, 2011, 09:06 AM	#9
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	In 1985, I traded this ole gent out of his 700, 3006 in the ADL model, And it does not open with the safety on. Now as far as dating is concerned, I'm not for sure when it was made, A6481---. It definetley does not open when on Safe. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

November 7, 2011, 04:49 AM	#12
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	On the left side there are two 0's, and REP. On the right side there are two proof stamps,(which are peculiar in shape) and an M inside of a triangle. I'll get pics next weekend. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

November 5, 2011, 08:10 PM	#2
stu925 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2010 Location: New York Posts: 953	Been a long time since I had a 700 (stolen in the early 90's) but as I recall I could work the bolt with the safety on. Maybe they've changed something in the years since I owned one. Stu

November 5, 2011, 09:05 PM	#3
Savage32-20 Member Join Date: September 3, 2011 Posts: 80	Original 700's couldn't have the bolt operated with the safety on - they changed this later (i believe in the 70's) so that the newer ones could be done with the safety on. His rifle should be checked to see if it can "slam fire" or "fire off safety" - check these articles for things about Remington 700's new thread older version and another

November 5, 2011, 10:01 PM	#5
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	The change was made in 1982. After that, the bolts can be operated with the safety on. I prefer the bolt to lock shut with the safety on, so I have retrofitted my newer 700s with the older safetys.

November 5, 2011, 10:28 PM	#6
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,809	Right, older guns locked the bolt down, but required the gun to be placed in the fire position to unload the chamber. The change was made in an effort to cut down on the number of guns firing without the trigger being pulled.

November 5, 2011, 10:33 PM	#7
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,457	Remington recalled early 700s to replace the safety. Didn't have to send the gun anywhere, just take it to a Remington authorized smith. My Dad's had the bolt lock safety, and when he gave it to me, I took it in for the fix. This has to do with the beaten to death issue of AD in some 700s. My newer 22-250 safety does not lock the bolt.

November 6, 2011, 09:21 AM	#10
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	Have owned six 700s and two 788s over the years. All locked the bolt with safety on.

November 10, 2011, 05:15 PM	#14
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,586	Thanks PawPaw, I appreciate the leg-work man. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

November 11, 2011, 01:15 PM	#15
Joe Chicago Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2011 Location: Chicago area Posts: 277	I had a 1998 Rem 700 and just bought a Model Seven. With both the bolt can be cycled while the safety was on.