The remington 710, why does it have a bad rap?

smoakingun · January 15, 2011, 07:42 PM

I bought a remington 710 yesterday. It was 250 bucks, chambered in 30-06and I figure everyone needs a loaner rifle in the safe, so, I bought it. I went to wal-mart, bought 140 rounds of federal cheap stuff, brought it home, and today, put it through its paces. Sighted it in, then went to work. I put 100 rounds down range, slung up from the prone position, 20 5 round groups. Every group fired with me doing my job, was consistently under 2 moa. So can someone tell me why this thing has such a bad rap? I did a search here looking for posts on the 710, and none of them had anything good to say. The rifle fed smoothly, the bolt has a short throw, and while not buttery smooth, it moved cleanly. The trigger was mushy, but light, and over all it was easy to shoot. So what is wrong with it?

GeauxTide · January 15, 2011, 10:31 PM

There is also a reason for the price. The 710/770 has earned a reputation of being unreliable and fragile over the time it has been available. I haven't seen many rifles that have survived a bad reputation. You've already bought it, so good luck.

L_Killkenny · January 15, 2011, 10:37 PM

IMO it's all in the feel. The stock makes the ones on a Stevens look and feel nice and the bolt is so sloppy that it feel more like a 1/4" bolt in a 3/8" hole. The whole gun crys "CUT CORNERS".

LK

jmr40 · January 15, 2011, 11:05 PM

For about the same money you could have bought a Marlin XL-7 or Stevens 200 that would have been much more accurate and reliable. The 710 and 770's are throw away rifles. In a few years when something goes wrong with them it will be easier to throw them away rather than replace worn parts.

Fusion · January 15, 2011, 11:41 PM

Yep, and the barrel is press fit, so it can't be changed either. Overall, they just are very cheaply made rifles that aren't known for good quality at all.

Willie Lowman · January 16, 2011, 01:01 AM

A friend of mine bought one a couple years back. After about 250 rounds the bolt handle broke off.

There wasn't anything that 710 could do that my M48 couldn't do. And my Mauser still has a bolt handle. The 710 is junk.

kozak6 · January 16, 2011, 02:17 AM

Two of my friends have them.

One friend has no problems.

My other friend's rifle ejects fired cartridges back into the receiver. It's really a pain to fish them out.

natman · January 16, 2011, 04:12 AM

1) It's poorly made, with crude machining and finish.

2) It's amazingly ugly.

3) Much better rifles (Marlin XL7, Savage Axis) are offered at the same price point.

Bogie · January 16, 2011, 03:22 PM

The Remington 710 is a fine rifle for the average deer hunter - the guy who buys a box of ammo every year or so, and is happy to hit a 4" target at 100 yards consistently.

And as long as you look at it that way, it's okay. You're never going to rebarrel it or add nicer triggers, etc., etc... It's just going to be there.

Durty · January 16, 2011, 03:41 PM

If it's a loaner rifle, who cares. However, putting 250 rounds through a loaner rifle seems a little much. But again, whatever. Now it's good and broken in and you can let it sit in the gun cabinet until someone needs to borrow it. My buddy had one for a few years chambered in 30-06 and he hates it. He has always used his open sight lever action 30-30 just so he doesn't have to use his 710. He says his 710 is inaccurate and just kicks the crap out of him.

CMKiefer · January 16, 2011, 04:20 PM

Have had a 710 In 270 Win for 10 years. No problems and much more accurate than is being posted here (Generally MOA when I do my part). It is my "El Cheapo" so I'm gonna use it for a practice camo paintjob project.

jimbob86 · January 16, 2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

The 710 and 770's are throw away rifles. In a few years when something goes wrong with them it will be easier to throw them away rather than replace worn parts.

This^ ....... folks that buy these rifles and like them should also be happy with a Jennings/Bryco/Jimenez pistol....... they will work for awhile.... but may break at am inoppotune time. It costs more to fix them than to buy a new one, and it not something to leave to your grandchildren in the will.....

pabuckslayer08 · January 16, 2011, 04:29 PM

Lots of plastic on them to make them cheaper, even the metal is just coated junk. Also the bolt is chintzy and will probably jam a round on you at some point. Also the stock is like that of a old synthetic .22lr. And did I mention they usually only last 500 shots and something either breaks or it shoots out

roachcore · January 16, 2011, 05:52 PM

I have on and it is very accurate but that being said I hate hate hate this rifle it is cheap trash. I had to grind off part of the stock just so the bolt would go all the way back, and when it is all the way back the bolt will move up and down nearly half an inch. But even with all that it shoots were I aim every time.

January 15, 2011, 07:42 PM	#1
smoakingun Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2009 Location: melrose, fl Posts: 634	The remington 710, why does it have a bad rap? I bought a remington 710 yesterday. It was 250 bucks, chambered in 30-06and I figure everyone needs a loaner rifle in the safe, so, I bought it. I went to wal-mart, bought 140 rounds of federal cheap stuff, brought it home, and today, put it through its paces. Sighted it in, then went to work. I put 100 rounds down range, slung up from the prone position, 20 5 round groups. Every group fired with me doing my job, was consistently under 2 moa. So can someone tell me why this thing has such a bad rap? I did a search here looking for posts on the 710, and none of them had anything good to say. The rifle fed smoothly, the bolt has a short throw, and while not buttery smooth, it moved cleanly. The trigger was mushy, but light, and over all it was easy to shoot. So what is wrong with it? __________________ Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

January 15, 2011, 10:31 PM	#2
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	There is a reason you didn't find anything positive There is also a reason for the price. The 710/770 has earned a reputation of being unreliable and fragile over the time it has been available. I haven't seen many rifles that have survived a bad reputation. You've already bought it, so good luck.

January 16, 2011, 01:01 AM	#6
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	A friend of mine bought one a couple years back. After about 250 rounds the bolt handle broke off. There wasn't anything that 710 could do that my M48 couldn't do. And my Mauser still has a bolt handle. The 710 is junk. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

January 16, 2011, 04:12 AM	#8
natman Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2008 Posts: 2,607	The remington 710, why does it have a bad rap? 1) It's poorly made, with crude machining and finish. 2) It's amazingly ugly. 3) Much better rifles (Marlin XL7, Savage Axis) are offered at the same price point.

January 16, 2011, 03:22 PM	#9
Bogie Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2000 Location: Job hunting on the road... Posts: 3,827	The Remington 710 is a fine rifle for the average deer hunter - the guy who buys a box of ammo every year or so, and is happy to hit a 4" target at 100 yards consistently. And as long as you look at it that way, it's okay. You're never going to rebarrel it or add nicer triggers, etc., etc... It's just going to be there. __________________ Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist. And making the world's greatest bottle openers!

January 15, 2011, 10:37 PM	#3
L_Killkenny Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,676	IMO it's all in the feel. The stock makes the ones on a Stevens look and feel nice and the bolt is so sloppy that it feel more like a 1/4" bolt in a 3/8" hole. The whole gun crys "CUT CORNERS". LK

January 15, 2011, 11:05 PM	#4
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,808	For about the same money you could have bought a Marlin XL-7 or Stevens 200 that would have been much more accurate and reliable. The 710 and 770's are throw away rifles. In a few years when something goes wrong with them it will be easier to throw them away rather than replace worn parts.

January 15, 2011, 11:41 PM	#5
Fusion Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2010 Posts: 429	Yep, and the barrel is press fit, so it can't be changed either. Overall, they just are very cheaply made rifles that aren't known for good quality at all.

January 16, 2011, 02:17 AM	#7
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,113	Two of my friends have them. One friend has no problems. My other friend's rifle ejects fired cartridges back into the receiver. It's really a pain to fish them out.

January 16, 2011, 03:41 PM	#10
Durty Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 34	710 If it's a loaner rifle, who cares. However, putting 250 rounds through a loaner rifle seems a little much. But again, whatever. Now it's good and broken in and you can let it sit in the gun cabinet until someone needs to borrow it. My buddy had one for a few years chambered in 30-06 and he hates it. He has always used his open sight lever action 30-30 just so he doesn't have to use his 710. He says his 710 is inaccurate and just kicks the crap out of him.

January 16, 2011, 04:20 PM	#11
CMKiefer Member Join Date: January 3, 2009 Location: Michigan's Upper Penninsula Posts: 45	Have had a 710 In 270 Win for 10 years. No problems and much more accurate than is being posted here (Generally MOA when I do my part). It is my "El Cheapo" so I'm gonna use it for a practice camo paintjob project.

January 16, 2011, 04:29 PM	#13
pabuckslayer08 Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2010 Location: South Central Pa Posts: 692	Lots of plastic on them to make them cheaper, even the metal is just coated junk. Also the bolt is chintzy and will probably jam a round on you at some point. Also the stock is like that of a old synthetic .22lr. And did I mention they usually only last 500 shots and something either breaks or it shoots out

January 16, 2011, 05:52 PM	#14
roachcore Member Join Date: December 27, 2009 Posts: 63	I have on and it is very accurate but that being said I hate hate hate this rifle it is cheap trash. I had to grind off part of the stock just so the bolt would go all the way back, and when it is all the way back the bolt will move up and down nearly half an inch. But even with all that it shoots were I aim every time.