The Story of the Remington Model 700

All About The Legendary Remington Model 700

The Remington Model 700 is a popular bolt-action rifle from a storied gunmaker that was the standard by which many shooters and hunters judged many American-made bolt guns for a good chunk of the 1900s. It became a wildly used U.S. military sniper rifle and served just about every other purpose a bolt gun can serve. In recent years, its reputation was unquestionably marred by controversy over the safety of its design after a disturbing number of accidents came to light. 

So what’s the backstory behind this classic rifle with a soiled reputation?

Remington Model 700: Origin Story

The Remington Model 700 started rolling off the assembly line in 1962, the grandchild of the Model 721 and 722 rifles that came before it, first made in the late 1940s. 

It has been chambered in a variety of calibers with an array of stock and barrel configurations and typically comes with a 3-, 4-, or 5-round internal box magazine; some models also include a hinged floor plate for unloading. Many have also been made to accept detachable box magazines. 

From 1978 to 1982, Remington offered the Sportsman 78 which is the same model 700 action but with cheaper features such as a plain stock without checkering. The Sportsman 78 was not included in the recall that affected the trigger group.

The Model 700 was the product of a wave of firearms innovation following World War II. Mike Walker, a Remington engineer, began the path to the 700 by working to develop a lower-cost alternative to the Model 30 rifle. He came up with the Model 721, which used a cylindrical receiver made from cylindrical bar stock turned on a lathe. By reducing the amount of milling operations, the per unit production cost was also greatly reduced. To increase savings, small metal parts were stamped, including the bottom metal, and the stock finishes weren’t as high quality. 

As the Model 721 was improved, Remington made the Model 722, the Model 725, and finally, the Model 700 in 1962.

While cost savings were made via production methods, Walker pushed to make the rifles as accurate as possible by requiring tight tolerances in the chamber and bore and a fast lock time. But there’s no question that the Model 700 action was designed for mass production.  

In 1969, Remington upgraded the Model 700 by adding a longer rear bolt shroud, a jeweled bolt, and improved stock finishes. In 1973, Remington produced the first left-handed version of the Model 700, offering the Savage Model 110 some competition. At the time, it was the only major factory rifle with a lefty variant — if Southpaws wanted another option, they had to go custom or learn to shoot right-handed. 

Over the years, a number of variants were produced for all kinds of hunting, target shooting, and tactical applications. The Remington Model 700 served as the base for the M40 sniper rifle, which was first issued by the United States Marine Corps in 1966.

In 1986, the Model 700 served as the base for the U.S. Army’s M24 Sniper Weapon System. 

The Model 700 Action

The manually operated bolt action of the Model 700 action uses two forward dual-opposed lugs. The bolt face is recessed and fully encloses the base of the cartridge. The extractor is a C-clip that sits within the bolt face. 

The ejector is a plunger-style ejector on the bolt face that is actuated by a coil spring. 

The bolt is made from three main pieces — the head, body, and bolt handle — that are brazed together. 

The long action Model 700 is designed for full-length cartridges up to 3.34 inches in overall length to accommodate what were the most popular long-range cartridges in the 1960s, like the .30-06 Springfield, and the new-at-the-time 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum. 

The short-action version is designed for cartridges with a max overall length of 2.75 inches, like the .308 Winchester. 

The Military Versions of the Model 700

The Army’s M24 Sniper Weapon System is built on a Model 700 rifle with a long action because it was originally intended to be chambered for the .300 Win Mag. It was ultimately issued in .308 Winchester but later moved to the .300 Win Mag with the M24E1 version.  

The Marine’s M40 rifle uses a short action bolt face and leaned on the .308 Winchester cartridge, though the Corps eventually moved to the .300 Win Mag. The next step for the M40 will likely be a .338 Lapua Magnum chambering. In 2009, the Army changed the rifle system’s designation to the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle. 

Every USMC M40 is built from a Model 700 rifle by Corps armorers at Marine Corps Base Quantico using components from a variety of suppliers. As you can imagine, after all those years in production, the affordable Model 700 has a robust aftermarket. 

Currently, Marine armorers are turning out new M40A5 rifles. They also upgrade A1s to A3s and A5s as the rifles are rotated through the armory for repairs and service. The M40A5 uses a detachable magazine and a threaded barrel for use with a suppressor or brake.  

The OG M40 was first issued with a wood stock, like the M14 semi-auto rifle, which didn’t fare well in the jungle climate of Southeast Asia. The moisture and humidity caused the wood to swell and contract, throwing the rifle’s point of impact way off. Later, the M40A1 and A3 were issued with camouflage fiberglass stocks made by McMillan. 

The USMC says it plans to replace the M40 platform with the Mk13 Mod 7 rifle in the future.

The Controversy

In 2010, after a now-notorious CNBC special aired called Remington Under Fire: A CNBC Investigation, the public became aware of a potential problem with the Model 700’s trigger mechanism, accusations the gunmaker denied at the time. The news special said Remington had received thousands of complaints about the firing mechanism that predated even the Model 700, going all the way back to the 1940s and the Model 721.  

It later became apparent that there were thousands of complaints from 2013 through 2016 alone of the Model 700 firing without the trigger being activated — something that obviously should never happen let alone thousands of times in a few years. 

Some 150 lawsuits were filed against Remington over claims of a defective trigger mechanism that allowed the gun to discharge unintentionally, causing a number of deaths and injuries. A class action lawsuit also alleged Remington covered up the problem with the trigger mechanism. 

CNBC even got the inventor of the firing mechanism, Mike Walker, to weigh in — he was 98 at the time. He said that he proposed a safer trigger mechanism in 1948 when the Model 721 was still in prototype stages. He said that it would have increased the cost of the rifle, and Remington said no. He said the increased cost would have been less than $0.6 per gun. 

Remington repeatedly denied the allegations and insisted that the numerous incidents were the result of users not following the rules of gun safety, namely pointing a firearm at another person. 

However, on Dec. 6, 2014, Remington announced it would replace all triggers in all Model 700 rifles — that’s some 7.85 million guns that are eligible for a trigger replacement. In 2017, CBS News’ 60 Minutes reignited the controversy with a segment about the trigger mechanism’s safety problems.  

The Remington Model 700 continues to be sold today and, despite the controversy over the past few years, is still a big seller among all kinds of shooters.