700 Action Prices

[Minnesota1]

Can someone explain to me how a Remington 700 action costs about $400 yet in some areas you can pick up a brand new synthetic stocked 700 ADL for $350 or so?

The reason I'm asking is because I would like to try to build a custom rifle, on a budget, and would like a 700 action.  It looks like I should look for a good used 700 with the proper action size.

Is there a good place to find reasonably priced actions or good used model 700's?  I think it's odd that they can have a stock, barrel, and action-the whole gun for less than what you can buy an action for.

Thank you for your time and responses.  I just want to try to make my first rifle and don't want to break the piggy bank.  With young kids the Mrs. won't let me play Santa for myself to much anymore!

Thanks,

Bob

[zasxcd]

I have asked the same question and have never heard an altogether satisfactory answer.

If your budget is REALLY slim, you might consider a used 722 or 721 to build that custom on. They are so close to the 700 in the important areas, and make excellent, accurate custom rifles. I know, I have several.

[charles p]

ADL at Wal Mart is $30.0, then you get a $30 rebate.  Some Wal Mart are even lower.

[charles p]

 I meant to type $300 at WalMart.

[The Gamemaster]

You have to look at where does the action come from?

Would you give away a good action for next to nothing?

The stock is the minor part of the purchase, you can buy good stocks for as little as $90

The action you are looking for is one made between 1964 and 1978.  For some reason, they just did it better back then then they do today.  Now that is just my opinion, but I am sticking to it.

The Model 721 is one of the strongest actions ever made and is stronger than the 700, but you cannot buy an extractor for the bolt anymore.  Which means that once it breaks, the bolt is no longer any good.  Once you replace the 721 Bolt with a model 700 bolt - it will look mis matched.

I broke the extractor on my dads and we replaced it with a jeweled bolt and it sticks out like a sore thumb.

There are people out there that buy used firearms and then parts them out - making twice as much money as what the original firearm was worth.  There are web sites and newspapers and gun shows where people advertise what they have for sale and how much they want for it.  Shotgun News was one such source.

The other thing you have to think about is - if you want to do it, don't you think that there are 1000 other guys that wants to do it?  Now what are you going to charge for your $300 gun when you know that you can get $400 for the action?

Yes the new guns are cheap, but doesn't that tell you something?  If it wasn't accurate in it's original form and if it is worth $200 less than the genuine model 700 being sold today -what are you getting and how much are you going to be willing to put into it.

Your best bet is to make friends with a gun shop and pawn shop owners and get a deal on a gun that will be traded in after Christmas - since that is when most people are hurting for money.

The week before deer season and income tax return time is the worst time to look for a used firearm.  The shop owners knows that they can get top dollar for what they have on stock and usually price it accordingly.

[zasxcd]

Contrary to what Gamemaster wrote, yes you can fix broken 721 extractors, any decent gunsmith can fit an extractor from a 700, the main difference is that the 700 extractor is riveted, the 721 extractor is not. The 'smith drills a small hole in the right place (I have heard that jigs are available from Brownell, as well as the extractors themselves) and rivets the extractor in, works like new.

[Drilling Man]

The Model 721 is one of the strongest actions ever made and is stronger than the 700,

  In what way is a 721 stronger than a 700??

  DM

[beemanbeme]

Don't know why that is but its always been that way.  Maybe it's Rem's way of saying we don't want to sell just actions. 

[The Gamemaster]

The Model 721 is one of the strongest actions ever made and is stronger than the 700,

  In what way is a 721 stronger than a 700??

  DM

The Model 721 was a copy of a earlier version of Remington's Bolt Action Rifle.

When they designed the new model - after WW II, it was basically on a version of the older 1917 Enfield Rifle with a cleaner approach by using two lugs that travels down a broached channel in the action and locks in two groves that matches the lugs on the bolt.

The bolt and the action had smaller grooves for the lugs than the later models.

The way I understand it, you take a Model 700 Bolt and you cut it down to fit and set the head-space to repair the Model 721 with a model 700 bolt.

So basically there is more material in the action and the barrel than in the model 700 - which made the gun heavier and also made the action heavier.

If you really wanted a donor rifle to make a wildcat out of, the 1917 Enfield would be an even better choice than a model 700!

[Drilling Man]

  I won't say your wrong, but your talking about minute amounts of metal there...  Also who's to say that the newer actions/bolts don't have a better grade of steel in the first place making "them" stronger???

  What is the weight difference between the two???  I've worked on and used both, and i don't remember there being a noticable difference in weight between them...

  I "did" notice that the newer "riveted" extractor in the 700's stayed in place better making it more reliable...

  DM

[700 223]

Since the current 700 is available in cartridges like the .375 H&H , .416 Rem. and 458 Win Mag I would not be too concerned about any lack of strength inherent in the 700 design. If the 700 was lacking in strength it probably would not have been in production for 45 years.

I too was looking at building a custom and just under $400 was about the least expensive I saw for an action where a complete rifle could be bought for not a whole lot more. So I ended up buying a 700SPS Varmint with scope for $479 and a $30 rebate. The only "problem" is the rifle ended up shooting so good I might just keep it as is.

[zasxcd]

I have owned quite few of both 700's and 721's, as well as 722's, 1917's, and even a 720 (and still do), so I think I know little about them. There is no difference whatsoever between the 700's and the 721's and the 722's, as far as strength. I don't know how they rate against a 1917 Enfield, which was also renowned for strength, all are very good. Little or no modification to a 700 bolt is required for it to fit the proper length 721 or 722, except for possibly fitting the bolt handle to the stock, and of course headspacing. Some people rate the 721's and 722's as being better made and fitted than the 700's, but that has not been my experience. I have to repeat my previous assertion, that for a custom rifle (NOT built for re-sale) a 721 or a 722 is entirely equal to a 700. My experience is that ignorant people will look at a custom built on a 721 or a 722 and turn their noses up at it, but I think that this is entirely based on appearance, not performance. Accuracy-wise, I have 721's, 722's and 700's, all custom, that shoot at or near the .250" mark, and would shoot better if my eyes would co-operate. I'm not as young as I used to be. Also, I have never experienced the dreaded "fire with the safety on" problem, and don't worry about it, but if it is an issue with you there are numerous replacement triggers on the market.

[safetysheriff]

I have asked the same question and have never heard an altogether satisfactory answer.

come on, now!    the answer is that we as individuals don't buy actions in mass quantities like wal mart does ADL's.    i bought an 'action' about 3 mos' ago at one of the few WM's still selling rifles in n.e. ohio for less than $300, plus tax.    and it got me a $30 rebate.    it came with an ADL' stock/barrel/trigger guard/etc all screwed onto it.......but i didn't mind!    when i'm done using the action and its attachments my grandson can have it.    he can pull off all the 'junk' and make a custom rifle out of the action any time he wants.   

how can you complain about it working out that way?

take care,

ss'