Rem 700 Cdl

[S & W 642]

I am looking at a Rem 700 CDL mountian Rifle.  The caliber I want is a 7mm-08.  The barrell is only 20 inches long and I was wondering about accuracy for long range shooting. Does anybody have one of these rifles that could post and tell me their opinion of it. I am also looking at the 700 sps in 7mm-08 it has a 24inch barrell. I would appreciate any and all opinions of these guns.

[Graybeard]

You need to back up and figure out just what it is you are looking at. That animal you mention does not to the best of my knowledge exist.

Remington makes CDLs in both M700 and M7 lines. None are called Mountain Rifles. The make the Mtn. Rifle in LSS and DB configurations these days.

I suspect what you are looking at is in fact the Model Seven CDL. If so the 20" barrel is fine. Just how long is your idea of long range for it? With an original using only an 18.5" barrel my longest shot was around 200 yards and it worked just fine for it. With the 20" barrel it's plenty of gun to at least 300 yards. My 25th anniversary Model Seven in 7-08 has a 22" barrel. You should still be able to find some of those most likely if you are that concerned about picking up an extra 100 fps or so.

The Model 700 CDL isn't of Mtn. Rifle configuration as it has a much heavier taper barrel than do Mtn. Rifles.

[S & W 642]

The gun may not have been a CDL version but I am pretty sure it was a Rem 700 mountain rifle with a 22inch barrell. It was considerbly lighter than the Rem 700 sps with a 26inch barrell. I did look at a model 7 Rem it was nice to.

[Graybeard]

Over the years Remington has made quite a few versions of the Mountain Rifle not all even called by the name even tho in all respects they were. The CDL Model 700s all have a heavier contour barrel but same contour stock as the Mtn. Rifles.

The original Mtn. Rifle had nice grade of walnut and was of normal BDL magazine type. They also made some with nice synthetic stocks in ADL configuration. I've had two of those. Initially they were long action only in .30-06, .280 Remington and .270 Winchester.

A few years back they dropped that one and went to the detachable box magazine rather than BDL magazine for them. Otherwise they still look like the originals.

Now the LSS Mtn. Rifle is the primary Mtn. Rifle tho and other than the metal being SS and the stock being laminated they are basically the old Mtn. Rifle in all other aspects. They have been made in .30-06, .270 Winchester, now in .280 Remington, 7-08 and .260 Remington. I've own all but the newer .280.

The CDL is available in most everything Remington chambers. BUT they come with 24" not 22" barrels. All Mtn. Rifles have always had 22" barrels.

In the Model Seven line they originally had 18.5" barrels then went to 20" and when they added magnums they had 22" barrels. The standard Model Seven CDL has 20" and 22" on magnums. The new 25th Anniversary Model Seven is chambered only in 7-08 and has a 22" barrel and a different checkering design than the normal CDL but other than barrel length and checking pattern it is basically just a CDL. Yup got one of those too.

I would be interesting in hearing just what the rifle is if/when you get it or even if you don't. Perhaps they've slid one in on me I've not seen yet. They do that some times.