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Old June 15, 2008, 05:03 PM   #1
Te Anau
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So I buy a Remington model 700....

and now I hear that they have lousy ejectors on them? Why doesn't anyone here ever mention that? A friend clued me in on this little tidbit of info.
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Old June 15, 2008, 05:05 PM   #2
Alleykat
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Get a smarter friend! Nothing wrong with your 700.
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Old June 15, 2008, 05:17 PM   #3
Jim Watson
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That lousy ejector has worked for Remington over 60 years now. And before that for Garand and M1 Carbine. Not too different from Winchester lever gun ejectors going back to 1886.
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Old June 15, 2008, 05:26 PM   #4
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That could be true with the new ones, I have not heard that. My 20+ year old M700 has never missed a beat. 100% perfect functioning.
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Old June 15, 2008, 05:36 PM   #5
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What remington m700 have bad ejectors? Never had a problem with mine. Maybe the people with bad one's need to learn how to clean a bolt face properly along with cleaning a gun.

From what I see 90% of all the badmouthing about any one gun is because that person bought it didn't take time to learn it and did not take care of it properly. Kind of like wood stocks I have rifles that have wood stocks that will put your plastic stoked rifle to shame. My dad has a 25-06 bench rifle that has a wooden stock that is missing 80+% of the finish on it the stainless barrel is a little tarnished and that sucker will put 5 bullets in to a hole that is .3" or less at 100 yards.
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Old June 15, 2008, 09:40 PM   #6
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A lot of the people who badmouth the Remingtons are the guys who are big fans of controlled round feed rifles. I've owned Remingtons for over 30 years with no extraction or ejection problems. But if you look at a good CRF rifle I must admit it is a more rugged, foolproof system. I own both types and while the CRF is theoretically better it has never made any difference to me.
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Old June 15, 2008, 11:57 PM   #7
270Win
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Quote:
A lot of the people who badmouth the Remingtons are the guys who are big fans of controlled round feed rifles.
This is what I've found, too. I've never had a single problem with any of my 700s, or seen one or even heard about one among my friends or acquaintances at the range.
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Old June 16, 2008, 12:39 AM   #8
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I suspect your "friend" may be of the impression that extractors on bolt actions should chuck the brass far and wide relatively regardless of the velocity with which you work the bolt - there are some rifles that do just that. The Remington 700 extractor design is entirely dependent on how quickly you shuck that bolt - you can toss brass far and wide if you so choose, but if you're a handloader or just prefer to be more responsible about your brass, you can take it easy on the pull and keep much better control of your empty casings.
Me? I like the flexibility (though this behavior is hardly exclusive to the Remington 700).
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Old June 16, 2008, 12:41 AM   #9
Fremmer
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I've never had a problem with Remington ejectors. Or with thier extractors. They work just fine.

Last edited by Fremmer; June 16, 2008 at 01:00 AM. Reason: either or
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Old June 16, 2008, 12:48 AM   #10
clem
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I bought my 700 in 1969 and have shot it at least a couple of thousand times. Nothing has ever failed on it!

Don't panic, you'll like the 700.
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Old June 16, 2008, 12:57 AM   #11
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Ejector or extractor? The ejector rod hardly ever fails on any push round feed rifle, but the extractor is a different story (usually depending on how hot people handload). If you aren't hammering the action with hot loads you should expect a lifetime of reliable service from your rifle.

Some PH's over in Africa have bad feelings about the Rem700 in 416 Rem Mag, but that's a different ball of wax.

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Old June 16, 2008, 06:31 AM   #12
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I'd go out on a limb here and say that the only Rem 700s that might experience broken extractors are those whose owners either didn't clean and protect the chamber/bore adequately, or who may have reloaded and either not sized the round properly, or fired an overloaded round.

I've used the Rem 700 and known many others who have since it was introduced, and done part-time gunsmithing for years, yet have never seen a 700 with a broken extractor.

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Old June 16, 2008, 08:08 AM   #13
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Sounds like internet ninja lore. My 700 BDL has never missed an ejection for the 20 years I've owned it. The whole CRF discussion is really down to the whole Ford/Chevy discussion: personal tastes. Think that CRF gives you some big advantage because it grabs the round on the magazine? Who cares unless you're upside down. And then, I've seen a 700 feed just fine upside down...
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Old June 16, 2008, 12:14 PM   #14
SimpleIsGood229
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Between mine, my dad's and of all the 700's owned by friends and acquaintances, I've never seen such problems.
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Old June 16, 2008, 05:02 PM   #15
Te Anau
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OK,let me correct myself.My friend said the ejector can cause occasional problems but the extractor has been the "weak link" of the 700 as long as the rifle has been made.The replies so far have alleviated my concerns-Thanks.
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Old June 16, 2008, 05:16 PM   #16
SimpleIsGood229
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FYI, a competent gunsmith can install a Sako-style extractor on a 700. Said extractor has a much bigger claw.
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Old June 16, 2008, 05:24 PM   #17
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I own Remingtons and some 'controlled feed' rifles. Never a problem with any of them. The Remington (700, 721, 722, 788) always shoot really well!!
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Old June 16, 2008, 06:38 PM   #18
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Yes you can get a SAKO style extractor installed, but every gunsmith I've talked to said it is pretty much a waste of time unless you are building a rifle for dangerous game.
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Old June 16, 2008, 06:44 PM   #19
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I've read the Sako style extractor is easy to screw up. Possibly so bad your bolt is junk. I've never had one fail on me and that design is used by military combat guns without issue. The 700 does have a few shortcomings but the extractor/ejector isn't one of them IMO.
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Old June 16, 2008, 08:05 PM   #20
JP Sarte
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This is the third time I have posted this on TFL since April of this year but here goes nothing:

I posted this on 04/28/08 here on TFL in response to a similar thread:

Not really down on Remington as much as I am down on a company that no longer seems to produce an acceptable product. I look at this way. If people want to spend their hard earned money based on name recognition, well so be it. That is everyone's right. But I am getting too old and too tight with my dollars to go that route. I wan't results.

Just a quick story. I bought Remington model 700's all my life until I recently had a number of feeding and ejecting problems that they refused to deal with (four BDL's and one SPS within a year - all new). A manager at the company (John Lotion) told me that if cases would not eject I should "tip" the gun to have the case fall out. I am no Navy SEAL or Force Recon type, but I have jogged a few times around the track. That's just not right. I know better.

Add to that, rude customer service and terrible shop service and Remington doesn't look so good anymore. BDL's are above $700.00 now.

I could be wrong but everytime I talk to somebody at Remington I get the feeling they believe it's their birthright to have my business. The kind of arrogance that comes with a company that thinks it's an automatic that I will buy from them because their name is "Remington".

Companies like Sako, Steyr, Walther, etc. simply flat out produce great products. Period. Most of those firms mentioned are on the high end in terms of price but Tikka is a great example of a well built very functional rifle at an excellent price point (T3 Lite Stainless $525.00). Don't get me wrong, all companies have problems and make mistakes. Remington just seems to be having it's Lion Share of both these days.

Unless your like a day trader when it comes to buying and selling rifles, buy quality to begin with. You will never be sorry in the long run. Your Grandchildren will thank you for it.

Let me say first that since I am well past the age of 12 I do not believe in purchasing a product based on name recognition alone: i.e. "My Remington is better than your Winchester" nonsense. And although I am far from an expert, I have many years of USMC / LE experience so I feel comfortable in saying I am not an idiot either. Cleaning and maintaining the weapons in question cannot be the issue since they were new and thouroughly cleaned upon arrival at my humble home.

If your Remington Model 700 has never had this problem I am happy for you. I have had a string of bad luck with the model lately.

Look folks, in my case blaming this malfunction on operator error is not even close to logical given the circumstances. The chances of five brand new model 700's having the same problem, all bought from different dealers at different times is astronomical.

It would be akin to winning the lottery in five states at the same time while being struck by lightning. Could not happen. Would not happen. Remington has a problem that they simply refuse to admit or address (remember the safety misfires in the 1980's and 1990's?).

Poor workmanship, poor quality control, and terrible customer service are the norm. If you think they are the best thing since sliced bread, canned beer, and sex. I am all for you. That however, has not been my experience in the last few years.

Recommend what you would like to whomever you wan't to. For now, until they clean up their act, I say "DONT BUY REMINGTON".

JP
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Old June 16, 2008, 08:28 PM   #21
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Many gunsmiths will tell you not to go with a Sako extractor for safety reasons.

I've replaced a few 700 extractors, rivet type and snap in type. Two of the last three I put in were because of hot loads. One extremely hot, blew the primer and casing stuck in the chamber. The other one I replaced is because the pecker shot a different bullet than the barrel was chambered for and it wiped out the extractor.
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Old August 31, 2008, 08:24 PM   #22
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poopoo

I have a 721 that is a 700 by the way its got more bad mouthing about extractors than eney other rem out there mine HAS NEVERD FAILED and it was made in 1951 the bolt is stock
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Old August 31, 2008, 08:37 PM   #23
dipper
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Remington 700 extractors have and will fail but it's not a big concern and doesn't happen all that often.
I personally would not recommend the Sako modification to a Remington 700.
The 700 action and bolt ARE NOT designed for a Sako type extractor.
Yes, they can be installed, and will work, but if you EVER have a failure, that Sako extractor can end up in your eye.
MANY knowledgeable gunsmiths will not recommend the modification.
The Sako bolt and action are a different design than the Remington and are made with the use of their type of extractor in mind.
The Sako extractor is completely safe in a Sako, not so in the 700.
Look at the bolts from each rifle and you'll see why.
Both rifles are very well built safe designs if left alone.

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Old August 31, 2008, 08:41 PM   #24
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There are 8 Remington models 40, 700, 721, and 722 guns in my safe. The newest one was bought in 1993: The oldest is a gift from an uncle in 1952. None of those guns ever had an extractor problem. One Remington 700 has been re-barreled three times; that action has over 40,000 rounds through it with no extractor problems.
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Old August 31, 2008, 09:03 PM   #25
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Aside from the Mauser, the Remington 700 action is probably the most popular place to start for a custom rifle. Few of those actually get the Sako extractor due the the reasons mentioned above. If the chamber is rough or dirty and/or you're pushing the edge of the pressure envelope, any extractor can give trouble. I've seen the rim ripped off more than one case and the type of extractor didn't seem to have anything to do with it.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'd be willing to bet that more SWAT, HRT and military snipers are shooting Rem. 700 variants than all other rifles combined.

Weaknesses are relative. The weakness of my F-250 is said to be the ball joints. They only lasted 180K mi. before they needed replacing.
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