Remington Quality Going Downhill??

[K22]

I hate to admit it but yes, Remington's quality has taken a huge drop. I've been a long time Model 700 owner and admirer. My Remingtons are all at least 20 years old or there abouts and are very accurate and perform very well. I like them a lot.

However I've seen all kinds of horror stories at the local club from Remington buyers in the last five years or so. At first I thought it might be just an isolated case but unforturnately from what I've seen it's just blatent sloppy work. In some cases I wondered how the rifle even got out of the factory since it wouldn't chamber factory cartridges without excessive force!

The last three rifles I purchased were Tikka, Browning, and Winchester. I'll probably never buy another Remingtion which I'm sad to say.

 

[Bradley Walker]

You know how internet folks are. Just mention a poor part and it spreads like wildfire. How many of you folks put one of their receivers in an action truing jig and checked measurements on there product. I bet 2 of the people that has posted on this thread may have checked a late model receiver, at most. I find most late models are very good. They are built on modern equip.
Let's stay off their backs until you can actually tell a story from your actual experience, rather than mimic what you read on the net.

NOW SEE, THAT IS A GOOD POST!!!

 

[Eddie Harren]

K22, how many have you actually set up, measured or, for that matter, handled and shot? Your argument appears to be based on hearsay.

 

[SS427]

I bought a .223 model 700 VSSF II a couple years ago and it is very accurate. Last weekend I got three five shot groups in the high 3s with Sierra Blitzking bullets.

But things are not totally unicorns and rainbows. It chambers rounds hard and I have yet to figure out why because it is not the cases. I've noticed a significant wear mark on the bolt handle, so alignment of that part isn't perfect. The lugs show very precise wear however. It won't eject Winchester brass, although it will eject Lapua brass. I've heard these extractors leave something to be desired which I think loses grip on the Win brass before it can be ejected.

The first VSSF II I considered buying was a .204. However when the guy went to hand it to me the bolt just dropped out of the action onto the floor. We got it to do that repeatedly and needless to say I didn't buy it. The sales manager finally stepped in and said they would be sending it back.

So my review is mixed. Overall the quality and fit and finish is really good and the accuracy is outstanding. But it does have some flaws. Compared to some other factory rifles I've bought recently, mostly Weatherby Vanguards, Remington has some QC work to do. I would buy another new one though.

 

[distinguished]

I have Remington rifles since they went union. I have seen them mis crowned and receivers that look like they were put on a grinder om the bottom. For the price, they should be better but you are paying for union benefits now.

 

[FryeGuy]

Well, I can't complain about anything from remington. This past fall/winter I picked up a compact tactical rifle in .308win. I like the trigger on it, I decided one day at the range, that compared with my other rifles it was too hard. I just flipped the gun over, adjusted it without taking out of the stock, until it felt the same as the others. checked it when I got home and it was within 1/2lb of the others. everything looks good on it, and it shoots good to boot. I have had multiple 3-shot groups with handloads in the 0.1 & 0.2" range, and pretty much everything I tried stayed under an inch. It has a good quality stock on it, shot it before doing any kind of bedding job, etc. I guess I won't bother with it unless I just run out of fish to catch, deer to shoot, books to read, etc. Maybe it is just plain luck or good quality? I don't know but I'm happy.

 

[Butch Syme]

Imagine what would have happened to Winchester in 1965 had there been internet then

 

[Hippy]

The last two Remingtons that i purchased have been as good as chould be expected from a factory rifle. A 700 221 Fireball and a XR100 in 204 both of these rifles with trigger work and skim bedded will shoot 3/8" with a 5/8" group the normal.

I did have a 700 223 that I could not get to shoot" In a Bucket" and the velocity was WAY down it does not live at my house any longer.

I have a 70's 40X BBR in 222 that is BOREING to shoot as it just keeps putting them in the same hole.

Jim

 

[GerryM]

Yes Remington has changed over the years, When they were part of Dupont
They were a different company. Later when it was sold againg. The quality was ok but R AND D suffered a while. Now Remington has moved from NEW YORKs illion plant,
When they moved they left skilled and semi skilled rifle assemblers and gun smiths behind. Now that they have moved not only company policy has change , so has the workforce. It going to take a lot of time for it to get back to quality standards they use to have, .
I cansay this it's neither better nor worse then some other rifles out there in the same price range.
Thats news about the policy on the custom shop. It doesn't surpise me though.
The fast buck mentality has swep corporate America"

 

[people]

One complaint is the free bore was so long that a 168gr bullet would only be in the casing a little less than a 1/16" so the bullet would be near the lands. If they were in deeper they just patterned on paper. When almost at the lands they were amazingly accurate. I dropped a box of loaded ammo into my trunk and almost all of the bullets popped out of the casings. So off to the gunsmith it went to have the tube setback.

The other complaint was the trigger was set so stiff it almost required a crowbar to pull the trigger. On many occasions I actually wondered if the safety had failed.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Truth!



http://www.remington.com/pages/our-company/company-history.aspx