Just to bring up an old topic, I found another Professional Hunter who uses a Model 700 Safari Grade in .416 Remington. Greg Michelson of Leopard Ridge Hunting Co. in Bulawayo is truly sold on his and has used it extensiely for backup on elephant and Buffalo. He's equiped it with a simple Williams Guide rear with the shallow VEE and a white bead front on Remington's original ramp. He was fortunate to aquire enough ammo to see him through many seasons. Add him to the list of satisfied 700 Remington users. Another Pro who comes to mind that uses pretty much the same set-up is Simon Evans of Nairobi. He hunts for Robin Hurt in Tanzania. Last I knew both men were alive and well and had not lost one client through the use of the "imfamous" push feeds.
Regards,
Rich Elliott
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Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris

Rich, I know for a fact that more professional hunters and clients than we think use Model 700's in various calibers, and without any problems. After all, look at the number of push-feed, post-'64 Model 70 "African" rifles in .458 Winchester that have been put to use over the years in Africa.......

Even so, there are better-built rifles and actions available than the Model 700. I don't care for aluminum bottom metal, a brazed-on bolt handle, a complicated trigger with a checkered histroy, and a bolt I can't take apart without some sort of gimmick or gimmicky procedure. Personally, I prefer a controlled-feed action with all-steel parts, and that's what I'm going to stick with.

AD

ditto that Mr.Day

Allen, I'm not sure what you mean by a gimmicky procedure for stripping the model 700 bolt (and I'm not posting this to debate that), but in case you (or anybody else) didn't know, here's an easy method you can use anywhere:

Grab a dime, dogtag, any thin piece of metal. Cinch up your shoe or boot lace. Hook the bolt sear over one of the laces and pull toward you until you can see the slot in the cocking piece. Put the dime in the slot and gently release the bolt. You can now unscrew the cocking piece & firing pin from the bolt body. To reassemble, screw together fully, then back out just until the cocking piece is in line with the notch, then hook the sear and pull until the dime falls out. Gently release. Make sure it's cocked (the part that rides the cocking ramp will be in the notch).

Fat Bastard, the procedure you describe is what I refer to when I say "gimmicky".

Actually, I'm no stranger to the nuances of the Model 700. I've owned eighty-eight of them since 1973.

AD

I really don't see any problem with them using a Remington 700 for Dangerous Game. Not for me, though.

Hi Rich!
Yes, Simon does use the 700! or at least he was using it. I was told by a mutual friend that he now has a 500 jeffrey bolt rifle by Hartmann & Weiss.
BTW: How's the dove crop looking down your way?

John S.,
Hope Simon doesn't use that one like a club...too expensive. The doves are still up north.
Rich E.

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Ethiopian Rift Valley Safaris

As previously stated elsewhere, the PHs you mentioned must bring up the ratio of push feed to CRFs to AT least 90 to 1!

If you like the 700 that's fine, but the market place seeks it's own level and unquestionably, the CRF has it all over the push feeds