Don�t want to start another never ending "CRF vs PF" discussion, nor any "damned remington rifles" post ... but just want to know true first hand experiences as objetive as possible ...

OK, here it goes :

Who has ever hunted any DG using Remington�s Model 700 Safari (Custom, KS)in .416 Rem Mag ??? How would you describe its performance ??

And my worst concern:
What makes Remington�s custom rifles different from others remington models - and supposedly better ..(apart from their price !!) ?
Remington�s website isn�t very illustrative in this mattter ...

Regards,

I can answer the last part about the differences. The custom shop rifles have button rifles barrels as opposed to hammer forged on the standard production guns. They also have a much better stock the the standard production guns. I would contact one of the custom gunsmiths around the country for a price to build you the same thing though as remington prices have climbed to near full on custom levels. Usually you can get some of the best smiths to chamber a barrel and blueprint and action for less than 300.00+ 270-290 for a benchrest quality barrel + cost of action + cost of stock. Depending on the action and stock you choose it can be really close to the price of a custom shop gun or it can be several hundred more.

If you intend to use it for dangerous game you should consider having the "J" lock disabled.

After firing the first round at a hartebeast last year my 700 Custom Shop suddenly wouldn't fire the second round. It turned out to be a malfunction in the "J" lock even though I had not been using the lock at all - in fact I had never used it.

Mine has now been disabled but that mechanism would be enough reason for me to not buy the rifle if I had known what trouble it could cause.

I know someone who has Rem 700 custom shop rifles in .375 H&H, .458 and .416. The .375 and .458 work fine, but the shells pop out of the top of the magazine of the .416. Consequently, the owner will not take it hunting.

I owned a Remington 700 Custom Shop .375 H&H that shot very well, had a great trigger, and a beautifully-figured black walnut stock.

It also had Remington's painted potmetal triggerguard/floorplate assembly; powdered-metal open sights (that are darned tough to see); an Uncle Mike's barrel-mounted sling swivel attachment that twisted out of position the first time I carried the rifle with a sling; plus it came with one of Remington's infamous brick-hard recoil pads. I should also mention that it didn't feed all that well, either.

Overall impressions: Good rifles, particularly dangerous game rifles, should perform in other ways than decent groups off the bench, and this rifle sorely lacked in terms of quality components, fundamental design, and general workmanship. Over-priced for what you get, and I'd rather hire an independent custom riflebuilder any day of the week, even at a higher price.

I should also share with you one other episode: I shared a camp in Tanzania once with a client and his PH. That PH told us story about a Custom Shop Model 700 in .416 Remington that he ordered when the .416 Remington cartridge was first introduced, and he used it for a season of guiding clients in Tanzania.

He loved the cartridge, but hated the rifle. On one occasion he had to sort out and collect a client-wounded buffalo. In the process, he experienced a smokestack jam that scared the daylights out of him, and nearly resulted in tragedy. After that season was over, he sold the rifle and had built a custom .416 Remington on a commercial Mauser action - a rifle which had served him well for several years without a hitch or even the slightest hint of a feeding problem. I suspect it still is........

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Afrikaander,

I got an inadvertant heads up from George Hoffman that the .416 Remington was coming, so I ordered one from the Custom Shop. I previously had purchased a Win M70 Super Grade .458 Win Mag that I was going to rebarrel to .416 Taylor, so I sold that rifle.

After what I thought was too long the rifle arrived along with 5 boxes of factory ammunition I had ordered. On firing the first shot, the barrel band front swivel mount departed. On the third shot the extractor broke.

I had a gunsmith replace the extractor and also replace the Remington sights with a sturdy post front and a ghost ring rear. The rifle shot well but fouled easily. It balanced poorly and was actually too light overall for the cartridge.

I sold it before going hunting, so I don't have any field report.

jim dodd

Afrikaaner,

One of my best hunting buddies has a gun vault full of Customized rems in big booomer class 416rem, 375/35Whelen, 460A-Square,33/378 Weatherby, a wildcat .510 simba..All are push feed and he swears by them...Will send you pic if your address is there..Took an Australian buf 96inch 416Rem.

Mike