Check out this link to Big Green's latest and greatest.
M700 LV SF

Seems like this rifle will be light enough for packing a ways off the beaten path, but still have a thick enough barrel for good stability.

What do you guys think?

Nice to see it's available in 17 Rem , though I hate to think how much it will cost when/if it gets to the UK .

That looks great! I have not seen that rifle before. Makes sense to me, though I can hardly justify one since I already have two .223 Remingtons and three 22-250 Remingtons.

Seriously, that new rifle looks good. That should be just the thing for predator hunting.

Thanks for the info.

R F

Todbartell: Thanks for the link and the info!
In my mind the Remington people are really trying, really willing to be innovative and take some chances now and then!
They bring out new cartridges and Rifle styles quite often and as we all know - that is expensive these day!
Not only is the new M-700 LV SF available in the wonderful 17 Remington cartridge I see it is also is available in 221 Remington Fireball! Another fantastic Varminting cartridge (accurate, easy on barrels, easy on brass, mild report light recoil and inexpensive to load for!).
Way to go Remington!
Someone please tell me when the Savage people or the Sako people or the Tikka people (etc) designed a cartridge and produced it!
Or designed a Rifle with a distinct and unique purpose in mind!
Remington does it and does so quite often!
I already have two light Varminters in 221 Fireball (one Kimber and a Remington M-700 Classic) so I won't be a player right away for that caliber.
And I already have two Remington M-700's in 17 Remington (one a Remington M-700 VSS limited edition with 26" heavy barrel all SS and the other a Remington M-700 Classic) so I won't be a player there right away either. But if I were to find a super deal on either caliber in this configuration I would jump on it.
Again thanks and kudos to Remington for doing what they do!
And thanks to you Todbartell for the link.
Long live Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
PS: Again kudos and salutations to the Remington people I am just so pleased with them! I just can't say it enough! Way to go BIG GREEN!

I like the idea of this rifle, and the looks of it as well. Something that will be near ideal for a walking predator rig, at 8lbs all up, but still have a nice heavy'ish barrel for paper punching and long range shooting. It has the beavertail forend, so it will sit on a bi-pod well, as well as sandbags. ADL style mag. makes for lighter weight and stiffer stock. Now for the stock, it sounds like it might be similar to the Bell & Carlson Titanium handle, which is good, as I don't like tupperware stocks. Overall, I think this rifle just looks cool, and would fit my want of a cheap plinker/coyote rifle.

Hey Big Green, make it in left hand!

Sincerely,
2nd Class Citizen

Savage had alot of their own cartridges, almost all of them are dead though.

Nice rifle, now if they would do away with the keyed bolt, and chamber it in 243/260/7-08/308 and have it weigh in about the same or up to 1 lb. more that would make the rifle even better. I would bet it is a Bell and Carlson stock, as they are the vendor for composite stocks for Remington at this time.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight.....RiverRat

Nice rifle, Nicer in wood. Sorry, but I just can't warm up to plastic. Fine for those that like it, but make mine wood. About AAA fancy will do.
Stepchild

Tod-thanks for the heads up--I like what they did, I've been doing em like that since about 1989-so naturally I like em that way...grins.

I just finished a 22/250 AI that way with a Lilja tube on it. Can't wait to get it running.

I do like a tube of 23" with a .65-.7 muzzle dia.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

Howdy all, Big Green has done it right with this one. At least on the drawing board. I may have to save up for it in .17 or .221. Hey Varmint guy, how's the freebore in your .17 VSS? I've got one that I can't reach the lands on, but luckily it still shoots. Couple other rifles here in town got sent back to Zanders for refunds. Excess freebore ran rampant on these rifles.

Rem's QC has been somewhat shoddy as of late, I hope that they get their collective shit together. I get tired of reading how cheap Savage rifles shoot rings around the Remmy's. Not to mention rough chambers, freebore, crappy crowns, rough rifling, and that god for saken J lock!!! These are the common problems that I hear and read about.

Fjold,
I agree with MSSmagnum, I'm left handed, as is my son and every rifle we own is right handed. The way I look at it, you have to lift your head regardless which side the bolt handle is on, so what I do is grip the wrist with my left hand, lift my head, cycle the action leaving the rifle shouldered, using my right hand and back to the wood again. I've never owned a LH gun nor do I intend to. To take it to an extreme, I have a 700LA/RH in a Harry Lawson LH thumbhole stock, A little unconventional i'll admit, but it's worked just fine for the last 25 years or so,(.257ACKLEY).
And should you decide to sell one(RH) , as you well know there is a much larger market out there.
Stepchild

I'm just in the planning stages for a new carry rifle. Plan was to use a Remington short action, HS Precision stock, and a #4 barrel. This barrel would be about one number heavier than the LVSF. The flutes probably look good, but I don't see much value otherwise. This would probably cost (in Australian dollars) about 750 for the donor action, 650 for the barrel and gunsmithing, and 650 for the stock. So Aud $2050 all up ($USD 1330). I can also have any calibre I like (within reason).

Using the Remington prices as a guide, I think this new LVSF will be around $1900 Australian. Plus is that it is a stainless action. I don't think the barrel will be as good as what I was planning to use, nor is the stock likely to be as nice (I have a B&C as well as HS Precision. Both have their place, but I prefer the HS). Still, it looks like a nice integrated package.

Be very interesting to hear how the LVSF turns out when a few early buyers in the US get their hands on it...

Can someone tell me what the big deal is with the j-lock,I have several with and without them and so far haven't had aproblem with either.When I get a new rifle with one I just throw the little green tubes in a drawer and forget about them.My shotgun has one too but have never used it.

Hello Varmintguy,

I'd like to present a different side to your beloved Big Green. I was a big Remington fan for years, even when they sang the praises of their new and wonderful 5mm rimfire rifle. It didn't sell that well the first couple of years so they flat out dropped it and the ammo as well. For the many people who already owned it? Tough. The .222Rem.Mag., one of the very best of the .224 centerfires. Rather than compete with the new .223 round, they dropped the .222 Mag. For those that owned one? Tough. The Remington excellent 20X and 24X benchrest scopes? Couldn't compete with the 36X ones. Solution? Drop it. The Remington 52gr. HPBR bullet, one of the best and most popular among the benchrest shooters? Dropped. When a benchrest shooter wanted to buy the no longer used bullet making dies from them in order to continue producing them, Remington said No, and scrapped them. The last straw was my purchase of what I consider an expensive Remington VLS rifle in 6mm Rem. It comes with about an 8 lb trigger pull. The problem is Remington will give the shooter what "it" thinks he needs, not necessarily what he wants. Then they'll drop it bunny quick when the product doesn't meet sales expectations. I can't believe this is Mike Walker's Remington. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

The problem with the keyed bolt, well take the firing pin out of a keyed bolt and one out of a non keyed bolt and look at the difference in the spring. The spring drags hard the entire length of its travel. The non keyed bolts do not do this. It costs $65 to replace it with a Tubbs speed lock and if you want to get rid of the key on shroud it is another $45.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight......RiverRat

RiverRat,
I have one Remington 700 with the J lock and I was going to change the shroud ASAP, but honestly, other than looks, I see no difference.
Mine shoots very well as is.
Stepchild

stepchild 2:
Yes the bolt looks identical except for the button the key fits in. If you pull the firing pin out of it you will see the difference. Maybe they shoot just fine for a hunting rifle, but to make it shoot in competition the firing pin and spring must be replaced. The spring drags terribly in its raceway and in dry firing from a rest it is very noticeable. I have had two rifles built on the keyed bolt Remingtons and part of the action blue printing is getting rid of the firing pin, spring and the shroud. If your rifle shoots good as is, it will shoot better after replacing the spring and firing pin.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight......RiverRat

RiverRat,
Mine shoots in the 2's now,(no joke),and while I don't doubt there's room for improvement, I think i'll call that good enough. I don't shoot in competition, just fur and feathers. Thanks for your reply.
Stepchild

A lefty version would be nice, but that is tooooo much to ask for lol

Talked to CS @Rem. Marie, told me that the production guys are only saying that Remington is making the stock, but I'll e-mail B&C to see if they're making them, that makes more sence, a call to HS was negative, we aren't making them, I really like the rifle, should be similar to my S/S 708, that has an HS sporter stock, Jay

Good Grief , did you people see the MSRP on this new offering??

At $900 , Remington is not doing you any big favors . You can buy the donor action of your choice and get a true premium barrel installed for that kind of money ........

Gunslinger, I believe that's the same MSRP that the VSSF model has, $729 street price, Jay

Didn't Winchester already make a perfect coycote gun, and then call it just that.

stepchild2:
If that rifle is shooting in the .2's consistently I don't blame you for not changing anything!

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight.....RiverRat

(Double post, 60-second flood protection)

[ 08-26-2003, 17:50: Message edited by: HenryC470 ]

Henry,
Either one works for me. I got used to right hand bolt actions before there were any LH rifles available and personally never saw the need for a LH action.
Stepchild

RiverRat,
This rifle was built by a local gunsmith named Al Siegrist, who has quite a following.
Believe this or not, the first group out of this rifle after being trued and rebarreled(Shilen) went into the low 2's and this was while fireforming.
I know this sounds like a BS story to some, but it is not, had a little trouble believing it myself.
So, like the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
Stepchild

Shooting off a bench, with a sling or from bipods I like the left hand bolt because I have my weight on my right elbow. It come from shooting high power matches. You nail yourself into position with the sling and body position locking your rifle into your weak hand and using your strong hand for everything.
My ideal shooting rifle is my old 788 Remington with a left hand bolt and right side ejection port. It's easily the the best way to shoot from prone or off a bench when not using a sling.
I never look at re-sale value when I'm buying a firearm, I buy the ones that I want.