I'm curious as to why the Rem action sees so much more use as the basis for a custom as opposed to the winchester. I purchased a new winchester for a very cheap price and I plan to use the action for a varmint rifle. I'm thinking with a good barrel, stock etc. I should get a decent varmint rig out of it. Any thoughts or opinions welcome. Rob

Rob,

Here are few points on Rem and M70.

M70 was hampered by not having a 3 lever trigger available. However in recent years that has been fixed in recent years because Jewell now make a trigger for M70.

Rem 700 being round is in my opinion better for "glue in" as much easier to get apart than the square M70. Rem 700 also allows trigger to be removed without rifle being unglued which is another big plus.

So with those couple of points alone the Rem 700 got off to a flying start and gunsmiths around the world have been geared up for Rem 700 for years.

Rem 700 action is also lighter than M70 and this was an advantage for bench shooters with different weight classes. In other words you can stick a little bit heavier barrel on Rem 700.

The plus of the M70 is integral recoil which is much better for switch barrels when rifle is not a glue in.

M70s work nicer because of the greater primary extraction and cam forward.

For all out accuracy experimenting M70 push feed is better than the M70 CRF because you can set up to change barrels between actions. The CRF causes problems because of the extractor slot at the back of the barrel not lining up, although you could have a gunsmith open up an extractor slot all the way round the back of the barrel.

One other point in favor of Rem 700 for longer cartridges in a super accurate repeater is that the 375 M70 action does not take standard M70 mounts and unless things have changed no Leupold Dual Dovetails.

The round Remington receiver is also easier for a gunsmith to inlet into "one off" stocks like the skeletonised aluminium stocks we often use in Australia.

As to custom rifles, I think if start talking about 375s and the like then the Rem 700 is a non event and it is all Mauser or M70 or modern copies of these two actions.

Mike

[ 08-06-2002, 11:08: Message edited by: Mike375 ]

Mike
Thanks for the info. Sounds as if I should do fine for what I'm doing. It seems folks are always looking hard for 721's or 700's to build varmint rifles on. I've had good luck with 721's but I couldn't find one that was in donor condition. I read thru the boards often and couldn't recall posts on push feed winchesters used as the basis of varmint rifles. The advantages of the 700 you point out would seem to be of less concern to a varmint rig as opposed to a BR gun. Thanks again. Rob