My Rifle / Shooting Journey

1000yards said:
Also @Gstew1930 why did you switch from a Maven to the 6x on the 223?
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Because the turret kept spinning on me. Theres a post in the 6UM thread where I killed my Oryx using that scope. I had to adjust it back to 0 at least 6 times during that trip. Ive heard the O ring trick solves this problem. Im trying it out soon
 
QUOTE="SDHNTR, post: 4544534, member: 3070"]
Interesting. Are most feeding malfunctions? Is that because the mag springs get tired? Or double stroking the bolt? Or? Or is it all due to environmental conditions, dust, ice, moisture, etc? Or is it just sheer numbers of rounds? Or both?

How does a higher round count fired over a shorter amount of time (a weekend class) stress the system more than say 1000 rounds spread out over a year or two?
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Picked up a random “high end custom 700” at the gun shop the other week bc I liked the looks of the stock. Ran the bolt per usual (fast and hard) , no dice, didn’t cock firing pin. Gun shop owner “had never seen that before”, I’d venture a guess that’s not a one off.
 
Gstew1930 said:
Because the turret kept spinning on me. Theres a post in the 6UM thread where I killed my Oryx using that scope. I had to adjust it back to 0 at least 6 times during that trip. Ive heard the O ring trick solves this problem. Im trying it out soon
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You'll be happy with the Maven again when you get the ring. It's an unfamiliar wiggle and push to get the turret back on with the bigger ring but once it's assembled you're set.

Check out this mod I added last night to fix the parralax stiffness IMG_8224.jpeg
 
There certainly can be reliability issues with the R700 system. I think some “malfunctions” are blown out of proportion. There’s a difference between a malfunction and a failure. A round not ejecting, magazine not raising a round, user induced double feeds, etc are malfunctions. A failure would be something that renders the firearm inoperable. If failures of r700 systems were an incredibly prevalent issue, then people likely wouldn’t be using them. If you plan on completely neglecting your rifle, then yeah, it’ll probably fail. If you take some steps to minimize the likelihood of problems (covering the action or muzzle, tuning mags/adjust magazine height) you can greatly reduce the number of failures and malfunctions. My experience shooting PRS matches, NRL hunter matches, and hunting in the west over the last 5 years and approx 10,000 rounds, I have had minimal failures. Two being firing pins breaking during dry firing on a Zermatt TL3 and the other being a TT special locking up after beating the bolt open while trying to eject a case I stuck due to improper sizing. I also had issues with cases getting stuck in the chamber after not cleaning brass after lubricating/sizing. I can’t speak to the reliability of safeties on R700 triggers since I don’t use them.
 
wpeach1912 said:
There certainly can be reliability issues with the R700 system. I think some “malfunctions” are blown out of proportion. There’s a difference between a malfunction and a failure. A round not ejecting, magazine not raising a round, user induced double feeds, etc are malfunctions. A failure would be something that renders the firearm inoperable. If failures of r700 systems were an incredibly prevalent issue, then people likely wouldn’t be using them. If you plan on completely neglecting your rifle, then yeah, it’ll probably fail. If you take some steps to minimize the likelihood of problems (covering the action or muzzle, tuning mags/adjust magazine height) you can greatly reduce the number of failures and malfunctions. My experience shooting PRS matches, NRL hunter matches, and hunting in the west over the last 5 years and approx 10,000 rounds, I have had minimal failures. Two being firing pins breaking during dry firing on a Zermatt TL3 and the other being a TT special locking up after beating the bolt open while trying to eject a case I stuck due to improper sizing. I also had issues with cases getting stuck in the chamber after not cleaning brass after lubricating/sizing. I can’t speak to the reliability of safeties on R700 triggers since I don’t use them.
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I just don’t get it either. I won’t bore anyone with how many 700 and clones I own and how much I shoot and hunt, but it’s a lot, and I haven’t seen chronic malfunction either. I don’t know what I’m doing right.
 
wpeach1912 said:
There certainly can be reliability issues with the R700 system. I think some “malfunctions” are blown out of proportion. There’s a difference between a malfunction and a failure. A round not ejecting, magazine not raising a round, user induced double feeds, etc are malfunctions. A failure would be something that renders the firearm inoperable. If failures of r700 systems were an incredibly prevalent issue, then people likely wouldn’t be using them. If you plan on completely neglecting your rifle, then yeah, it’ll probably fail. If you take some steps to minimize the likelihood of problems (covering the action or muzzle, tuning mags/adjust magazine height) you can greatly reduce the number of failures and malfunctions. My experience shooting PRS matches, NRL hunter matches, and hunting in the west over the last 5 years and approx 10,000 rounds, I have had minimal failures. Two being firing pins breaking during dry firing on a Zermatt TL3 and the other being a TT special locking up after beating the bolt open while trying to eject a case I stuck due to improper sizing. I also had issues with cases getting stuck in the chamber after not cleaning brass after lubricating/sizing. I can’t speak to the reliability of safeties on R700 triggers since I don’t use them.
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There are significantly more malfunctions when you compare a r700 to a Tikka. Competitions like PRS and NRL don’t count because those rifles are often babied. The biggest issue I’ve encountered is the trigger failures on the Remington 700 clones. I’ve lost two really good big game animals because of this—fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
 
Formidilosus said:
It’s just that they get shot in real environments. Everyone else’s classes are sterile- most are on ranges and off benches or tripods. They do not stress the system at all: no rapid bolt manipulation- lots of them don’t even load the magazine, they load one round at a time. No constant manipulation of the safety. If wind or dust kicks up- they stop shooting and cover rifles. Then they will clean and flush rifles. Even still- you expect a company that sells R700 pattern guns to say there is a problem with them?
And it is seen by others. Trigger failures in PRS and NRL hunter matches are not uncommon. Malfunctions on the clock are common- it’s just that people don’t reflect on it and talk about it or address it- aka, unintentional blindness.


S2H is a field class- high winds, dust, dirt, rain, snow, and ice (sometimes all the same week) for a week straight. If guns malfunction, it’s talked about and shown. We catch a bunch of them on video. There is no “abuse” as you described; just actual use.
I believe we are 100% on R700 pattern custom actions/rifles having at least one malfunction in the pretest- sub 60 rounds.
Two guys last year made a point to tell us specifically that their custom rifles had NEVER malfunctioned and they were going to prove it to us. We videoed them- both had malfunctions that they had to clear in the first 20 rounds. One recognized it, and other one cleared it so fast and clean that it was obvious his did it all the time- yet he claimed right after it happened that it didn’t malfunction. When he watched the video, he was utterly dumbfounded.

I used an R700 last year for as many rounds in classes as a Tikka- approx 1,500. Mine was by far the most reliable R700 pattern, yet it averaged a malfunction about every 200-250 rounds. The Tikka had 0.
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Can you share the details on your most reliable 700 pattern? I understand the law of averages and sounds like I’m destined to run into an issue eventually. But I’d like to know what things can be done to minimize and prevent some of these failures if you do have 700 clones? I specifically have mostly Zermatt and trigger techs. And yes I know the correct answer is sell and get tikkas haha but besides that.
 
@Gstew1930,
Great thread!

I haven’t been in this real long either, but have had a bit of a journey myself. First rifle was a Savage 100 7RM. Replaced that with M77 7RM. Replaced that with a Bergara HMR in 7 RM. Sold that off, then built a semi-custom (Origin action, Proof CF 7 SAUM barrel, AG CF stock, Hawkins BM, TT trigger). Traded that off and put another semi-custom together (TL3 action, Proof CF 7 PRC barrel, AG CF stock, Hawkins BM, TT trigger). Parted that out and started playing with Tikkas. Have had multiple configurations on the Tikkas. Love them. Also learned about tough scopes and rings. I’ve come down to Tikkas, proven scopes, and proven rings. I don’t miss my $4k rifles. I don’t have weird issues. They just work and do what they should. It’s really a wonderful thing
 
Schmo said:
@Gstew1930,
Great thread!

I haven’t been in this real long either, but have had a bit of a journey myself. First rifle was a Savage 100 7RM. Replaced that with M77 7RM. Replaced that with a Bergara HMR in 7 RM. Sold that off, then built a semi-custom (Origin action, Proof CF 7 SAUM barrel, AG CF stock, Hawkins BM, TT trigger). Traded that off and put another semi-custom together (TL3 action, Proof CF 7 PRC barrel, AG CF stock, Hawkins BM, TT trigger). Parted that out and started playing with Tikkas. Have had multiple configurations on the Tikkas. Love them. Also learned about tough scopes and rings. I’ve come down to Tikkas, proven scopes, and proven rings. I don’t miss my $4k rifles. I don’t have weird issues. They just work and do what they should. It’s really a wonderful thing
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I didnt dive into everything ive built because I felt like the post was getting to long but the list isnt short, i had about 7k in the switch lug rifle before the optic lol. I dont miss that shit at all. Ive gone a little to far in the other direction honestly. I think the MRC might be the go to rifle. Im just being a cheap MF right now
 
This has been a great read, OP thanks for posting and sharing. The reliability discussion has also been a great dovetail.
 
SDHNTR said:
I just don’t get it either. I won’t bore anyone with how many 700 and clones I own and how much I shoot and hunt, but it’s a lot, and I haven’t seen chronic malfunction either. I don’t know what I’m doing right.
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Why don’t you go to S2H class and see how it stacks up? Honest question, no trolling.
 
Apart from the PRS crowd i don't think a ton of people actually feed their rifle through the magazine. I for sure didn't. Everything was at the bench single fed
 
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