# Rifle and Stock Info



## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

I picked up this rifle in trade last year without learning much about it. I kept it thinking one of my brother's might use it (I'm a lefty and this gun is backwards for me), but turns out none of them wants it at this point and I need to free up some funds for the elk tag I'm hoping to draw this year. I'm hoping to gather what info I can and then list it for sale. The action was a little sticky when I got it. I gave it a really basic cleaning and seems pretty smooth now. I haven't shot it at all and wasn't told how it shoots. It came with a black synthetic stock on it but the previous owner gave me a nice wood stock (with hand checkering) too, though I don't think it's the original. I've attached a bunch of pictures and I'm really hoping someone can chime in with their expert firearm knowledge.









What I know (or think I know):
1968 Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag
Stainless steel barrel (stamped "stainless steel") although barrel is black (blued?). I believe it came this way from factory back in the day.
Jeweled bolt?








What I'd like to know:
Is this black stainless barrel any sort of rare/valuable?
What condition is it in? Blueing? is worn around end of barrel and around the action.
What is the make of the synthetic stock? (See pic of logo on the bottom of grip) Is this a bargain bin stock, run of the mill, or something that should be separated from the package? 








Is there a chance the wood stock is the original? Can't find a single marking on it to begin looking on its origin.
What's the package worth today in its current condition? Package would include rifle, both stocks, and scope (Weaver 3-9x) and mounts.
Would this be a desired action and more valuable parted or kept as a package?

Any help is much appreciated. And if anyone has interest in buying this you can PM. I'll make a classified post once I get a few more details.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice gun. Very few stainless steels can be blued, however there are another processes, chemical baths, that blacken stainless. Brownells, among others, sell the chemical(s). I think it's a "hot blue"-type of process though. 

Some of the stainless Remington barrels are not marked "stainless steel".

None of this makes any sense. Guns are complicated. I'd just quit hunting and buy meat at the store.

.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

*Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about*

My guess is that it is/was a Remington 700 BDL that someone bought a Remington Synthetic stock for. I think that emblem on the black stock is an RA (Remington Arms).

The wood stock is likely an original (not necessarily to that rifle) BDL stock but it appears that someone sanded down the rosewood tip and grip cap removing the darker stain for some unfortunate reason. You can see the different grain in the wood on the tip and under the palm swell...not walnut like the rest.

They may have even modified the original checkering to make the palm swell texture larger. If that is the case, I would see it as lowering the value of the rifle rather than increasing it. Just my opinion on that. One other thought is that they bought a blank BDL stock and did the checkering themselves and hadn't colored or stained the rosewood parts or that they bought the stock from Remington's Custom Shop. I've never seen the checkering wrap all the way around the grip area like that on any of the Model 700's I've owned or fondled.

As for the bolt, all of the 700's I have have that same jeweled bolt so it's pretty standard.

Can you date the serial # ? That would help you determine value and look up original configuration to determine whether someone tried to play gunsmith with the stock or if it really did come that way from Remington.

The stainless steel "blued" barrel also confuses me but as mentioned, bluing is a chemical process and so it could be applied to stainless somehow.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

KineKilla said:


> *Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about*
> 
> My guess is that it is/was a Remington 700 BDL that someone bought a Remington Synthetic stock for. I think that emblem on the black stock is an RA (Remington Arms).
> 
> ...


I should have led with the same disclaimer.

I think you're right about the synthetic stock. That is definitely an "RA". I kept trying to make it a "B". I found a couple pics on the interwebs of the emblem.

I'm going to have to double check the date stamp/serial # when I get home tonight. I remember there is an "R" which would mean 1968, unless that was the month code and not the year.

I also think you're on to something with the wood stock. The checkering is not standard and the difference in the wood grain is right where it should be for the BDL. The gun does have the hinged floor plate so that is consistent with BDL, I believe.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

BDL and later on the CDL both came with the hinged floor plates. I have an ADL and BDL at home.

The ADL does not have the floor plate or rosewood grip pad and fore end.

I think it's clear that you either have a Model 700 BDL that was placed into a synthetic BDL stock along with its original walnut stock, or a 700 that came in a synthetic stock and an extra BDL/CDL stock that someone was using for a project with the intention of using it.

Again, I don't have any real knowledge or expertise but I would guess that the original wood stock, in its original form would be the best way to value this rifle if you were going to sell it. That may not hold true if in fact they sanded the original finish off of the rosewood...good intentions and all that.

Given that the 700 can be bought in a variety of flavors (SPS, Long Range, CDL, 200th Anniversary, etc.) nowadays for $1,000 and often times less, the real factor for you is going to be the functionality and originality along with the date of manufacture.

Your action needs to be re-blued as does the barrel (or coated as it were), and the stock will likely remain an unknown so I'd guess you'll need to be flexible in your pricing for the time being or just keep it and shoot many, many animals with it. If it were mine, I'd probably keep it as is and just shoot lots of things.

Here is a helpful link:
http://www.remingtonsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1000


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

The rifle is a Remington 700 DLB w/ a SS lined barrel. I see quite a few of these and most, if not all were fitted up on the magnum caliber rifles. They do not carry much if any premium. They are pretty good barrels. The black stock is original Remington(RA=Remington Arms), the wood is not Remington. Assuming the bore is excellent, with the little scope, I would value the outfit at around $300-$400 at best. It would make someone a great hunting rifle if it shoots ok. Let the buyer have both stocks as selling either one by itself is going to be tough.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

While I do not agree with BP that this is a run of the mill 700 BDL synthetic that could be purchased today, if you want to let it go for the $300 he stated I'd be interested.

I feel it is one of the earlier 700's that had a SS barrel coated in copper and/or iron so that it could be "blackened" and that it would have come in the wood furniture. My guess is Mid-60's. If that is the case and someone altered the original rosewood finish, then put it in a modern synthetic...it's a crying shame.

I'm somewhat of a 700 nut due to my personal nostalgia and sentimental feelings for the rifles.

Can't wait to see what the serial # search turns up. Keep me posted.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

The barrel date code (usually 2-3 letters) on this gun is " " R 30. Numerous websites list the date codes and R would correspond to 1968. The quotation marks are throwing me off though. They almost look like hoof prints, so I'm not sure what this means. I've put in an email to Remington so I'll update when they get back to me.









On another note, on the opposite side of the barrel is a heart-shaped stamp. A couple other forums I've been reading on say this might be a Hart barrel installed at the Remington factory. Doesn't mean much to me, but figured that might be interesting to someone. I asked about it in my email but I don't have high hopes of a definitive answer.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

Got an email from Remington this morning stating that the gun was made in 1971. No other info provided. I'm hoping to pry some more details regarding the blueing, but am less optimistic now.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

In 1971 it undoubtedly came in a walnut stock, and unfortunately the one you have has been negatively impacted by someone.

Add that to the current condition of the metal and BP's cost estimate is probably right on. That's if the barrel round count is within reason and the throats hasn't eroded or anything.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

KineKilla said:


> While I do not agree with BP that this is a run of the mill 700 BDL synthetic that could be purchased today, if you want to let it go for the $300 he stated I'd be interested.
> 
> I feel it is one of the earlier 700's that had a SS barrel coated in copper and/or iron so that it could be "blackened" and that it would have come in the wood furniture. My guess is Mid-60's. If that is the case and someone altered the original rosewood finish, then put it in a modern synthetic...it's a crying shame.
> 
> ...


Actually the SS barrel was common in the 7MM and 300Mag back then(1970's). I never said that the rifle could be purchased today "new". Not even sure if the rifle came in the syn stock, but the syn stock is definitely made by Rem for a 700 rifle. I was there when Rem started shipping rifles with synthetic stocks but I'll be darned if I can remember exactly when...60's...70's???
I did a little more research and as it turns out, the barrels were not actually "lined". The barrels are solid SS that are coated with copper...not sure of the method...then plated with "black chrome" to match the bluing on the receiver. Never to old to learn something new.

OK, I went downstairs and found an old 1970 Gun Digest and looked it up. In the year 1970, Remington 700BDL was only offered with American Walnut stock. All 264 Win Mag, 7MM Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag came with the SS barrel. The rifle retailed for $154.99


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I did not see a synthetic stock on a 700 until more recently when a friend of mine bought a LH version 30-06...now they seem to be the majority made and sold...that or laminate.

IF this one is in fact a 1971 I would bet my [email protected]@ that it came in the walnut with the rosewood fore end and grip pad and that someone messed it up then placed the barreled action in the newer synthetic stock.

I believe I paid $325 about 21 years ago when I bought my first hunting rifle. It is the 700 ADL in .270WIN without the fancy extras like a floorplate or rosewood. My brother, Uncle, Dad (my son inherited it now) all have BDL's in .270 that wear the walnut with rosewood stocks.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

In 1971 absolutely all 700BDL's had a walnut stock with *black grip caps and forend tips*. The black tip and cap are made of some hard plastic material...not wood of any kind. In fact, Remington did not offer a synthetic until the mid 1990's. There was a 700C that had the Rosewood cap and tip but they were special order and are pretty rare today.
Now, all of my comments are covering the time frame from 1962 to 1990 and in those years Remington only offered 700 ADL's, 700 BDL's and custom (700C's). Three models only(sporting rifles). Some consider the model 7 a 700 and it came out I think around 1886-7.
I am certainly no expert but I have personally owned several 700's and bought and sold and handled 100's.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

BPturkeys said:


> In 1971 absolutely all 700BDL's had a walnut stock with *black grip caps and forend tips*. The black tip and cap are made of some hard plastic material...not wood of any kind. In fact, Remington did not offer a synthetic until the mid 1990's. There was a 700C that had the Rosewood cap and tip but they were special order and are pretty rare today.
> Now, all of my comments are covering the time frame from 1962 to 1990 and in those years Remington only offered 700 ADL's, 700 BDL's and custom (700C's). Three models only(sporting rifles). Some consider the model 7 a 700 and it came out I think around 1886-7.
> I am certainly no expert but I have personally owned several 700's and bought and sold and handled 100's.


I stand corrected, I always thought the black caps were rosewood stained black. Makes sense they'd only go to that length for their custom shop stocks. I wonder then, if the stock in this thread is in fact from their custom shop as you can plainly see that the caps are wood but not walnut...we may never really know.

Even on their website they show a Custom Grade Stock with rosewood tips, but they have stained the rosewood to be dark. Not as dark as the black plastic but still dark, hence my confusion.

https://www.remington.com/custom-shop/classic-series-rifles/model-700/model-700-custom-c-grade


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Google up 700C and you can see the difference. The wood stock he has is not a Remington.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*Remington still makin' black stainless steel barrels.*



BPturkeys said:


> Google up 700C and you can see the difference. The wood stock he has is not a Remington.


I agree.

Hey, Remington still makes the Mod 700 stainless steel barrels in black.

.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks to both BP and KK for your input. I really appreciate it. I've learned a bunch, even though it wasn't all good news... Actually there really wasn't any good news.

I'm still stumped by wood stock looking like a stripped BDL stock. Don't really have a way to investigate it further, though. I'm now wondering if the best thing for the appearance of the gun would be to strip the barrel down to the SS, keep it in the synthetic stock and make it look an ordinary SS synthetic.

That or I'll probably just sell it as is and let someone else either use it as is, or pretty it up how they want. I'm half-tempted to buy a box of shells just to see how it shoots.

Anyone want a badly abused and corrupted rifle with a disgraced walnut stock?


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I'd guess you could still fetch a bit of $$ from someone for it. You may not get your entire elk tag paid for but you could make a dent or at least get some beer money to celebrate after you shoot the elk.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

My guess is someone knew a guy that had a friend who's cousin just finished up a mail order gunsmithing class and needed to make a stock for a final project. The checkering looks OK though. The synthetic stock was purchased off of eBay in an attempt get decent accuracy out of it because the bedding on the wood stock wasn't the greatest. At least that's what I get from the generous amount of wood removed from in front of the recoil lug. 
You might get around $250 for it in trade down at the local gun store. Gun should be worth around $400 retail. The older 700s are preferred by those in the know when building a custom gun.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

Loke said:


> The synthetic stock was purchased off of eBay in an attempt get decent accuracy out of it because the bedding on the wood stock wasn't the greatest. At least that's what I get from the generous amount of wood removed from in front of the recoil lug.


The seller told me the barrel was "free-floated" to the wood stock so that should explain the chunks take out up front. :grin:


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

Thought I'd give one last update. Posted it for sale on UGE on Thursday. Had a buyer lined up in a couple hours and he picked it up Friday morning. He knew a bunch about these older stainless models. Said he planned to restore it to its original condition, including re-blueing the barrel. 

He even had an old BDL stock for it. He did think the walnut stock I had was an original Remington and probably the one it came with, though the forend tip and grip ends were likely added as part of the modification attempt. He gave me $375 and I think both of us came away pretty happy. I'm glad it went to someone who knew what to do with it. Thanks to all of you for your help.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

Sounds like a good price , I would have kept it though . I like 700s .


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