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If Looks Could Kill ...Remington's New 700 VTR Could Endanger A Species
As much as our shooting editor appreciates the new Model 700 VTR's exceptional accuracy, he is even more enamored with its futuristic appearance,.
By Greg Rodriguez
The new Remington Model 700 VTR, shown here with the author’s Fox Pro caller, is a predator hunter’s dream.
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My latest assignment was a welcome respite from the shoulder-busting drudgery of testing magnums of every stripe. Be they short, long, or ultramag, I shot them all this past fall. So when the futuristic-looking new Remington 700 VTR chambered in the easy-on-the-shoulder .223 Rem. showed up at my local gun dealer in mid-December, I thought Christmas had come early.
The Model 700 VTR was designed as a varmint gun, but it would serve admirably as an urban sniper rifle, too, hence the "VTR" (Varmint Tactical Rifle) designation. It is based on Remington's battle-proven Model 700 action, with a hinged floorplate and, in .223 Rem., a five-round magazine. The short-action rifle is also chambered for several other popular varmint and tactical cartridges, including the .204 Ruger, .22-250, and .308 Winchester.
The 700 VTR’s vented, beavertail fore-end and unusual, triangular barrel are distinctive features.
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Regardless of the chambering, all 700 VTRs come with the new model's distinctive 22-inch, triangular barrel with integral, recoil-reducing muzzle brake on top of the barrel. The triangular design is said to reduce weight and increase rigidity. I'm sure it does, but most of the people I showed it to could have cared less about that aspect of it; they thought it looked cool.
The twist rate varies according to caliber, but in all cases it is optimized for match bullets. In the case of the .308 Win., that means a 1:12-inch twist, which is ideal for 168-grain pills. Rate of twist on my .223 test rifle was 1:9 inches, which should handle most target and varmint bullets with aplomb.
Like all new Model 700s, the 700 VTR comes with Remington's excellent X-Mark Pro trigger. This new trigger is a huge improvement over the original Model 700 trigger. While the old trigger could be professionally tuned to a light, crisp, safe pull, the new model was designed to reduce or eliminate the need to ship the rifle off to a gun plumber for a trigger job. Although I have yet to find one that was as light as a custom job, all the X-Mark Pro-equipped rifles I've tested had a nice pull right out of the box. In my experience, the crisp, 4-pound, 10-ounce pull on the test rifle is typical of the new trigger.
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The 700 VTR's stock is very similar to that of the 700 SPS line, save for its OD green color and vented, beavertail fore-end, which allows more air to flow over the barrel to facilitate cooling--a wonderful feature to have in overpopulated prairie dog towns. A second, forward sling-swivel stud serves as a mounting point for a bipod and further differentiates the stock from the standard SPS furniture. Remington's new Super-Cell recoil pad is also standard.
Untitled Document
REMINGTON 700 VTR |
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| MANUFACTURER |
Reminton Arms Co. Inc.
870 Remington Dr.
Madison,
NC 27025
www.remington.com |
| MODEL |
700 VTR |
| PURPOSE |
Varmints, Tactical |
| ACTION TYPE |
Bolt Action |
| OPERATION |
Turn-Bolt |
| MAGAZINE CAPACITY |
Hinged Floorplate;
4 rounds (.22-250, .308)
5 rounds (.204, .233) |
| RECIEVER MATERIAL |
Chrome-moly Steel |
| CALIBERS |
.204 Ruger, .233 Rem. (tested)
.22-250 Rem., .308 Win |
| BARREL LENGTH |
22 inches |
| RIFLING |
1:9 twist (.223) |
| SIGHTS |
None; drilled and tapped for scope mounts |
| METAL FINISH |
Matte Black |
| SAFETY |
Two-Position |
| TRIGGER TYPE |
X-Mark Pro Single-Stage |
| PULL WEIGHT |
4 pounds, 10 ounces |
| STOCK MATERIAL |
Synthetic with vented, beavertail fore-end |
| STOCK FINISH |
OD green |
| DROP AT HEEL |
1 3/8 inches |
| DROP COMB |
1 1/8 inches |
| LENGTH OF PULL |
13 3/8 inches |
| RECOIL PAD |
Remington Super-Cell |
| SLING-SWIVEL STUDS |
Two forward, one rear stud |
| WEIGHT EMPTY |
7.5 pounds |
| OVERALL LENGTH |
41 5/8 inches |
| ACCESSORIES |
Gun Lock, owner's manual |
| MSRP |
$805 |
The stock comes up the shoulder nicely and feels good in the hand. The beavertail fore-end is not too fat to handle for offhand shooting, but it is wide enough that it rides the bag nicely. The stock has overmolded grip inserts on the pistol grip and fore-end for added traction. Production models are slated to have black panels, but the inserts on the test rifle were olive-drab green. I prefer the solid OD look.
The overall effect of the matte-black metal against the OD green stock combined with racy features like the slotted fore-end and triangular barrel make the 700 VTR a truly striking rifle. At the range, it was a real head-turner.
The 700 VTR looks nice, but it isn't just a pretty package; it handles beautifully, too. The weight and balance of the rifle are perfect for a walking-and-calling gun, but the beavertail fore-end and muzzle brake make this one just as perfectly suited to the range or a prairie dog town.
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