Rem 710...any good?

[citizensoldier16]

I have the opportunity to pick up a Remington 710 chambered in .30-06 with a composite stock for around $350. I would rather a .308, but have shot .30-06 extensively as a kid. Are these rifles any good? What are their strong/weak points? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Dave L.]

Personally, I would spend a little more and get a 700 SPS.

Apparently they are very accurate out of the box.

[Buckshot TX]

I have the opportunity to pick up a Remington 710 chambered in .30-06 with a composite stock for around $350. I would rather a .308, but have shot .30-06 extensively as a kid. Are these rifles any good? What are their strong/weak points? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

NO! They are doomed by an extremely flimsy magazine latch that requires replacement of the entire stock when it fails (often during the initial sight-in trip to the range!). There are numerous other suspect elements to the manufacturing execution of this rifle that I see on my bench regularly, ie: headspace issues, VERY rough bolt action, rough chambers, terrible trigger pull, etc... It isn't an unsafe rifle - it won't blow up on you, but the 710 is the .22 RG revolver of the hunting rifle world. This rifle was designed for the beginning or uninitiated hunter who buys his gear at Wal-Mart & a uses the same box of ammo for a decade. It is EASILY the worst thing Remington has ever manufactured (it even makes the Viper look good :eek: ). I think that Big Green only keeps building them because Wal-Mart keeps buying them by the trainload.

The Savage or Stevens bolt guns are a 10X better rifle at the same relative price point. Or save up another C note or two & get a 700.