Remington Model 700 BDL .300 Sav. 22″ Bolt Action Rifle & Box MFD 1990
SOLD FOR: $2525
LSB#: 230921JL048
Make: Remington
Model: 700 BDL
Serial Number: C6565117
Year of Manufacture: 1990
Caliber: .300 Sav.
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Hinged Floorplate Internal Magazine
Barrel Length: 22″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed into a serrated ramped riser that is screwed to the barrel. The front sight has a protective hood. The rear sight is sliding “U” notch sight that is on a ramp which is fixed to the barrel. The top of the receiver has two pairs of drilled and tapped holes, one hole is filled.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is skipline checkered wood with a pistol grip, brass reinforcing pin on the left, black caps with white spacers, and a fluted Monte Carlo comb with a cheekpiece. The checkering is strong. There is light handling wear. The LOP measures approximately 13 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the Remington buttplate. The plate has minor handling wear. The stock rates in Excellent overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In my opinion, this bore is a 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The bolt is serial matching, the last four digits of the serial number are electropenciled over another four digits. There are a couple minor marks, most noticeable on the trigger guard. There are some faint handling and minor operational marks. The main markings are strong, some of the inspection marks are light. Overall, this rifle rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a serial matching box and paperwork including the manual. The end label is misprinted 24″, this barrel is 22″.
Our Assessment: The Remington 700 needs no introduction, it has been one of the most popular bolt action rifles in America for decades, seeing use in target shooting, hunting, and in law enforcement. Remington had been producing sporting rifles for decades, but their Post-WWI Model 30 Sporter took too much time and money to make, plus it required too much milling. After WWII they designed the Model 721 which used a receiver made of bar stock, meaning it could be turned on a lathe, cutting production time and cost. The basic design of the 721 went through further developments under the direction of engineer Mike Walker, and Remington went on to produce the Model 722 and Model 725, and finally, in 1962, the Model 700 was born. With the design, Walker desired to increase accuracy over previous designs so tight bore & chamber tolerances, a short leade, and fast lock time were used. Since its inception in 1962, it has been produced in just about any caliber and configuration you could think of. If it hasn’t there are custom parts and gunsmiths out there to get it exactly how you like.
The Remington 700 was introduced in 1962 and was accompanied by a new Remington round, the 7mm Magnum. The duo were a supernova the industry was not ready for, but the people were. In 1963 Winchester launched their counter-offensive and put out the .300 Winchester Magnum. Remington had already been crushing it with sales of the 870 and had introduced a philosophy, which is still used today, of parts interchangeability. Perhaps the Remington 700 was the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” for Winchester. It likely didn’t hurt that the 700 was new and nobody had preconceived notions of what it should be while the Model 70 was already beloved and was being changed for the worse, but nonetheless, Winchester zigged and Remington zagged. A year after the .300 Win Mag was put to market, the onslaught from Remington was too much, Winchester cut costs and streamlined manufacturing across the board (most collectors already know this as it spurred the Winchester collecting terms Pre-64 and Post-64) while the Big Green scaled up and had out three variants with numerous calibers in the early 1960s. The ADL, BDL, and BDL Magnum. Introductory prices for standard calibers were $114.95 for the ADL and $139.95 for the BDL. Prices for magnum versions of the BDL were $154.95 for the .264 Win. Mag., 7 mm Rem. Mag and .300 Win. Mag. and $310 for the .375 H&H Mag. and .458 Win. Mag. In the first three years alone, rifles in the hot new 7mm Rem Mag outsold the tried and true .30-06 and .270 Win…combined! With other companies cutting costs, Remington did something different and went the other way…completely on brand for them, ha! The old Magnum 700s were made of stainless steel due to hunters of the time not wanting anything but blued finishes, something that sounds funny today. Sportsman of the time wanted nothing other than a traditional blued finish, and as the old adage goes “when money talks, people listen.” Remington sure did listen and went to great expense to layer on coats of different material so that the blue would adhere to the stainless guns. They have gone through many changes and updates over the years and will likely continue to do so.
The 700 is a classic in the truest sense of the word and has seen its fair share of use in just about any role you could imagine a bolt action rifle being used for. It has shaped firearms history as mentioned above and has been a mainstay in movies, TV, and videogames. It shows no signs of falling out of favor after its meteoric rise, and even after Remington filed for bankruptcy and restructured, new models can be found on their new website. This is a piece of history, both firearms and American, and something everyone needs at least one of. If you don’t have one yet, why not? This one is chambered for the .300 Savage and is clean. This 700 BDL is a great 700 to pick up, no matter if it’s your first or fiftieth. Please see our photos and good luck!
Some are hot, some are not, but thankfully most can be shot!
-Red
