Remington Model 700 BDL 6.5 Rem Mag 24″ Bolt Action Rifle, MFD 1969 C&R
SOLD FOR: $3,025
LSB#: 230926CG006
Make: Remington
Model: 700 BDL
Serial Number: 6211774
Year of Manufacture: 1969
Caliber: 6.5 Rem. Mag.
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Hinged Floorplate Internal Magazine
Barrel Length: 24″
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 a “U” notched elevator sight that is mounted on a base that is fixed to the barrel. The top of the receiver has two pairs of pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes. The left rear of the receiver has a pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is press checkered wood with a pistol grip, brass reinforcing pin on the left, black caps, and a fluted Monte Carlo comb with a cheekpiece. There are some scattered compressions, draglines, scratches, and scrapes. There are some patches of finish loss. The checkering is strong. There is light handling wear. The LOP measures approximately 13 1/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the Remington rubber buttpad. The pad has some scattered light wear from typical use. The stock rates in Very Good-Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is mostly sharp. There is some pitting at the muzzle. In my opinion, this bore rates 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 93% of its metal finish. The bolt is serial-matched. There are some nicks and scratches in the metal. There are some areas of light surface oxidation and discoloration. There are some scattered light scuffs and draglines. The bolt handle has wear and is slightly plum. There are some handling marks. There is standard operational wear. The screwheads are lightly tool marked. The main markings are strong, some of the inspection marks are light. Overall, this rifle rates in about Fine condition.
Mechanics: The trigger has been replaced with a later-era Remington trigger. The bolt is serial matching. The action functions correctly. The bolt can now be cycled when on SAFE. 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: None.
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 700 BDL looks good and 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
