Decline in the quaility of remington firearms

dogslayer403 · #1 08-04-2011, 08:10 PM

Just thought Id start a topic, how many people think remington has went downhill in the quality of their products?

Lefty-Canuck · #2 08-04-2011, 08:13 PM

I think the last decent ones made were the BDL....

I have several Remington firearms pre-firing pin lock and post...I like them all they are reliable and good shooters. I haven't bought anything Remington in the past 7-8 years though.

LC

Ryry4 · #3 08-04-2011, 08:27 PM

I bought an 11-87 shot gun about a year and a half ago, it jammed a shell that took about two hours to get out. Wrecked a perfect goose shoot. Went and returned it, got another and it did the exact same thing. Bought a Benelli and haven't looked back.

kayaker · #4 08-04-2011, 09:00 PM

Their quality has declined but I would still take an LSS Mountain with a big smile on my face!

rugatika · #5 08-04-2011, 09:53 PM

I used to listen to Gun Talk on satellite radio a few years ago with Tom Gresham, and he would often comment on the decline in Remington quality even then, to the point of recommending staying away from their products.

MooseHuntr · #6 08-04-2011, 10:26 PM

I also have just purchase a new model 700 around April and had to send it for warranty. Was not very happy but I sent it away, It needed a new chamber to be cut and a new extractor. Turnaround time was about a month or so and now that I have it back I'm happy with it, shoots great and have no problems with it.

kayaker · #7 08-05-2011, 07:32 AM

The 710/770 was a poor decision but they no-doubt sold OK?

The 887 is one of the most poorly designed and made firearms I can think of...what were they thinking???

Having said that a friend has a recent manufacture SPS Varmint and it shoots bugholes. Other than the LSS Mountain I would prefer a Howa or Savage for the same price.

I also fail to see what they offer for $3500 custom shop guns, an off the shelf Sauer 202 for example can be had for less and is far more desireable...

ShawnM · #8 08-05-2011, 07:53 AM

I have owned two Remington firearms in my life. Both were purchased at the same time and both convinced me to never purchase Remington again.

Anyone remember the Remington 522 Viper? What a piece of crap... Mostly plastic, it broke within a few hundred shots and Remington wouldn't warranty it. Apparently I hadn't been using Remington ammo exclusively and buried in the warranty was a line saying that it was only covered if I used Reminton ammo.

The second was a brand spanking new 700 BDL in 7mm Mag. I couldn't get three shots into a three inch circle at 50 yards with that thing. It could have been any one of a hundred reasons why but I still soured on the rifle and traded it in against a Browning A-Bolt in the same caliber.

petew · #9 08-05-2011, 08:30 AM

Consumers are changing. Back up few years , and the Plastic stocks and rough finishes we see today would have never sold. Today these are sought after. Can you say UGLY GUNS.
I remember when a 700 was great looking, fine walnut, flawless bluing over perfectly prepared metal.I still have one, and also have a newer 700, with a 3 dollar plastic stock, and a finish on the action and barrel that is non glare and butt ugly.

Compare a vintage Wingmaster to the new 870's. We asked to save money so the savings come from the finishing dept.
I have 10 remingtons, and the old ones have class. Those shiny stocks and barrels are responsible for a lot of meat.
The recent surge in popularity of Special purpose, Defenders , and tactical styles etc has hurt the quality we get.
I liked it much better when a gun was built with care, and the quality was inside and out. But back then , they were hunting guns, not toys.
An Army Rifle was 15$, A sporter 303 with a new shorter barrel on it with a weatherby style stock and 5shot clip was $90 from Parker Hale.
Times changed, and what we see today is not what we used to see.
Pete

Jimmyjjj · #10 08-05-2011, 09:12 AM

I am with you petew.

Most of my long guns are Remington. I have 2 model 700 (.243 and 30-06) and an 1100 and I love them all. They are over 20 years old. I honestly didn't even know about the decline and would have bought new ones if my brother-in-law wasn't looking for a new gun. After we did some research we decieded the best gun for him was a Tikka. If I was going to buy another Remington I would go second hand for sure.

gitrdun · #11 08-05-2011, 09:24 AM

My current Remington inventory includes an 870 Wingmaster that my wife purchased in the mid 80's. I also have a 597 HB Varmint which is a great gun except that it is ammo selective (somewhat normal for a rimfire semi). And a year or so ago I acquired a used but mint Mountain LSS in 7-08. All of these are guns that I really like and work flawlessly, expect for the jams in the 597. Remington or their parent company has also acquired Marlin. Based on the few that I've seen and the field reports that I've read (here for the most part)...I do feel fortunate that my Marlin .444 was bought when Remington had nothing to do with it.

I voted "Quality has declined".

.

catnthehat · #12 08-05-2011, 10:44 AM

I have owned quite a fw over the years, and at the moment own an old 1100, a 50's vintage M37 match rifle, a model 3200 skeet gun and about 14 or so pumps - model 10's, Wingmasters, and express models.
I prefer the older remingtons, the newer oe are not he same quality.
Cat

dirt dog · #13 08-05-2011, 11:24 AM

was looking at getting a new wingmaster not express to replace the old model 12 for this fall anyone have any experience with these i always thought they were a quality gun but not so sure now..

catnthehat · #14 08-05-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt dog

was looking at getting a new wingmaster not express to replace the old model 12 for this fall anyone have any experience with these i always they were a quality gun but not so sure now..

Our club has a newer youth mofdel Wingmaster and it is a well built, very smooth shotgun, same as the older wingmasters.
Cat

Rockymtnx · #15 08-05-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt dog

was looking at getting a new wingmaster not express to replace the old model 12 for this fall anyone have any experience with these i always thought they were a quality gun but not so sure now..

I don't think that the quality of a Wingmaster has changed.

People think that the quality has channged on all Remingtons. I don't 100% agree with that. The higher end stuff has stayed the same. One thing I will agrree with though is they have introduced some cheaper lines where quality is less than the good stuff.

Its kind of like comparing a 870 Express to a 870 Wingmaster. Sure they are the both 870s but in no way can you compare quality. Same goes for a 700BDL and 700SPS.

petew · #16 08-05-2011, 03:07 PM

"Its kind of like comparing a 870 Express to a 870 Wingmaster. Sure they are the both 870s but in no way can you compare quality. Same goes for a 700BDL and 700SPS.
__________________
Rockymtnx "

Exactly.
Function is a part of the quality . Fit and finish is very important to many of us. Fit and Finish is where I feel they have droped the ball in favour of sales to people that will not pay for the great looks.
Remington is not the only one guilty of making a cheap gun from a good one.

Remingtom took a lot of flack about triggers, but if people didn't mess with them it would never have been an issue.
Pete

wwbirds · #17 08-05-2011, 03:10 PM

In my dads day the wingmaster was supreme, I bought him one when I started working in the 70's. that was slong time ago and like anything else they don't build them like they used to. Wouldn't own one now.
Nova or super nova is now the workhorse in dependability.

elkhunter11 · #18 08-05-2011, 03:27 PM

I have owned over a dozen 700s, a 78, a 788, two model 7s, a 581, an 11-87, an 870 wingmaster, and an 870 express, and I had no real issues with any of them. However, most of those guns were purchased over ten years ago. Of the recent ones that I have owned or fired, they were hit and miss,some had rough machining, or poor fit and finish, but all of the rifles seemed fairly accurate.

jim-bo · #19 08-06-2011, 02:41 PM

I recently purchased a M700 SPS DM, although I know of the declined quality of the products of the "Freedom Group" I really bought the rifle for the action and availablity of aftermarket parts for a future M24 build, at least this way I got another rifle to play with until I get my funds organized.

I knew almost exactly what to expect and I got exactly what I had paid for. It is not a horrible rifle but it leaves much to be desired when you compare it to a CDL/BDN/mnt. Ti/sendro/etc...

Unfortunately I had issues right out of the box, although they have been subsequently rectified.

If you spend the money the quality of the remington's goes up, however if you are buying because of the brand and just selecting an economy rifle then buyer beware.

There have been numerous complaints about the SPS and ADL 700's as well as the 770's which are just... anyway.

I purchased a Marlin XS7 pre-remington and have had only one bad experience with the rifle (broke extractor b/c of ammo issue not the gun) which was a well noted problem rectified with a stronger extractor, and a lack lustre experience with the Freedom group CS to get if replaced. Beyond that, the marlin exceeded my every expectation where as my remington barely met them.

You can get far more gun for less money switching to other brands, however depending on what you would like the rifle for (or in my case the action with a detachable mag), they are a very suitable option.

Remington will keep doing this because consumers will still buy their products because "its a remington," and little more.

For the average joe six pack a Rem 700 ADL in a 30-06 will be all he will ever need and use, never knowing how lack lustre it truly is because he shoots a remington.

Remington will do little to ever change this because it works.

sns2 · #20 08-07-2011, 01:06 AM

My Remington is outstanding. Best investment I have probably ever made. I use it every day and it just keeps on going like its brand new. Great shaver

Big Daddy Badger · #21 08-07-2011, 01:12 AM

They aren't making them like they used to and some of the newer models have been pretty junky.

pickrel pat · #22 08-07-2011, 01:15 AM

rem hasnt declined.... but so many have stepped it up.....

petew · #23 08-07-2011, 04:00 AM

I may have been hasty in my coments.. After looking over Remingtons web site I see they still make the 700BDL, Wingmaster, 1100 and some other classy guns. However it is rediculous the number of versions in each model. I think I counted 30 diferent 700's.
Lately all I have seen are the plastic ugly versions, and things dressed down for Tactical, Defense,and about every other thing you can think of.
They must sell , but for the life of me I don't get it.

Inventory for a store is going to be a nightmare.
Pete

Grizzly Adams · #24 08-07-2011, 08:09 AM

When an old and respected gunmaker is willing to put their name on a foreign made piece of questionable quality, you know they're reduced to the level of an aged prostitute.

http://rule-303.blogspot.com/2008/11...k-of-crap.html

Grizz