About 5 years ago, I built a varmint 22-250 on an FN Mauser action. I was surprised how difficult to source parts for it when how common Mauser parts were several decades before. It isn't like the parts have just disappeared, so where did they go? Possibly just sitting an drawers somewhere.

I'm now building a Remington 700 on a 308 Shilen pre threaded barrel, a new Remington 700 short action and an H-S Precision stock. I had to source an ADL magazine box, follower, spring, action screws, a recoil lug, and trigger guard. I expected all those parts to be in stock at places like Midway and Brownell's.

It isn't as easy as that and some came new old stock from ebay. Is the Remington 700 a thing of the past and what is replacing it?

I've had difficulty getting parts for my Model 7 as well. The problem is the bankruptcy and breakup of the original company. Here's their response as of a couple years ago:

quote:

RemArms, LLC is a newly formed company that acquired the Remington firearms division from Remington Outdoors Company. RemArms will be producing Remington branded firearms at the historic Llion, NY facility where Remington has been produced for more than 200 years. Our website, www.remarms.com is now online.

The existing supply of parts for Remington firearms is currently limited to inventory already in the marketplace.

RemArms is not currently accepting orders for gun parts and will be unable to do so until our parts supply has been replenished through supply chain re-engagement and/or new manufacturing capacity. As RemArms ramps up production of Remington firearms, availability of parts for firearms that are produced by RemArms LLC is expected to improve.

Similarly, some previously common 870 and 1100 parts are hard to come by as well, like factory shorter barrels.

However, for models still in production like the 700, 870, and 1100, it's just a matter of time before parts become more readily available, as New Remington production and supply ramps up.

But for discontinued models like the 7, what's out there is what's out there. Try eBay, Gunbroker, Numrich, Midwest Gun Parts, etc.

Considering just how many rifle makers use the 700 pattern for their own receivers, finding parts should become easier the further away we get from the depths of the last bankruptcy and the supply and material shortage issues caused by WuFlu. I suppose in that respect that the 700 is as close as any manual action rifle can get to being the AR15 of the bolt gun world.

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
ADL magazine box, follower, spring, and trigger guard.

Unpopular parts, at least in today's aftermarket world.

Spare/aftermarket parts in general are harder to get these days, be it guns, cars, motorcycles, etc. I think between just in time logistics, more "just buy a new one mentality", batch production, and cvid parts chain/labour's issues, and the dam current generation of kids, the economy, and trends in less materialism, things are just harder to get. I also notice pre ~2012ish I used to be able to sell most any piece of crap on forums, and now I'd have to discount a popular thing pretty good to get a sell.

I think things also go in and out of fashion quicker, I'll notice me with my late fashion sense will try to buy a part that was all the rage and find that almost no one makes them anymore.

luckily I'm at that age where I have most of my toys, but I'm not looking forward to buyng my next truck.

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:

It isn't as easy as that and some came new old stock from ebay. Is the Remington 700 a thing of the past and what is replacing it?

REM 700 is becoming more of a standard than an actual branded product.

quote:

Remington 700 popularity waning?

A big part of the answer is...

Remington 700 popularity waning? No

Remington 700 popularity waning? Weally well waned.

Remington killed its brand. There's generations of shooters now who only know them for making kind of crude, semi crappy stuff. Cheap plastic and rough matte finished, and rebranded imported junk. It's sad.

The "Rem 700" is alive and well, just not the one's made by Remington, or RemArms or any other variant of the last 10, even 20 years.

Yes, we are "hearing good things" about the newest guns, but we're always hearing good things about the newest guns, even when it's not true.

What is replacing it? Probably Tikka and Ruger for lighter hunting rifles. For target stuff, choose the “700 footprint” semi-custom action of your choice, and a headspaced screw on barrel.