The Remington Model 7: A Lightweight Legacy Rifle

by
posted on July 6, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Remington Model 7

As the nation’s oldest gun manufacturer, Remington had a sterling reputation for producing quality firearms at a reasonable price. The company thrived, but when it introduced its Model 700 in 1962, the bolt-action’s performance at the range, on the battlefield and on countless opening days further solidified the company’s legendary status.

Sportsmen, particularly those pursuing backcountry game that required long hikes or fatiguing changes in elevation, longed for that performance in a lighter package, though. Remington answered their demand in 1983 with the introduction of the Model Seven, a short-action bolt rifle with distinct Model 700 lineage.

There were five chamberings available that first year: .222 Rem., .243 Win., 7 mm-08 Rem., 6 mm Rem. and .308 Win. With 18", free-floated barrels, they weighed in at roughly 6 lbs., four ozs. Stocks were all checkered American walnut, and each could hold four cartridges above the hinged floorplate. The .222 Rem. model was the exception. It held five.

A .223 Rem. Model 7 was introduced in 1984, and the .222 Rem. chambering was dropped from the line the next year. In 1987, Remington managed to reduce overall weigh even further—to 5 lbs., 4 ozs.—with a fiberglass-stocked version reinforced with Kevlar. The demand was brisk enough that the firm’s custom shop began offering variations on synthetic models the same year.

Enthusiasts were buying Model Sevens, and the company offered a wide variety from which to choose during the bolt-action rifle’s run. Today you can find used models with a stainless-steel finish, blued, different barrel lengths, stocks in camo patterns, wood laminates and much more. The short-action rifles were nimble, weighed less and when in a mild-recoiling chambering—like the 7 mm-08 Rem.—considered by many an ideal choice for hunters pursuing big game for the first time.

Remington had no intention of getting rid of the rifle, despite a gloomy financial storm gathering on the horizon. In 2019, the company rolled out the Model Seven Stainless H-S, which wore a hand-laminated carbon-fiber stock created by H-S Precision. Chamberings included .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Rem. and .308 Win. It weighed in at 6 lbs., wore a 20" free-floated barrel, and the most expensive version carried an MSRP of $1,149. They are scarce, but we found one used model for sale this week—asking price for the 6.5 Creedmoor was more than $1,500.

Remington filed its final bankruptcy paperwork in 2020. Despite another firm taking over firearm production—Remington Arms—Model Sevens are no longer made…for now, anyway.

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.