UPDATE May 11, 2010
About two years ago, I reviewed here the
Remington Model 700 VTR 308 bolt action rifle. It was brand new
then, and has proven to be a success. The rifle handles very
well, is accurate, and wears a very unique barrel with integral
muzzle brake. I won’t replow that same ground here, but wanted
to update our readers on a new variation of the VTR that is
available exclusively through the firearms wholesaler, AcuSport.
This new variation of the VTR still has all
the same features and specifications of the original VTR, but
this AcuSport VTR has 5-R rifling and an adjustable trigger. The
trigger has a set screw that is accessible without removing the
barreled action from the stock. Theoretically, it will adjust
down to about two and one-half pounds, but the one on the test
rifle would go no lower than three and three-quarters pounds.
Still, it is a very crisp trigger which would serve well for
hunting or police work, but I would prefer a bit lighter pull
for shooting paper targets at the range.
The 5-R rifling is a different style of
rifling pattern than is commonly used. The 5-R pattern has a
smoother, rounder profile which is touted to better seal the
powder gasses behind the bullet, have less barrel fouling, offer
easier cleaning, and improve accuracy. 5-R rifling has five
lands and grooves, and the rounded contour where the land meets
the groove should prove easier to clean. The US Army’s M-24
sniper rifle uses 5-R rifling, and it has an excellent
reputation for accuracy. While all of those are admirably
traits, my major interest is in the better accuracy. When it
comes to rifles, to me, accuracy is paramount. It doesn’t
matter that when standing on my hind legs like a primate, I have
about a four-inch wobble. I want the rifle to be as mechanically
accurate as it can be, and if 5-R rifling is a better way to
rifle a barrel, then that is for me.
While comparing the accuracy of the VTR from
two years ago with the accuracy of this 5-R VTR does not prove
much, I set out to try to make the comparison as best as I
could. I waited for a day when the temperature, wind, and
humidity were as close as possible to the conditions present
when I tested the original VTR for accuracy. I mounted the same
Leupold scope, using the same scope mount with identical scope
bases. I fired the 5-R VTR from the same Target
Shooting Inc. Model 1000 rifle rest, and finally, I used the
same lot number of Buffalo Bore Sniper ammunition as tested
before. I also tried other types of ammunition in the AcuSport
VTR, but as expected, the Buffalo Bore turned in the best
performance. The original VTR would shoot that Buffalo Bore ammo
into half-inch groups at 100 yards, which is excellent accuracy
from a production rifle that weighs only seven pounds, two
ounces.
Setting up and shooting the AcuSport VTR was
a pleasure. As before, the recoil is light, due to the mild
shooting characteristics of the 308 cartridge, and the integral
muzzle brake. Accuracy was superb! That Buffalo Bore ammo would
group three shots into one-quarter of an inch at 100 yards; half
the group size of the previous rifle, which was itself a very
accurate rifle. As stated previously, comparing only two rifles
is not scientifically conclusive, but it is good enough for me
in this instance, as one-quarter inch groups is hard to beat,
and I am by no means an expert benchrest shooter.
By taking an already excellent bolt action
rifle and adding the 5-R rifling, Remington has made this Model
700 VTR even better.
Have your dealer to contact
AcuSport at 937-593-7010 to order, or he can log on to www.acusport.com
to get set up as an AcuSport dealer.
Jeff
Quinn
Original Article...
For many years the Model 700 has been the
backbone of Remington’s rifle line. The round action
and separate recoil lug are relatively easy to machine, and easy
to bed properly. The fast lock time and push-feed design also
contribute to the Model 700’s reputation for accuracy.
Remington has an enviable position in the realm of police and
military sniper rifles, serving all over the world with the US
Army, and all over our nation in the hands of police marksmen.
Likewise, the Model 700 Varmint rifle has served
varmint hunters and paper punchers well for many years. The 700
Varmint has always been capable of stellar accuracy when
properly mated to a good scope sight.
Remington has now introduced their VTR,
Varmint-Tactical Rifle, to serve the needs of both varmint
hunters and tactical shooters. It seems like a good marriage of
the two shooting disciplines, as in the hands of a groundhog
hunter or a police sniper, each are shooting varmints, but of a
different nature, and at greatly differing levels of importance.
In either case, the shooter is looking to make one precise shot,
absolutely right on target, every time. While some styles of
varmint shooting require a lot of shooting from one fixed
position, as in prairie dog shooting, many other types of
varmint hunting require the shooter to move about, sometimes
covering many acres in a day’s time. A ten pound varmint rifle
plus scope, mounts, bipod, and ammunition can be akin to
carrying a cross tie around by the end of the day, and for that
reason many varmint hunters prefer what has come to be called a
“walking varminter”, which is a lighter rifle, wearing a
barrel that is somewhat heavy, but not as heavy as that of a
bench gun or traditional varmint rifle.
Also, a police marksman or military sniper may
be required to cover a lot of ground in a little time to get
into position to make a quick, accurate shot. Many
“tactical” rifles are just too cumbersome and heavy. A
twenty-six inch bull barrel in a Choate or McMillan
stock can do good work when in position, but getting it there
can be quite a chore. For this reason many tactical shooters are
going with the shorter twenty-inch barrels to save weight.
The new Remington 700 VTR addresses the needs of
both the varmint hunter and police/military sniper. When I first
saw a picture of the VTR, the first thing that got my attention,
and that of most others who see the rifle, is the very
unorthodox triangular barrel profile. Remington does this to the
barrel to greatly reduce weight while preserving the rigidity of
a much heavier round barrel. Seems like a great idea to me, and
one that I have never seen before on a production rifle. The
barrel is twenty-two inches long, and has a muzzle brake
machined integral with the barrel. The barrel at the muzzle
measure .765 from triangle flat to point, and .825 from point to
point. This makes for a very stiff barrel, yet shaves a lot of
weight off the tube. With its lightweight plastic stock, the VTR
balances right at the front of the receiver after being fitted
with a scope and Harris bipod. The feel and handling
qualities are excellent, much better than that of a Remington
Sendero that I owned a couple of years ago. That thing was
beautifully accurate, but as I’ve stated before, it handled
like a pig on a shovel. The VTR handles like a rifle should. The
balance is right where the off hand grips the forearm, which,
like the pistol grip area, has a softer, stickier synthetic
rubber insert to facilitate a secure grip. The stock is a green
plastic, and the inserts a dull flat black. I like the way it
looks. The stock is pretty light weight, but trussed inside the
forearm for strength. The action is bolted to the stock in two
places; at the rear of the trigger guard and in front of the
magazine, and the “bottom metal” is made out of aluminum.
The magazine floorplate latch is inside the trigger guard, as is
the bolt release. The trigger pull on the sample rifle was very
crisp, with an excellent feel, but a bit heavier than I like at
just under four and one-quarter pounds. The bolt lift is ninety
degrees, and the bolt has two opposing locking lugs. The ejector
is a spring-loaded plunger, and the extractor is inset in the
bolt face, positioned near the right bolt lug. The bolt face
completely encircles the cartridge case head. The barrel,
action, bottom metal, and bolt are finished in a dull black. The
pistol grip wears a Remington “R” grip cap, and the
buttstock wears a black recoil pad. A sling swivel attachment is
located near the toe of the buttstock, and two more are on the
beavertail forearm, to mount both a sling and bipod.
The VTR tested here is chambered for the .308
Winchester cartridge, but it is also available chambered for the
.204 Ruger, the .223 Remington, and the .22-250 Remington
cartridges. Those are all excellent varmint cartridges, with the
.308 being the preferred choice for more serious applications.
Chambered for the .22-250 and .308, the VTR magazine holds four
cartridges, and it has a five-round capacity when chambered for
the two smaller cartridges. For accuracy testing I mounted my Leupold
Mark 4 8.5 to 25 power scope with the Tactical reticle. This is
one fine scope, and has proven its accuracy potential on several
rifles. It is a scope that I trust. I mounted the scope atop the
VTR using Leupold Rifleman bases and Warne detachable
rings. The Mark 4 also wears a set of Leupold flip-open aluminum
lens covers., has a 30mm tube, and side focus. It is the best
scope I’ve ever owned, and right at home on the 700 VTR.
I fired the VTR using Buffalo Bore Ultra
Match Sniper Ammunition. This stuff is loaded with 175 grain
Sierra Match King bullets, and is very accurate. For more
details on the ammo, look
at my recent review of it here.
Functioning was perfect in the 700 VTR, with the
cartridges feeding smoothly, firing, and ejecting without any
difficulty at all. Accuracy was superb. The VTR would group
three shots into one-half inch at 100 yards, all day long, and
would have likely done better with a better shooter on the
trigger. As stated earlier, I do better target work with a
lighter trigger pull, but in spite of that, the accuracy
performance of the VTR using the Buffalo Bore ammo was
excellent.
Shooting, and most importantly carrying, the new
VTR was a real pleasure. Recoil was very light, helped by the
muzzle brake I guess, but .308 recoil is not very punishing
anyway. At any rate, the .308 VTR is extremely easy on the
shoulder. The .308 Winchester is a very efficient cartridge, and
an excellent choice for such a versatile rifle. While advertised
as a varmint/tactical rifle, the VTR is also light and handy
enough to serve as a good all-around hunting rifle in the .308
chambering. It is balanced well, and would be a dandy deer rifle
that could also fill the role of hunting vermin such as
groundhogs and predators like coyote. In its more serious
intended role as a sniper type rifle, the VTR possesses all the
accuracy and reliability required of such a weapon, and has
handling qualities that are superior to most such “tactical”
rifles on the market.
I like the Model 700 VTR. There is a need for
such a versatile rifle. It could be a “one rifle” for many
purposes. Outfitted with a quality scope and bipod, it could
serve perfectly as a hunting rifle, a fighting rifle, and as a
paper-punching target gun, serving equally well for sportsmen,
police, military, and as a good solid rifle with which to defend
the homestead.
Check out the VTR and other Remington products
online at www.remington.com.
To order the Buffalo Bore ammunition, go to www.buffalobore.com.
For a look at the Mark 4 scope and other quality
Leupold optics, go to www.leupold.com.
To order Remington rifles online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
Jeff Quinn
| To buy this gun online, go to: |
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When Jeff really wants maximum accuracy, he wants a
Leupold scope, such as this Mark 4 8.5 to 25 power with
Tactical reticle.
Quality, consistent ammunition is essential to
accuracy. Buffalo Bore's Ultra Match Grade will not let
you down!
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