Remington Model 700 VTR .308 Bolt Action Varmint-Tactical Rifle

Now Available with 5-R Rifling and Adjustable Trigger from AcuSport

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

March 3 , 2008

UPDATED May 11, 2010

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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: