Remington 783 review from the 2013 SHOT Show

The big news from Remington at this year’s SHOT Show was the introduction of the new Model 783 rifle.  The Model 783 has been advertised as the midway rifle between the venerable Model 700 and the bargain rifle Model 770.  I was able to shoot the rifle and talk with John Fink at Media Day for my Remington 783 review.

The Model 783 is a rifle made with the traditions of excellence that shooters have come to expect from Remington.  In my opinion this is the rifle that Remington should have released back in 2007 when they offered the Model 770 as their return to the bargain rifle market.  Though slightly more expensive than some of the competitor bargain rifles, the Model 783 also delivers much more than the Model 770.

The Competitive Bargain Rifle Market

The history of the Model 783 comes from the ever-increasingly competitive bargain rifle market.  With manufacturers like Savage, Mossberg, Browning, and Thompson Center currently offering quality bargain rifles for as little as $300-350, Remington needed their own rifle for this market.

Many years ago Remington had produced the Model 788 to fill that niche, but that rifle was discontinued in the 1980‘s.  Although popular for its accuracy and cheaper price the Model 788 also had some serious design problems, including an issue with the safety mechanism.  The “solution” Remington developed for the current bargain rifle market was the Model 770.  Introduced in 2007, the Model 770 was supposed to provide the bargain alternative to the Model 700.

The Model 770

The Model 770 did not receive the fanfare that Remington expected.  Although bearing the Remington name, and meeting the budget pricing of the market, the Model 770 fell short in many shooters minds as a viable choice for an inexpensive rifle.

Remington 770

When they were first introduced I was excited to get Remington quality at a bargain price.  However, when I first held the Model 770, while considering whether to buy one for a secondary hunting rifle, I was immediately turned off with the boxy and uncomfortable stock.  The bolt action mechanism appeared to function fine, but it did not feel as sturdy as the Model 700’s I’ve been around.   My overall impression of the Model 770 was that it was just cheap.  I did not buy one, and I was not alone.

Not to say that the 770 should have been a 700, but it just didn’t seem to meet up with my Remington expectations.  From what I’ve seen on many blogs I am not alone with an unfavorable impression of the 770, although I’ve also heard some say that the Model 770 shoots just fine.  Maybe the action was just fine, but the outside package was just too much to overcome for many.

The Venerable Model 700

The Model 700 has been a mainstay of military and police sniper units for nearly 50 years, and there are literally tens of thousands of Model 700’s in civilian hands as hunting and sporting rifles.  Proven to be incredibly accurate and durable in a wide range of shooting conditions, the Model 700 is still one of the most popular rifles on the market.  The Model 700 is truly the foundation of what Remington rifles will be judge upon.  However, a basic Model 700 can be expected to sell for $600-800, without a scope, sling or any other accessory.  Many 700‘s have been upgraded with heavy barrels and stocks, detachable magazines, enlarged bolt handles, and more.  Those rifles can easily jump up into the range of $2000-2500.

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