1965 Model 700 Custom???

[gtman8]

Hey Guys, hoping someone can help me . . .

I recently purchased a Model 700 that I believe is a custom shop rifle. It has the date code of "PM" which I believe is June 1965. On the opposite side of the barrel it has the "REP" proof mark, and a mark that I think is the test mark. Also, it has a heart shaped mark, but rotated 90 degrees.

The stock is upgraded walnut and has an ebony tip and an aluminum butt. It's chambered in .243. It has a Leupold Vari-X II mounted in Buehler rings, with no letters in the serial number, which dates it before 1973, from what I understand.

Condition is 95% on the metal, probably 90% on the wood, bore is mint. Nice wood, although not extremely fancy. Light in color compared to most 700's. I've seen an image of another custom shop 700 from the 60's that has the same exact stock profile as this gun.

Is this a semi-rare rifle? Does it have any special value?

Thanks in advance for any info!

Tim

[gtman8]

Oh yeah, almost forgot . . serial # is 154225.

Tim

[remington600]

I doubt it is a custom shop rifle. I would say in the good ole days you could pick out 10 of the same make and model Remington 700s and all in the same caliber, and all ten of them would look differant. In the good ole days they used alot better and nicer wood. Now days they all pretty much look the same. I remember as a kid when my father would buy a new Remington he would have them bring out there entire stock of what he was looking for so he could pick out the best one. It sounds like you just may have one with a little nicer wood. And the color variation is very normal. I have a bundle of Remington 700s that one side of the stock looks totally differant from tho other side(perfactly normal). As the value the 243 is a very common caliber, and other then condition, condition the caliber is very important on value when it comes to a Remington 700. The nicer wood may add a little more to a collector BUT only if its in great and original condition. With the condition that you described and if its completely accurate. Some people are a little bit more generous than others I would expect to pay around $425.00 to $475.00. Hope this answeres your question. Great gun made in a great year.

[gtman8]

Thanks for the reply, remington 600. I've been looking around the net, trying to find some pics of early 700 BDL's, but they're hard to find. Most of what I've seen from this period are ADL's, I think (no ebony tip on the stock or grip, and different checkering pattern). Stock is shaped different, too.

The guy I got the gun from said it was a custom shop gun, though. Is there any way to tell for sure? Also, what does a "heart barrel" mean? I've heard (or read) the term, and this gun has a heart stamp on it, but I don't know what significance that is, really. My guess is that it's an "A" grade barrel, based on manufactured tolerances and such, but that's just a guess.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

[remington600]

A hart barrel is an aftermarket barrel. You say yours has the REP remington mark. The hart stamp is just a stamp of one of the gallery employees that worked for Remington.If you say you have an aluminum butt plate then you have a early 60s gun. The stock should have impressed checkering with little spades stamped within them if its a BDl. You will also have a black forend and pistol grip cap with white line spacers, but those spacers are not always white sometimes they are bright gold to a yellow color. Did the person you bought the rifle from tell you why it is or why they thought it was a custom shop gun. Alot of times someone may make a small modification and it automatically becomes custom. I guess they think it sounds neat. And if you dont mind me asking what did you pay for it. I just recently ran across some great pictures of a early 700 BDL on auctionarms.com. Get on the site and type in 222 rem mag. You can look at that gun and compare it to yours. Hope it works for you and let me know what you find out. Billy

[gtman8]

Great info, Billy. Thanks for the help. I checked out the rifle you mentioned on Gun Broker, and that's more of what I expected for a BDL. If you go to Gun Broker, and type the number 91838183 into the search box, it will pull up my rifle. If you get a chance, take a look at let me know your thoughts. The stock does appear to match some of the custom shop 700's that I've seen from that era. The ones I've seen have more exotic wood, but otherwise all details match (profile, checkering, etc.).

The gun is in really great shape - very few handling marks. The scope is, too. I took the action out of the stock, and it looks perfect - no rust and very clean. I just wiped it down and reassembled. It doesn't look like it was hardly shot. The bolt matches the receiver. I was happy to get the scope, as those vintage Leupold Vari-XII's bring about $225+ in this condition on ebay and the Buehler rings and bases another $75 or so.

Thanks!

Tim

[gtman8]

Oops - I mistakenly went to gunbroker, not auctionarms. Funny thing is, gunbroker has a 1960's vintage 222 rem mag on their site, too! Not as nice as that one on auctionarms though. Wow . . . too many guns, not enough money! That is a beautiful rifle, though.

Tim