Remington 700 cdl sf limited in 35 whelen

[Boogershooter]

I'm always late on things. I just seen these for the first time tonight. I think I will be ordering one tomorrow unless somebody on here can talk me out of it. I know remington quality has went down hill in QC but most of the higher end stuff is still pretty good from what I can tell. Anybody had a bad experience with the cdl sf?

 

[jmr40]

I think the concerns about Remington quality are over stated. Most of the complaints I hear about are from guys who buy one of Remington's budget guns for $400 then are upset that it doesn't have the same quality fit and finish as their $900 guns. The CDL is one of the high end guns and I'd expect it to be just fine.

The 700 isn't my top pick in rifle designs and after owning a 35 Whelen for a while I concluded it won't do anything a 30-06 won't do with heavy bullets just as well or better. In the 1920's when the 35 Whelen was introduced bullet technology was at a point where it offered some advantages. It no longer does.

But there is no law that says we have to hunt with the most efficient round. If someone likes the round it'll certainly kill stuff and do it at ranges as far as most have the skills to shoot.

 

[Boogershooter]

Thanks for the reply Jmr. My reasoning for liking this rifle is the fact that my wife and I both purchased 35 whelens last year for the primitive weapon season. Actually I've had mine for 2 seasons now. I've killed 4 deer in two seasons and she killed 3 last year. All DRT shots except her last deer she made a bad shot. I have a older 700 in 35 whelen but it's a fair weather gun. Doesn't leave the house unless it's very nice outside. It was dad's gun and it's basically a safe queen. My wife is infatuated with the 35 now and wants one for regular rifle season. Her single shot cva is a tack driver but man does it have alot of muzzle jump.

I wasn't expecting much from the cva but I must say it's the best factory trigger I've seen on a rifle in a long time. 2 1/2 lb very crisp break with absolutely no creep. Accuracy is great but the muzzle flip or jump is funny to watch when she shoots. I can just imagen the smile on her face when she sees this new cdl.

 

[Llama Bob]

I think your experience with the .35 Whelen is pretty much spot on. It gives you DRT pretty consistently on deer through elk. And it has a lot of recoil.

I am not a Remington 700 fan, but if I wanted a new repeater in .35 Whelen that CDL would be in the running. I'd also look at the Montana rifle company offerings, although stock seems to be very limited.

 

[T. O'Heir]

Since when was the .35 Whelen considered a "primitive weapons" cartridge, anywhere? Or any rifle it shoots considered a "primitive weapon" either? Just curious.
Anyway, the 'Limited" in the name is about the limited time the M700 CDL will be offered. Think it's one year only. The current CDL's are just SS M700's. Not sure I'd part with $1180+ for one though.

 

[Boogershooter]

Louisiana and Mississippi both have primitive weapon seasons for single shot rifles .35 caliber and bigger. Needless to say thousands of handi rifles were sold in a short amount of time and they still quit making them. Cva is the next choice for the poor man. All of a sudden the old rolling blocks in 405 winchester started coming out of the closets. Some stores even have it on the shelf now. 35 whelen, 444 marlin, and 45-70 in any flavor(load) you want.

 

[Dranrab]

Nothing at all wrong with a 700. They have been getting the job done for decades. Buy the gun!

 

[Doyle]

Since when was the .35 Whelen considered a "primitive weapons" cartridge, anywhere?

Like Boogershooter said, both LA and MS consider a .35 Whelen a primitive weapon - but ONLY when shot through a single-shot external hammer rifle.

 

[Boogershooter]

I've never been one to try to simplify my hunting efforts. I've been known to have a different rifle set up for every different deer stand. But for some reason this year it has clicked in my head that the simplicity of shooting the same box of shells from two different rifles for the entire season is going to be comforting. I have the h&r handi rifle chambered in 35 whelen for primitive season and this morning I ordered the remington for the normal firearms season. I'm sure it won't last the entire season but at the moment it sounds like a good plan.

 

[Boogershooter]

Just to satisfy my curiosity of how many or how long they will manufacture this rifle I called remington. The first young lady couldn't answer my question so she put me thru to somebody else. This fellow was neither nice or helpful. He said that was against their policy to discuss such matters over the phone. I told him I wasn't looking for exact numbers just a general idea of what to expect and I wasn't buying the gun to collect it for future value, I just wanted to know if their usual "limited" runs applied to this gun. He repeated his first statement and asked if there was anything else he could help with. I asked if there was anybody else I could speak with on the subject and he simply replied no and hung up. Has anybody else experienced this from remington?

 

[Llama Bob]

You've just encountered one of the reasons I'm not a Remington fan. They view the customers as statistical entities with behaviors to exploit rather than people who want a good product at a good price with friendly and helpful service. I don't see any reason to support that attitude.

They also lied about the lack of safety of several different M700 trigger designs for years. While I don't think the faulty triggers are solely to blame for any of the people who died as a result, they were clearly a part of the cause.

 

[MarkCO]

As a fan of the M700 (I have three) and having hunted with them for a while, based on the direction of big green, I doubt I buy another.

If I was in your position Boogershooter, I very well might get a .35Whelen repeater. I almost did about a dozen years ago, but fell for a .338-06 instead.

 

[upstate81]

How could remington seriously answer that?? Do they have a crystal ball? Do they know what future sales will be? Having worked in manufacturing as a welder i can tell you that if something that is "limited edition" sells well, most companies will roll with it. Who turns down money?

 

[Boogershooter]

Upstate I very well understand what you are saying but in order from them to start producing something, they will have a target number. Say they start at 50,000 rifles. If they have reached the goal of selling 35,000 of them in the first month then they will spin off another 25,000 or 50,000. That's how management works. It's always goals and projections. They could have easily said we have produced a set number of these and if they sale well enough we will produce another run. It's really simple and not hard info to obtain.

 

[upstate81]

Very true

Your right. One would think they would have some answer even a ball park just to please a customer.

 

[Picher]

I really love my Rem 700 CDL stainless in .270 Win. Everything about it is great, but I liked the flatter forend on my Stockys stock, bought for my 700 BDL Stainless, so made the switch.

In either stock, it shoots amazing groups and handles great.

If you like Remington 700s, you'll be crazy about the CDL.

 

[Dranrab]

I can understand why Remington wouldn't answer that question. If they tell you it will be manufactured indefinitely, you can wait indefinitely. Beyond that, their competition could feel them out like that and use the information to out market them. Call Toyota and ask them how long before they update the Corolla.

Buy the gun! I love my 700 SPS.

 

[Boogershooter]

They have on their website how many of the other limited guns they are making with all the gold inlays. I just figured it wouldn't be hard for them to say it's a normal limited run of 50,000 or however many. If you put " limited " on a product and then won't answer how limited it is, is ludicrous. I don't collect new production rifles I was just curious of how many. I ordered the Wednesday. It will be here Monday. I have many remington 700's in different configurations but not a cdl. Several custom rifles built from the 700. The only ones I've bought in the last few years was a sps varmint in 243 and the long range in both 30-06 and 25-06. Still havnt found a good load for the 25-06 but I don't reload either. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Deaf Smith]

35 Whelen? I'd get either a Browning lever action in 35 Whelen or a Remington pump 7400 in 35 Whelen.

Take care of anything on this continent.

Deaf

 

[taylorce1]

I know remington quality has went down hill in QC but most of the higher end stuff is still pretty good from what I can tell.

I don't know if the QC is all that bad. I have a M700 ADL .223 rifle that I bought at Wally World right after it came back from the trigger recall. I paid less than $400 out the door for the rifle with the cheap Remington branded scope on top. From day one the rifle has shot pretty much everything MOA or better. I did eventually move the rifle over to a B&C 2950 stock, and I had it out Friday because I swapped out scopes to a Weaver Tactical. After two sighter roundswere shot I pulled off this three shot group with 55 grain Sierra Blitzking bullets in factory Australian Outback ammunition.

I have a friend that has one a CDL SF in .257 Roberts and it's a shooter for sure.