Remington Model 700 Tactical Chassis

The Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle is one of the most popular weapons in the United States, with over 5 million rifles sold since its introduction in 1962. It is no surprise that it reliably serves law enforcement, military and civilians alike, whether for hunting, recreation, competition, or warfighting.

For tactical applications, the advantages of mounting bolt guns in a chassis system are quite clear — they provide a solid and serviceable platform, impervious to the elements, that free floats the barrel and makes it easy to mount optics, inline night vision, and other accessories.

Remington has long supplied M24 rifles, based on the Model 700, to the military. And with Remington fielding the M24-derived XM2010 sniper system with the US Army, they sought to bring a more modestly priced alternative to the civilian market.

Enter the Model 700 Tactical Chassis. Remington starts with a 416 stainless steel barreled action in either .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, or the mighty .338 Lapua. For the latter, the barrel is 26-inches long; otherwise it is 24-inches. The barrels have a varmint contour and are topped off with an AAC 51T muzzle brake. The barreled actions are finished with black Cerakote and placed in a MDT TAC21 tactical chassis.

Made of hard-anodized aluminum, the TAC21 chassis secures to the receiver only on its V-shape bedding and recoil lug area, otherwise free floating the barrel to maximize accuracy and consistency. The built-in full-length top rail features a 20-MOA angle to provide more elevation adjustment to shoot out to long distances. The chassis accepts the popular and reliable AICS magazines and is compatible with any AR-15 buttstock and pistol grip. Remington ships it with a Magpul PRS stock and pistol grip.

The bolt handle is of the target tactical variety, and the trigger is Remington's X-Mark Pro adjustable unit. It is factory set at 3.5 pounds and broke cleanly in our testing. We did not have an opportunity to shoot for groups, but were able to accurately engage reactive targets at the range during our testing session. The rifle weighs 12 to 13.5 pounds and combined with the in-line nature of the chassis, the recoil impulse was not punishing at all. The rifle handled nicely with a smooth action. The ergonomics were quite comfortable, and as usual the PRS stock could be adjusted to fit virtually any shooter.

Those who like to roll their own rigs can build a similar type of rifle exactly to their own taste. You can even buy a stripped Remington Model 700 receiver to start with. But for a tactical rig that's ready to go right out of the box, Remington has put it all together for you with the Model 700 Tactical Chassis. The MSRP will be $2,900, $3,100, and $3,500 for the .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua, respectively.