The Remington 700 is a bolt-action rifle with two forward dual-opposed lugs. Its bolt is composed of a head, a body, and a bolt handle, while its recessed bolt face fully encloses the cartridge base. It was named 2020 Rifle of the Year in the American Hunter's Golden Bullseye Awards.
Remington 700 is easy to clean and maintain, but a few tools and tricks can make the job even more comfortable.
In this article, you'll learn how to properly fieldstrip, clean, lubricate, and reassemble your Remington 700.
Remington 700 Cleaning Essentials
If you're a first-time Remington 700 owner, be sure to have these cleaning tools and products around for an effortless and thorough cleaning:
- Rifle Cleaning Rod – It should be made of a softer material than the metal barrel to prevent bore scratches and crowning.
- Jag – It threads to the cleaning rod's end, which is used to run through the cleaning patches inside the barrel.
- Bronze Brush – It is used to remove copper and powder fouling in the bore.
- Utility Brush and Picks – These are used to clean hard-to-reach areas in the rifle's movable parts
- Cleaning Patches – These are clean and absorbent squares of cloth used to clean the bore.
- Cleaning Chemicals – These include the bore cleaner, lubricating oil, grease, and protectant used to remove powder fouling in the bore, prevent wear in high-friction areas, and protect the rifle from rust and corrosion.
You can purchase these cleaning tools and products individually, or you can buy a full-type cleaning kit. Hoppe's gun care products are specially made to thoroughly clean your gun and keep it in its excellent condition for a long time.
Hoppe's Range Kit with Cleaning Mat
This range kit includes an oil- and solvent-resistant advanced cleaning mat where you can efficiently perform detailed firearm disassembly, field stripping, cleaning, and lubricating.
It contains a multi-section cleaning rod, a .223 chamber brush, and .22, 9mm, .40/10mm, .30, and .45-caliber phosphor bronze brushes. It also comes with a nylon utility brush, cleaning patches, and cleaning picks.
The cleaning kit also contains a range kit bag for easy storage.
Hoppe's Universal Field Cleaning Kit
This cleaning kit works well for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. It comes with a specially designed cleaning rod that has a rotatable handle and a compact, soft-sided, and rugged case that attaches easily to a belt. It has all the necessary cleaning accessories, except for cleaning brushes. It instead comes with a specially designed rod with a rotating handle for cleaning.
Deluxe Gun Cleaning Kit (Model: 62108)
This complete 62-piece cleaning kit contains Hoppe's No. 9 Bore Cleaner, Lubricating Oil, and components for keeping pistols, rifles, and shotguns clean in a hard and durable storage case.
It has six solid brass rods, 14 bronze brushes, 13 spear-pointed jags, and four slotted patch loops. The kit also includes three utility brushes, three muzzle guards, nine mops, three rod adapters, and 25 cleaning patches.
Remington 700 Cleaning Process
Clean your rifle in a well-ventilated room. You should have a sturdy work table with ample storage. Make sure that your gun cleaning tools are out of children's reach.
1. Pre-Cleaning Safety Check
Before field stripping your rifle or any firearm, ensure that that the gun is completely unloaded.
Inspect the magazine and chamber visually and physically. Triple check that the gun is empty and all possible ammunition sources have been removed from the work area. Follow gun safety rules at all times.
2. Rifle Disassembly
Once you've confirmed that the gun is not loaded, you can begin disassembly.
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Remove the bolt by depressing the bolt release button in front of the trigger while the action is open.
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Slide the bolt out of the receiver's back end. This usually is how far you'd go in terms of disassembly to clean the bolt and barrel.
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However, you can also disassemble the bolt assembly apart to clean and inspect the firing pin assembly. Slip a bolt disassembly tool over the bolt's back end and fit the tool's hook inside the cocking piece's notch.
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Depress the lever to retract the cocking piece and unscrew the firing pin from the bolt body.
3. Rifle Cleaning and Lubricating
Once the parts are disassembled, you can now proceed with cleaning the rifle's components, including the barrel, spring, and firing pin.
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Start cleaning the barrel, which needs the most attention. It's best to clean from the breech to the muzzle to prevent crowning and debris falling into the magazine. Use a rifle cleaning rod, a jag, and a cleaning patch with Hoppe's No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaner to run through the bore. Let the bore cleaner sit for a time to soften the copper and powder fouling.
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You can also use a bore guide to keep the cleaning guide centered or a BoreSnake for a quick clean when you're in the field.
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Thread a bronze rifle brush to the cleaning rod and run it through the bore to loosen the fouling. Run cleaning patches on a jag inside the barrel to remove all of the residues. Repeat this step until your last cleaning patch comes out clean.
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Apply some Hoppe's Gun Grease to the spring and firing pin. Brush away any residue or powder fouling.
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The owner's manual has a diagram showing the rifle parts that need lubricating. Don't merely apply lubricating oil in your rifle's components, especially the trigger. Dirt and debris can gather in an oiled trigger and cause a malfunction.
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Dab some Hoppe's Gun Grease to the cam service on the bolt's rear to reduce wear and make the rifle cycle smoothly.
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Apply some Hoppe's Lubricating Oil to the bolt's body to make it slide smoothly to and from the receiver.
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Spray some Hoppe's Blast & Shine in the outside metal surfaces to keep them sparkling clean.
Follow the cleaning method specified in the owner's manual for match-grade barrels. Bring your rifle to a gunsmith for trigger inspection and cleaning.
4. Rifle Reassembly
Using the bolt disassembly tool, retract the cocking piece, which screws the assembly back into the bolt bottom.
Screw the assembly back all the way in until it stops. Back it up a little bit until the cocking piece lines up to the small semi-circular cut in the bolt lock's back. Ease off the lever until the cocking piece settles into that cut.
Slide the bolt back into the gun and give it a function test to ensure it cycles appropriately and that the safety is working. Wipe the rifle down with a clean cloth and store it properly.
Remington 700 Maintenance with Hoppe's Gun Care Products
A high-precision rifle such as the Remington 700 deserves nothing but the best-quality cleaning products. Hoppe's helps you keep your firearms clean and working their best.
Check out Hoppe's Gun Care Products for more information, pricing, and to order.
