Remington first rolled out the Model 783 back in 2013. The affordably priced rifle that was based on the Marlin XL7 design now comes in a range of six calibers — including 7mm and .300 Win Mag – and puts a quality bolt action within reach of virtually any shooter. Mine is chambered in versatile .308 Winchester and, incredibly, you can find one for under $300.
Add about $25 and you can get one with a mounted 3-9×40 scope. The 783 is also available with an American black walnut stock, giving it a more classic hunting rifle look for about $150 more.
The Model 783 comes standard with a free-floated carbon steel barrel with button 1:10 rifling, as well Remington’s impressive, adjustable CrossFire trigger system. Mine has a camo pillar-bedded synthetic stock which contains nylon fiber for rigidity.
The adjustable CrossFire trigger is impressive for a rifle at this price point. As in many budget hunting rifles, the trigger guard is plastic.
The push-feed action and 90-degree bolt throw are smooth and positive. Remington’s put a two-position safety (it’s a little clunky, but works well enough) behind the bolt rather than on the tang like the Savage Axis.
The 783 features a four-round steel box magazine that’s released with a steel magazine latch. Using steel instead of plastic, even for the latch, in a gun at this price is unusual and very welcome. The 783 is also equipped with a Supercell recoil pad which Remington claims reduces felt recoil by 54%. While I’m not sure how to measure that, it definitely tames the .308 round’s kick.
The Model 783’s finish is well done and clean, especially for a sub-$300 rifle.
A budget rifle doesn’t save you much money, though, if it doesn’t put rounds on target. I tested the 783 using . . .
Barnes Vor-TX 150gr
Remington Core-Lock 180gr
Remington HTP 168gr
This isn’t a precision rifle, it’s meant for hunting. So I tested it at ranges from 50 to 200 yards, the ranges it’s most often going to be used in the field.
After shooting several of the 180 GR and 150 Gr it was clear that the gun was accurate as well as extremely comfortable and was very accurate for its price point.
While all three bullet weights produced hunting-accurate groups, the 150gr Barnes produced the tightest three-round groups at All of the rounds performed well but the Barnes had the tightest grouping of the three, putting up groups just under 1MOA.
In short, the Remington 783 is an extremely good value in a reliable hunting rifle.
Specifications: Remington Model 783
Caliber .308
Barrel Twist 1:10
Barrel Length 22”
Overall Length 41 5/8”
Weight 8 ½
Barrel Finish Matte Blue
Stock Synthetic
Barrel Material Carbon Steel
Length of Pull 13 3/8
Drop(comb) 1”
Drop(heel) 1 5/8”
Magazine 4 Round
MSRP: $354
Ratings (Out of five stars):
Style: * * *
This is a budget bolt gun that looks pretty much like every other budget bolt gun (think Savage Axis, Ruger American and T/C Venture). It’s not beautiful, it’s utilitarian and it works. If you want some style, upgrade to the walnut stock.
Ergonomics * * * *
The 783’s surprisingly rigid synthetic stock has molded-in checkering that’s aggressive enough for a good grip. The two-position safety is positive and well-placed and the bolt action is surprisingly smooth.
Build Quality * * * *
Surprisingly good. The finish is nicely applied, the stock is well molded without annoying seams and a detail like a steel magazine latch rather than plastic on a gun at this price point is much appreciated. Again, the budget priced 783’s action is notably smooth.
Reliability and Accuracy * * * * *
It’s a bolt gun, so it just works. I was able to get under 1 MOA with a 150gr bullet.
Overall * * * *
The Remington Model 783 isn’t safe queen. It’s an ultra-reliable, ultra-affordable rifle (with a very good trigger) that lets you get into hunting with minimal expense or shoot another caliber without draining your wallet.
Big Green has pissed a lot of people off. But maybe, hopefully, the whole bankruptcy thing woke them up. THe past several reviews on here of their products have been positive.
I still don’t own any though as the 870 I got a couple years ago was a complete piece of crap. I fixed it and sold it, with full disclosure of the previous issues.
But it doesn’t come in 6.5 Creedmoor, so you’re stuck shoo ting crappy cali bers.
Darn, beat me to it.
who would want anything not in 6.5 creed? anything else is just crazy! move along here , nothing to see .
It doesn’t even take Glock magazines
Yeah, this rifle is sooo two weeks ago.
I converted all of my guns to 6.5Cr, because everything else is garbage, and I love it. Although my carry 1911 does print a bit more now…
6.5 creedmoor and .300 blackout are in production now. Also, heavy and threaded barrel models rolling out.
I bought this rife as a wedding gift for my Brother in Law, he likes it and it shot well.
At that price this rifle would be a great “truck gun”, I shall ask my gunsmith his opinion, if he gives it the thumbs up, its a buy.
Well I guess it’s between this and the Savage Axis.
Check out the Ruger American Predator. I went with that one, because I wanted a threaded barrel for my suppressor.
I have the Ruger American in .243 and my son has the Axis in .308. They are both functional rifles that will do everything a bolt action hunting rifle needs to do.
Both of us shooting both rifles at 300 yards we got a slight edge in accuracy from the Ruger.
I got the Savage Axis II in .308 with a wood stock. The rifle has been very accurate and looks really nice for the price point. But the magazine doesn’t seat well in it and before I chamber a new round, I have to check that the magazine is in tight. That’s really my only complaint.
Dear Gov,
Mundane the 308 might be. However, like many other mundane calibers (30-06, 270, 243, etc) it has worked quite well for quite some time. Mundane? Affirmative. Crappy? Not even close.
this is a 6.5 site now, don’t be talking that way here.
Glock 6.5 Creedmor Fieldnote Pistol, the end of the caliber, manufacture wars.
Well done!
Made me laugh anyway.
TTA6.5CM has a nice ring to it.
If it took GLOCK mags, and came with pedigree training.
For everything the average shooter needs, a .308 will suffice plenty
Clearly you’ve never read the internet before. You must be one of those dense .308 guys. 😉
That article was awesome. Jeremy definitely won the internet with that one.
Yea, I’m kind of a 6.5mm Creedless guy myself. But then I do own a .260 (and a .308).
Not sure what this is all about, article lost me at 308 win.
6.5 Creedmoor has obviously replaced the antiquated and obsolete 308, much like the 2A the 308 has become absolutely useless…..
Could we have had a word or two on the scope it came with? Anything to say about it, it’s clarity, it’s consistency, are we better off pitching it as a cheap “free” scope and replacing it with a real scope? Anything?
????
I’ve never seen that scope, but…
It’s a cheap Chinese product with a poor field of view, inconsistent windage and elevation adjustments, and a tendency to drift the reticle after a few shots, like every other budget rifle bundled scope.
Buy the cheaper, scopeless model, and then buy a cheap Redfield or Vortex scope, or buy a used scope on ebay from somebody who’s upgrading. It’ll cost less in the long run.
Yes. I spent roughly 160 bucks on a Redfield 3×9 for my Ruger American. It does just fine for my ‘meat’ rifle. I would never take a shot past 300 yards regardless of rifle and glass. At my age and skill set 300 is my limit.
Redfield’s Accurange reticle is my favorite reticle for most applications. I’ve got a 2-7 on my wife’s AR and I really like the 2.2 moa radius circle. Quick when you need quick and gives you a reasonable drop reference and a windage reference. But not too cluttered. Now if they’d put it on a scope with positive click adjustments and a tooless return to zero…
That 783 didn’t come with a scope. Ben put his own Vortex scope on the rifle.
what a waste , he could have put that scope on a 6.5 cm .
6.5 CM SICK of hearing about them…. I have a 260 Rem. that will make you bag the 6.5 CM up and go home. lmao
The scope is so cheap that not even China wanted to put their name on it. After 20 rounds attempting to sight it in and watching my POI move from one corner of the target to another, checking to make sure everything was tight, on the 25th round it no longer would adjust. Remington wanted me to pay to ship the scope back to them, it would only be replaced if the value exceeded $25, so basically I would pay $10 to ship it, then be told “tough luck” as the scope obviously wasn’t worth $25. I threw an old Barska Varmint scope on it and dialed it in with 5 shots. Really likes 168gr but does great with everything I’ve run through it.
I hear the .308 is less effective than the .38 special on deer so I’ll have to pass.
Tough crowd today. You guys must have had Creedmoreos for breakfast.
I Creedmored what you did there.
Comparison test between T/C Compass, Savage Axis, and Remington 783 for best-cheapest bolt action. I have seen all three go for under $300 depending on time of year.
To be honest, you missed the Winchester XPR; I see them out the door for $249, BYOS (bring yer own scope)
Honestly i would take a ruger american or savage axis instead.
I fear that someone here will find out that I got my first black bear with a 30/30. … I’m so ashamed .
I shoot only 6.5 Creedmoor or less in my lever gun. My 94 Winchester loves it. I even get multiple shots when the mag tube lights off the rest! No barrel change required, especially after that happened. If you have accuracy issues just grab the ball peen hammer and work the end of the barrel to fine tune.
CHAIN-FIRE of FURY!
That’s why I wear the “Ove-Glove” as advertised on the TV, lol
Like the Model 710 they can keep their cheap Junk! 3 shots Barrel slid forward and became excessive
head space, sent it in they replaced the Barrel and pinned so would not slide forward! shot #12 bolt handle fell off, sent in new bolt, shot 15 extractor broke, sent in, Scope crapped out at 27 shots! stock. so keep their Junk buy an SKS.
Pictures seem to show that same wrinkle finish on the metal parts as the 870 Express. Does that also mean this will be a rust- o- matic right out of the box?
I have a 783 in 30-06 with a Vortex Crossfire 6-18×44 BDC. I found that the front hand-guard is wobbly as s#$% and if you use a bipod adding any pressure to it to mount it will remove any free float barrel benefits.
I used 2 ton epoxy to fill in the gaps in the front portion, as well as added expanding foam + weights in the hollow butt-stock to balance out the rifle and to make it a bit heavier.
This helped tremendously ( especially on a budget) to get the rifle shooting more accurately at +300 yards.
I have a link to my video review of my 783 here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZqKzYxH-UM
Having shot high power competition for many years with Model 70 Winchester Standard Target Rifles, all post 1964 type in caliber 30-06, eventually going to 308 Winchester in same rifles, I find myself curious regarding talk of the recoil respecting 308 caliber rifles. A little added weight does wonders re the dampening of recoil, and even more important is stock design. Also, the Remington 40X Rangmaster in 308 recoiled like an overweight 22 caliber rim fire, though it was quite heavy. Again, weight of rifle and stock design.
Looking for an inexpensive ranch/coyote gun. Highly considering this in .243