The Remington 783

For the most part, I’m a Remington 700 kind of guy. I don’t buy into the notion that a control round feed rifle is better, or more reliable, than a push feed rifle. I also like my firearms made in America. My first center-fire rifle was a Remington 700. That was almost 35 years ago and, if I remember correctly, it cost about $400. It was a $400 rifle that would knock the white off a golf ball at 100 yards every time.

Remington’s newest bolt-action rifle is the Model 783. The “7″ in the model designation comes from the 700 line of rifles, the “8″ is kind of a throwback to the affordable but reliable model 788, which was discontinued 20 years ago, and the “3″ is for the three in 2013. The suggested retail price is $451, but you can expect street prices to be closer to $400.

Anytime a firearms manufacturer offers a bargain-priced rifle with claims that it will perform like a higher-priced model, shooters are skeptical. I’m no different. I’ve heard the same sales pitch numerous times, and there’s always a catch or some sort of gimmick to the greatness. The 783 was no different; I needed proof.