The Remington 783 bolt-action rifle was born as a "package", supplied with an honest pre-assembled and pre-zeroed 3-9x40 variable magnification scope with mounting rings. Based on the Marlin XL7, from which it takes the general outline, the trigger system and the action structure with a threaded barrel, the 783 offers very good accuracy (as evidenced by our tests using Remington Accutip cartridges), a more than decent trigger and a scope that’s fit for the role the gun must perform.
We tested the Remington 783 in .308 caliber, which together with the .30-06, is certainly one of the most popular hunting chamberings.
Remington 783 rifle: features
The rifle comes with the scope already mounted. In our opinion, the simple cardboard box does not offer an above-average protection, nevertheless we did not find any inconvenience, which attests to the robustness of the rifle and the optics mounting system, based on Picatinny rails and aluminum rings. On the first shot, in fact, we verified the accuracy of the riflescope zeroing: only three more rounds were enough to bring the pattern dead on target. It must be remembered however that the factory zeroing must be checked with the ammunition and ball weights that you intend to use for hunting!
The bolt flows smoothly enough, it needs a good break-in and we have do not doubt that it will get better with use; the handle (it has an angle of 90°) when opened gets perhaps too close to the eyepiece bell, but after some shots you’ll get used to safely operate the action. The magazine loads up nicely, it is easy to insert and release but once inserted it’s solid as a rock. The body is made of steel with a polymer floor, and feeding is almost perfect.
The rifle is fine on the shoulder, both the pupillary extraction and the height of the riflescope's sight line are generally good. Remember that this is a product designed to "fit" the largest possible number of users, so some compromise is unavoidable, but Remington did a great job, managing to find a really excellent balance.
The test fire
When shooting the rifle is nervous but the butt pad and the weight absorb the recoil well. The wielding is safe and precise, the length of the gun, with its 56cm barrel and full four and a half kilos, restrict hunting use a little. Accuracy is indeed excellent, limited only by the performance of the optics and the thickness of the reticle. Up to 200m, with the enormous flexibility offered by the Winchester .308 chambering, this combination is unbeatable in this price range.
The "Crossfire" trigger (obviously based on the famous Savage Accutrigger, with some internal modifications) is surprising, in fact it’s really usable and precise; very clean, without rubbing and with a "glass rod break", it’s a pleasure to use. Pull can be adjusted between a little over a kilo up to 2300g.
We tried to quickly follow-up shots once acquired a certain familiarity with the action and the size of the handle, and above all with the presence of the riflescope. The action does not lend itself to lightning-fast operation, but speed is good, and the rifle feeds without a hiccup.
The Remington 783 is intended as a budget weapon offering an excellent price-performance ratio, and our impression is absolutely positive. We see it as a farmer's gun, the rifle you have at hand for all hunting and vermin control needs; as the first rifle for the hunter who wants to try his/her hand without tripping too much, with a complete "turnkey" solution ready to use, at a competitive price or for the expert hunter who, because of the hunt he/she chose or out of interest, only occasionally uses a rifle and does not want to invest too much but at the same time needs quality and reliability.
But in our opinion, even the hunter who prefers rifles may consider the 783: it is an exceptional "all-rounder", accurate, reliable and robust, with a polymeric stock and a Spartan and effective finish, with which to hunt in prohibitive atmospheric conditions and on stony and slippery terrain without any concern. The rifle we tested in the "kit" version with the mounted scope has a list price of 632 euros.
