Best Scope for the Remington 700 in 2026

For a classic hunting 700 such as an ADL, SPS or CDL in .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield, start with a 3-9x40 or 3-12x44 second focal plane scope. These are light, simple and bright enough for the last minutes of legal light, and they keep a lightweight sporter handling the way it was designed to. Look for multi-coated glass, a bold duplex-style reticle, finger-adjustable turrets and at least 3.5 inches of eye relief. The .30-06 and the magnum chamberings recoil firmly in a light rifle, so aim for 3.7 to 4 inches of eye relief and mount the scope well forward.

Know your action length before you buy anything. The Model 700 comes in short action and long action, and the base hole spacing differs between them. Short-action chamberings include .223 Remington, .243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington and .308 Winchester. Long-action chamberings include .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum. A short-action base on a long-action receiver will not line up, and the mismatch is a common reason a new scope will not mount. Check the base listing for both the Model 700 and your action length.

Choose between two-piece bases and a one-piece rail. Two-piece bases are light and cheap and suit a hunting sporter with a 1-inch scope. A one-piece Picatinny-style rail adds rigidity, gives you more freedom to position the scope for the right eye relief, and is the usual choice for a heavier or precision-leaning 700. A 20 MOA rail tilts the scope down so you have more elevation travel when you dial for distance. Twenty MOA is about 21 inches at 100 yards (20 times 1.047 inches), so it only matters if you shoot well past 500 yards; for deer inside 400 yards a flat base is simpler and keeps the scope's turrets centered.

If your 700 is a heavy-barrel varmint, tactical or precision model, such as a .223 or 6.5 Creedmoor build, step up to a 4-16x44 or 5-20x50 with a parallax adjustment and turrets you can dial. A quarter-MOA click moves the point of impact about 0.26 inch at 100 yards and a 0.1 mil click moves it 0.36 inch, so choose MOA or MRAD and keep your reticle, turrets and ballistic chart in the same units. A first focal plane reticle keeps mil or MOA marks valid at every magnification, which helps if you range with the reticle. For a hunter who holds center and shoots inside 300 yards, second focal plane is simpler and cheaper.

Ring height and bolt clearance need a quick check. For a 40mm or 44mm objective, medium rings usually clear the barrel, while a 50mm objective may need high rings. Work the bolt with the scope mounted and confirm the bolt handle clears the ocular bell. Torque ring screws to the maker's setting with a proper inch-pound driver, level the reticle against a plumb line, and degrease the screws before fitting. Older 700s often have iron sights, and the receiver is still drilled for bases, but check that the existing screw holes are clean and undamaged before you trust a new rail to them.

Finally, zero and verify. A 100-yard zero is simple to confirm, and many hunters with flat-shooting cartridges choose a 200-yard zero. Shoot a three-shot group, adjust, and then run a box test: dial a set number of clicks up, right, down and left, return to zero and check the group lands in the same place. Use the ammunition you will hunt with. A scope removes optics as a source of error, but it does not make a long shot ethical, so practice from field positions and pass on any shot you are not certain of.