I have a love affair with Remington 700 rifles. so it was only logical to want a new 700 ML when they were released. I was not able to get a first year model do to other responsibility's. I told my wife I wanted it as the next years Christmas gift.
When we went to the local gun shop after Christmas they only had a Stain less 54 cal left. Well since I need to get all new components since every thing I owned was for a 50 cal I switched up the whole works.
I got MMP red 54cal sabots 260gr Nosler bullets although I had been shooting them in a T/C Plains rifle and My first sub powder clean shot.
This worked well in the 54 and was shooting 2 inch groups at 200 yards off my rest.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/twotracker/guns%20and%20hunting/rem70054-209.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/twotracker/media/guns%20and%20hunting/rem70054-209.jpg.html)
Clean shot came out with a pellet form and got sued and never was the same. I switched to T7 which worked well also. But I started having problems (before the internet.) Finding the red MMP red sabots so every year I was having to work up a new load for a new sabot. I tried some conicals but could never find any I liked. I changed from the #11 cap system to the Canadian 209 system about 2002.
One day moaning to the wife about the need to yet again work up a load for a different sabot and she said to just fix it.
I found a very clean 700 in 50 cal. I now had a ML that I didn't have to work up a load for every year. I also discovered I can buy MMP sabots direct form the factory.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/twotracker/guns%20and%20hunting/new50cal700.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/twotracker/media/guns%20and%20hunting/new50cal700.jpg.html)
In the summer of 2014 I installed 29 pound wolf springs in the bolts because I was having problems when it got down to 10 below zero getting a one strike fire. That isn't a problem any longer. I can place the loaded rifle in the freezer for a week and it will still fire when I remove it.
I like my Remington's and would not trade either for any thing on the market today even the new Ultimate one.
:eyebrownod: Al