Remington is in full production with a new bolt-action handgun, the Model 700 CP. Though this is Remington’s second bolt-action handgun, the Model 700 CP looks nothing like the now discontinued XP-100.
Will this new iteration have the 30+ year staying power of the original? Guns.com takes a closer look at the Model 700 CP.
Meet the Remington 700 CP
Guns.com dives the Remington’s newest bolt-action pistol, the Remington 700 CP. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)
The majority of XP-100 pistols were single shots, but the new CP is a tactically inspired, magazine-fed mutant. The Model 700 CP comes built as one of the only bolt-action repeater handguns. The new CP—short for chassis pistol—is based on the Remington 700 bolt action system. More specifically, the new CP is a modified version of the company’s 700 Precision Chassis Rifle.
The target market seems to be an even mix of long-range target shooters as well as hunters, even holding an appeal to tactical customization.
The short action CP is initially offered in a trio of chamberings: .223 Rem, .300 Blackout and .308 Win. Barrel length sits at 10.5-inches on the two smaller calibers and 12.5-inches on the .308 Win. The pistol opts for a threaded muzzle for easy mounting of suppressors or brakes. The CP 700 also ships with a thread cover.
Each pistol ships in the company’s heavy green cardboard box along with a single 10-round P-Mag. A full-length Picatinny rail makes for easy optics mounting. The company’s X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger can be set from 3.5-pounds up to 5.5-pounds. Our test gun’s trigger pull broke just over 4-pounds.
Features are similar to the big brother rifles, with a two-position safety just behind the extended, knurled bolt handle. Magpul’s MIAD pistol grip finishes off the company’s chassis stock, which provides a QD mount at the rear, along with the M-LOK handguard.
Field Notes
The bolt action 700 CP pistol offers a threaded barrel, ships with a Magpul P-Mag and has a rear QD sling mount that can be removed to make room for a pistol brace. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)
Our test pistol in .308 weighs in just over 6-pounds bare but loading up the 10- round magazine and adding a riflescope pushes it closer to 8-pounds. The weight is welcome in absorbing some of the recoil, as there’s significant muzzle rise in what is traditionally a rifle chambering. The M-LOK forend makes it easy to mount accessories like a bipod for bench shooting. Hunters wishing to carry the CP afield will find an included single-point QD sling adapter at the rear for easier toting.
The oversized magazine release lever, located aft of the mag well, works well even with shooting gloves. The included Magpul magazine is a welcome addition to those accustomed to firing single-shot bolt actions. We also appreciated the full-length Picatinny rail as it allows shooters enough room for optics mounting. Either handgun or riflescopes can be successfully utilized on the CP.
The standard finish is hardcoat anodized with black Cerakote. Additionally, Remington offers a Veil TAC Blue camouflage finish option. This certainly speaks more to a tactical or bench-rest crowd than the hunting market.
Though it didn’t interest us for hunting-related purposes, shooters can remove the sling mount at the rear where the buffer tube would normally attach and affix an aftermarket pistol brace. In that same vein, Remington recently announced the coming of a 700 CP Brace Variant already fitted with an SB Tactical pistol brace. This, of course, expands the use of the otherwise niche bolt-action handgun.
Range Time
The CP 700 worked well alongside a variety of .308 Win ammo. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)
For the sake of accuracy testing, we mounted a Leupold VX-3 Handgun optic in 2.5-8×32 for testing. We packed ammo cans with a nice mix of .308 Win ammo and headed to the indoor range.
The CP was quick to zero but delivers its share of recoil from the bench. Controlled with a bit of practice, it takes some time for shooters to become accustomed to the pistol. It should go without saying, but the CP cycled all types of ammunition well and punched out practical groups on target.
Our CP got a legit dose of the elements during our Midwest winter accuracy testing. During an outdoor range session, it endured biting cold temperatures and a bit of wind. The CP 700 fired Federal Gold Medal Berger 185-grain Open Tip Match, Hornady Outfitter 165-grain GMX, Barnes Vor-TX in 150-grain TTSX, Nosler Custom Competition 168-grain HPBT and Sig Sauer Elite Hunter Tipped 165-grain during the range visit.
Three shot groups hovered right around MOA with every brand, with our best three-shot 100-yard group measuring 0.89-inches. We just spent time with the Nosler Independence bolt-action handgun which features a center-grip chassis; thus, the rear-grip on the CP 700 was a bit of a changeup and took some time to acclimate. Without placing the non-dominant hand forward, the pistol can be a handful. A suppressor or muzzle brake would be a welcome tamer on the 700 CP in .308 Win.
Hits and Wishes
The extended Picatinny rail atop the pistol allows shooters ample room for either an extended eye relief pistol scope or even a traditional rifle scope. (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com)
We were a bit surprised to see the fairly short barrel lengths as a few extra inches would benefit cartridge performance. That said, the longer barrels would not play as well with the idea of the Brace Variant pistols, where short and maneuverable is the name of the game. Serious, right-handed handgun bench shooters might also find themselves wanting a left-handed bolt and ejection port to stay in the gun from shot to shot.
The hits, however, are many, especially for those awaiting Remington’s re-launch into bolt-action factory production handgun territory. Whether hunting, target shooting or re-defining the lines of a modified SBR, the 700 CP is expanding the customer base of the old-fashioned bolt pistol.
Remington 700 CP models start with an MSRP of $1,020 with the Veil TAC Blue camo versions coming in slightly higher.
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