E-tronic — Shoot Different - Remington introduces electronic ignition Model 700 rifle

Guns Magazine, Feb, 2000 by Jon R. Sundra

Remington is rumored to be ready to introduce its long-awaited electronic ignition Model 700. Word has it that it's being called E-tronic.

If the rumors are true, I'll be telling you about it soon enough, so I won't go into any great detail here. However, for those of you who haven't heard about this ongoing project at Remington, it is basically a Model 700 converted to electronic rather than mechanical ignition.

Unless there have been some major changes since I first saw and shot the rifle four years ago, outwardly the gun will look pretty much like the 700 we're all familiar with. The changes are all on the inside in the form of an entirely new fire control system. There's no cocking piece, mainspring or firing pin inside the conventional-looking bolt; instead there's an electrode powered by a battery housed in the buttstock that's activated by a micro-switch trigger.

The only difference in ammo is in the primer. In other words, an E-tronic .22-250, for example, is still a .22-250 and can be reloaded in the conventional manner with conventional dies, powder, and bullets; only the primer will be different.

The E-tronic was supposed to be introduced last year, but some last-minute glitches and all the activity surrounding the introduction of the .300 Ultra Mag convinced Remington to postpone it for a year.