The M700 is a sniper rifle of US origin. The Remington M700 was first introduced in 1962 and was intended for civilian use, such as target shooting and hunting. Right from the start the M700 gained a reputation for being a high quality rifle for good value. The adoption of the M700 as the M40 by the USMC in 1966 opened Remington's eyes for the potential of the M700 as a tactical rifle. With some modifications the M700 proved to be very useful in the tactical role.

The M700 is a bolt action rifle with a classical layout. The bolt design is fairly simple being a two lug rounded bolt. Barrels with various lengths and thickness are available. The civilian versions are available in a staggering 27 different calibers, excluding aftermarket conversions. The tactical models of the M700 family differ from the civilian ones while they are only available with heavy barrels and high quality synthetic stocks. The design allows for a variety of scope mounts, scopes and bipods to suit the user’s needs. The M40 and M24 military models have been extensively modified for the US military to deliver even better performance.

The tactical rifles in the M700 family are usually chambered in 7.62x51mm. There are two types of bolts available. The short action bolt can handle rounds up to 7.62x51mm in size, the long action bolt up to .338 Lapua. Most models have an internal magazine between 3 and 6 rounds in size depending on the model and the caliber. Since the 90's detachable magazines are available. Remington and the US military claim the effective range to be 800 meters. All M700 models deliver a sub MOA accuracy out of the box and barrel life is very good. While the M24 and M40 are fitted with high quality barrels their accuracy is better than their law enforcement counterparts and sub 0.5 MOA can be expected.

The M700 models are widely used by US law enforcement agencies. The M700 series tactical sniper rifles are cheaper than most dedicated military and law enforcement sniper rifles while delivering a very good performance. The M40 is mainly used by by the USMC and small numbers have been exported. The M24 SWS was the standard issue sniper rifle for the US army, but is to be supplemented or fully replaced by the M110 SASS. The M24 SWS was also widely exported.