Remington 721

[fatelk]

Any thoughts on the Remington 721? I just passed one up for $200.

The stock looked ugly, had a hack job of a recoil pad on it, but the bore looked pristine. I know a model 700 stock will fit on it, but don't know if it would be worth bothering with. It seems like any good, solid old 30-06 should be worth $200 though. If I had any need for another 30-06 I might have bought it.

[Artful]

My Uncle had .270 in 721 that he loaned me - spoiled me for my surplus Mauser 7x57 - It was a great shooter with nice trigger. I'd probably bought to rehab and sell to someone that needed a good rifle inexpensively when starting out. (son, nephew, neighbor kid)

[Cornfused]

I restocked a 722, short action version of 721. 700 stocks are not quite 'drop in', maybe not worth the extra trouble, considering the cheap stamped trigger guard.

[Bret4207]

I can guarantee you will never, ever find another one for $200.00 or under for the rest of your life! I woulda bought it if I'd had the $$$. It seems every single time I pass one up I end up regretting it forever.

I like the 721/22 better than the 700, but that's just me.

[akajun]

Worse case scenario, you pick it up and sell the action to a competetion shooter for $250. They are basically the same as a 700.

[midnight]

I shot my first deer wirh a 721 in 300 H&H. A friend lent it to me cuz I didn't have a rifle. Many, many years later I bought it from him. Actually I traded him for it. I just felt I had to own that gun. A 300 H&H is more gun than I need for anything I hunt but I wouldn't part with it.

Bob

[skeettx]

He he he
The Rem 721 in 30-06 is my meat gun!!
Get it, do not change it, shoot it, love it




Mike

[Larry Gibson]

$200.....and you passed it up? Major sad face

Larry Gibson

[MattOrgan]

The worst thing you can say about the 721/722 Remingtons is the ugly bolt handle. Otherwise they are outstanding rifles. They will fit a model 700 stock; pretty much a drop in opporation, except for opening the stock up for the rear sight knot. If you must; replace the floorplate/trigger guard with Model 700 unit.

These actions are beautifully engineered and built. You won't find them as nice in any 700 , especially one that has a serial number with a prefix after 'C'.

I have a 722 in .222 Remington that shoots .5 inch groups all day. My 721 is a .300 H&H that is capable of an inch or so every time. This is with the factory stock and no re-bedding etc.

Next time you find a $200 722 or 721, let me know!

[Hardcast416taylor]

I picked up a 722 in .300 Sav. back in the late `50`s for a deer rifle. I put a new Weaver 3x scope on it and am still using it that way. It has a love of 150 gr. "J" bullets, even FMJ miltary bullets! The same weight holds fairly true with cast, the Lyman #311466 seems be its favorite. I`m afraid I would have hurt the sellers hand by slapping $200 into it!Robert

[Kraschenbirn]

Many, many moons ago, before I gained the wisdom to know better, I sold a 722 in .257 Roberts to a hunting partner because, for some wild-hair reason, I'd decided I just had to possess this heavy-barreled .22-250 that had caught my eye at Messing & Becker Sports. Well, that .22-250 lasted 'bout one season as my #1 coyote thumper...too darned heavy to lug up the hills and through the hollows...but, after nearly 40 years, my buddy still has that same .257 and I mentally kick myself every time I see it sitting in the rear rack of his safe.

Bill

[fourarmed]

721s are fine rifles. I have restocked them in synthetic stocks meant for both 700 ADL and BDL, and I definitely prefer to use the BDL stocks. You can adapt the 721 trigger guard very easily, whereas you have to buy a 700 ADL trigger guard if you go that way. They are lighter in the BDL stock, other things being equal, and neither one requires much modification. They are only slightly heavier than a typical 700 - mostly due to the longer barrel and the rear sight knot. The only negative I can think of is the extractor: they are hard or impossible to find if you need one, same as some of the earlier 700 extractors. In a pinch, the Sako type extractor can be installed in any of them.

[izzyjoe]

Man if you can find any center fire, that's not a milsurp for $200, grab it up if you have the cash. i have'nt seen, or heard of a deal like that in years! i've seen some real fine rifles built on the 721 action. can't go wrong there.

[Char-Gar]

I continue to be amazed by the number of younger shooters who do not recognize great vintage American rifles when they see one.

[dk17hmr]

$200.....gulp

I would have scooped that up. I had a 722 for awhile and loved it, got offered a good trade for it so I took I took it. Its really the only rifle I have gotten rid of that I miss.

[richhodg66]

I just gave a .300 Savage 722 to my brother I had worked with for about a year. They are good rifles, in fact, I liked it better tan the modern Remingtons I've worked iwth. A good .30-06 is worth $200.

[fatelk]

I continue to be amazed by the number of younger shooters who do not recognize great vintage American rifles when they see one.

Thank you for the compliment! I've been feeling old lately.

I stopped back by that shop, and of course it's gone. Somebody else got a good deal. The only thing I could see wrong with it was that someone had butchered the stock; barrel channel hogged out, excessively sanded, etc.

I helped a friend with some work on his 722 years ago. He had let the barrel rust out, and I worked for a gunsmith at the time. We put a take-off model 700 barrel, stock, and trigger on it. It seems the trigger took minor fitting. It turned out real nice.

I would have bought the 721 because I could see beyond the stock, but I already have a number of nice hunting rifles that I haven't used in years, and I really need to be on a gun-free budget lately. I've passed up several good deals lately, not because I don't have the money, but because you have to stop somewhere, and I have too many projects already. My wife is incredibly patient and understanding, but I don't want to push my luck with that too much.

[fatelk]

Well, you all shamed me into it. I'm usually not susceptible to peer pressure, but I gave in.

I went to the gun show this morning, and the shop that had the gun was there, as was the 721! I assumed since it wasn't on the rack the other day that it was sold. I even got it for a little less (195 with background check fee). I'll see if I can do something with the stock.

There were several good deals there this morning. A nice old Ithaca 37 for $150 and a steel-frame '51 Colt Uberti C&B for $115. I should have bought the Colt; I have a brass framed one but rarely shoot it because I don't want to wear it out. I saw a number of solid old $125 pump shotguns and $75 .22 rifles. Kind of like the good old days- if you like old guns to tinker with.

[dualsport]

What's the story on the safeties on the 721s? Any reason to be concerned? A buddy of mine wanted help picking his first deer rifle, we found a 721 30-06 for $225 with an old Bushnell 3x9 on it Has the crazy metal buttplate. He put it on layaway. I checked it, the bolt will open while on safe. Does this mean it's been retrofitted? Thanks. By the way, the thing is smooth as silk. He's all pumped up to go hog hunting. Marine back from Afgh. wanting some more trigger time.

[fatelk]

The bolt will open with the safety on, on this one too. I assume they were made this way, but can't say for sure. I can't see any sign that it's been messed with.