Rem 721 Help

[Sgt_murf]

Greetings all, I obtained a Rem 721 in 30-06 for a possiable build into a Bench or Tactical rifle. The price that I obtained the rifle at was fair. But it goes against my grain to butcher a "collectable" this rifle is SN # 34166X which the sticky here places it in the 1953 era the stock has minor dings and scratches over all is in fair to good shape, but the factory alum butplate is long gone and replaced with a pachymer pad.The bore appears to be ok, the crown is not great, drilled and tapped for top mount the rear left of the receiver is drilled and tapped for aperture peep sight block all appear to be factory, the factory open sights are still in place and appear to be tight. Oh yes BTW the Safety Modifaction has not been done she will not open bolt with safety in the on position. Someone has had installed Sling swivels (Older versions appear to line up with 50's 60's era) on the stock.
The barrel however is what messes with me the date code do not line up per this site directions for reading the barrel codes:
44
F 77 (?)
I have attempted to type from left to right the codes on the barrel.
My dielema and question is this the orginal barrel? are the 721's coming into their own right as a collectable?

Question 2:
So yea or nay on building her for competition?

P.S. can someone advise the Length of pull as the rifle was shipped because if I decide not to modify her into a Comp gun I want to be sure that the stock has not been shorted with the addition of the recoil pad so that I can hunt down an orginal buttplate. Thanks for all the help

[Rem725]

I bet that F 77 is E ZZ

I would not concern myself very much about the collector value. Barrel wear, swivels, pad sounds pretty normal. Very good potential to build on. Have the action trued by the barrel fitter. Add a hinged floor plate and the safety modification is moot. Or if you just grind off the fraction of an inch safety tab that sticks up into the bolt flank, you do the same thing as the recall. Personally I just do not close the bolt as I cycle rounds from the magazine. Turn it a little sideways and let them fall out right after they pop up. It's not rocket science.

[The Rifleman]

I have to agree - to a point with REm 725.

As far as guns goes, there is nothing special about a model 721 - 30/06. Remington made lot's of them back then - and they were a cheap gun - compared to a Winchester Model 70 of the same era.

When my dad was in the US Navy in 1954, he bought one new at the PX, and probably didn't pay $45 for it. The model 70 Winchester was probably about $70 dollars - and much too expensive a gun for my dad.

As the story goes, now the Remington is worth $250 - $300 and the model 70 - if he would have bought a feather weight would be close to $1000 - depending on condition.

My only other advice would be that most calibers have already been done to death - and the future of building a bench rifle - from an x hunting rifle is going the way of the Dodo bird.

You're money would be better spent on a new rifle in the caliber of your choice and maybe one of those fancy carbon fiber barrels.
The quality of a modern firearm today, is much better then it was 30 years ago - when it was popular to build your own rifle.

Don't waste your money on a custom built gun when you can buy one off the shelf that will do everything that yours will for a fraction of the cost.

[remington600]

The best advice is to take it out and see how it shoots. Since there were so many made someone can not tell you that they all have hunting abuse. They may not have been expensive guns but that does not meen they will not out shoot a costly one. The even more budget friendly 788 is known to be EXTREMELY accurate. Take it out. Shoot it. I think you will be able to answere your own question.

[VNV26]

Sgt. Murf,

One year ago a friend of mine and I attended a Gun Show in search of a 721 .30-06 for him. After spotting some well used rifles I came upon a display with three 721's and a 725. The fellow said that these were late'40s and early '50s models. I replied "So am I!" which got a chuckle from all around and started a conversation. The seller noticed my Vet Cap and said he served as a USMC sniper in 'NAM. I replied I served as a Abn Ranger. He said he had been detached to a Ranger Unit for sniper missions but did not remember which Unit. I replied that in I Corps there was only one, O Company. I then asked if he remembered a Captain Hackworth. This got an exited response and he said that Hack was the first to refer to him and his fellow snipers as "Sea Going Bell Hops" This heated the Marines and they ran 5 Great Missions for Hack who conceded he would never refer to them as "Bell Hops" again. The seller made us a deal on two rifles if we would throw in a new Vet Cap. My friend got his '06 with iron sights and I got a .270 with an old Redfield 3x-9x. My rifle upon closer exam had not been abused but completely neglected. I worked on the bore for many days and carefully removed closet corrosion from the trigger mechanism. Put her back together and set up to fire. At 25 yards all five rounds went almost thru the same slot! At 100 the group stretched but would still have taken off a squirrels head. Thanks to this great site I found out we are both 1949 models.Take remington 600's advice and shoot that fine rifle as is. Love them 721's.

[Sgt_murf]

Thanks for the replies After some cleaning I now have plans for doing just that shooting her (besides after I reclaimed the stock with BLO and Beeswax 0000 steel wool you vets know how and what I done) the wife laid claim to the rifle Soooooo now she is safe from being stripped down and benchrested. I JB'd the bore, felt good all the way through the stroke, the rear is tapped for sight block so I'm in the market for a Redfield International as I have already acuired a scope for her. I have been looking around for a stock to bed to her so I don't mess with the factory stock I'm sure this ole girl will sorta push the wife around so I'm yhinking of loading some cast loads for her to shoot at the 100 yard line as well as some of the M72 that I have sitting around here.

There was no sanding on the stock the wife was amazed here is another pic

[digger]

i have a 721 in 270 ,,, a very sweet shooting gun,,, it is very accurate and i will never part with it,,, to me the 721 was one of the best guns ever built by remington,,,

[VNV26]

Sgt.murf,

Great job on that stock!