Growing up my Dad used the 721 in 30-06 with leupold scope. My uncle and there huntin buddy both went through different calibers and manufactures but that's the only rifle my dad ever used and harvested his fair share of elk and deer and I never heard him mention any issues. He ended up giving me the rifle and the only issue I ever had was from poor maintenance the bolt got so dirty the firing pin wasn't striking the primer off so I took it too a gunsmith and they took the bolt apart and cleaned it and it also re-blued the gun and it's been great since. I own a few rifles but the machining and bolt action on the 721 is by far the tightest smoothest action of any modern rifle I've had my hands on. The only thing I'd change on it which is something I've never even looked into but I'm sure there's options out there is the trigger. It's a little heavy for me but that's it. My humble opinion is it's a great reliable rifle.
Experience with Remington 721?
- Thread starter Oldillini
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So I probably going to catch some **** for this, but I stripped down a 721 in 30-06, sold off the stock, bottom metal and bolt to collectors. I milled out a small portion of the action so a newer style REM 700 trigger safety selector can fit. I then bought a custom fluted magnum bolt from PTG, new fire control, trued the action, milled out the bottom to accept CIP length Hawkins Hunter mags, cerakoted the action and used it for a new build in 6.8 Western on a AG Composites Alpine hunter stock I then bedded. The action face turned out to be very close to square. I actually shot the barrel out already testing almost every .277 bullet out there and now it is waiting on a Carbon Six prefit chambered in 30 Nosler that I ordered in early November. I did something similar with a 722 chambered in 222 REM. I turned that into a nice 7 SAUM with a Mack Brothers bolt, and milled out action for extended 2.95" COL Hawkins Hunter mags, on an AG composites as well. The 722 I left blued as it still looked good when I was done. I just cold blued the area I milled for the trigger safety. I did a 700 SA in 6.5 PRC with a Mack Bros bolt and a 700 LA mag is awaiting a new barrel. Was thinking 7 WSM to use up the stash of brass I got, throat it for 180 bergers? Those two got Alum-Hyde coating from brownells. Not bad, but not my favorite coating. I am not a gun smith, did not go to school for it, just an engineering manager who loves building guns and invested in some tools. If anyone wants to know intimate details of the difference between a 700 and 721 or 722, I am your man. Please scold away for ruining these classic rifles.
I sure can't scold you for what you have done. A couple years ago I had a 722 on .308 that was I got from a guy that owed me $150.00. It was in rough shape and shot patterns, not groups. I picked up a fluted Wilson barrel with a Senduro profile, a Timney trigger and a Woox Wildman chassis. I had the bolt fluted and it was sent out with the new barrel and action to be nitrite treated. I had to modify the safety lever since I did not have the action machined to clear it before the melonite nitride treatment. I have just started working up loads for it. This weekend I will install a new Salmon River Solutions Muzzle brake that just arrived on Monday. It was chambered in the old boring .308 Winchester.
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Chokoloskee Joe
Well-Known Member
I have owned a 1950 (same vintage as me) Remington 721 in 30.06 for many years. One of my favorite hunting rifles. On a deer hunt some years ago in North Florida, we set up a target at 400 yards to do some target shooting for fun one afternoon. This old rifle printed a 2-inch group much to my surprise. It has an excellent factory trigger. The only change I have made is to replace the original stock (that I saved and refinished) with a Boyds stock that has a higher comb for the scope. The action is smooth as glass and loads all ammo perfectly.
FarmerMatt
Active Member
My mom had a 722 in 257 Roberts, my brother currently has it although it was in my safe for a while. Very accurate with almost any ammo we fed it..
Bought a Remington 721 , .270 used when I got out of the Army in 1970, second owner. To this day it shoots bugholes at 100 with virtually any factory ammo I feed it. For years I had a Redfield 2x7 Widefield on it and recently put a 3x36x56 scope on it. The extra magnification helps old eyes but didn't inprove the shooting. Did have a Timmney adjustable trigger installed a while back, that helped with a 2lb. pull. I use it for all my hunting.
Mike
The 722 and 721 are great rifles and are the grandfathers to the 700. In fact, the bolt patterns and the triggers are the same (except the safety lever). The barrels and receivers are rust blued and rumored to made from surplus WWII "ordnance" steel. The rear bridge, like the earlier 700's, is .017 lower than a post 1974 700, so when using newer scope rings the rear will need to be shimmed. The bolts are chrome lined making them much slicker than a 700. Obviously, most were hand built due to the manufacturing processes at the time. The original stock has considerable drop at the comb and are made for use with iron sights. The foot print is the same as a 700; however, if the rifle is restocked the bolt cut will need modification.
264WM
Well-Known Member
Still shoot my 721 I bought in 1968 chambered in 264 Win Mag which is the rifle in the photo on the left. In 2010 it received a new barrel. The only issue with it was the bolt handle came off when my dad was shooting it. A man my dad worked with did some kind of weld or solder to it that repaired it. has never came off and I shoot hot loads in it.
victor3ranger
Well-Known Member
I have a 721 270 and a 722 300 savage.
They are very good factory rifles.
They are very good factory rifles.
DarryH
Well-Known Member
The stocks have a bit more drop than the 700 series, since they were originally mostly used with iron sights. Bolt clearance with a scope can be an issue. Great guns though.
