40x Rimfire question

[Pyscodog]

I picked up a Remington 40-X in 22 LR today at the Tulsa Wanenmacher show. Not the most knowledgeable on the 40-x rifles, what is the main difference in the U.S. marked rifles and the others? Or is there? Mine looks like a Govt. rifle but it has no markings. Its the full bull barrel in the dark oil finished stock. I looked on line to find out when it was made and the differences but didn't have much luck so I thought I would ask here. I think I got a good one, metal is nice and the stock is in very good shape as well. I got home early and stuck a scope on it, headed to the range and put some rounds through it just for testing function and its a shooter, I had some wind but it still shot very respectable groups at 50 yds,

 

[1Merlin]

There is a fairly active group over at Rimfire Central.... Posting over there will generally get a response or two.
I have a rifle from 1962 and it shows a definite preference for Eley products.

 

[TrxR]

Earlier models have a straight bolt handles and newer were swept back.

Earlier ones were 722s and the newer were 700s ive got an earlier model made in 1959 im not sure the exact year for the change.

 

[Cemetery21]

I shot them in military smallbore matches. But, I don't remember if the US rifles were parkerized. If they were, that would make them easy to distinguish from commercial polished/blued rifles.
Someone here knows.

 

[Pyscodog]

Mine has a swept back handle, also has a blued finish.

 

[1911nut]

The US marked 40X’s I’ve seen are marked like this.

 

[Cemetery21]

Well, that one is polished, so unless it's refinished, I was wrong thinking they might have been parked.

 

[TrxR]

I don't remember ever seeing anything about them ever being parkerized in the research i done when i bought mine.

Well, that one is polished, so unless it's refinished, I was wrong thinking they might have been parked.

 

[Pyscodog]

Mine has no U.S. markings. Are the ones marked U.S. better/worse than those that aren't marked? Are they worth more being marked U.S.? Sorry for all the questions. I'm an old dog just trying to learn something. A 40-X rimfire has been on my bucket list for some time. Now I have to figure out what I bought.

 

[Hozzie]

What is the serial number? Is bolt handle knurled? Does the serial number on the bolt match the gun? Is the barrel the same diameter as the action or slightly smaller? This can tell us a lot. If it has a B on the end of the serial and it has a knurled bolt knob, it is 700 based and is the "newer" version. That includes some updates to the trigger I believe.

I have two 40XB's in the 34000B serial range that were part of the builds for the Air Force. They are not USMC marked, but were built under the same govt type contract as the USMC rifles. They were also sold from CMP.

 

[STS]

Earlier models have a straight bolt handles and newer were swept back.

Earlier ones were 721s and the newer were 722s ive got an earlier model made in 1959 im not sure the exact year for the change.

Well no, not exactly. The 721 is the long action version centerfire and the 722 was the short action. The early 40-x rimfires, prior to 1962, were all 722 model based rifles. There were never any long action .22 rimfire rifles. The swept bolt handle actions are the .22 version of a 700 which began in 1962. Above is a nice example of a CMP 40-X rimfire.

 

[TrxR]

Thanks for the correction . I always seemed to get tripped up in the model numbers somehow.

Well no, not exactly. The 721 is the long action version centerfire and the 722 was the short action. The early 40-x rimfires, prior to 1962, were all 722 model based rifles. There were never any long action .22 rimfire rifles. The swept bolt handle actions are the .22 version of a 700 which began in 1962. Above is a nice example of a CMP 40-X rimfire.

 

[Pyscodog]

Well it does have knurling on the bolt handle, the barrel is slightly smaller than the action, 28" long and .985ish at the muzzle. Serial on the bolt does not match the action, serial number on the action is 34372B.

 

[justinp61]

The US marked 40X’s I’ve seen are marked like this.

View attachment 1248174

Mine is marked the same, also polished blued finish.

 

[Hozzie]

Well it does have knurling on the bolt handle, the barrel is slightly smaller than the action, 28" long and .985ish at the muzzle. Serial on the bolt does not match the action, serial number on the action is 34372B.

That would be one of the Air Force 40XB Heavy Barrels. They ended around serial number 35000. Not sure exactly where they started. My two are consecutive serial numbers in the 344xx range so not far at all from yours. My bolts don't match either. One is about 100 off and the other 1000 if I remember. Yours is certainly a CMP gun.

 

[Pyscodog]

Thank You Guys for all the information!! Its very helpful and interesting as well.

 

[TrxR]

At one time you could email Remington with you serial number and the could tell you the date it was made. With the state of Remington now I dont know if you still can or not.

 

[justinp61]

At one time you could email Remington with you serial number and the could tell you the date it was made. With the state of Remington now I dont know if you still can or not.

You can call them. but from my understanding the s/n is not a reliable way to date a 40X. There is a 4 digit code on the barrel close to the receiver on the left side.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=4265

Lots of info here.

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[butchlambert]

At one time you could email Remington with you serial number and the could tell you the date it was made. With the state of Remington now I dont know if you still can or not.

The serial number will only give an approx. date. The barrel code is the only way to know month and year.

 

[XTR]

About the only time I've seen government marking make one have more or less value is if it's USMC marked and has a matching bolt. There are some pretty dedicated fans of USMC gear out there. (e.g., prices for 10x Unertl sniper scopes) Otherwise I've really not noticed any difference in value.

Just my observation from the www