Remington 721 Question

[2000gtacoma]

Local guy to me has a remington 721 in 3006 in pretty good condition. Are those decent rifles/actions to build on?

 

[Eagle1899]

Extractor is the weak spot. Either it works or it will need replaced with a M16 or Sako style.

The receiver is also Not cut for a 700 style side safety.

 

[snert]

Depends on the price and the build intended.

As 1899 mentioned, the 722/721 series had an extractor that is difficult to unobtainable, should it break. Given these are guns built 70 years ago....
As far as the safety thing...the 721 has a wider tang than the 700, and the safety arm on 700 compatible triggers will not "reach" around it. You can bubba this in several ways...heat and bend a factory safety arm works, or releive the reciever.
If you can get it cheaply and are building a hunting rifle, sure, you can build off of it. Keep on mind the bolt is straight, and a 700 stock will again have to be releived at the bolt cut out.

All that said I built an economy 40X clone on one (722) and ended up happy because I leveraged the cost of the gun, selling the parts I didn't need, using an already chambered barrel (used) and a cheap 40X stock ($50) from Numrich. Ive shot the crap outta that 222 for twenty years.

If I were to do it all over now, I would start with a 700 or even better, a custom.

 

[47WillysGuy]

721 in a .270. I broke the original extractor and found another, it doesn’t fit quite right. Bolt end is peened over preventing a descent fit for the extractor. Good luck.

 

[Eagle1899]

I have a 721 that I keep debating on what to do with. The extractor is marginal at best. Barrel is pitted and does not shoot very well.

By time I have the extractor fixed, action trued, primary extraction corrected, scope mount holes opened/aligned, bluing or coating I'm at the price or even above some aftermarket actions. So, for now it sits...

 

[Just Say Moe]

I have one in 300 H&H and love it. I read about extractor failures, so I grabbed and extra one about 10 years ago. I needed it last year and replaced it. I have gotten Remington 700 synthetic stocks, relieved the "dog knot" in the barrel channel and "straightened" the bolt recess with epoxy before painting the stock. I found an early 40x trigger with the short safety and replaced my perfectly good trigger just for fun. All of this over the last 36 years.

They make fine deer rifles and you can do a few things inexpensively, but as stated above, if you are doing a serious build, you won't be money ahead.

 

[nmkid]

I guess I better start looking for an extra extractor. I've had my 721 for almost 35 years.

 

[Bill K]

To answer your question, Yes. If the price is

Local guy to me has a remington 721 in 3006 in pretty good condition. Are those decent rifles/actions to build on?

good, buy it, have the Sako extractor fitted into the bolt and then go from there with the action on a rebuild or shoot as it, if it is still holding decent 30-06 accruacy. I would also have it re-crowned, if you do use the 30-06 barrel.

 

[AZmark]

They are great actions....I have the 722 built in 1948 which is just the short action version so other than that its identical. It was a 257 Roberts when I bought it cheap at a gun show as the barrel was rusted. I re-barreled it to 7mm08 when Remington first started making factory ammo in the early 80's and have used it extensively with no problems at all. Both my sons used it when first starting hunting as did one Daughter-in-law. It still had the original extractor in it and was working fine but my grandson will be using it this year on his first deer hunt so I decided to have the mini M16 extractor installed so shipped it up to Kampfeld Custom a couple weeks ago. Don't go with a Sako extractor, the miniM16 is a much better/safer choice..google that and read up on it.

 

[swd]

721’s are decent but you would be better off with one of the good budget 700 clones. The are some actions out there that are much better than any Remington for great prices.

 

[nakneker]

Depends on the price, if it’s a deal then I would say it’s worth it. What’s a deal? Depends on what’s important to you. I like those old rifles and have had a few. If they are not pitted, good bore, undamaged bolt face, bluing is in good shape, crown isn’t dented or beat up and the stocks isn’t beat up then I’d be interested. Anything under 350.00 for a rifle like I just described is a good deal in my book. Many of the cleaner ones are going for more now days, some much more. I currently have a 722 in 300 savage I’ve been enjoying, hope to find one in 257 Roberts some day. I’ve never had the extractor issue I’ve seen mentioned several times, probably just jinxed myself but they’ve always worked fine for me. There are other actions you could buy that might be a better way to go but I like those old vintage rifles, there’s something special about them in my opinion.

 

[2000gtacoma]

Guy is asking $375. Looks to be fairly clean.

 

[nakneker]

Guy is asking $375. Looks to be fairly clean.

Check out what I mentioned above, ask if he’s firm on the price. If it’s clean you certainly won’t loose any money if you resell it and if he moves on the price even better.

 

[butchlambert]

Guy is asking $375. Looks to be fairly clean.

If you don't want it, let me know.