I was given a 721 in .270 Win. The cartridge doesn't float my boat so I thought of using the action for a donor and convert to a 338-06 or some such. Is this a decent action use? Since the orginal stock will require too much TLC and the trigger will be replaced, would said action with a Timney trigger fit into a CDL take off?

Thanks.

snomer

The 721 was discontinued 40 years ago and is a collectors item, depending on the condition. If it is all original you may want to reconsider. You might be able to sell it for more than the cost of a long M700, action only, which aren't that hard to find.

Ray

It would make a nice donor action. I recommend a .300 H&H.

300 H&H = bolt face alteration = more $$$$

Ray

They are nearly identical to the Mod 700 REM. The bolt handle is shorter and straight and the extractor is different (not much). I found that, I assume because of there era, that the threads were way out of alignment with the reciver bore. I chased the threads until I got full cut and then worried that the barrel shank might be too large for the recoil lug (it wasn't). I put on a 700 bolt handle, 700 bottom metal, and a SAKO style extractor and it came out quite nice. By the way, anyone who wants to give me "collector value" for a 722 in .300 Savage, let me know.

If you plan on building a custom, on a 721,
I would look to Williams for a hinged floor plate.
You would need a new mag , spring and follower.
there are tons of different stocks that would fine.
An hs precision is not very expensive , and a good stock for those who don't have a strong preference for wood.
I like your choice of calibers but I would probably go with the 35 Whelen.
You could have ER shaw rebarrel you rifle and they do it prety cheeply.
For either a 338 or a 35 I would be quite happy with a shaw barrel.
While not as likly to be extreemly acurate , as say a Hart or a Pac-nor, it sure should shoot well enough for 300 yards give or take 50.
I like the 722 action myself...tj3006

It is almost impossible to find extractors for 721-722's. If you have a failure you need a $200.00 sako extractor. I'd only build on a 700 or 30 action.

I took a look at a 721 the other day in 300 HH. I passed due to it having a new stock but the price was right if someone wanted a donor for another project. The rest of the rifle is quite sound, and it feel like a very comfortable rifle to throw up and shoot.
Frank

These old actions are fine platforms to build a good hunting rifle on. From reading some of the posts here, I suggest you contact a smith who has actually built a rifle on a 721 or 722. There are subtle differences between these actions and the 700 series.

I got a M721 Rem .30-'06 for my first rifle at age 12, I still have it but it is now a .280 Rem (marked 7mm Express Rem). It also now has a M700 bolt handle, and a Canjar trigger, and is mounted in a McMillan M700 stock.

The extractor is still stock, and has not broken.

Remington made about a bizmillion of the M721/722, and I admit to thinking they don't have any special collector value.

jim

721's are pretty stout actions, and the barrels are usually pretty accurate. They would, as pointed out, take some work to make into a nice custom type rifle. But they work pretty good as is.

even the 700 action needs work and benefits from a sako extractor. If you already have a 721 in hand, and paid little or nothing for it, you are ahead of the game. If you have as much as a 700 action would cost in the 721, then I'd sell it or trade it for a 700 action and go from there.

quote:

Remington made about a bizmillion of the M721/722, and I admit to thinking they don't have any special collector value.

jim

I wholeheartedly agree. Just because something is old or discontinued, does NOT make it valuable as a collector's item.

Remington 721s are VERY EXCELLENT everyday working rifles. They can also be made into anything a similar length Model 700 action can, because, except for bottom metal, bolt handle shape, and cosmetic finish, they ARE what became called the M 700 long action. They also accept any trigger which will fit a M700, though the one they came with is finely adjustable too.

They make excellent donors, especially for ADL-style rifles where the bottom metal doesn't matter as it is not used, and I currently have at least half a dozen which have been converted to both nice switch-barrel sporters and winning level competition rifles.

I built a custom on a M-721 barreled action in 300 H&H.....but would not advise it again as a M-700 is a better action to start with and is not expensive to find.

I'd trade the 721 for a M-700 BDL and rebarrel to .338-06 if you like.

If you really want to go ahead with the M-721, I have a excellent stock for that action and would make a real deal on it.....