Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Got a chance to buy an old rem 700. 1963 6mm carbine.

Test fired it. It doesn't jam. Goes bang every time. Very good condition. Weaver mounts. Scope chief 3-9 with command post also in very good condition. 500 bucks.
It's flippen ungodly loud tho. Already looking at barrels but really don't need another project. I'm probably going to buy it. Anyone have any history with these old carbines? First time I ever laid eyes on one personally.
Rob.

I think you just got the cream of the Remington crop! Merry Christmas!

Were they known to jam?

I certainly wouldn't rebarrel it if the barrel is in good condition. That's where the value is. A carbine 6MM. To many other S/A Remington 700's out there on the cheap if you want a project.

The barrel looks great! It's just so damn loud my ears were ringing after 3 shots with muffs on. I had no idea they were scarce. Im buying more for the action or trade bait potential. I dont exactly live in rifle country so don't see alot of variety of rifles, although I know most of the local 'connasuers '. We tend to have good stuff.I'll likely find a good load for it and see how it does.

if i understand correctly, those were made in 1963.

some of the ones made in 1963 in 6mm were roll marked on the barrel "6MM REM. MAG.", with the word "mag" "x'ed" out before leaving the factory--due to a change of heart (you know everything back then just about had to be "magnum", even if it wasn't). i believe this occurred at the time when they went from the .244 rem. designation to 6mm rem...and some do say that the version with the "mag" x'ed out has more value, as there weren't many--but i surely don't know.

am wondering/guessing, but is your rig an adl?

they are a neat rig--i've only seen one that was ever for sale...

short barreled rifle rigs (ie., from about 18 to 21 inches), are a favorite of mine--something i came to appreciate over time--only to have that conclusion driven further home by my old bud Savage, who used them almost exclusively in predator hunting...

There is an assembly date code on the left side of the barrel, just forward of the recoil lug, consisting of 2 alpha characters.

The 12 months codes for January thru December are B/L/A/C/K/P/O/W/D/E/R/ X and the year code for 1963 is K.

I have a 700 ADL, SN 579xx, that was assembled in March 1963, AK assembly code, that has the barrel stamped 6MM REM MAG with MAG X'd out with an over-stamp of 4 Xs.

If it is original, I think that it would have good trade value, particularly if it has the 6MM REM MAG barrel stamp.

It's a bdl with white line before black for end tip. The stock finish looks extra lacquered. Wood has some kisses and marks but nothing gauging wood. Bluing great.
No xxx out mag. Just stamped 6mm remington. Likely keep it as is.

Cool. Even though I said I'mm gonna stop buying guns I don't need, the M700 "carbines" with the 20 in bbl are appealling to me. And it would break my heart to see you tear it apart for a build.......

Downside? It'doesn't have the anti-bind feature. Although it won't jam, it can slow down the second shot a skosh. Need to keep it clean and lubed.

My first big game rifle was a 1962 M700 in 270. I also have a "Custom Deluxe" (renamed the BDL a few years later) 30-06 with a bbl code of December, 1961 and the receiver serial number in 1962. It is possibly a first production run rifle.

Casey

Good!
And as I mentioned, the BDL's were originally called Custom Deluxe until about '66 or so. When Dupont bought Remington in the late 50's, they started using that Dupont high gloss finish. I've seen a couple M725's (the transition rifle between the M721 and M700) with the high gloss finish.

Casey

Bob Hagel had one of the 6mm carbines.. He loved it.. I followed his stories on it for years.. Then he had it change to 25/284.. When I finally got to meet him, I ask about that rifle.. He said he just loved that little carbine.. But one morning he ran too many hot loads on a 110 degree day too fast though the little rifle while shooting ground squirrels.. Told me the throat was shot out.. But he had shot it for years by then.. So the rebarrel job.. Great find enjoy..

When the 700 was introduced in '62 all the standard calibers had 20" barrels. Is that what this is, or did they make "carbines" with 18" barrels?

The only real negative is the ridiculously slow twist barrel. I have an only slightly newer standard BDL in 6mm and it shots extremely well with light bullets but fades fast with heavies.

I thought the change to 9" twist was made when they were marked 6mm Remington.

I bought a 6mm 600 carbine when they first came out. Accurate beyond belief. Usually, three touching @100. Talk about loud. I. Still carry ear damage from it. I sold it after about five years and not much use.

Best,

Jack

Yes, the standard chamberings had 20" bbls, just often referred to as "carbines" to distingush them from the later 22" bbls.

Casey

That's the one thing I try to tell people when they want a "portable" 20" or 18" bbl--they are noticebly louder than 22" or 24" bbls. Don't know why, but there seems to be a threshold from 22" to 20" bbls in the standard cartridges.

This is especially notable when buying a rifle for kids. I think muzzle blast has a lot to do with perceived recoil for youngsters.

Casey

To my knowledge, they actually began changing the twist with the old M722 the last couple years of production, but were still marked 244 Rem.

Casey

Even with the twist change Remington handicapped them for today's bullets.

I don't know about the 722 barrels in 244, but the 725 barrels in 244 were changed to 1-10" ROT at some point,although I don't know when the change from 1-12" to 1-10" took place. I thought that it was when Remington introduced the 725 in 1958, but there are some 725 with 1-12" ROT barrels and they don't appear to be chronological by serial number. My 725 in 244 has a 1-10" ROT barrel and so do 2 loose 725 barrels with early 1960s assembly codes that I have floating around somewhere.

I believe that all 6MM barrels were cut 1-9" ROT.