Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Took it in the shorts on a promising deal.

Semi-local individual (a seemingly honest, older gentleman) had a early 70's Remington 760 BDL in 30-06 for sale. After negotiations, I got it very reasonably, but not super cheap. Basically an immaculate gun, that obviously hasn't been shot hardly at all. The bluing is 99.9%, and the wood is perfect. He claimed to be the original owner (originally from Pennsylvania, which made total sense, since the 760/7600 Remingtons are all the rage there.

I'm a life-long bolt action guy, and the only reason that I even considered this gun was because of the price, and the fact that I had fond memories of a 760 Carbine that I had back in the mid-80's that was scary accurate.

So I get it home, and tear it down for a thorough cleaning. Everything checks out fine. The last thing that I did was remove the scope mount filler plugs, because I intend to scope it. The rear two screws come out fine. The front two just spin in their holes. WTF? Come to find out, the previous owner evidently tried to mount a scope at one time, and stripped the front two holes. He masterfully hid the fact that he overtorqued, and stripped out the front two holes.

Now I'm faced with having to have my gunsmith open up, and retap the holes to a larger size. Probably not a high dollar fix, but it absolutely ruined the joy of being able to enjoy an otherwise nice "blast from the past" rifle.

I'm just venting here. I probably should have done a better job at examining the rifle at the point of sale. I'm not sure what I could have done differently, other than bring my own set of gun screwdrivers. I just pisses me off to no end that one gun enthusiast would put the screws to another over a $375 gun.

No you are not screwed. Brownells makes special "fixer" screw for exactly the problem you have. 800-741-0015 Ask to speak to a tech.

Put em' in with red locktite and you'll be set for life.

Thanks interthem. I'll shoot them a call on Monday. This whole situation has me mad as heck.

Yes.

For a clean otherwise 7600 for 375 bucks, I would smile and have the thing retapped for 8 x 40 screws and count myself a lucky dog!! Hell I had a bubba when mounting a 6 x 42 mm leupold on my 7mm RM, strip one of ring screws. He never said a word, doing that ok it happens, not saying a word and expecting more business well, I don't buy stuff there anymore, Saw him at the Cabelas a while back,I bought some stuff, he asked why I didn't pick up the items has his store its closer and a little less. I said I would but somebody stripped a screw on a mount for my 7mm RM Blaser and didn't say a word. He looked like I kicked the family dog. I can forgive a mistake or if something is small issue with a rifle, what I can't stand is the lying about it. And the funny thing is that I bought the scope from him, and forty or so rifles over the years to boot. That didn't matter one wit.

8 x 40 's

why thats not an industry standard is beyond me.

+1

I don't blame you for being pissed that the guy was dishonest, but ya hardly " took it in the shorts".

As said, 8x40.

$375 for an otherwise mint 760 ain't a bad deal.

(I have an old one that came from PA as well, things are everywhere up there!)

the larger thread size results in a stronger more solid scope mount, Ive had new guns re-tapped to larger screws your golden!

Did you guys ever consider the fact that the older guy might have done this years and years ago and forgot so?

Old men forget lots of stuff.

Forgetting to tell me you stripped out the scope mount holes on a gun your selling me is not gonna do ya any favors. If I was actually concerned about it, I would negotiate remuneration for needed repairs. As this is an easy fix, I ain't concerned, if it were mine.

The only thing that has kept me from summoning Bricktop to go lay the smacketh on that old man's candy a$$ is the fact that dementia might well have caused him to forget using his Pre-WWII Kung Fu grip on the screwdriver when he tried to mount a scope.

He knew better than to put a scope on an Amish assault rifle anyway.

"Me-thinks he does protest too much"

Somewhere in the last FOURTY years , some scope mount threads got stripped, and you're pissed ?

Did he say that he ever tried to mount a scope ?

IF he got it new, it may have come to him with the threads pooched.

Caveat Emptor

don't you just know he was putting on see-throughs?

Well...YEAH.

Nothing says Pennsylvania like a 760 with see-thrus!

You can tell the size of a man by the size of the things that vex him.
I'd take it back and demand he give you your money back. Imagine, buying a USED gun that wasn't in pristine condition.

I'll give your money back just send me your contact info.

Said the man with 7603006 for a campfire handle.

It wasn't the fact that I expected a pristine gun. It was the fact that a man compromised his integrity, and lied to me when I asked him if it had ever been scoped. I don't appreciate your "peanut gallery" comments regarding "my character". Who the hell are you to judge me in such a cowardly fashion? I've never jeopardized my integrity, or would I ever consider it, be it $0.37 or $37k. That isn't my style.

Look, I don't have 2000 posts on this board, primarily because I don't make cowardly comments toward other members of this board. I've been around here for a hell of a long time, and I appreciate the vast knowledge and experience of 99% of the people who post here. It's the 1% of the disrespectful and arrogant antagonists, like you, that create unnecessary drama to prop up their own self-esteem, that disrupt the goodness of this forum.