Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Remington model 121 Fieldmaster

Picked up one of these yesterday .I'm not very familiar with them. Bore is good , condition is 90%.
Barrel code says manufactured in December of 1947 . Tell me about them and what they are worth.

Thanks ,

Chris

Here's the info on them from Remington Arms archives: https://www.remarms.com/firearm-history/model-121-fieldmaster
Value depends on the condition and will vary from buyer to buyer, especially if sentimental memories are involved. I would first search the sold auctions on GunBroker to gauge values.

I bought a very clean Remington Model 121 about 25 years ago. I really enjoy shooting it and have taken many squirrels and several varmints with it. I usually use a scoped .22 rifle for hunting, but occasionally I like to go old school and the 121 is a favorite.

Nice ones are seldom seen less than $500 now days. OTH, I think some sellers are dreaming when pricing at say $750 & up. That takes very very mint condition &/or a smooth bore galley model.
Many got drilled & tapped on the left side or top of the receiver & unless you have to have a scope, those extra holes generally decrease value. Cracked wood hurts value of course & the fore arms on these can be seen cracked if they've been mistreated.

They generally function extremely well & Rem 22's of that era are usually Very accurate. I love the dang things, but haven't been able to lay hands on one locally for some time that was priced sensibly. I sold my last one that had been drilled with plans to get a nicer one, but it hasn't happened, yet. Been watching one on GB for 600 but a crack in the forearm at that price has held me back.

Hope you enjoy it!

Mine is mid 50's and nearly perfect. Accurate and smooth. Great shooter and it'll never get sold.

OOPS....1946

I have had several. Paid $500.00 to $ 900.00.

Sold 'em ,as I have more interest in Winchesters. The $500.00 was as good as it gets . It had a color case bolt, only one I have seen.

I had offered it here...... sold it to a Fed in Ohio for big bucks, from another forum.

As I think about it I probably had 4 or 5 for sale here. I don't have any now.

Nice rifles, the evolution of the Remington 12.

When I was a kid, my neighbor was the first person who I ever met who had an understudy .22 for his centerfire deer rifle, in this case the 121 was the understudy to his 141 in .32 REM. The 572s replaced the 121s as Remington's pump action .22s and are also nice rifles but, IMO, they lack the character of the earlier rifles.

Thanks for the info and replies gentlemen !

I sold one last year for 700, had some freckling on receiver but still in good condition

I agree.....the quality isnt even close, I had a 121 years ago......really liked it....got in a tough spot for money and had to let it go back then....

Picked one up for youngest son when in early teens. He is 40 now any still has it. Lots of class.

I bought a used 121 REM pump about 53 years ago. First year my wife and I got married. She love the gun but gave to our youngest grandson last year. I hope he will pass onto his children. The 22 is a very
Accurate rifle. Would never sell if I had another.
50 to 75 yds no problem.

I bought a Remington 121 a few months ago. The LGS had a price tag of $800.00 for it, but I trade a Thompson 1927 (S&W made) that I got on the cheap. I made out on the deal and the rifle is mint.

Was out squirrel hunting and happened upon a groundhog. Knew the den, had never seen one there, hunted the area for years.

Popped him w a Rem 121. Federal solid. Shot him and he ran to hole, shot again. Down he went. Ran up to den and he came out growling. A 3rd shot to the dome at spittin distance turned off the lights.

First 2 shots about an inch apart. Behind shoulder, D was proly 50 yards. Hit him broadside like you shot a deer. I think they might have even exited.

While not a record sized chuck, he was the biggest Ive ever killed out of a couple hundred. Was using my dads 121 and that thing shot those Fed solids great. No scale, but had scaled others ( when hunting chucks w HP rifle ).
Over 20# conservative guess.

Ive had three of the 572s two of em BDL.

If using iron's, the 121 is the way to go
Outclasses the 572 bigtime.

Father had a 121 in .22 LR, a 141 in .32 Rem and an 870 in 16 ga. I "took over" all 3 three when I was a teenager. All very well built guns.

Have my father's 121 which he purchased 2 months before Pearl Harbor. Is still in good condition.
Did a LOT of shooting with it while i was in high school. Put a Weaver B4 scope on it. It was very consistent out to about ~60 yards when i did my part.

Some snowshoe rabbits and grouse fell with it.

Later i moved to a part of Minnesota which had plenty of oak trees and gray squirrels.
local cottontails also met their end.

Wonderful rifle. I will soon give it to my grandson.

Great rifles, all milled steel and walnut, truly made the way they used to be.

This one was born in December, 1937. Metal finish is about 90%, wood has some scratches on the bottom of the buttstock but the overall finish is still in good shape, no flaking or varnishing at all. Somewhere along the line someone drilled the receiver with two 6x48 holes on .860 centers, which is okay since that allowed me to mount a Skinner peep sight. The front sight was too low so that got replaced with a Williams fiber optic. With that combo it, and I, can still ring a 3" steel disc at 75 yards pretty consistently.

86 years old and still going strong.

Also a 1947 121 and a 1920s 12. They shoot lights out. Picked each one up this year, paid 800 combined.

The 121 had an issue with ejecting because someone dry fired it enough it gouged the edge of the chamber. Smoothed it out bit by bit until it functions dependably now.

Don't dry fire.

Best 22 I've got.

Kent

Have a late 1936-37 unmolested Model 12.Great little 22.