Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing remington 721 questions

first question is would it make a good action for a custom build? what are the options for stocks and triggers for this action? would a 700 barrel fit the actions(thread size)? the reason i ask is i can get a rifle for 200 but not a 30-06 fan. thanks for all the help.

the barrel threads are same as 700- the triggers will swap but the safetys are different -the receivers are cut different for the safety lever .the stock will need to be modified for the safety

IMO the action is much better than the 700. Ken

There is almost no difference between the 700 and the 721. I prefer the 700 safety lever and that requires a little filing on the tang of the 721 for clearance. Cutting into the stock on a 700 to clear a 721 safety is backwards +P.

You can also use a 700 LA bolt in the 721 if you want to go with a magnum cartridge... and that avoids the occasionally problematic (and nearly impossible to replace) 721 extractor...

And all of the aftermarket 700 stuff will fit neatly on a 721...

thought about going with a 3 position safety like the ruger or winchester but if there isnt much difference might stay stock.so i culd swap la bolts out with no problem. sounds great thanks for the info

Actually that is not all true.

There is a bulge in the barrel which has to be cut out if you want the 721 barrel to fit in the model 700 stock.

The action is actually stronger then the model 700 and many a bench rest rifle has been built out of the model 721 action.

The question now becomes - what is wrong with a 30 - 06?

As others has said the 721 was the parent platform for the model 700 which was just a cheaper version with a slightly different safety - which Remington recalled a long time ago and a updated version was available for free for anyone who wanted one.

The bad part was that there was no trap door for easy unloading built into the stock for the model 721 and the aftermarket version was pricey.

Most of the stocks were really plain and the stock did not have a sufficient amount of drop and when you shot it more then a couple of times it would kick like a army mule and would turn your shoulder black and blue.

$200 is a real good price for one in good condition.

I have seen M721s and M722s with M700 barrels, bolts,
stocks, etc installed on them.

721/2 is in every way superior to 700. Smoother, real cut rifleing, better polish and blue, no pot metal bottom metal, better trigger and has anyone evrr seen on that does not shoot. Plain wood ???? Compared to the swamp walnut on 700s even a 721/2 A had better wood and the Bs... well take a look.
222 & 270

That's probably all the pretty ones right there.

I agree with old Larry on this one. the 721/722's were built during the pre 64 Model 70 days and had to compete with them. they were cheaper but were every bit as reliable. The bottom metal wasn't pot metal but wasn't really great either. I have a 257 Roberts B with a Griffin and Howe bottom metal that is really beautiful and a classic in every sense of the word.


ddj

That bent up sheet metal TG and bottom metal is sure a whole lot better than the machined ones on the 700's!

The have to be better, everything made in the good old days is better.

At one point Remington changed the height of the receiver bridge in the 700 series, so presumably the 721/722 predated that change. Makes a difference in the fit of scope bases.

Paul

Funny how that works huh?

I put a new barrel on a 721 and added a lone wolf stock and had it cerakoted. I'm not sure it works any better than a 700 but I really like mine.



ddj

Paul
That change was well into the 700 series and not enough to worry about, just a couple thousandths... You will notice the scope base sellers ignore the difference.
art

I dunno. I checked John Lacy's book on the M700, and he notes that:

In 1974 the receiver and bolt were modified to accomodate an anti-bind rail. Choice of the correct scope mount can save on sight-in frustration and prevent accuracy destroying stress.

The difference is .017". Is that significant? I guess you pays your money and takes your chances, like with so many things.

Paul

I have put scopes on lots of them and have never found the issue. The .017 is quite bit more than I had remembered, but it still seems to make virtually no difference.

IIRC Howa bases were made for the older version 700/721, etc... But Weaver has dropped those I believe and now calls for the same bases on all of them.
art

Leupold bases are different. In the past, the same bases for the M700 were interchangable with the WBY Mk V, according to the Leupold base charts.

Now, they are not. I don't know whether it is the height difference or contour, but Leupold lists them differently.

Thinking you are confusing the Vanguard with the Mark V... The Mark V never interchanged with the 700 and the Howa/Vanguard always has...