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...In 1951.

He wants state of the art in a long-range deer and elk rifle, along with optics to match, and has the money to plunk down.

Here's what he might have bought:


P8310171.JPG


P8310170.JPG

Remington Model 721 (1950 Manufacture) in .270 Winchester caliber (purchased from a NWFA Member). Near pristine condition (never even drilled for swivels). Optics are a Weaver (El Paso) K-V variable. 2.75x-5x, overhauled by Vintage Gun Scopes out of Corvallis, Montana.

Buehler base was located NOS. The rings came with the scope when I acquired it.

The coolest thing about putting this all together was how all the components naturally fell into perfect place (eye relief, clearance on the buckhorn, etc.). So very unlike today where one must mix/match/trial/error to get the optimum result when mounting a scope.

Shot it yesterday: two three-shot groups (on the right) and one five shot (left). Average: .85". Seventy years ago, precision was for sale, and nobody demanded a "Sub-MOA" guarantee.

P8310174.JPG
 
Last Edited:
...In 1951.

He wants state of the art in a long-range deer and elk rifle, along with optics to match, and has the money to plunk down.

Here's what he might have bought:


View attachment 743131


View attachment 743132

Remington Model 721 (1950 Manufacture) in .270 Winchester caliber (purchased from a NWFA Member). Near pristine condition (never even drilled for swivels). Optics are a Weaver (El Paso) K-V variable. 2.5x-5x, overhauled by Vintage Gun Scopes out of Corvallis, Montana.

Buehler base was located NOS. The rings came with the scope when I acquired it.

The coolest thing about putting this all together was how it all the components naturally fell into perfect place (eye relief, clearance on the buckhorn, etc.). So very unlike today where one must mix/match/trial/error to get the optimum result when mounting a scope.

Shot it yesterday: two three-shot groups (on the right) and one five shot (left). Average: .85". Seventy years ago, precision was for sale, and nobody demanded a "Sub-MOA" guarantee.

View attachment 743138
dandy rifle
 
The 721 and 722 Remingtons that I have owned were all good shooters. Sub-MOA was the norm with all.
 
The triggers weren't the greatest, but you could easily replace them with a quality adjustable drop in aftermarket one for under a $100 bucks.
That's what I did for my model 722 in .257 Roberts.
 
Very nice! I have a 721 of similar vintage, in 30-06 with a Weaver K4 scope from the same era. It shoots very well too. I love these old rifles. They're underrated in many ways; they often sit on the used racks at gun shops because a lot of people don't recognize them for what they are. I found mine about a decade ago, paid around $200.
 
For those not familiar, the Weaver K-V was pretty revolutionary. Variable power! But not like today's "instant gratification" scopes.

It actually made more sense: You sort of had to "pick your power" before you started hunting: You will note an extra dial cap on the side of the scope right behind the windage one. Smaller cap. Removing it reveals a dial similar to the sighting adjustments, and marked "2-3/4" and "5" with a double-headed arrow telling you which way to what power. (Clicks all along the way, but no indicators that you chose "3x or 4x", or somewhere in-between).

You probably didn't have the time to remove that little cap (and you'd promptly drop it in the brush) to make an adjustment during a hunt. But I suppose if you were cruising the river bottom in the morning, stopped for lunch and finished up on the open ridges in the afternoon you could accomplish the power change without much trouble.

I know that with my variables on big game guns, they almost always reside at 5x...forever. A careful stalk granting time for set-up on a long shot might allow for giving that wheel a spin to the high side, and approaching a deep tangle might spur one to spin it the other way. But not very often.

The K-V in its simplicity sort of relegates you to quit fiddling with stuff and hunt.
 
My grandad had a 721 in 30-06 as his deer rifle. That darn thing was pristine, Shot tight groups, it's a shame it went to a side of the family that doesn't hunt. Probably been sitting in a closet for a dozen years and hasn't seen the light of day.
 
Mine is just a working man varible... a Weaver K4 with a tilt mount. It's on a more 'modern state of the art' slip of a little thing weighing in at 8 lbs from 1957.

20171123_152040 Win M88.jpg
A Winchester M-88 in 308. The 1st 3 cloverleaf at 100 if I caress her right.
 
I believe I actually prefer the 721/722's to my 700's. Pluses include the 24" barrel (available only on select 700's) and a more 'conventional" (read: easy to grab and operate in a hurry) bolt handle.

The 700's sport a raised comb designed for the bigger scopes than the Weaver K's, but this K-V sits pretty darned low so little or no divorce from the cheek-weld is required from the sloped comb on the 721.

As to triggers (on 722's in .300 Savage and .257 Roberts, and this 721), I have no complaints at all. But then the only 700 I have a custom trigger on is a fat-barreled BDL. Each of these older guns came right around to proper adjustment, much the same as the rest of the 700's..

Best responses here are from the guys remembering Grandpa or Dad had one, along with a testimonial to reliability and accuracy. Nostalgia is what this was all about...and giving the gun another chance...she's going to Montana this year.
 
I have a Weaver scope like the one above. It came on a used rifle I bought. But my early shooting was with Lyman Alaskan scopes. I still have 2. One is a fixed Alaskan to use with adjustable mounts. Buehler or Leupold.

Now I have been corrupted and use mostly Leupold scopes.
 
I had this identical rifle in .
...In 1951.

He wants state of the art in a long-range deer and elk rifle, along with optics to match, and has the money to plunk down.

Here's what he might have bought:


View attachment 743131


View attachment 743132

Remington Model 721 (1950 Manufacture) in .270 Winchester caliber (purchased from a NWFA Member). Near pristine condition (never even drilled for swivels). Optics are a Weaver (El Paso) K-V variable. 2.75x-5x, overhauled by Vintage Gun Scopes out of Corvallis, Montana.

Buehler base was located NOS. The rings came with the scope when I acquired it.

The coolest thing about putting this all together was how it all the components naturally fell into perfect place (eye relief, clearance on the buckhorn, etc.). So very unlike today where one must mix/match/trial/error to get the optimum result when mounting a scope.

Shot it yesterday: two three-shot groups (on the right) and one five shot (left). Average: .85". Seventy years ago, precision was for sale, and nobody demanded a "Sub-MOA" guarantee.

View attachment 743138
I had this identical rifle in 270 Win in 1963 as a kid in high school. I shot ground squirrels with it at 300 yards, and it was my favorite deer rifle.
 

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