What can you tell me about: Remington Model 760 300 Savage

[Member 5605]

I inherited this from my grandfather a couple years ago when he passed.

It's been sitting in my gun cabinet since then.

I have tried to look for information everywhere but can't seem to locate reliable and consistent info on this rifle.



Gun appeared odd as being a .300 that's a pump action.


Info looking for:
Reliability:
Should I try to shoot or retire it?
Age:
Desireability
Replacement cost:
and any other info.

The scope that's on it is a POS. It appears that a kid got a hold of it and played with the cross hairs. They are no way near center.

I may clean and use this as my hunting gun.

I have the original magazine for it as well.


Appreciate all information in advance.


Information I have found so far pertaining to age is this:

Early-production rifles were fitted with a ribbed, aluminum buttplate that was replaced with plastic in 1968.

That would put this one pre-1968 since it has the original aluminum
taken from:
<broken link removed>


I keep looking:
Found this:

1952 --Model 760 A Grade( Tootsie Roll ) Introduced : No Stock Checkering , Corn Cob Lines on Forend , Dovetailed Rear Sight , Aluminum Butt plate , First Serial number was 1001, Replaced Model 141
1954 --Introduction of ADL Grade with Cut Checkering on Stock and Forearm( Five Diamond ).Grip Cap and Sling Swivels Standard . Same Calibers

From:
http://www.gun-data.com/remington_mod_model760.htm
Appears that gun dates between 1952 and 1953. Given from the foregrip. No checkering and aluminum butt plate.


Also found that the metal ejection cover was later replaced after 1969 to a black plastic one.

.300 Savage info: Discontinued in 1958.


Couple of pics I found:

Read More

 

[no time]

As far as reliabilty, Remington has been making the 760 or variation since '52. They must not give many problems or they would have quit fooling with them!

You can date the rifle by the code on the left side of the barrel by the frame. There should be a letter or two near there, what are they? For instance my Remington 600 has "XZ", which comes out to December 1975. Post the letters and we'll see what we can figure out.

 

[Member 5605]

It really looks like:

WA (backwards on side "Z" or "N") Possibly an "M" at an angle?

 

[no time]

If I was guessing...and I am, I'd say that the goofy looking mark after the "WA" is the bottom half of an "XX". Kinda ^^.That would code out to 1951. Which is the year before these rifles were made. Which seems to fall into the "close but no cigar" spot! Maybe the top half of an upside down "YY"?:huh:

 

[Member 5605]

FINALLY.

I swear it took 300 photos to get the camera to focus, lighting right, flash not blurring the spot where I wanted to take the photo:

I GOT IT.

View attachment 217473

I hope that helps.

I ask because I too tried hard to date this thing.
Now my Grandpa was good friends with somebody who had an EXTENSIVE Winchester collection and a lot of other rifles. I'm wondering if this could have been something different... ??

Harold McCallum out of Benton County here in Oregon had the collection.

 

[mpmax]

I have one in 300 Savage too, 1st year production. Back East in Pennsylvania these are VERY popular. It's call the Amish Assault Rifle.

 

[Member 5605]

How close is your serial to the one listed? Curious to know.

 

[Spitpatch]

The Remington Model 760 is not only bullet-proof reliable and strong, but exceptionally accurate (contrary to what most people think about pump action guns.) Most will run neck-and-neck against any bolt gun out of the box for accuracy.

You do have a somewhat rare one. The .300 Savage caliber was all the rage when your gun was made, but with the advent of the .308, it sort of fell by the wayside. The .300 Savage cartridge was way ahead of its time, evidenced by its sharp shoulder and minimum taper case (some people think this stuff is a recent idea). Most 760's found are .30-06, or .308. They were chambered in a multitude of calibers, both "short action" types (like the .300 Savage, and the .308, 243, etc.), and "long action" types (like the .30-06 and .270, .280, etc.).

Don't trash that scope yet. The older ones of that vintage do not display a "centered" reticle when they are adjusted (as do almost all our scopes of today). If it is a good ol' Weaver, I bet it's just fine. They were nearly as bullet-proof as the gun. Also, if you ever decide to sell the gun, a scope of similar vintage is a big plus to a collector.

Don't sell the gun. Take it out in the woods and think of your Grandpa when you carry it. The .300 Savage cartridge will drop anything on the North American Continent (and has) if you do your part. Its ballistics are what I would call a "mild" .30-06, and with handloading, you can match a .308 easily (and the 760 is strong enough to take it).

You've got it all here: rarity, reliability, accuracy, and power---not to mention knowing Grandpa's watching you. Now go kill something.

 

[Member 5605]

Wow,

Thanks so much. I would never entertain the idea of selling such a piece.

My grandpa was a leftie and It was ironic that the scope on this is actually rotated 90 degrees CCW.

Grandpa was 1/2 Cherokee so I'll take pride and do a dance when I go hunting with this.

The scope says : "Coast to Coast" and is not a variable. I'm assuming it was probably bought new and put on there at the same time.

So with all that info you gave me I will rotate scope to proper position so it's facing the correct way and gear up with some 300 sav ammo and see what this ol' glory will do.

 

[motoman98]

I used to have a 760 in 30/06; great rifle. Oh, the older scopes did not have cross hairs centered. They just moved to sight in the rifle. I'd go ahead and shoot your 760, they are fun. (If you reload, you might need a small base sizing die as pumps don't have the camming action of a bolt)

 

[mpmax]

How close is your serial to the one listed? Curious to know.

28,xxx

 

[mpmax]

Double post....

 

[Spitpatch]

If the Cherokees had these, we'd all be living east of the Mississippi.

I can't tell from your first photo, but does that gun have the old Weaver "swing-off" rings? (you can grab the scope and swing it off the mount base on a hinge--a spring clamp on each ring holds it down when its on top of the mount base). This allows you access to your iron sights in a pinch. (You need to find sights for this gun--browse the gunshows.)

The old "swing off" rings were amazingly reliable, and return to zero quite admirably. They were very popular on guns of this type, the only drawback being if a piece of dirt, pine needle, etc got under the ring before swinging it back up on the base.

As for the "Coast to Coast" scope, it is possibly imported by the "Tradewinds" corporation. The "Hurricane" was their model name, so if your scope says Tradewinds or Hurricane, it is a pretty fair scope for its time. Alternately, (or if you find the scope is actually malfunctioning) if this gun were mine, I'd find a good solid Weaver K4 from the 50's or 60's to put on it. One with a little exterior wear that approximates the wear on the gun would be really cool, and "of the period" as they say.

 

[Member 5605]

After having a light weight 30-06 sprngfld I assume that this should have about 1/2 to 2/3rds the recoil. Is that correct to assume? Plan is for factory loads since I don't reload right now.

 

[Spitpatch]

Yep, probably 2/3 recoil to a full-house '06. Try to find 150g factory loads rather than the 180's. Better for deer, and not as much recoil.

 

[Member 5605]

Thanks, will do!

 

[Member 5605]

Not to kill a dead horse. (or revive a dead thread)

but I spoke with my grandmother yesterday and she gave me some insight on this gun.

Though they had been divorced for 25+ years after my g'pa died..

This gun was purchased from a Harold McCallum out of Monroe OR(e). Harold had an in with Winchester and possibly Remington. If anyone knew of him then you know who I'm talking about. One of the largest Winchester gun collections out there.

G'ma placed the purchase date around '54 possibly a year before. Said it was the first gun that G'pa ever bought new and it was one that he always took with him. She said that when he went hunting he always took 3 rifles. 2 backups.

 

[Member 5605]

Additional information.
I contacted Remington and inquired based upon the serial number.

Their response was surprising: 1952

So that puts it at first year production. I wonder if that changes it's value?

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Since you revived this thread I'll make a comment about the 90 degrees CCW position that you found the scope in. Some rifle/scope combinations can cause the ejected case to strike one of the scopes adjustment knobs upon exiting the receiver.

Rotating the scope 90 degrees will prevent that occurrence. I do the same with thing with my scopes.

 

[Member 5605]

REVIVAL BABY:

I've been using this rifle on and off for the last few years since I've taken a new interest in it. I now reload for it, and I may.. just may have the market cornered on .300 Savage brass. I know I have enough for my lifetime of shooting and maybe my son's as well. Not too sure about further down the line from there though.

I've had it out to the range numerous times, I'm shooting a 150g spitzer Sierra bullet that I've got dialed in with some IMR-3031 powder. 1/2" groups at 50yds with that low power non-adjustable scope.

Currently having a good friend who makes furniture (cabinets/end tables/headboards etc) make me a nice shadow box for it so I can retire it on the wall with the knife G'pa made me as well.

Tribute to the past and the future.