Jack O'Connor on the Remington 721

[The Real Hawkeye]

A couple of days ago I read a post (which I connot find now, even with the search feature) from a guy who wants to buy a used hunting rifle for a neightbor's son who cannot afford one. He was looking at a Remington 721 and was asking what people's opinions of them were. Jack O'Connor thought they were serviceable rifles. Here's what he said in the early 1950s about them.

The Model 721 is a production job. Unlike the Mauser type actions the receiver is not a forging. Instead, it is apparently milled out of bar stock. The bolt handle is welded on instead of being forged with the body of the bolt. Trigger guard and floorplate are formed by a single stamping and the floorplate cannot be removed except with a screwdriver. The excellent trigger mechanism with its crisp single stage pull is made from stampings, likewise the safety. The Model 721 is a production rifle, much easier to tool up for and much easier and cheaper to manufacture than the Winchester Model 70 [pre-64]. It is not a gun nut's rifle, but for the man who simply wants utility out of a rifle, it is a very good one.

 

[birddog]

That quote is SO full of typos that I doubt it came from Jack O'Connor. And was the phrase "gun-nut" used in the 1950's?

Seems a little suspicious to me. Where'd you find this?

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

That quote is SO full of typos that I doubt it came from Jack O'Connor. And was the phrase "gun-nut" used in the 1950's?

Seems a little suspicious to me. Where'd you find this?

Oh, ye of little faith. Why would I make up such a thing? I'd have to have quite an imagination, wouldn't I? Well, I'd like to say that the man himself said those very words to me over a cup of coffee on a mountain top while on an extended bighorn sheep hunt, but I must be truthful and tell you that those very words are found in O'Connor's own book, The Big Game Rifle, first published in 1952, and yes, apparently people did use the term "gun-nut" back then. The words I quoted can be found on page 62 of my Safari Press edition.

Sorry for the typos. They were not Mr. O'Connor's but, naturally, my own. I have made an effort to correct them, hopefully to your satisfaction.

 

[Gordon]

And Jack DID make a FEW typos!!!!!

 

[birddog]

Oh, forgive me...I wasn't questioning YOUR honesty. I thought you might have just picked that quote up off the internet.

And by all means, please continue to support Safari Press! (not because they're my publisher, no no...of course not!)

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Oh, forgive me...I wasn't questioning YOUR honesty. I thought you might have just picked that quote up off the internet.

And by all means, please continue to support Safari Press! (not because they're my publisher, no no...of course not!)

Birddog, what a coincidence. They are my publisher too. By the way, the photography at your website is not working. Can't see any pictures.

 

[birddog]

Hawkeye,
Are you using a slow connection or dial-up? The photos look like they're working from here. Most of the galleries aren't slow-modem friendly.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Where I live you have two choices, dial up or satelite. No cable modem service here. I don't usually have any problem seeing photography on the internet, however, which is why I assumed the problem was on your end.

 

[middy]

"Gun nut" was a term in use back then. That's what we called ourselves. Back then, the term didn't have the negative connotations that the media have inflicted on it since.

 

[Mal H]

I believe Jack O'Connor might have actually coined the phrase "gun nut". I don't recall seeing it before he said it way back then.

I've always been a JO'C fan and I have my old .270 to prove it!

 

[SwampWolf]

...And O'Conner's take on the Remington 721/722 was, typically, spot on.

 

[bogie]

If I'm not mistaken, the _very first_ Remington 40X is marked either 721 or 722, but is solid bottom, etc...

I've seen it. And I know Mike. If he says it's the first, it's the first. I think it's chambered for his deuce...