Anyone shoot a Rem 40xbr in222??

L

lungpopper

New member
I just bought a 1974 40xbr in 222 with a remington 24xbr scope.I have never owned a 40 x or a floating scope.Checked the throat before i took it out and when I did the bullet test there was less than an sixtenth of an inch of space for the bullet to seat in(deep throat)I know the one original owner and he hadnt shot more than 500 rds thru it.Is this normal on a 40x and also every time I shot it the scope would walk back approx a quater inch and then I would slide it back to the stop and shoot it again??Shot a beautiful .223 group but I have no experience with this equip.I hand load and do a lot of shooting but wqould like some help from you gentlemen(or lady shooters)thanks Mark
 
Sound like a cool rifle with a lot of potential. I just have nice BDL, but have been wanting one like you describe for a while.
 
Quote:
I just bought a 1974 40xbr in 222 with a remington 24xbr scope.I have never owned a 40 x or a floating scope.Checked the throat before i took it out and when I did the bullet test there was less than an sixtenth of an inch of space for the bullet to seat in(deep throat)I know the one original owner and he hadnt shot more than 500 rds thru it.Is this normal on a 40x and also every time I shot it the scope would walk back approx a quater inch and then I would slide it back to the stop and shoot it again??Shot a beautiful .223 group but I have no experience with this equip.I hand load and do a lot of shooting but wqould like some help from you gentlemen(or lady shooters)thanks Mark



The scope moving backwards after every shot is not normal. You should lap the scope rings, and torque the ring screws to about 20 inch pounds.
The throat does sound like it has gotten longer, and the barrel may need to be set back and rechambered, and at the same time the crown should be re-cut. That should add new life to the barrel. In any case, bullets should be seated at least .224 deep into the case neck. 1/16"(.063) is not enough.

Martyn
 
If the old rem BR scope is an extrernal adjustable scope, like the lymans were, someone may have removed the return spring. The long throat was typical of those early 40X's. I doubt if anyone put enough rounds through a 222 to erode the throat.
 
On the BR site read about Rem scopes first was the 20x later 24x and they didn't have a return springs on the 24x. I've got the heavy 40 XBR in 222 some were throated for the Rem match bullets when they quit making that bullet latter ones use a Berger 52gr. The scope you have was designed by Mike Walker father of the 222 and those scopes are pretty rare.
 
I don't supose we could talk ya into posting a pic of the 40X ?? ...Please... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'd sure like to see that baby...

If ya don't know how,, I'd be happy to post it for ya..

Thanks
 
In a time long long ago in a place far far away I owned a Remington 40X chambered for .225 Winchester. It had a Lyman scope similar to your description. It was a seriously accurate rifle. Filled the freezer regularly at local T-Shoots.

It sounds to me like that set-up may have some collector value. You might want to do more research before pulling that scope.

+1 on: Show us some pics. (-:
 
Quote:
I just bought a 1974 40xbr in 222 with a remington 24xbr scope.I have never owned a 40 x or a floating scope.Checked the throat before i took it out and when I did the bullet test there was less than an sixtenth of an inch of space for the bullet to seat in(deep throat)I know the one original owner and he hadnt shot more than 500 rds thru it.Is this normal on a 40x and also every time I shot it the scope would walk back approx a quater inch and then I would slide it back to the stop and shoot it again??Shot a beautiful .223 group but I have no experience with this equip.I hand load and do a lot of shooting but wqould like some help from you gentlemen(or lady shooters)thanks Mark



I think I posted some info that was incorrect.
I began centerfire benchrest shooting in 1970. At that time both Lyman and Remington Scopes were popular, and I had two of the Lyman 20xBR scopes mounted on bench rifles. I thought the Remington scope mounted the same way the Lyman's mounted, using regular rings. Such was not the case with the Remington, as it came with Unertl external mounts, however, it mounted on the bridge of the receiver as the Lyman's did. I confused the mounting system in my earlier posting, sorry for any confusion. I do think the Unertl externally adjustable mounts did not come with a spring for the Remington scope mounting application, as on your rifle. In that cses, you must manually pull the scope back into position after each shot. In the mid 1950's, a bunch of us groundhog shooters in Pennsylvania had Unertl Target scopes, and we all removed the lock screw holding the return spring as we thought we got better accuracy that way. We pulled the scope back into battery after every shot; no big deal as pulling the scope back became second nature to all of us. We all lived north of Pittsburgh, PA, on Farms and dealt directly with Unertl for out scopes and accessories. Unertl was on East Street in Pittsburgh back then. I remember breaking a cross wire on my Unertl, and they replaced it free in just the few minutes I waited for it.
IIRC, The Remington scope was designed by Mike Walker in 1969 and didn't last long in production, maybe one or two years. Remington was a gun maker and scopes weren't their forte.

Martyn
 
CatShooter sent me a PM and said that the spring was an option on both Unertl and Lyman scopes. Also the Remington was a Unertl with Remington's name on it.

Jack
 
Here is soemthing from the BR site on Rem scopes
Jeff,

As fate would have it, I just recently read your 1994 article about the history of Remington BR scopes. As a collector of those scopes, I was very pleased to learn the "real" facts and discard lots of false theory and supposition about the subject.

I would like to add the following information, much of it to further verify your facts:

1. I have two 20x scopes, ser # 042 (yes, 042) and # 283. #042 came with the original tube and is fitted with a blued recoil spring and a rear stop ring. #283 also came with the original tube, original instruction sheet, but does not have a recoil spring or rear stop ring. Both have Remington-type adjustment rings.

2. I have two 24x scopes, ser # 678 and # 691. #678 is fitted with a bright finished aluminum rear stop ring. # 691 does not have the rear ring. Neither has a recoil spring; both have Remington-type rings. Both have Remington-type adjustment rings.

All of these scopes have provenance from their original owners that confirm the configurations to be original.

These scopes, serial numbers, and ring types seem to further confirm your article's facts and certainly validate Mike Walker's memory of the production of these scopes.


These scopes are very rarely offered for sale and if found, are usually in excellent condition. I have examined several beyond those in my collection and if I recall correctly, I have only seen one equipped with the Lyman rings. Values, in my experience, run in the $500-700 range for the 20x and $600-800 for the 24x models. The storage tubes, as you suggest, are very, very hard to find and will certainly add to the collectability, if not ultimate value of the scope. I have only encountered one original instruction sheet (aforementioned) and it was specifically for the 20x model. I have never seen a sheet for the 24x.

I hope my ramblings have been of value to someone. I only wish I had discovered your article sooner so I would not have propagated erroneous heresay to other Remington collectors. Thank you for your research on this matter.

Best regards,

Sando

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Last edited by Sando; 01-08-2009 at 10:19 AM. Reason: spelling error


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#13 01-08-2009, 11:21 AM
jaberegg
Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Where ever I park!!!
Posts: 199

Thanks Sando. Finding a Remington scope with the yellow tube an instruction sheet is VERY hard to find, I only found/heard of three when I did the article. The instruction sheets were different from the 20x to the 24x, an yes, some where in my boxes of "stuff" I have copies but, who knows where they at now. I've said for a long time that I should call Brennan an have him re-run that article as it seems once a year this topic on Remington scopes comes up. I've owned four of them, three 20's an one 24, all were great scopes. The recoil spring was not Remington, something that someone added. When using these or Unertl's one needs to pull it not only back but with a slight twist. This I learned from an old varmint hunter an have always shot my Unertls this way. Another thing is not to compress the recoil spring very tight which I'm sure I'll get "talked" to about this but, it works for me after 30 years of using these scope. When Dick Wright an I use to go to the Cleveland gunshow years ago I talked to a guy who started collecting them after reading the article, think he had like 15 of them. Anyway, if you have any questions email me an hopefully I can be of some help.

Jeff Aberegg
jaberegg@charter.net
 
Hey guys,,,,,,, I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have much of a variety for internet service.
My rinkey dink dial up ISP won't let me recieve lungpopper's pix.. To big. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Any body else want to give it a try???

I don't know about you guys, but I'd sure like to see this gem.
 


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