I manage to find time to build a semi custom rifle every year for myself. This time it's gonna be a 260 Remington caliber. It will be strickly a hunting rifle with a sporter barrel for up in the mountains. I was unable to procure a light weight contour "mountain rifle" type blank in 260/6.5 within a reasonable amount of time, so I ordered a Shilen #3 {.625" at the muzzle} I also ordered a Boyd stock for a 700 called the Prairie Hunter in nutmeg color. Here are my questions...I like the 760 action/rifle for hunting. It was never made to my knowledge in 260 and I have a nice one I can rebarrel. Model 700 or 760??? Second question...I like the look of the medium brown "nutmeg" color on the 700 but I think I like stainless metal with it...if I go with the 700, blue, gray parkerizing or stainless??? Just want to hear what you guys think, thanks in advance for reading this and any replies.
New rifle build 700 Rem or 760 in 260rem caliber
- Thread starter msinc
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ARCOREY
New member
Shame you already bought the stock unless you already have the 700 action. I would've said model 7 and go bead blasted on the stainless with the nutmeg laminate. The M7 is a heck of a mountain gun, I have a blued/nutmeg laminate in 7mm08. My buddy had the mountain rifle version of the 700 in walnut matte blue in the same caliber and it was a little long for my liking, but very light as well. The M7 is a sweetheart of a rifle to carry and deadly accurate. I also have a 760 in 30-06, but don't think you'll see near the accuracy of the bolt gun with it and it'll likey have more weight.
Originally Posted By: pahntr760Oh, the 260 and the m7 are made for each other
Yeah but the Model 7 has a slightly different receiver than the 700 and all my other goodies are for the 700 {scope bases, receiver itself, etc}...Model 7's not a bad gun but I just dont know why they made it...it appears to be a lighter in weight receiver and definately lighter weight with the short barrel. I really hate ear splitting short barrels, a 24" is too short for me...I like 28" at least, especially in a hunting rifle. I could live with a Model 7 in 260 if it had a #1 or #2 contour 26" barrel. Problem is unless I wait 3-4 months for a barrel the 260 cant be easily had in those tapers. "Pennsylvania machine gun" 760...that's a good one I haven't heard. I lived up there for two years and loved it. Every serious hunter that could afford a 760 in those days {the 7600 hadn't happened yet} had one or two. I had one and really liked hunting with it. I have only had bolt guns since but cannot forget the lines of that rifle...it just looks good to me and the motion to work the action is so natural.
Yeah but the Model 7 has a slightly different receiver than the 700 and all my other goodies are for the 700 {scope bases, receiver itself, etc}...Model 7's not a bad gun but I just dont know why they made it...it appears to be a lighter in weight receiver and definately lighter weight with the short barrel. I really hate ear splitting short barrels, a 24" is too short for me...I like 28" at least, especially in a hunting rifle. I could live with a Model 7 in 260 if it had a #1 or #2 contour 26" barrel. Problem is unless I wait 3-4 months for a barrel the 260 cant be easily had in those tapers. "Pennsylvania machine gun" 760...that's a good one I haven't heard. I lived up there for two years and loved it. Every serious hunter that could afford a 760 in those days {the 7600 hadn't happened yet} had one or two. I had one and really liked hunting with it. I have only had bolt guns since but cannot forget the lines of that rifle...it just looks good to me and the motion to work the action is so natural.
huntsman22
New member
Originally Posted By: msincI like 28" at least, especially in a hunting rifle
Personally, I'd rather have a well balanced, fairly light rifle. Especially for one I have to carry very far.
I think the 760 would look real goofy with a 28 inch barrel. But, whatever floats yer boat.......I see now why you have to make it a custom. I can't find a single remington model with a 28incher. Why's that, ya reckon?.....
Personally, I'd rather have a well balanced, fairly light rifle. Especially for one I have to carry very far.
I think the 760 would look real goofy with a 28 inch barrel. But, whatever floats yer boat.......I see now why you have to make it a custom. I can't find a single remington model with a 28incher. Why's that, ya reckon?.....
Originally Posted By: huntsman22Originally Posted By: msincI like 28" at least, especially in a hunting rifle
Personally, I'd rather have a well balanced, fairly light rifle. Especially for one I have to carry very far.
I think the 760 would look real goofy with a 28 inch barrel. But, whatever floats yer boat.......I see now why you have to make it a custom. I can't find a single remington model with a 28incher. Why's that, ya reckon?.....
Everybody dont live in colorado and wear cowboy hats either...whys that, ya reckon??? What makes you think a 28" barreled rifle cannot be balanced or light??? I agree about the 760, I wouldn't barrel it to 28", never said that. I said I like 28" barrels, not I have to have it on every gun. Let me say it another way, I like the muzzle blast of a 28" barrel over a 22"...I like the extra velocity of a 28" barrel...of course, I dont like the barrel/bullet dwell time of a 28" over a 20" pipe but there is no free lunches. I dont wear ear plugs to hunt{28"} but they aren't a problem on the bench {20"}.
Biggest reason to "make it a custom" is the barrel inside...ever look lately at a Remington barrel with a borescope??? I call them "Wonder barrels"...the tooling marks and other defects make you wonder how they hit anything at all.
Personally, I'd rather have a well balanced, fairly light rifle. Especially for one I have to carry very far.
I think the 760 would look real goofy with a 28 inch barrel. But, whatever floats yer boat.......I see now why you have to make it a custom. I can't find a single remington model with a 28incher. Why's that, ya reckon?.....
Everybody dont live in colorado and wear cowboy hats either...whys that, ya reckon??? What makes you think a 28" barreled rifle cannot be balanced or light??? I agree about the 760, I wouldn't barrel it to 28", never said that. I said I like 28" barrels, not I have to have it on every gun. Let me say it another way, I like the muzzle blast of a 28" barrel over a 22"...I like the extra velocity of a 28" barrel...of course, I dont like the barrel/bullet dwell time of a 28" over a 20" pipe but there is no free lunches. I dont wear ear plugs to hunt{28"} but they aren't a problem on the bench {20"}.
Biggest reason to "make it a custom" is the barrel inside...ever look lately at a Remington barrel with a borescope??? I call them "Wonder barrels"...the tooling marks and other defects make you wonder how they hit anything at all.
Originally Posted By: ARCOREYShame you already bought the stock unless you already have the 700 action. I would've said model 7 and go bead blasted on the stainless with the nutmeg laminate. The M7 is a heck of a mountain gun, I have a blued/nutmeg laminate in 7mm08. My buddy had the mountain rifle version of the 700 in walnut matte blue in the same caliber and it was a little long for my liking, but very light as well. The M7 is a sweetheart of a rifle to carry and deadly accurate. I also have a 760 in 30-06, but don't think you'll see near the accuracy of the bolt gun with it and it'll likey have more weight.
So you like the looks of stainless with nutmeg over a matte blue?? I think I like that combo better myself. I cannot warm up to that pewter dark gray of Ruger guns though. I can make this any combo I want. I am having a hard time visualizing matte blue with the nutmeg stock...might not look bad.
I have seen some very accurate 760/7600's but they all had some trigger work. The one I got is a 270 and in perfect almost unfired condition. One of those "if it's been fired you cant tell" kind of guns. I might just leave it alone and give it a 2 pound trigger and try it.
So you like the looks of stainless with nutmeg over a matte blue?? I think I like that combo better myself. I cannot warm up to that pewter dark gray of Ruger guns though. I can make this any combo I want. I am having a hard time visualizing matte blue with the nutmeg stock...might not look bad.
I have seen some very accurate 760/7600's but they all had some trigger work. The one I got is a 270 and in perfect almost unfired condition. One of those "if it's been fired you cant tell" kind of guns. I might just leave it alone and give it a 2 pound trigger and try it.
ARCOREY
New member
If you truly want a mountain rifle, you'd need to lop that barrel off to a maximum of 22" to come close and go as light on the contour as possible. Most shots in the eastern mountains happen at less than 100yds and a 28" barreled rifle won't be your friend at the end a long day of humping ridges. Trust me, tried it with a 26", there really is nothing gained with the extra inches on the mountains. The shot noise is usually lost in the moment of adrenalin and absorbed by the trees. I hunt without earpro and never notice the shot. My M700 is currently a 28" semi-custom and it'll never see a mountain. It is a varmint rifle made for sitting in a spot and sniping varmints. I've carried my 20" M7 to [beeep] and back in these VA mountains and it has never been the piece of equipment I thought about leaving in the woods. I can carry it slung barrel up and still easily duck under snags or hold it by my side barrel down and not come close to bumping the muzzle and it is accurate enough to stack shots at 100yds and still have enough velocity to pancake a whitetail.
My M7 nutmeg stock with gloss blue. Not the matte blue example you're looking for, but close.
My M7 nutmeg stock with gloss blue. Not the matte blue example you're looking for, but close.
ARCOREY
New member
Originally Posted By: msincThanks for the photo. Did you finish the stock or is that a Boyd's stock?? I like the gloss blue with the gloss stock. I think it might look O.K. with the matte or stainless if the stock is dulled down some.
It is the model 7 LS and believe it or not, that is actually a factory Remington stock from back when they made good stuff for all their rifles. Man I miss those days.
Here is a picture I found of a LSS, the stainless version.
Model 7 LSS
It is the model 7 LS and believe it or not, that is actually a factory Remington stock from back when they made good stuff for all their rifles. Man I miss those days.
Here is a picture I found of a LSS, the stainless version.
Model 7 LSS
Would love a 260 in a 760 myself! Ideal deer weapon for PA running and gunning. There was a special run of 760's made for a distributor in 260 Rem a few years ago. Not cheap, but cheaper than a semi-custom build gun. Available online and otherwise once in a while. One sold recently on HuntingPA.com, but it didn't go cheap, and it went right now. A quick search showed none for sale online that I could see.
You don't see many 760's rebarreled as they have a barrel extension that is threaded to the barrel the same as an AR, but since the 760 is much less popular, you don't see many doing it. Not that it can't be done.
Here's a bunch of info, mostly ID info: http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/Remington_760.htm
Another site - http://www.benoitsbigbucks.com/Rifle/Rifle.htm - their smith may do special order.
Everybody has a Rem 7-something in 260!!! LOL!!!!
You don't see many 760's rebarreled as they have a barrel extension that is threaded to the barrel the same as an AR, but since the 760 is much less popular, you don't see many doing it. Not that it can't be done.
Here's a bunch of info, mostly ID info: http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/Remington_760.htm
Another site - http://www.benoitsbigbucks.com/Rifle/Rifle.htm - their smith may do special order.
Everybody has a Rem 7-something in 260!!! LOL!!!!
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Thanks again for the photos Arcorey. Still dont know which finish I am going to go with yet...might have to try them all!! I looked at some land in Rockingham Co. about a year ago for a hunting cabin but it didn't pan out. I settled on 60 acres a little farther south down 81 near Buchanan right on the Rockbridge/Botetourt Co. line.
Thanks for the reply and links MikeB. I lived in Pa. for two years right after I got out of high school. I really liked it up there. Plenty of places to hunt and people in Southern Maryland dont believe it when I say you can hunt all day on public land and not see another hunter. I fell for the 760 back when I was in high school. I just like the lines of that rifle, always have. I think at this point I am going to build the 700 action into a 260 and give the round a try. If it works like everyone says it does I definately see a 760 in that caliber in the not too distant future. Plus it will give me time to find a beat up 760 that maybe needs some work. I agree the barrel system in that rifle is a little different and if you want to rebarrel the 760 or even the 742 type rifles you have to make your own wrench to work on them. Lucky for me I am a machinist by trade with access to a complete shop. Everybody had one when I lived in Pa. I guess I need to take a trip and go see my sister that still lives up there. Thanks again.
Thanks for the reply and links MikeB. I lived in Pa. for two years right after I got out of high school. I really liked it up there. Plenty of places to hunt and people in Southern Maryland dont believe it when I say you can hunt all day on public land and not see another hunter. I fell for the 760 back when I was in high school. I just like the lines of that rifle, always have. I think at this point I am going to build the 700 action into a 260 and give the round a try. If it works like everyone says it does I definately see a 760 in that caliber in the not too distant future. Plus it will give me time to find a beat up 760 that maybe needs some work. I agree the barrel system in that rifle is a little different and if you want to rebarrel the 760 or even the 742 type rifles you have to make your own wrench to work on them. Lucky for me I am a machinist by trade with access to a complete shop. Everybody had one when I lived in Pa. I guess I need to take a trip and go see my sister that still lives up there. Thanks again.
msinc, if your machining skills get you into a successful rebarrel on a 760, you and i need to talk!! Been wanting a 260/760 forever - not too much, not too little - just right for PA bear and deer. And being a PA boy myself, gotta have a 760 or two on hand at all times!! Make sure to let me know if you rebarrel one. Oh, and look up a book on "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" by McPherson - whole section on 760's - good info there.
+1 on the accuracy. They definately dont get the credit they deserve these days. In the 70's and 80's at least they were not looked down upon much. I really dont remember seeing many bolt guns in the woods for hunting rifles, everybody had 742's, 760's or a lever gun or so it seemed. I never had any complaints about the one I had in 1980. It was a 30-06 and I shot some 1" groups with it. I had to lighten up the trigger pull a little. I can remember a Remington catalog from the seventies that featured a page about the custom shop with photos of an engraved 760 F grade premier, complete with gold inlays and very fancy wood...I would have sold my soul to the devil to own that thing back then and I aint too far from doin' it now, except that I would just buy it today if I could find one!!
I dont see any issues barreling a 760 action other than making the barrel extension wrench. I have a 260Rem chambering reamer and headspace gauges already. I have to mic the barrel for external dimensions on my 270 and see what contour is the closest. I believe a #3 is about right, but you could always go lighter {which is what I had in mind} or heavier. I will let you know
I dont see any issues barreling a 760 action other than making the barrel extension wrench. I have a 260Rem chambering reamer and headspace gauges already. I have to mic the barrel for external dimensions on my 270 and see what contour is the closest. I believe a #3 is about right, but you could always go lighter {which is what I had in mind} or heavier. I will let you know