I shot a woodchuck!

possumal · July 10, 2010, 04:41:22 PM

Vic, that was a Remington 244 and I think it was a Weaver 10X scope. The rifle was a real shooter once I worked out a load for it. I later put a much better scope one it, a Unertl Ulta Varminter 14X. As you no doubt know, the 244 was built to stabilize lighter bullets than the 243. As I recall, I loaded a Sierra 60 grain HP of some sort with Hogdon Ball type C powder. I killed over 400 groundhogs with that rifle before moving up to a combination of a Sako 222 with Lyman All American 10x scope for the shots out to 250 yds and had a custom 264 built to put the Unertl 14X on. The combination was pure death of groundhogs.

Nasty, I did all my shooting back then either lying flat with a field glasses case and a small sandbag or a homemade set of buffalo sticks for sitting up shots.

nastygunz · July 10, 2010, 04:54:47 PM

Pretty cool pic and thanks for sharing it with me!...thems some big hogs...coulda made Jimbo a coat out of them

vvarmitr · July 15, 2010, 07:05:53 PM

If that was a 244Rem then that must be a Remington model 721. The 721 & the 722 were the predecessors to the model 700.
I missed getting one once at the local gun shop by my general lack of funds.

Thought that would really complement my 722 in 222Rem.

So where were that you were getting all these g'hogs?

possumal · July 15, 2010, 07:58:59 PM

Vic, you are absolutely correct. I would not have remembered that model number until you mentioned it. A friend of mine, Marshall Kehrt, bought a 222 at the same time I got the 244. He and I won the Kentucky pest eradication contest in 1957, hunting all over central Ky.. We had to turn in two crow feet for every crow and a tail for every groundhog. Central Ky. was absolutely loaded with groundhogs then. The most I ever killed in a day was 18 and they all came off one big Woodford County farm in an enormous clover field. Killing a dozen in a day was pretty normal with from ten to twelve other days. When coyotes came on the scene, the groundhogs more or less disappeared. Hell, there are more of them living in close to the big towns now than out in the country. You can drive around the beltline or Manowar Blvd around Lexington, and see them all up and down the steep banks. Killing groundhogs used to get me lots of good rabbit, squirrel, dove, and quail hunting places. Coyote hunting gets me lots of land to hunt now but we don't have the small game like we had back then. Still great dove hunting though. Sure brings back a lot of good memories.

coyotehunter_1 · July 15, 2010, 08:33:42 PM

If the picture was taken in 1958, and it was a Remington rifle, factory chambered in 224 Remington it should be a model 722.

A little history of the model 721 & 722:

***********************************
Remington model 721
Description: First truly modern centerfire rifle with the strongest bolt ever developed. Offered in long action only.
Introduction Year: 1948 Year Discontinued: 1962
Total Production: Approximately 118,000
Designer/Inventor: Merle "Mike" Walker & Homer W. Young
Action Type: Bolt action
Caliber/Gauge:   .264 Win. â€" 1961 â€" 22" barrel
.270 Win. â€" 1948 â€" 24" & 22" barrel
.280 Rem. â€" 1961 â€" 22" barrel
.30-06 Sprg. - 1948 â€" 24" & 22" barrel
.300 H&H Mag â€" 1948 â€" 26" & 24" barrel
Serial Number Blocks:   11,000 â€" 430,0000
Various Models:   721A 1948 â€" 1962
721AC 1949 â€" 1955
721B Special Grade 1949 â€" 1955
721D Peerless Grade 1949 â€" 1959
721F Premier Grade 1949 â€" 1959

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remington model 722

Description: First truly modern centerfire rifle with the strongest bolt ever developed. Offered in short action only.
Introduction Year: 1948 Year Discontinued: 1962
Total Production: Approximately 118,000
Designer/Inventor: Merle "Mike" Walker & Homer W. Young
Action Type: Bolt action
Caliber/Gauge:   .222 Rem. - .1950 - 26" & 24" barrel
.222 Rem. Mag. - 1958 24" barrel
.243 Win. - 1959 - 22" barrel
.244 Rem. - 1956 24" & 22" barrel
.257 Roberts - 1948 - 24" & 22" barrel
.300 Savage - 1948 - 24" & 22" barrel
.308 Win. - 1956 - 24" & 22" barrel
Serial Number Blocks: 11,000 â€" 430,0000
Various Models:   722A - 1948-1962
722AC - 1949-1955
722B Special - 1949-1955
722 D Peerless - 1949-1959
722 F Premier - 1949-1959
722 ADL - 1955-1959
722 BDL - 1955-1959

(Source: Remington Arms)

vvarmitr · July 15, 2010, 09:57:20 PM

ACK! I was wrong!

The 244Rem was on the 722 action.
Why I would think the 244/6mm Rem needed a long action?

Thanks for bringing my ignorance out in front of everyone Chet.

coyotehunter_1 · July 16, 2010, 04:07:02 AM

Quote from: vvarmitr on July 15, 2010, 09:57:20 PM
ACK! I was wrong!
The 244Rem was on the 722 action.
Why I would think the 244/6mm Rem needed a long action?

Thanks for bringing my ignorance out in front of everyone Chet.

Hey now you varmint

you know that was not my intent.

Like you I have a special place in my heart for older Remingtonâ€™s. I knew there was a difference but until I looked it up I had no idea what it was.

KySongDog · July 16, 2010, 04:52:02 AM

Quote from: vvarmitr on July 15, 2010, 09:57:20 PM

Thanks for bringing my ignorance out in front of everyone Chet.

And you thought it was hidden??

possumal · July 16, 2010, 07:03:15 AM

All I remembered was that is was a 244 and my buddy bought a 222. That makes me more ignorant than Vic! So there.

vvarmitr · July 16, 2010, 06:01:31 PM

Quote from: coyotehunter_1 on July 16, 2010, 04:07:02 AM
Hey now you varmint you know that was not my intent.

Oh I knew that , just couldn't help being ornery w/ ya.

Quote from: Semp on July 16, 2010, 04:52:02 AM
And you thought it was hidden??

As for you Semp .....

Quote from: possumal on July 16, 2010, 07:03:15 AM
All I remembered was that is was a 244 and my buddy bought a 222. That makes me more ignorant than Vic! So there.

I have heard stories.

Hey Chet I'm curious about the model 788. Was it ever made in a long action, what was the years of manufacturer, & what calibers was it available in?

coyotehunter_1 · July 16, 2010, 06:41:43 PM

vvarmitr, I knew that.

Now as per the 788:
http://www.remington.com/products/archived/centerfire/bolt-action/model-788.aspx

For anyone wanting to learn more about the history of their Remington firearms here is a good place to start:
http://www.remington.com/product-categories/archived.aspx

Sorry to high jack the original topic

now back to our regularly scheduled programing.

vvarmitr · July 17, 2010, 06:00:05 AM

Cool links Chet.
Have to get back to them when I got more time.