Remington 121 pump .22

[duman444]

What would you do? Was given an old Remington 121 pump that is missing the elevator for the rear sight, the wood pump fore end, the outer tube the cartridges go through and the inner tube that holds them in place and the buttpad for stock which is broken at pistol grip area, glued together and has electrical tape around the receiver end.

The gun is very rusty outside, but bore is pristine. Have broken it down and the bolt seems complete, the firing pin spring was gunged up and FP was staying out, cleaned it up and the spring does retract the pin, though not very crisply.

Looked at parts sources / EBay and it looks like it will take about $170 to get this to the point where I can test fire and see if it still works. This will not get me a replacement stock-have not been able to find one and assume it would be very pricey if I could.

The gun was made from 1936 to 1954. Can't find a barrel code to date it to year, may be rusted over. After 1954 it was replaced by the fieldmaster. I just sold a fieldmaster in very good shape for $400. Not a big fan of .22 pumps.

If the parts work then I will have $170 in a gun that I doubt would sell for $150 on the open market. Gun is not a family heirloom, so kinda of not wanting to go that way. If i parted it out, the only parts that would be worth anything would be the internals, as they are not rusted.

I am conflicted-hate to see a gun go to scrap / part out, but also am a cheapskate and hate to put money in something that will not return the cost.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Depending on why it was given to you, I would take the gunbroker route. Post it truthfully and send it on it's way. People are always looking for a challenge on there. Put "gunsmith special", "parts" or "project" or other likely terms in the description.

If it was given to you in other circumstances that are more personal, give a share of the proceeds to the person who gave it to you. We don't know the story, but let your conscious be your guide.

At the end, there's no reason for you to mess with it - no attachment, don't like pumps, cost more to fix that it's worth, etc. Send that thing on its way.

 

[2152hq]

Probably a 'parts gun' candidate.
I hate to part out guns, but without them, we'd never have....parts..

You are correct, at least from your description that the parts needed to put it back to a complete rifle would be way more than the final value.
Rem 121's are great rifles and do command a good price.
But you will likely have $400 and more in parts to get a complete rifle.
Then you have the rusted exterior finish to display and try and get someone to buy it. That's a real loosing proposition.

The 121 was called the 'Fieldmaster'
So was the 572 called the Fieldmaster that took the 121's place.

There are some valuable parts in the rifle still.
The bolt assembly w/ firing pin and extractor is around a $125/150 part in itself.
There's an early and a late style. (Flat firing pin and Round firing pin)
The trigger guard group incl the hammer, spring(s), carrier as a complete assembly can bring another $100 to $150.

The bbl w/an excl't bore would be of interest to a buyer even with a rusted exterior.
These rifles often suffer as so many other RF's do and have a bulged bbl from a stuck bullet.
Relining is a cure but getting very expensive of late,
So finding a bbl replacement and refinishing it looks like a better option for those in that position.

There's a small part called the cartridge retainer that mearly sits in place betw the action slide and the bottom of the bbl and frame.
Those are often missing as they fall free if the gun is taken all apart.
That simple little part can cost $30. Repro's are made they are so in demand. Again there are a couple different styles.

Stocks and forends,,,if you find a decent orig stock it'll be around $100 to $150.
A forend around $50+
The forends have steel screw escutcheons (2) that are often missing as the parts mongers punch them out for extra resale $.
Then you need the 2 forend screws as well.
The dollars add up.

There are aftermarket precarved stocks available but most need final fit and then finishing.
Boyds or one of those places may have a finished-bolt on replacement.

Orig butt plates for the 121,,there are 3
Earliest was a checkered steel
Then a checkered alloy
Lastly a checkered alloy with a plain border
Originals can be $50,,30,,30
Plus screws.

An action slide,,the part under the bbl that the mag tube fits into is around $30. There are a couple of small parts attached to that as well incl the TD button,,more costs if any of this is missing.

Mag tube rings ,,rotary type,


Lot's of $$ parts.


Parts from an earlier Model 12 will generally not work in the updated Model 121 though a few will.
Better to just look for and buy specific 121 Model parts and those made for the era of mfg you have.

 

[forindooruseonly]

2152hq that is a very useful post, thank you.

 

[Bullet Bob]

"Not a big fan of .22 pumps."

 

[Gene L]

If you want a challenge, go for it. Don't let the cost drive you away from fixing it because you'll learn from it and end up with a fine rifle in which you're invested. Just buy another "parts gun" if you can find one or buy parts when you can find what you need, and take your time. Sounds like a lot of money, though.

However, were it mine, I'd just keep it unless I ran up on a good deal in parts. As for selling it, I doubt it's worth the hassle. I don't need the challenge, and I already have a fairly early Remington pump with the octagon barrel which I had to replace the firing pin on, which is about as far as I'm willing to go.

The fact that the outside is rusty and the bore pristine is an argument for not cleaning the barrel with a brush, as asked in another post on this forum. Protected from rust by wax on the bullets transferred to the bore.

 

[Golphin]

Try to find another parts gun with a good stock and make a good rifle out of the two of them.

 

[CZU]

Obligatory pic of subject rifle.

 

[Llance]

Dang I gave one of those away that had the most beautifully figured stock I've ever seen on a .22. Wish I had it back.

 

[Gene L]

Correction to my above post. My rifle isn't a Remington 121, it's a Savage 29, looks like the Remington except for the hexagonal barrel.

 

[Igiveup]

My first rifle, a Remington 121 Fieldmaster when I was 11 years old. Still have it.

 

[lihpster]

My first rifle, a Remington 121 Fieldmaster when I was 11 years old. Still have it.

The one I have wasn't mine until recently, but it was the first gun, of any kind, I ever shot. 6 years old I think, Mom held it up and I looked through the scope and pulled the trigger at apparently random intervals, given my lack of accuracy. Been addicted to the smell of gunpowder ever since. I haven't shot it since, nor, to my knowledge, has anyone else. I can see it from here and to me it is priceless. But I wouldn't pay over $200 for another one. JMO.

 

[USBP SW]

The first rifle that I got some real trigger time. I believe that it was responsible for the passion for shooting that I have to this day. I realize that it's not perfect, I seem to recall that the firing pin also does double duty as the ejector but to a teenager, it had no faults. I can shoulder it to this day and I am transported immediately back to my youth, it still excites me.

 

[Drm50]

I would part that dude out in a heart beat. I can see restoring a gun that has sentimental value, some things you can’t put a price on. I never could understand sinking a bunch of money to restore a gun that will be worth less than your investment.

 

[Bullet Bob]

"But I wouldn't pay over $200 for another one. JMO."

If you see a good one for $250.00, please let us know where we can get it.

 

[BearBio]

Did some pricing and agree that it's a item to unload unless you want to restore it (at a $$$ loss)

 

[pawngal]

I just sold a non-functioning 121 yesterday. $50. It obviously had a 22 magnum round stuck in it. Finish was long gone, bore looked OK, stock was cracked but complete.

 

[Llance]

I just sold a non-functioning 121 yesterday. $50. It obviously had a 22 magnum round stuck in it. Finish was long gone, bore looked OK, stock was cracked but complete.

Wish I'd known about it I'd have given you $55.00 and come to get it.

 

[bananaman]

I always wanted a pump .22 rifle. Thought they looked cool! Never managed to own 1. Not that long ago a gentleman that I met from Illinois, is a gun collector. He has nice stuff. We were talking 1 day, and we talked about .22 pumps. Said that he'd bring 1 to show me the next time he came to visit my neighbor in Michigan. So, maybe a few weeks later I was called over to my neighbor's house. We were talking in the living room. He brought a gun case from behind the couch. He said, look at this! I examined it, and told him that it is beautiful! Winchester 62A. It looks unfired, but can't be sure. Handed it back to him. He said you don't understand, it is for YOU! We both got emotional. Couldn't believe it. My neighbor has since passed away, but Jim and I still see, text or talk to each other often. According to the serial # rifle was produced in 1951. Bob

 

[JM4151]

Winchester model 62A

I have a 62A that my mother bought for my father around 1930. She paid $25.00 new for it at Sears, which was then located at 63 rd and Market Street. I have fired at least 20,000 rounds out of it over the years and it still works and looks great.