7600p as truck gun (& a couple of questions)

[ChristopherG]

I've been thinking about picking up a Remington 7600p as a truck-gun. It's a synthetic-stocked, parkerized, ghost-ring sighted, pump action, mag-fed 16.5" .308. To my thinking, this gun (http://www.remingtonle.com/rifles/7600.htm) possesses almost all the qualities I'd like in a truck-gun:

1) It's in a caliber that needs no justification or apology. It's a truck gun not only in the sense of riding in one; it's also capable of going through one--at least to a greater extent than any pistol-caliber or pea-shooter.

2) It's fairly handy, corrosion-resistant and relatively low maintenance.

3) It's a fast and familiar action. I don't really like semi-autos; but even if I did, it's not like there are a plethora of good options for semis in .308 (or any major caliber, for that matter). At least not under a thousand bucks--and that's just too much money for a truck gun in my situation.
Like the cops this gun was created for, I've shot an 870 police mag plenty. I'm familar and comfortable with the action--and I know from 3-gun competition just how much I give up to autoloaders with a pumpgun (some, but not much).

4) It's mag-fed. I've got a levergun in my truck right now, but would prefer to have a magazine for loading. If I should ever want to use my truck gun in pressing circumstances, I'd prefer to be able to be fully loaded in the time it now takes me to feed and chamber just ONE round.

Now the concerns or potential downsides:

1) The mag capacity (4 in the stock Remington mags) is puny. Regrettably, they didn't make this model capable of using M1a or FAL mags. So I'd be looking for aftermarket mags of at least 10 rounds--Eagle and Triple K being the one's I've come across.

Does anyone know about the reputation and quality of these aftermarket mags for the 7600?

2) The barrel is only 16.5", which is a bit short for a .308. This one doesn't worry me so much, since I'd reload my ammunition and (I'm confident) could find a balance of velocity & power vs. blast and recoil that would make me happy.

Anybody have any advice on loading .308 for a short barrel?

Now if there's ANOTHER handy, reasonably priced, corrosion-resistant, magazine fed, major caliber gun out there--in an action that's faster than a bolt-gun, please--and I haven't thought of it, I'd be thrilled to hear about it.

 

[Jackal]

SKS or Hakim. They may not be too corrosion resistant, but who cares. At $100 buck each, you can buy 5 of the SKS for one Remington. The Hakim is a good rifle, in a manly caliber and can usually be found at gun shows for $300-$400.

 

[TMM]

I second that SKS. or perhaps an AK.

~tmm

 

['Card]

I've got several Remington 7400's (the semi-auto equivalent of the 7600 you're talking about) in .30-06, and I love 'em. Not sure why you wouldn't consider one of those if you would prefer a mag-fed semi-auto. They're in pretty much the same price range as the 7600 series. Not sure I'd consider one a 'truck gun', simply because you do need to keep them reasonably clean, but you could say pretty much the same thing about the 7600's. With your criteria, seems like a synthetic-stock 7400 .30-06 carbine would be the perfect choice. Or, if you could find a used 7400 Weathermaster (nickel-plated and tough as nails - it's what I hunt with most of the time) that might be a better option.

As far as the mags are concerned, I've never tried the Triple-K's, but I've got 3 or 4 of the 10-round transparent plastic Eagle mags, and they work great. I've heard bad things about them from other people, but most of those stories seem to be 10 years old or more. I don't know if Eagle beefed up the springs or what, but they feed my 7400's without a hitch.

 

[ChristopherG]

'Card, that's good news on the Eagles, 'cause they're cheap as can be; buy a bunch and just keep the ones that work!

I know I mark myself as a kind of a gun dork by saying it, but I really prefer a manually operated gun to a semi-auto. I mean, I'm not arguing our troops should be armed with pumpguns or anything, but I like my 870 better than the 1100's or the Novas or whatnot I've shot. I know from cowboy shooting that a manually operated rifle can be as fast as I feel I need it to be--and a pump would be a hair faster, I think, than a levergun--with a bit of practice.

I have thought about a synthetic 30-06 carbine in the 7600. I already load 30-06, and an 18.5" barrel would be a touch better in a major caliber than a 16.5, I think--at least for everything but portability.

Thanks again for the first-hand word on those mags!

 

[Jim March]

There's a variant of this gun you might consider: the 7615 "police model" turns up on Gunbroker, Auction Arms and Gunsamerica often enough.

Yeah, it's a 223...but it eats out of AR15 magazines . Somebody said it may be built on the smaller "20 gauge" reciever vs. the 12ga base for the 308/30-06 guns.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Don't do it!

I had a 7600 Police and wasn't overly impressed...meaning for $750.00 retail. The gun worked fine and was handy, blah, blah, blah.

Take away the ghost rings and the 10 rounds and you had an everyday 7600 in .308.

Speaking from my experience the 10 rounders from Eagle SUCKED (incase you didn't read that right I'm screaming!). The Triple K mags actually worked, but did not "drop free" as the 4 rounders did.

All in all, I'd spend my money and get an Ishapore 2A1 from www.aimsurplus.com a synthetic stock from ATI and a case of SA Surplus to shoot through it....and have a ton of $$$$ left over.

YMMV

 

[mljdeckard]

My dad has a 760 in .257 Roberts, which he loves to say, makes him look like a really good shot. It's beat to snot. It's been re-blued. It has a big chip out ot the stock on the bottom of the stock under the butt-plate. It's been carried through a thousand miles of sagebrush by him and me. For deer and coyotes, when he's mostly driving, it's the main rifle he always takes with him.

I've seen the '06s and .308s in the pawn shops, and I've had to talk myself out of spending money I didn't have more than once to get one. I'm notmally drawn to military-style rifles, but that one would work just fine for me. The only negative experience I ever saw with one, a friend of mine had a newer one in '06, and he took a off-brand, clear plastic hi-cap universal magazine out with it, and it didn't feed. He lost a deer my dad wound up shooting. But it was obviously the magazine's fault, not the rifle's.

 

[ChristopherG]

Hmmm. Cautionary note on the 7600p taken to heart, thereisnospoon. If they had only designed it for larger, drop-free mags... Ah, well, they didn't.

Jim, I've spent hours trying to reconcile myself to a .223 so I could get excited about that very gun.

It's not that I don't think it would be a hoot to shoot;
it's not that I don't know .223 is way cheaper to load for;
it's not that I don't think a .223 would neutralize a bipedal threat in the open;
it's just that someone might have the clever idea to get behind something, and then I imagine kicking myself real hard.

Aw hades, I'm doing a lot of fretting over naught, I expect. I'll do some more thinking about that 7615, and see if I can find any reports on reliability etc.

Oh yeah, T-I-N-S: those aimsurplus Enfields look just about too cheap to pass up, for a cool piece of history (the last designed and produced general issue military bolt guns in the world, if I read Wikipedia rightly?). I might have to grab one of those just to have one (though a bolt-gun is less adequate zombie-medicine, in my hands, than something pumped or levered). Thanks!

 

[AStone]

This thread has been quiet since August, but I thought I'd bump it one more time since the 7600P has come up several times recently in "conversations" with folks. I'm curious to see if there are any new thoughts out there about it.

The 7600P has gotten consistently mixed and somewhat mediocre reviews in THR's rifle country (except for Mike Sr, who really likes his a lot). Yet, it still appeals to me in some gut level way, I guess because ... well, see below.

Right now, it's one of the main competitors in my decision for "which rifle next for a general do it all in a pinch" kind of rifle, truck gun, go to for SHTF type scenarios.

{Top choice now is a Marlin 336 for a number of reasons, but that's another story that I'm telling in other threads...no need to repeat it here... }.

The 7600P appeals to me in several ways: short (I want short, but would prefer 18" or 19" rather than 16.5"); iron sights; .308; familiar action (see my user name).

I've also considered finding a standard 7600 and having the barrel cut down and recrowned.

Anyway, just curious.

Any thoughts?

Nem

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Is there a reason that nobody's mentioned the Saiga?

For the kind of cash that a 7600 wants, you can have a Saiga and a bunch of magazines. You could even get it chromed and still be under budget.

Plus, if so inclined, you could either convert it or buy a converted one with a folding stock to save space.

-MV

 

[AStone]

Matthew, would you kindly be a bit more specific? Which Saiga?

When I google this - "Saiga pump rifle .308" - I get mostly references to Saiga 12. The pages that mention rifle fail to load.

Any URL would be appreciated.

Thanks.

~N

 

[Dr.Rob]

The 760 is a solid rifle capable of amazing accuracy... my old man swears by his and has killed more game with it than I could easily count.

Before he bought a poodle shooter he bought some 9 round eagle mags and a couple steel 10 rounders. The steel ones don't work very well, the plastic eagle mags work just fine.

I don't see the need for 'ghost rings' on a deer rifle in either case. Seems like the 7600 is an up-priced rifle in search of a tactical market.

A couple years back a gun shop here was going out of business selling engraved 760 pump guns for like $350. They have never been that expensive, and they aren't hard to find used.

 

[Mr White]

I have 2 10 round steel mags for my 7600 and they both work flawlessly. I think they're Eagles. My 7600 isn't the P model, Just a plain blued steel and wood hunting rifle in .270, but its a good gun. It puts the bullets where the crosshairs are aimed and it always goes bang when I expect it to.

 

[ArmedBear]

Now if there's ANOTHER handy, reasonably priced, corrosion-resistant, magazine fed, major caliber gun out there--in an action that's faster than a bolt-gun, please--and I haven't thought of it, I'd be thrilled to hear about it.

The BLR comes in stainless/laminate now. Not cheap, but not appreciably higher than the 7600P.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=003B&cat_id=034&type_id=010

Not a "truck gun", really, because it's an elegant, refined firearm. Depends where in the truck you'd keep it.

 

[AStone]

I don't see the need for 'ghost rings' on a deer rifle in either case.

Agreed re GR. But I do want apertures (probably Williams) in addition to (probably) a forward mount scope. So, I thought that the GR's on the 7600P might make it easier to put an aperture on ... could be faulty reasoning there ... I'm not sure about differences between the two in spacing and such.

Seems like the 7600 is an up-priced rifle in search of a tactical market.

That idea has been residing just under my skin for a while, but it couldn't quite find its way out. Thanks for articulating it.

I'm going to have to price some 7600's. (Not Ps, just standard.) Anybody know what they go for in your area? I'm most interested in synthetics (which are about $100+ less expensive, but I want synthetic for other reasons...)

I think one of them in .308 with a, say, 19" barrel would be quite nice. Drilled and tapped, too, which I don't think the P is ...
__________

Armed Bear, thiose BLRs ARE beautiful, (says a lever-gun nut). Dang.

I handled one recently in .30-06 at a gun store. Wow. Smoothe action, nicely balanced, solid.

I'm not sure one is in my budget right now (I'm not even sure if the 7600P is either; haven't really priced them yet), but someday ... maybe ...

 

[ArmedBear]

.30-06 Carbine is available from the factory with an 18.5" barrel.

'Round here, they're around $525 for the synthetic. I think Wally World sells them for less, but they don't sell guns in California any more. I'm not sure if they'll ever start again, given the hassles they get from the DOJ.

The Remington matte finish is not my favorite, but hell, you can spray the whole gun with Dura-Coat or somesuch, and then you can touch up any scratches yourself at will, all for a few bucks.

 

[AStone]

Thanks, AB.

I was expecting about $525. (I'm just a bit north of your area.) Sounds about right. Not bad. It'd be nice to find a used one in good condition for around $425 or so.

I've definitely looked at and thought about those .30-06 carbines. I have no doubt they're great guns.

But I'm wanting a shorter action - hence leaning towards .308 - even if it means I've got to cut the barrel down. It's too bad Rem doesn't do short action calibers in carbines, too. <Hint, hint, Mr. Remington...>

The BLR that I handled recently was .30-06. The length of the action was noticeably long. If one needs that extra power of the '06, it's worth it, no doubt.

Right now, I don't feel that I do.

 

[ArmedBear]

AFAIK the 7600 receiver is the same size for .308 and .30-06, so it doesn't make much difference.

Remington is making the new 750 Carbine in .308, .30-06, and .35 Whelen, so I think they're listening to you. They're just not messing with the 7600 right now.

Last BLR I handled was a .308, and it balanced beautifully. $400 used in 100% condition. Sometimes I wish I'd have bought it instead of...

 

[MatthewVanitas]

@Nemato

I don't really like semi-autos; but even if I did, it's not like there are a plethora of good options for semis in .308 (or any major caliber, for that matter). At least not under a thousand bucks--and that's just too much money for a truck gun in my situation.

Though aware he prefers a pump, since other folks were suggesting SKS, I thought suggesting the semi-auto .308 Saiga 16", since it is under $1000 and is an option.

No pump rifles from Saiga that I know of... yet.

-MV

 

[AStone]

AB, good point about the 7600 receiver for those two rounds...hadn't thought of that.

Hmmm. 750 carbine in .308. Hmmm.

<looks at the web page>

Wow. Nice looking.

Dang it, dude, you just made my decision more difficult. I had this nearly all figured out. Now, ya gone and thrown another gun into the mosh pit.

Oh, well, choices are always better than no choices.
___

PS: $400 for a BLR. Wow, maybe luck really does exist.

 

[ugaarguy]

Nem, I understand the appeal of the 7600 from an 870 manual of arms commonality standpoint. On the other hand, I can't see spending that kind of money on a rifle that doesn't do anything better than a good levergun like a Marlin 336 can do for a good bit less money. True, the 7600 uses detachable mags, but you can top the Marlin off thru the sidegate. Also true, that the 7600 is in calibers like 308 and 30-06 that have a bit more oomph than 30-30, but do you really need the extra oomph? If you do you can get a Marlin 1895GS stainless guide gun in 45-70 and be in the same price neighborhood. Now if you're dead set on a 308 I like Correia's low maintenance choice of a Saiga or VEPR semi auto; the AK operating system is just too rugged. I also like the basic run of the mil AK for under $400. The 7.62x39 is ballistically similar to the 30-30, and mags are everywhere for cheap. I just think there are better options than the 7600 right now.

 

[ArmedBear]

ugaarguy-

Ever point a 750? It's a DAMN good option, that's all I can say. Points like an 1100.

 

[ugaarguy]

Armed Bear, as you see my post did not adress the 750. The post should have gone thru much earlier, however I'm currently deployed. I had to leave, take care of some duties, and then finish the post. When it did I post I didn't realize how long I'd been gone for. I'll take a look a the 750, as it sounds like a very useful rifle.

Since we're on the topic of rifles of a utility type, I've been told the Kel-Tec SU16s, except for the C model, are available in Ca. Are the Saigas or VEPRs available there, or do they fall under the AK ban?

 

[AStone]

Also true, that the 7600 is in calibers like 308 and 30-06 that have a bit more oomph than 30-30, but do you really need the extra oomph? If you do you can get a Marlin 1895GS stainless guide gun in 45-70 and be in the same price neighborhood.

ug, I keep asking myself that: do I really need the extra oomph (of a .308 over a .30-30)?

When I look at these ballistics, I think, "Wow, that's a big difference in oomph."

Then I think of all the deer (and deer-related animals, e.g., elk) that have been taken with .30-30 over the years and think, "Naw, I don't need that extra oomph."

I think about how good that Marlin 336 feels, the low recoil, quieter blast, less expensive ammunition, less expensive gun.

I think about a cowboy assault rifle based on a 336.

Then I think some more about the difference in oomph.

So, where do I stand right now?

I dunno. Ask me tomorrow. Depends on which way the wind is blowing.