Peep sight installation - vintage Remington 700/721 problem

[Southmountain]

Very specific question, but figured of all places, someone on THR might know the answer.

I have a vintage Lyman 57 WJS sight that is looking for a home. Looking at Remington 700's and 721's.

But, almost every Remington that I see, the side holes drilled into the receiver are way too low, hidden into the stock, so that the Lyman 57 WJS would not fit.

Picture evidence: I just pulled 5 Remington 700/721's on Gunbroker. They all have the same problem, see pictures below.

Compare to a pre-64 Winchester M70 (last picture), see how the side holes drilled are well above the stock, leaving ample room for a receiver peep sight.

What's going on? Are all Remington 700/721's drilled inaccurately so that no peep sight can be installed?

Pictures: 5 vintage Remingtons, randomly selected on GB, all with the same issue







Vintage pre-64 Winchester, with side holes correctly drilled for peep sight

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You will have to remove some wood.

 

[jdsingleshot]

700s are not drilled wrong, they are stocked wrong. As 351 said, some wood has to go. I had to do that to put a Williams receiver sight on my 1966 Rem 700. Eventually scoped it and wished I had not removed wood. But decades later, I restocked it, so it's water under the bridge.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Look at some pictures of rifles with the peep sights installed. You will get your answer there.

Usually it was a matter of the installer making two cuts with a razor saw followed by a contour cut with a jewelers saw and a few files to clean it up with some finish of their choice for the bare wood.

After they had done one they could usually do another in under 15 minutes. Just had to let the wood finish cure.

 

[.455_Hunter]

My Uncle's 721 was fitted with a peep. The stock is relived to allow it to fit.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Cut some wood or get a 40x stock.

 

[gila_dog1]

Have you looked for a different peep sight? Something that would go where your rear scope base is, and would fit those holes?

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I should have mentioned that a taller front sight is usually required.

 

[AlexanderA]

You will have to remove some wood.

That's the answer. It's obvious that to Remington, at that time, making provision for mounting receiver peep sights was an afterthought.

My Remington 700 is not drilled or tapped for iron sights at all. Not only receiver sights, but barrel sights as well. It's designed exclusively for scopes.

Here's my Remington 700, in an H-S Precision stock:

 

[MacAR]

My 700 is drilled, and I had to remove a bit of wood in order to install a peep on it. I actually leave the peep "block" on the gun and just remove the bridge. That way, all I have to do is remove the scope and re-install the sight bridge, set as required, and go shoot.

Mac

 

[Bwana John]

Fits any Weaver or Pickatinny scope base

https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/proddetail.php?prod=4200

 

[Southmountain]

Thanks for the insights everyone. This is for a small side project and I already have the vintage Lyman 57 WJS sight, so it’s more about finding a Remington 700 for it. Not interested in Savage 110 at the moment and already have Model 70’s. Looks like I’ll either have to inlet the Model 700 stock or get a Model 721/722.

The idea is to [re?]create a poor man’s version of those prewar Winchester NM/target/standard M70’s fitted with a Lyman 48 or Redfield peep sights. The budget version being a budget Lyman peep and a nice enough walnut and blued rifle with M1907 sling that I won’t lose sleep over some dings and hard wear.

However if you fancy a better use for a Lyman 57 WJS and want to make an offer let me know.