Remington 760 / 7600 Pump Rifle

Remington 760 / 7600
Pump Rifles

Model 760: The Remington pump model 760 rifle was made with a 22" barrel & was introduced in 1952 was discontinued in 1980. It used a detachable 4 shot box magazine. This model was initially produced only in 300 Savage, 30-06 & 35 Remington calibers. Other calibers added later included 270 Win., 257 Roberts, 244 Rem., 308 Win., 243 Win., 280 Rem., 222 Rem., & 223 Rem. Initially the wood was plain uncheckered walnut buttstock & a grooved forearm. These guns were a sales success in that I purchased a new one in October of 1954 with a serial number of 179,000.

The pump action slid on a hollow metal tube that had a spacer under the front of this tube against the barrel. The ejection port cover was made of metal & left brightly polished, with the early ones utilizing a rounded forward outer end, while later ones used the same metal, but slightly angled to the rear at the front. The rear sight utilized a 3/8" dovetail in the barrel. These rear sights were made by Remington & were distinctive.

The receiver was not originally drilled & tapped for either a peep or scope sight. No provision for sling swivels were incorporated. The buttplate was of aluminum.

An early Remington 760

Later, about 1969 a carbine with an 18 1/2" barrel was introduced but with limited calibers of 270 Won., 280 Rem., 308 Win., 30-06 & 35 Remington. This forearm bracket tube was different than the rifle in that it was composed of two telescoping metal tubes. When cycled to the rear no metal was exposed on the front of the forearm. There was a neoprene O-Ring between the two to eliminate a rattle.

Sometime after the carbine entered the scene, the older forend support tube as replaced by the carbine style. Also the metal ejection port cover was replaced by a black plastic one.

Closeup of an early 760 action showing metal ejection port cover

There was a 760ADL version introduced in 1953 which was the same as the 760 but had deluxe wood, machine checkering, a pistol grip cap & sling swivels A 760BDL also introduced in 1953 sported a stepped receiver rear, RH or LH cheekpiece on a Monte Carlo stock. Basket-weave impressed checkering was added in the mid 1970s. It had a black pistol grip cap & forend tip. Made only in 270 Won., 308 Win., 30-06 & 35 Remington. There was a limited run of 760CDL carbines in 30-06 only & an 18 1/8" barrel.. This model was made only from 1961 to 1963.

This BDL version was discontinued in 1982.

These guns usually paralleled the 740 & 742 semi-automatics as far as wood goes, so the impressed checkering on the 742 would have also been incorporated on the 760 as the buttstocks are the same.

Aftermarket manufacturers like Uncle Mikes make sling swivel kits to fit these early guns.

Model 6 / 7600: There may have been some confusion with the other Remington #6, which was a Rolling Block single shot rimfire rifle that Remington made from 1890 to 1933.

When Remington dropped the 760 pump, in 1981 they came out with the model 6 which was discontinued in 1987 & the following year the 7600 which is still currently being made. It was a newer internal design pump, while still maintaining the same exterior configuration. It was designated model 6, & the model 7600. The calibers available were 6mm Rem. (discontinued in 1985) 243, 270, 30-06, & the 308. A carbine in 30-06 was introduced in 1988. Again what ever was done for the 7400 was paralleled in the 7600 as for the wood, firing pins reinforced hardened steel insert rail in the receiver, scope mounting hole changes, locking lugs & magazine latch being enlarged. The extractor was changed from the riveted in style, common with the 740, 742, 760 & the bolt action 700 to a non-riveted snap in type. This new style extractor was also incorporated into the model 700 bolt action gun.

The model 6 was the deluxe version (or as the earlier 760 was designated, it would have been equal to a BDL grade). The model 6 had high gloss checkered walnut wood with white line spacers under the buttplate, grip cap & forearm tip.

The model 7600 which was the same gun, except plainer wood, satin finish & pressed checkering (would have been equivalent to the ADL). The calibers available were 6mm Rem. (discontinued in 1987) 243, 270, 280, 30-06, 308, & 35 Whelen.   A carbine in 30-06 was introduced in 1988.

In the spring of 1982 the Remington factory sales reps told us (independent dealers) that "they" were advertising for the independent dealer & promoting the model 6 in all national magazines.   They did not tell us that there was also being made an economy model 7600.   We found out later in the early fall after we got our shipment of model 46, that Remington had sold the 7600s to K-Mart, Wal-Mart etc. at a greatly reduced price as compared to the Model 4 that they were selling us.   The retail customer was not dumb, as he could buy a new Remington semi-automatic 30-06 from the "marts" for $100 less, he did not care what it looked like, only the price, & was discontent that we could not match their (the Marts) discounted price for our higher grade guns.   The situation was that the "marts" ordered only the 30-06 calibers, & the customer could not understand why we could not sell them a 270 Winc. for the same price the marts wanted for their 30-06.   We were therefore stuck with higher priced guns on our shelves.

Then in 1983 Remington acknowledged & then had the 7600s in their catalog & independent shop owners had to then buy the model 7600's to stay even somewhat competitive.   So the model 6's sat on our shelves & at the factory warehouse.   It took the factory a few years to figure out what was going on. Beginning in 1990 the high gloss wood of the model 6 was incorporated onto the model 7600.

As time went on, 1993 & 1994 a Special Purpose gun with non reflective wood & glass-beaded dull metal finish showed on the scene. In 1998 newer versions appeared with synthetic stocked models & glass-beaded dull metal finish. Even later, synthetic stocked models with Electoless nickel dull finish on the metal were introduced.

7600

picture coming soon

Model 76: Then about 1985 there was a cheaper Model 7600, called the model 76, made in 30-06 only, which took the place of the "older" 7600, but with cheaper walnut stained birch wood & no checkering. The metal finish did not have the higher luster of the 7600. These guns also carried Remington's economy name of "Sportsman".

Gunsmithing These Models: If the hammer is not falling, it could be traced to at least 2 conditions.

Barrel code for date of manufacture & information on barrel extension removal CLICK HERE

(1) If someone may have had the trigger group apart to replace the hammer spring etc., it is possible that the action bar lock's (#18609) rear tail is ABOVE the tail of the trigger disconnector bar. The Action Bar Lock is the lever you depress to manually open the action. Both of these parts are on the LH side of the trigger group, above & in front of the trigger. Under normal conditions, the action bar lock has to raise up behind the LH action slide bar to lock the pump slide & hold the rotating locking lugs before the gun will fire. With the ABL ABOVE the disconnector, it will hold the disconnector DOWN, allowing the gun to fire out of lockup, or not fire if the operator does not hold the forearm tightly forward.

(2) The early forearms also use a forearm retainer nut very similar to the 870 shotgun. It may be that you may not have threaded the forearm nut all the way on. If this happens on the old guns, (not the carbines or the newer telescoping action tubes) & you push the pump handle is as far forward as it will go, the bolt may not be totally closed. This is because the older action tube has a pinned in front end cap. The then too long forearm nut bumps the end cap, stopping the forward movement of the slide assembly & does not allow the breech bolt to move far enough forward to lock the action bar up. These action tubes screw onto a 3/8 NF bolt protruding from the front of the receiver. The tubes have 3/16" holes in them crossways which you use as a spanner hole to tighten/unscrew the tube from the receiver.

(3) Magazine latches for the model 760 are obsolete, but the 7600 versions will fit IF you also use the new rat trap spring.

(4) The older guns did not have a metal buttstock spacer installed between the receiver & the buttstock. The newer guns you may see this spacer. What it does is take up the pressure of firing, eliminating the chance of the receiver setting back & slitting the buttstock at the joint line. There should be about a minimum of .010" clearance between the rear of the receiver & the front of the buttstock. If yours does not, you might fiberglass it or at least place some kind of metal spacer to protect your buttstock.

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