High Mountain Hunting Supply

My Great Uncle Bob was one of the best deer hunters I may ever know. An original character from Republic, Washington he became a living local legend for his shooting skills, hunting adventures, and above all, his sense of humor.

In 1948, Bob purchased a Remington model 721 in .270 from the local Republic Hardware store. A strong believer in functionality over beauty, he quickly removed the iron site to replace it with a then modern 4x Weaver Optical scope. The trick was the blade part of the sighting system was permanently mounted to the front of the barrel and interfered with the new optics. This was not a problem for a man of his skills as gunsmith: 10 minutes later, the site was gone and the old bench top grinder was cooling down. 

Bob was stickler for accuracy, and built part of his legend on his ability to shoot. He would not tolerate a gun with a questionable ability to hit what he was aiming at. The Remington 721 fit his ideals well, shooting almost perfect groups at various distances. He swore he never missed a deer with the 721 and to this day, I can find no one in our family or circle of friends and acquaintances who can claim otherwise. The gun was his constant companion up until his death in 1988.

After Bob passed, the family got together to finish up his last requests for his estate. Family heirlooms were divided up as memories and laughs were exchanged. I was 14 years old at the time, and becoming an active hunter under the instructions of my father and grandfather. At the time, I was using grandma's old sporterized 8mm Mauser and didn't have deer rifle I could call my own. It was one of the best days of my life when the family decided I should carry on Bob's tradition as the rifle was passed on to me.

I also received his “electric toilet paper” which was nothing more than a corn cob with an electrical plug attached to it. It had adorned his bathroom wall for years, and was passed to me since I seemed to have already inherited Bob's sense of humor, anyway.

I replaced Bob's old scope with a new 4x Nikon. I still have the old Weaver stored in box in my gunroom simply for sentiment. I had a few months until hunting season, so Dad and I started a shooting regimen after school. The 721 had an extremely light and crisp trigger with a mild recoil. It also was extremely accurate and by the time opening day rolled around, I was ready for the high country. I shot my first buck that year and the 721 has been my constant deer hunting companion ever since.

The Remington Model 721 was introduced in 1948 and advertised as the first truly “modern” bolt action. Designed by Mike Walker and Homer Young, it featured an extra strong bolt long action in 30-06 and 270 with a choice of 24” or 22” round barrel. The 721 had a production span of 14 years during which over 118,000 individual rifles were produced. After the initial introduction, several other calibers were offered including the .264 Winchester (1961), .280 Remington (1961), and 300 H&H (Early 1949). There is conflicting information on the 300 H&H which may have been released in 1948. Final production of the Model 721 ended in 1962. After its reign, the model 721 fell into obscurity, overshadowed by its well-known successor, the Model 700. Lost in history, it continues to function today not as a collector's classic, but as a hunter's friend. At the conclusion of every successful hunt, I like to think Uncle Bob is grinning at another deer brought down by his rifle.