Personally, I'd dump the rail and sights for a leupold DD base and scope, and plug the screw holes. Next I'd reshape/refinsh the stock and can the plastic trigger guard and replace with one from CVMW. Or barring that, I'd be on the lookout for a synthetic stock from HS Precision and add a 700 trigger guard. That's what I did...

 

I highly recommend replacing the plastic bottom with metal and the rib is easy to change out. I still cannot understand why they used plastic for the trigger guard and rib. Anyway I hardly ever shoot my 600 in .308 any more, never did get the trigger upgrade and since I hardly ever use it anymore have not put a Timney in, yet, though I intend to do it sometime.

Now my 243 is my go to rifle, trigger is safe and I have adjusted it to a nice crisp 2lb release. If I could only keep one center fire rifle this would be the one. It has had almost everything upgraded except the stock and bolt release. Right now I am thinking about a Boyd's stock (I want wood) even though the stock I like is one from Richard's but I have heard so many horror stories about them I don't want to go there. I have a Boyd's, Pro Varmint on my Savage 112 and really like it but that style of stock would be a bit heavy for the 600.

 

Get rid of the factory barrel and rib altogether and put a new 7mm-08 barrel on it with the Timney trigger and bottom metal replacement as suggested above.

 

I have a Rem 600 in 222, this rifle has trained a lot of young shooters to operate and shoot a bolt action rifle. This rifle has been in my possession for many years. My grandson killed a eight point deer and a bobcat on opening day this deer season. Both animals were killed with one shot, the deer was thru the heart and lungs and the bobcat thru the throat and spine with the cat looking at my grandson.
The rifle still shoots a good group. The rifle has been shot around 300 times over the years.

 

.222 is a great little cartridge.

 

Huntsman22 - That does not look like the original 600 barrel on your gun, is it? If so, what screws did you use to plug the holes when the rib was removed?

ky-n - What did you do to adjust your stock trigger to get it to 2#?

Thank you all for your ideas to date. I basically want to keep it more or less stock, except wouldn't mind losing the rib; I too thought that was someone's offbeat design idea but functionally worthless, the more so in plastic. Ditto for the trigger guard. And that maddening bolt release. I've had this gun for over 45 years and that still drives me nuts.

Oh, and Merry Christmas to all of you!

 

ky-n - What did you do to adjust your stock trigger to get it to 2#?

I found information on the web (https://www.shootersforum.com/gunsmithing/19761-adjusting-win-model-70-rem-model-7-700-triggers.html) on adjusting the Remington 700 trigger, same basic trigger as the 600/660 uses. Following the instructions carefully and constantly checking to be sure it was not becoming unsafe I managed to get it down to where I was happy with it.

I used the same procedure on my 700 22-250 and could not get it down below 3.5 # and still be safe and the 600 308 was not safe at anything below 6 #.

 

'22, mine was a Mohawk. I plugged the sight holes with filler screws

 

Growing up a friend of my Dad had a .22-250 with a P.O. Ackley barrel on a 600 action. Man that thing would shoot.

 

ky-n - Thanks for the link. I may try that first, take it to a gunsmith if I don't get the results I want, and go with a Timney as a third option. Cost is always a consideration.

 

If it was mine,
I would send it to a good smith, rebarrel with something like a Bartlein #3, trigger work and bottom metal, McMillan stock, and cerakote.

A local shop, Carolina Precision Rifle, now defunct I think, used to offer an "Accuracy package"..
(re)crown the barrel
pillar and glass bed
Trigger work
lap locking lugs and scope rings
about $325

If I was on a budget or wanted to keep the old look, thats the way I would go..have the bore scoped to make sure it will shoot as good as it can.

 

Cabin22 - Just saw your question on my old thread. First of all there are metal vent ribs and trigger guards available for the 600. To strip the stock start with a good stripper to clean out the checkered areas and then use wet dry sandpaper to sand the finish off the rest of the stock. Start with a 100 grit and work your way up to 600. Use Birchwood Casey stock filler and then his true oil top coat. I have done three of the 600/660's and getting that Rem finish off is not easy, but the end result is well worth it. I would challenge anyone to pick the original finish stock from my 660. As far as trigger work I would stick with the original trigger and have a competent smith thoroughly clean and lub it. The barrel is another story if it is really worn out. Could it just need a very thorough cleaning? My Son and I own a total of four 600/660's and all still shoot more than good enough for hunting varmit's or deer.

 

You could try this....
My Dad's 660 in 243. he had the barrel replaced w/22" because he didn't like the muzzle blast of the short barrel. shot sub moa with cheap factory ammo with the old barrel and still does with the new (a 700 take off barrel) (kinda ticks me off.....) :cuss: He didn't care for the proportions of the original stock with the short barrel so he cut the fore end down, then when the new longer barrel went on, he didn't like those proportions so he had me work up a Richards microfit stock in black walnut for him, and put on a metal floor plate....

DPSTX

 

Beautiful piece of furniture.

I like the Richard's stocks but all the horror stories in the different forums keeps me from getting one.

 

That is fine work DPSTX - nice stock !!

My personal Mohawk has the original stock, only with foreend cut down and recontoured to remove the flattened bottom. Post #14 on this old rimfirecentral thread has a picture of it, the center one.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5024287

Standard Mohawk barrel length, just appears a bit more proportional to me.

Another 600 project was simply a new iron sight 'ranch rifle' install on my 1st rifle, shown here on this thread. I think it works well, but I'm still getting used to it to tell the truth.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=739753

Good luck with your 600 - nice carbine those ! :bthumb:

 

Standard Mohawk barrel length, just appears a bit more proportional to me.

You are correct, the Mohawk's do have a slightly larger barrel profile and no rib. I like them better than the profile on the 600/660 with the rib but I really do like them all.

 

Stage 1, improved trigger, is done. I ended up taking it to LGS gunsmith, who chipped out the Remington recall factory glue/epoxy they used on the adjustment screws & got it down to right around 2#. Wow, what a difference! Can't wait for the weather to warm up enough for me to get it out for a test session. In the interim, I'm waiting on a new metal rib from MidwayUSA, and a metal trigger guard from Willie Manning. Once those get here and are test fit to the rifle, Ill' do a bit more research on how to best strip the old finish, and decide on what new finish I may apply. Gotta wait for warmer weather to do that though. I also need to remember to take pics as it goes along.

 

Yer gonna love the replacement metal, glad to hear you got the trigger set to your satisfaction. The Remington trigger is really quite good when it adjusted properly. Please do post some pics when you can, I really like seeing what others have done with their 600/660's.

 

The weather cooperated and I got the model 600 out to the range after installing the new aluminum rib and trigger guard. The rib took a bit of wiggling to get it on, but snapped right into place. Replacing it required removing the scope & rail, exposing metal that hasn't seen the light of day in over 45 years. It was actually in very good condition, and now freshly cleaned. The new trigger guard is very nice & fits perfectly.

On to the range to try out the new lightened trigger. Short version - it was set a bit too light for a hunting gun. While a pleasure to squeeze it after the factory setting of about 7#, it goes off so easily that it even surprised me a couple times, turning a few 1.5" groups into 3" groups. Worse, I experienced one slam-fire when loading a single round & closing the bolt. Not good.

Once back home, I decided to investigate this and attempt adjusting it myself. Which actually turned out to be pretty easy (thanks for the advice/link, ky-n), once I realized you can simply pop the magazine well out to get to the pull weight adjustment screw, and don't have to remove the entire trigger assembly by driving out the pins. This is why people take guns to gunsmiths. Fortunately, I got everything back together and fully functional. The trigger is now set at just under 4# after I set it initially at about 3# and decided that was still a bit light. Final determination will wait for the next range session.

If nothing else, this has project to date has made me much more familiar with my old rifle, and that's not a bad thing.

One final lesson. Remember to bore sight the scope after moving & reinstalling it. I didn't since the Weaver-style rings were on a rail that only had two slots and the rail is held on by three screws, so I figured it would just go right back to the previous zero at 100 yards. It didn't. I went through a bit of ammo getting it back on target, partially attributable to the old design Leupold friction-mush adjustment turrets, but that's another story.

 

Since I seldom shoot my 243 at anything more than paper, plus I really, really prefer a very light trigger, I am very happy with it at 2lbs and surprised it adjusted that light. Now then my 308 anything near that light it becomes dangerous, each trigger is different, I am surprised your gunsmith let it out the door in a slam fire condition.

 

A follow up range session after bumping up the trigger pull to about 4#. After re-sighting the scope, I shot two 3-shot groups each using 150g Remington CoreLokt and Hornady Whitetail ammo. The CoreLokt produced an expected 2.5" group, but also a decent 1.5" group, which is much better than the groups I was getting with it prior to reducing the trigger pull. The Hornady groups were also better than before, one at 1-7/8" and the final group at 7/16"!! I was astounded. Three side-by-side horizontal holes dead on for elevation and about 1/2" to the right of the aiming point. Knowing I couldn't improve on that, I decided that would be the final group for the day and to leave the scope & trigger setting just where they are now.

Still debating on the stock refinish. Overall it is in very good condition for its age & time in the woods. I'm not sure I want to go through the effort to strip & refinish it, only to watch it get nicked up again while in the woods on future hunting adventures. A safe queen it is most definitely not.

 

I've owned a dozen or more Remington 600/660/600Mohawk series rifles over the past 50 years and agree with Huntsman22 that the first thing that I'd recommend is buying an alloy bottom metal unit from Willie Manning at CVMW. I bought several different makes/style of replacement bottom metal and think that Willie's is the best. GPC has replacement stocks and used take-off stocks are regularly available on eBay.

 

600

I just bought a 600 Mohawk 308 with a leupold 3.5 - 10 x 40 scope for 500 and was looking for ideas to refurbish it.Bluing needs nothing but stock needs attention Its the birch stock.Would like to get a nice walnut stock for it.Glad I found this post gives me some good ideas.Been wanting one of these for a long time glad I finally found one. also do any other stocks fit this gun