(This is a reader gun review contest entry, click here for more details.)
By Russ C in Alaska
I am a lifelong hunter/shooter and an avid reader of TTAG since the days of Sandy Hook. I’ve long wanted to do a gun review but didn’t own any firearms that everybody didn’t already know about. Also, I’m not a particularly eloquent writer. But, when I came to receive this latest gem, I knew this was my chance. Enter the Remington 600 Mohawk. My particular rifle is chambered in the underrated and oft-ignored 6mm Remington . . .
First off, a bit of history behind my particular piece. It was, for many years, a favorite deer rifle of my father’s. I expressed an interest in acquiring a 6mm hunting rifle, and he started talking about this one. He has literally boxes full of the racks of many, many dozens of Sitka Blacktail deer that met their demise at the end of this rifle.
For those who don’t know, in Alaska we don’t have whitetail deer, but rather their considerably smaller cousins, the Sitka Blacktail.
I’m a huge history buff, so you’ll have to suffer through my fascination with the story behind this cartridge. None of this is hard to find on the internet but I’m gonna share it all anyway. Buckle up…
The 6mm was originally introduced by the Remington Arms Company as the .244 Remington. It was very closely related to Fred Huntington’s (of RCBS fame) .243 Rock Chucker. Both the .243 wildcat and the commercial version were based on the .257 Roberts casing, and while I’m not an expert, my understanding is that the primary difference between the two is a slightly more abrupt shoulder angle on the Rock Chucker.
For those who are curious, RCBS actually stands for Rock Chucker Bullet Swagers, and their flagship reloading press is to this day called the Rock Chucker Supreme. Anybody other than me fascinated by this? No? Moving on…
It was introduced the same year that Winchester released their now wildly popular .243 Winchester, the cartridge that would eventually send the .244 Remington down the memory hole. They were released just a few months apart in 1955.
Looking back, it seems obvious (to me) that the .244 Remington was slated for failure. It was introduced with the idea that it would become a “super” varmint cartridge, while the .243 was marketed as an “all around” varmint or big game caliber from the get-go, its 1-in-10” twist sending everything from 75-105 grain bullets downrange with nary a hiccup. The .244 came standard with a 1-in-12” twist, which was suitable for small varmint bullets (75, 85, or 90 grains) but the slow twist just couldn’t stabilize the “deer size” 100 and 105 grain bullets that the .243 shot so well.
Needless to say, the added versatility of the .243 is what drew hunters to the Winchester round and left the .244 in the dust.
In 1963 Remington finally got the message that American hunters were trying to send. They wanted a multipurpose rifle, and the .243 filled that niche. They rebranded the .244 Remington as the 6mm Remington and started fitting them with 1-in-9” twist barrels. The case, however, remained unchanged. So yes, you can load .244 Remington cartridges in your 6mm Remington rifle.
However, by that time Remington was too late to the game. The .243 Winchester had effectively cornered the market and the 6mm Remington was never able to get a real foothold.
Now, a brief history lesson of the Mohawk rifle…
Remington sold their Model 600 rifles from 1964-1968. According to Remington sales representatives’ records, approximately 95,000 rifles were sold during that time period. They were designed to be a “guide gun,” and as such came standard with a vent-rib, 18.5” barrel. It was offered in .222 Remington, .223 Remington, 6mm Remington, 6.5mm Remington Magnum, .243 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .35 Remington, and the .350 Remington Magnum.
The Model 600 was the precursor to the Mohawk 600, which was offered only as a “promotional rifle” between 1972-1979. According to the Remington website, there were approximately 97,594 Mohawk rifles produced, and they were offered in .222 Remington, .243 Winchester, 6mm Remington, and .308 Winchester.
The primary difference between the Mohawk and the original Model 600 was the lack of a vent rib barrel on the Mohawk.
As the Mohawk is a relatively uncommon rifle today, I have heard that a rifle in excellent condition should fetch one thousand dollars, sometimes more, in a private sale. I have no personal experience in this matter, but it is an interesting testament to the desirability of these rifles.
By all accounts, the Mohawk series was an exceptional performer. Ahead of its time, more accurate than its competitors, even with its short 18.5” barrel. I can make no claim to that statement either, but in talking with various old-timers who were around at the time, that seems to be their consensus.
I know you all came for a gun review, not a history lesson, so let’s get to it.
Appearance
About what you’d expect. A nondescript blued barrel, with a nondescript walnut stock. This particular rifle was manufactured in 1978, and it has aged well for my taste for a nearly 40 year old rifle. Some people like the “tactical” look, but personally I love the traditional appearance.
Fit and Finish
Simply put, beautiful. It’s not a show queen, but its rugged and functional elegance cannot be beat. There’s a small area where the safety lever has rubbed away at the stock after years of use, but it doesn’t bother me in the least. As far as I’m concerned, it’s added character.
The stock has its share of scratches and spots that have been rubbed from years of use schlepping about in the woods. None of which I believe can be attributed to workmanship, but rather hard use and character building over a lifetime of trips into the field.
Ease of Use
It’s a bolt action rifle. Step one, put round in rifle. Step two, close bolt. Step three, pull trigger. I don’t know of any firearm with a simpler manual of arms.
Disassembly
See above. Pull the bolt out, clean the rifle. Doesn’t get much simpler.
Handling Characteristics
As far as rifles go, it’s pretty nice actually. It’s a little heavier than you might anticipate because of the thick barrel on it, but its short overall length makes it much less cumbersome when plowing through thick brush than a rifle with a 22” or 24” barrel would be.
Intended Use
It’s a hunting rifle, and it excels in that role. Short enough to pack through the brush without hanging up, light enough to pack up the mountain, and more than sufficiently accurate even with its short barrel. Many unsuspecting creatures have met their match at the “hands” of this rifle.
Aftermarket Options/Accessories
Just about anything you might want to do to this rifle, you can do. Aftermarket barrels are available, stocks can be had, scopes can be mounted, and Timney even offers a trigger for it.
Favorite Feature
A bolt action rifle doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of “features,” but I like everything about this rifle.
Least Favorite Feature
Ahh, the obligatory “I love this firearm, but…” section. However, all jokes aside, there are a few things I don’t like about this rifle.
The first and biggest issue is the manner in which the bolt is removed. Anybody who is familiar with the Model 700 knows that in order to remove the bolt, you simply push on the small button in front of the trigger and the bolt slides right out. Not so with the Mohawk 600. In order to remove the bolt, one must use a very small screwdriver or tip of a pocket knife to depress a small button *inside* the action next to the bolt in order to remove it. Not impossible by any means, but an annoyance because it requires a tool to do it.
I also don’t like the shape of the safety lever. I much prefer the small knob found on the Model 700 rifles. And thankfully the Timney trigger comes with such a safety lever, and that is one thing I intend to replace.
The trigger and guard are plastic. Nothing wrong with that really, I just prefer metal for its increased durability.
The bottom of the stock has relatively square edges, rather than the rounded shape traditionally found on most rifles. It’s an acquired taste, but I like it.
Accuracy
Finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. When I took this rifle out for its first range trip, I knew it hadn’t been fired in several years. So I brought out a couple boxes of Remington 100gr Core-Lokt ammo to see how she’d do.
It took a couple of groups to get this rifle dialed in. The best group of the day measured in at about 1.5” for a 5-shot group at 100 yards. Point of aim was the center of the black square. Shot off of sandbags on the bench, no fancy sled. I’m far from a professional shooter, but I’m satisfied with this grouping. The scope is relatively low-powered, 1.5-5x, and the ammo is cheap. I’m confident with a more powerful scope and decent handloads, this rifle can be dialed in to sub-MOA accuracy.
It was near the end of the range trip before I decided to take pictures, so this is the only bench group I can provide evidence of.
Since I don’t have the luxury of shooting off a bench while hunting, I decided to try my hand at shooting unsupported (standing up). This is a technique I rarely practice, so my groups were less than stellar. The best group was about 3” at 100 yards, 5 shot group. No target picture unfortunately, as it was stapled over and shot up some more.
More practice needed, for sure. Thankfully, deer season is still several months away.
Reliability
The TTAG Guidelines suggest a minimum of 200 rounds before claims to reliability may be made. I only shot two boxes (40 rounds) through it during this trip, but in talking with my old man he can never remember any hiccups with this rifle over years of hunting with it, so I feel confident in saying that it has no reliability issues. Not to mention, it’s a bolt action.
No malfunctions to report, it ate the cheap Remington ammo and came back begging for more. (As an aside, I visited three different sporting goods stores and only two of them carried any 6mm ammo, and they both only had the Remington Core-Lokt variety. As a handloader this isn’t a concern to me, but it may be of some concern to others. The .243 has a MUCH larger variety of ammo to choose from.)
Specifications:
- Caliber: 6mm Remington
- Barrel: 18.5”
- Overall: 37”
- Weight: 6-7.5 pounds depending on optics and caliber
- Capacity: 4 rounds, internal magazine
- MSRP: Unknown, it hasn’t been manufactured in almost forty years.
- Street price: $500-1000+ from what I see online
Ratings: (Out of five stars):
Accuracy: * * * *
A 1.5” group at 100 yards with a mediocre scope and mediocre ammunition, that’s pretty good in my book. With a better scope and better ammunition, along with more training on my part, I’m confident it will have no problem achieving sub-MOA.
Ergonomics: * * * * *
As comfortable as a rifle can be, I suppose. It fits me just fine.
Reliability: * * * * *
It’s a bolt action rifle, and while they’re inherently reliable, I’ve heard no stories of this particular rifle having any problems over years of use.
Customization: * * * * *
Customizing bolt actions is a somewhat limited market, but anything you can think of to do to such a rifle, you can do to this one. Stocks, barrels, triggers, sights and scopes, you can buy them all.
Quality: * * * * *
Some may knock on Remington’s reputation for quality in modern firearms, but this one is undoubtedly top-notch.
Value: ?
Hard for me to say because I don’t know what they sold for back in 1978, nor do I know what it would fetch on the used market today. Definitely a rifle I’m never getting rid of, though.
Overall: * * * * 1/2
If it weren’t for the few small things like the plastic trigger and obscenely large safety lever, I’d give it a full five stars in a heartbeat.
Yeah, the .243 is pretty forgiving of different bullet weights. I set my scope for 80 grainers and the 95 and 105s have very little change in POI using the same POA. All of the weights would be in the kill zone of our rather small CA deer.
It’s too bad what’s happened to Remingtons quality control.
I’ve heard a handful of horror stories about Remington’s quality control as of late, but I’ve not experienced any of the issues that others seem to be.
I own two 870’s and an 887, a 700, a Marlin Guide Gun, and two Bushmaster AR’s all from the Freedom Group era, and have experienced zero issues yet. Hopefully that streak continues.
Thanks for the comment!
And this is why I am not a fan of reviews on this site. 200 rounds for a reliability test? One that is insanely low round count for reliability testing. And second this is in reference to only his firearm. I guarantee that somewhere someone got a a R51 that ran flawlessly for a thousand rounds and if they came and posted a 5 star review people would lose their minds over it.
Lets take the accuracy part. What is he comparing this gun to, modern hunting rifles, older ones? Considering that a good free floated SBR is capable of sub 1MOA at a hundred yards with average ammo. Again it is only referencing his gun, the Barrett M82 is on average around a 3-5 minute gun. But once in a while you would come upon a one that could shoot a 1.5 MOA. If all you got was the 1.5 one your opinion is going to vary greatly from the majority of people who got the 4 minute gun.
And then certain things with having relatively uniformed people doing a review, stating things like being more accurate even with its short barrel. It’s pretty well established at this point that shortening your barrel can improve your accuracy. Will it always of course not. But so many factors are involved with shooting that barrel length being the main thing responsible for accuracy needs to die.
As the statement at the top indicates, this is a reader review contest entry. His gun, his methodology. Hence the disclaimer.
And your TTAG reviews are honestly no better. You guys choose putting out content that is quantity of quality every time.
Then you’ll want to skip our reviews and stick to our other interesting, informative news and commentary.
Get off your high horse and submit your own reviews if these are not adequate for you. There’s big difference between critique and criticism. Learn the difference…
Ammo costs money, do you want to start contributing the money so TTAG can do multi thousand round reliability tests on every gun? Or send a nice check to the reader written reviews so they can do the same and meet whatever standard you are coming up with? I would like to see other reviews online that are constantly putting thousands of rounds through any gun they review, its fairly rare.
Seans, It’s a bolt action gun, not a hi cap autoloader or an AR. Most bolt guns never see more than a box of ammo a year. It’s not a machine gun.
Have you ever owned a bolt action gun?
Please spare us the stories about how many bolt guns you have with thousands of rounds through them.
Jeez, seans- just seeing your name lately makes me think of a short ugly creature that lives under a bridge.
If this were a review of a firearm intended for self defense, you would have a point. However, this is a hunting rifle. Short of its blowing up in the shooter’s face, the only consequence of a malfunction is a missed opportunity.
Agreed. A self defense handgun is a different animal, but with a bolt gun you can pretty much tell whether or not it’s going to work after you start shooting it.
Thanks for the comment 🙂
About the only malfunctions I’ve had on my bolt guns were a sticky extractor and a floor plate follower that hung up in the well. A little more oil and range time is what’s needed. Pulling the trigger always gives a bang though even if getting rounds in and out is interrupted.
Its a reader review….he did a damn fine job…
Thank you for the comment! Glad you enjoyed the review. I love being able to geek out with technical info and firearms history with a like minded crowd.
I’d be happy to do a more thorough review for you, if 40 rounds and decades of deer hunting isn’t doing it for you.
If you’d like a 500 round or 1000 round review, I’ll provide you with the mailing address for those rounds and you should see an updated review posted shortly.
Thank you, and have a nice day 🙂
Just awesome. And a great review.
200 rounds is actually a lot from a game rifle for reliability testing. My .270 deer rifle is 12 years old has taken between 15 and 20 deer and still has less than 80 rounds through it. 10 round break in and clean, a few rounds to zero the first scope, a few deer with a check of zero a month before season, another scope and about 10 rounds to dial it in, since new scope it has been 3 seasons where it was shot 1 shell before season to check zero, and only shot again when shooting deer (4 deer in 3 years wiith rifle, prefer to fill tags with my bow if possible)
On a second note why don’t you donate the ammo for long term durability tests?
It is a 40 year old bolt action rifle. Two boxes of ammo is more than enough to test it.
If there were issues with reliability, they would be well known by now.
Frankly, the reviewer’s rifle is old enough that any reliability issues could reasonably attributed to legitimate wear/tear – not issues with the design or manufacturing of the rifle.
You are a cunt. How’s that? Cunty little bitch.
Cunt faggot cunt. Go back to your boyfriends dick ya whiney little complaining faggot.
Well, aren’t we special? Is your butt jealous of all the crap issuing from your mouth? It’s pretty easy not to read reviews – all you have to do is NOT READ THEM. Tell us, oh sage – what aspect of reliability in a bolt action gun was it you were looking to have statistically certified? Mean number of firing pin strikes before failure? Standard deviation of trigger pull weight over 1,000 firings? Bolt friction increase and effect on follow-on shot timing? Get serious. This is a review – a personal opinion review – by a gun user, not a professional writer, of his experience and observations on a rifle, meant to add insight to those considering a purchase, or to compare with their experience with their own 600. Explain this, genius: what, exactly, did your bitter screed add to the discussion? Does anyone know anything more about anything after having suffered through reading your tedious, self-important mewling? Perhaps you should follow your own critique and seek to add something to the discussion; I know I’ll follow my own critique of you, and when I see your comments, NOT READ THEM. Try not to skip your meds when in public.
When you made your rant, did you have a tumour?
When I saw this I laughed “The trigger and guard are plastic. Nothing wrong with that really, I just prefer metal for its increased durability.”, after all the rifle is roughly 40 years old and the plastic is not broken yet. How much more durable could they be?
Fair point.
I was making more of a general statement I suppose, rather than knocking this particular rifle.
Though, knowing my luck, I’d be the one to drop it climbing out of a boat and break it.
Thanks for the comment!
I’ve known several bow hunters that have broken thier bow quivers by falling on them( plastic) , I’ve also shattered the eyelets on boots that were made of plastic in colder conditions. I don’t live in Alaska but I imagine the same could happen to older plastic rifle parts if it took a spill.
It’s certainly a risk, given the temperatures and rocky terrain that tend to dominate the hunting grounds.
There was an issue with the trigger guard plate warping over time. Also, the original 600’s with the ventilated rib tended to crack where the screws held it onto the barrel.
Realistically, a broken plastic trigger guard isn’t going to stop you from pulling the trigger. It’s a rifle, not a sculpture – so while I agree that metal is superior to plastic, the presence of a plastic trigger guard isn’t a deal breaker. I bought my 600 Mohawk – in 6mm, as it turns out – in the 1970s, and though I wish I’d bought one of those nice CNC anodized aluminum replacements when they were available, I’ve no regrets otherwise. The problems with the 600 trigger are well-known, so it’s not a five star rifle, but it sure is a handy woods gun/scout rifle wannabe.
Thanks for the review; it was a trip down memory lane since the first rifle that I ever bought on my own was a plain-jane Remington 700 with the blind magazine, in 6mm Rem (around 1970). I used a redfield receiver sight on that rifle (had 20-18 vision in those days…) and could put five shots into 1.5″ at 100 yards off my bench rest all day using factory ammo. Interestingly, the rifle would shoot 80 grain, 90 grain 244 Rem, and 100 grain to the same point of impact. I had a local gunsmith work on the trigger and wound up with a 3.5 lb pull that broke like glass. I traded that rifle to my brother-in-law to get my dad’s Remington-Rand M1911A1 back. Still miss it…
If only old guns could talk, huh? The memories made with a nice old gun are something to be treasured.
Thanks for the comment!
I rather enjoyed the history lesson, myself. And the introduction to an otherwise unknown [to me] firearm. Thanks for the write-up!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’ve always been drawn to the lesser known corners of the firearms world.
Yo….excellent review and I love all kinds of history….I now know what RCBS stands for!!! Perfect balance of review and history. 40 rounds through a bolt gun tells me a lot. Most bolt guns will never ser twice that. Just saying…. I look forward to your next one. Thank you!
I had wondered what it meant too, but never learned until this review was written. I know first hand, many firearms see less use in their whole life than some of mine do in one weekend.
I hope I get the opportunity to write again, maybe with better pictures! My camera is more than 10 years old 🙂
I love the dog leg bolt on the 600, it seems like a lip of the hat to the 1917, or the commercial version the model 30.
the 6mm is a neat cartridge, don’t quote me but i believe that the 6mm can be loaded a little hotter than the 243 due to the case volume.
The 6mm was based on the .257 Roberts case. My buddies back in the day shot 117 grain bullets at somewhere around 2800 fps. Neck that case down to 6mm and lighten the bullet and you would get quite a screamer.
I only use factory loads, so far, in my .243. Anybody with experience with both rounds? Be interesting to see which loads out faster at a given bullet weight.
I reload for both, in my experience the 6mm can be loaded to about 200fps average faster than the .243 with 100 grain bullets, and that gap (for me) increases slightly as bullets get lighter.
Love me some history in the morning. Thanks!
Firearms history is the best. Second only to American History for me.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Brought me back to the Warren Page vs Jack O’Connor days. I believe that a downside to the 6mm Rem was the short action and the OAL of cartridge wasn’t a good fit. Prevented the longer bullets being seated in ideal depth. When I finally had the funds to get a 600 or the 660 they were long gone. Then Rem came out with the 673. A compromise no doubt but I got one in 350 Mag.
Great post BTW. You did quite well.
Two of my all time favorite authors.
I’ve not experienced the issue you mention with the short action vs the OAL of the 6mm. I know that in my rifle, if I seat the bullet so that it is actually touching the lands, sometimes it’ll bind and not eject easily. But I don’t load my cartridges that long, so it’s a non-issue for me.
On another note, Cabela’s had a used 600 chambered in 350 Remington yesterday for $1300. I was surprised it was that high.
$1300 is about what the nice ones in 6.5 mag and 350 mag are bringing. Great review, I always enjoy reading reviews on hunting rifles!
Great review! One of the biggest regrets I have is selling a 6mm Remington I once owned. Sweet caliber.
Thanks for the comment! Glad you enjoyed it.
The 6mm is one of my favorite calibers. It never fails to impress me.
On 11-18-1970, I bought a Remington Model 660 in 6mm Rem at Grice Gun Shop, Clearfield, PA. I still have the receipt and the rifle and scope are still wedded. The rifle cost $100.00 new in the box. I added swivels, a carry sling, Banner 3-9 scope ($29.95), mount, and 2 boxes of ammo ($4.50 each). The total, with tax, was $158.10. I shot two Pennsylvania whitetails with it that year using factory ammo, then glass-bedded the action, free-floated the barrel and worked up two loads, 105 gn RN and 85 gn HPBT. Both shoot well under 1 MOA. After crisping up the trigger a little I have not changed a thing on the rifle. (Remington recalled the 660 for trigger replacement a few years ago. I sent mine to them. The trigger I got back slicked up just as well as the original with no decrease in safety.) I lost count of the whitetail it has taken for me – certainly over 200 in the past 40 years. The last I shot was last year. Only one deer was shot beyond 200 yards. The summer after I bought the rifle I fell in with a gang of groundhog shooters and shot 384 of the critters that summer at ranges out to 355 yards (paced). Since then over 1000 varmints ate the 85 gn bullet. Recently I took a few hogs with the 105 gn load, but prefer my 308 AR for hogs. I had one case stick (split neck); I had one misfire (bad primer); those were the only problems of any kind with that rifle. From my records, I have shot about 1200 of the 105 gn loads, 3100 of the 85 gn loads, and 220 factory loads of various kinds.
Groundhogs used to be a real pain on the small family farms I knew in my youth around eastern KY and WV. I kept a .22 handy just for opportunities. Never got that number of them. But I got a few.
Nice review, Russ C in Alaska! Reviews of older guns like this one is one of the things I like best about TTAG. Call me old-fashioned, but there’s nothing like an old bolt gun.
As Ben Franklin would have said if the had lived another 150 years, the most comforting things for an old man are an old boltie, an old dog and ready cash. And a bottle of old bourbon. And a heating pad for when the sacroiliac is acting up.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ralph. Your opinion is held in high regard, as I’m sure you know.
We’re on the same page, old hunting rifles are the cream of the crop for me.
“Since I don’t have the luxury of shooting off a bench while hunting”
This is my favorite line. It amazes me how many deer hunters (in my case here in PA) sight in then continue shooting off the bench. Zeroing the rifle is essentially purely administrative, zero the rifle then get off the damn bench. You underrate yourself as as writer, good review!
That gets me as well. The bench should be used for sighting a rifle in and perhaps load development, but practical shooting skills (offhand, sitting, kneeling) are often overlooked by today’s hunters.
And as far as my writing, the compliment is appreciated. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to write again!
100% agree. I spend opening day no matter what the weather in a tree stand, no rests, no bench, no shooting rail. In Michigan late season hunting usually pushes me into a blind where I have the opportunity to use a window ledge, but even then its not guaranteed. Last day I used my Brother-in-law’s blind, he is shorter than me and his chairs sit too high for me to use the window in his blind so I shot my deer offhand.
“Anybody other than me fascinated by this? No? Moving on…”
Wait! Wait! I raised my… awwww.
See, this is what happens when you sit in the back row of the class and slump down.
I was really happy seeing this review!
I own one of these rifles (but in .308) which I bought brand new at Gart brothers in Denver in 1973. It was my first ever hunting rifle and I could barely afford it at $89.95. I bought it with my buddy Alfonso Cordero who was the first Mexican American I was friends with, having grown up in the Southeast. I have very fond memories of hunting with Fonso and his brothers and cousins, driving over high mountain passes riding in the back of a pickup trying to stay warm in a sleeping bag, and being kidded by Fonso’s family about my inability to cook anything remotely Mexican. Great times with great people!
Back in those days it really proved it’s worth, even though we all hunted with iron sights. The short barrell was great in brush and over boulders. and the gun’s accuracy was great. I agree that the plastic trigger guard seemed flimsy, and found that you can now buy a metal replacement. But heck, after 40 years I guess it really wasn’t flimsy. BTW be aware that there was a recall on the gun as it could fire by itself when the safety was moved. I just recently had mine fixed for free by the factory, so the warranty was still good after 40 years!
Many times over the years I’ve been tempted to get rid of it, but held on for sentimental value. A couple of months ago I got it out and refinished the stock, and got the warranty work done on it, and found that it shoots as straight as ever. Im going to keep it and hand it down to my son and hope he appreciates it as much as you do.
Again, thanks for the review.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, and share your story.
I’d heard that there was a recall issued, but I never gave it much thought. I’ll probably just hold off and get the Timney replacement, I’m a huge fan of their products.
Glad to see another satisfied owner of an incredible rifle!
Great review. The rifle is 40 years old and does what it was built to do. Firing more rounds would not have proven anything because it is not a LMG designed to fire 100’s down range.
Great review, loved the history you included! Always good to learn about rifles I’ve never seen before, thank you. Kudos to Dan and the rest of the bunch for standing up to Mr. Grumpypants, I think somebody missed their nap. P.S. My grandfather introduced me to the 6mm Rem when I was 14 and I have loved it ever since!
Nice review as I never knew Remington made a Mohawk 600. Interesting comparison about the 6mm Remington versus the .243 Winchester cartridge.
Used to see 600’s at gun shows quite a bit along with 788’s. Not anymore. I had a couple of both models but sold them long ago. The plastic trigger guards of the 600’s broke easily. Finding a 600 with a unbroken one is a rare thing. There was a guy in NC that cast aluminum trigger guards for 600’s at one time. I know a couple of collectors that have all the calibers in the 600 and Mohawk rifles. One fellow has all the 788 calibers as well. Have always had a soft spot for carbines for some reason. Great read.
I really enjoyed the review and the history lesson. I have owned a 600 Mohawk in 6mm since the mid to late 70s. Bought it at a gun shop in Lock Haven, long since closed now. It still shoots as well as it did when I bought it. It has killed numerous deer and other various critters. If you ever run across one, I would like to see your review of the Remington 788. Another old gun I have in 22-250 and have had for 40 years. It is still a sweet shooter. Thanks for a great review.
One more satisfied owner of an incredible 6mm rifle. Mine has brought down its fair share of big game! Four Moose a Bull Elk, dozens of whitetail and muleys all clean one shot kills.Nice and light easy to wield.Taken many deer on a dead run with this gem of a rifle.
Great review. When I was 14, around 1969 my Dad bought me a Remington 660 in .243. Never had killed a deer or seen one that had been killed. Had only seen one on the school bus a few hundred yards from my house before the season. Back then the deer limit in GA was one buck or one doe a year. I hunted about 45 days sitting on a stool just off a firebreak on flat ground and finally had a doe walk up broadside at about 40 yards. Put the iron sights on her right behind the shoulder as I had read in Field & Stream and pulled the trigger. Deer bounded off but I was convinced that I hit it. Right at dark so I headed home without a flashlight and told my Dad. Next morning I drug him back to the scene and we found the doe with a perfect heart shot about 30 yards from the spot of the shot. My Dad had no idea what to do so I jumped in and field dressed the deer just like they had said to do in Field & Stream. We drug it home. One of the proudest days of my young life. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the experience and the beauty and opportunity to harvest such a magical and beautiful animal which I very much enjoyed eating.
I have used the same Remington Mohawk 600 since I was probably 9 or 10 hunting deer with my father. I am 48 years old now and still love this gun. I own many other guns and have thought of switching to something a little bigger like a 7mm Mag but then I ask myself, Why change? I mean this little gun kills everything I shoot at and just feels comfortable. My favorite thing about the gun is it’s length, very easy to take with you no matter where you’re trying to go.
I have a Mohawk 6mm . I get .442 groups at 100 yards. It is one of the most accurate rifles I have.
I own A Remington 600 in 6mm with the vent rib. I learned to hunt with this rifle with my Grandfather when my dad was stationed overseas in the 60’s. This gun holds a lot of sentimental value for me and has taken a lot of deer over the years. I have never had any trouble with the gun. It looks as good today as it did in 1964. I am going to be proud to teach my grandson to hunt with this rifle and pass it on to him. It is only as accurate as the person shooting it.
I loved your review and thought it was well done.Thank you for the memories of a great gun.
Randy
I shoot a 6mm Rem 600 Mohawk……it likes 100 grn. Nosler Partions……
200yrd shoots on whitetail and they die……
I can’t wait to teach my kids on it as my dad taught me…..
BTW- great review
I have owned a Mohawk 600 6MM Remington ever since my grandfather presented it to me when I was 12….over 40 years ago. This is a great rifle and I truly love shooting it. Ammo is available online…I have not found it anywhere other than that. Enjoyed your review.
The Remington Mohawk 600 in 6mm was/is an incredible rifle. I got mine one brand new for $76 when I was 15. Saved another couple of weeks for a Tasco 4x scope and rings. After a summer of bench shooting with it, my prize taget was 10 rounds at 100 yds that could be covered with a dime (wish I could see that well now!). It was done with 80gr Winchester ammo. I never could get handloads that shot as well or better than anything I bought off the shelf regardless of bullet weight. It is just an amazing little rifle. Someone told me at the time that the NRA rated it as one of the most accurate rifles off the shelf that you could buy. Not sure how true that was but my experience would not contradict that. Thanks for the article and history lessons!
My ww2 vet 94 year old grandfather passed recently. I was asked to come home, I have not been home in many years (6 to be honest) and it was a good trip. While there my mother and I went through some old things. We looked at manh firearms she has. One of them was a Mohawk .243 that my dad gave her way back when. Probably around 73 or 74. They have long since split and that life and the people we were are long gone too. So this was kind of an special and important thing to find. We talked about it and I told her to keep it for now. Never the less I have been doing research on several things that she has. I will eventually try this rifle out.
For the guys that think you need to run 500 rounds through bolt action to test it I say good luck. These are not high round count weapons and to be honest many bolt rifles even the news ones would need a barrel after that kind of volume shooting. These rifles were made for hunting not assaulting or defending. Truth be told I bet there are many bolt action rifles older than me that have not fired 100 rounds during their tenure in safes world wide. This 40+ year old rifle will not be torture tested or thrashed. I plan to find an old optic for it and then I will go from there with some load development.
Thanks for this review.
I have the same gun that I inherited after my father died. I have shot it hundreds of times, I took my first deer with this rifle at the age of 10 years. It is a very accurate and dependable rifle and my son will get it when I pass on.
I own a Remington 6mm Mohawk-600. I use it for deer hunting, and a little target shooting as well, and I have to say I love the gun! It has truly been a pleasure to own and shoot.
I bought a 600 Mohawk some time back. The plastic trigger guard had warped. I found an aluminum one on the internet and bought it for about $80.00.
I plan to deer hunt with it this year.
Got my rounds together earlier today.
KG
Russ thank you for taking the time to do your review i think it was great!
Thanks!
Matt
Thanks for the review Russ! I have owned two Mohawk 600’s (both in 243 Win.)! What a great little gun! How did you like the noise and the muzzle flash? I actually shot mine over the hood of an International Scout once (only once though), couldn’t hear for awhile and thought I’d broken the windshield!!! My father-in-law ran a small gun shop and I got my 600 w/a Weaver Classic 400 and Weaver rings plus a sling for $72.57!!! I sold my 600 in the 80’s to a friend that won’t sell it back. I inherited my mother-in laws 600 (bought at the same time as mine and 1 number off in the S/N), I use it quite a bit and love to carry it, on windy days, coyote hunting. The short barrel does not hurt the accuracy any and it is only about 75-85 fps slower than out of a 22″ barrel, using factory ammo. I’ve been kicking around the idea of a Mannlicher style stock for it. Remington made some like that and they command a very high price. The Mohawk was also originally made to use up the left over parts from the original Rem. 600 with the vent rib. The action is used on the XP 100 pistol and the Remington XR 100! That just proves how far ahead of it’s time the 600’s were. Great article and keep shooting the 600!
I have owned one for 44 years, fired 2000 plus rounds through it. I have moved on to other hunting rifles, I love the Ruger No. 1. But 3 of My sons shot their 1st deer with it in the past 10 years. Great rifle, reasonable accurate and good recoil. I still get it out for the coyote hunt.
Back in the mid-’70’s, I wanted a 600 with the fancy rib in 6mm, but had trouble finding one. I wanted the 6mm more than the rib, so I ended up with a Mohawk. By then, the .243 was long since mainstream, and the 6mm second tier – in sales volume, anyway – but I was on a speed tear, and opted for the 6mm’s larger case. I was fascinated by handloading, buying up speed demons like .220 Swift in an M77, a Ruger No. 1 in .25-06, the saboted .30.06 varmint rounds, and the like. I really liked the .220, finding a load that gave 4,400 fps with a light spitzer boattail hollowpoint that exploded plastic gallon jugs of water, but that could keep 5 holes under a dime at 100 yards – using a 6-18x Redfield off a bench, and 40 years younger eyes, of course.
I liked the carbine compactness of the Mohawk, fast handling, and flat trajectory. It was an archetype of the scout rifle, save for the magazine – a fascination of mine evidenced by my M1 Carbines and Enfield Carbine, all bought with New Hampshire woods brush hunting in mind before I moved further south and a career in high tech consumed the waking hours. Retired now, I’m getting back to my old hobby, and enjoyed reading the article, going downstairs to take the old Mohawk with its replacement metal trigger housing and 3.5-10x Leupold out of its original box, and reflect on younger days. Thanks for all your hard work and research – a very nice writeup on a handy old rifle and round.
Excellent review of this gun, thank you for sharing. The Mohawk 600 6 mm was my father’s only hunting rifle and he was an avid hunter. He took countless mule deer and elk with his 6mm over the years (early 70’s to 2013) and I took my first deer with it in 1988. In 1989 we had a small flood in our home that damaged the butt of the stock so I took it to shop class in 9th grade, broke it down and refinished the stock. My dad passed away in 2014 and the Mohawk 600 is now my most prized possession. I had a local gunsmith school replace the warped trigger gaurd plate, refinish the stock in high gloss and re-blue the barrel in gloss. They even re-blued the Weaver Marksman scope! I haven’t shot the rifle since the late 80’s but just looking at it and holding it brings back a flood of memories about the time spent with my dad outdoors learning about life and how to be a man. Thank you for reviewing this gun and providing me with a little more history on the Mohawk to go along with the nostalgia.
Anyone owning one of these should check. I believe there was a recall that required the gun be sent to the factory for modification. Misfiring.
I need the bolt for a remington 600 in 6mm, or i am willing to sell the rifle. It has the vent rib and a mannleicher stock. contact me at [email protected].
If your serial # starts with an A you have no trigger problems per Remington,
Myn started with an a but I went Timnee for other reasons. Nice weopon in 223 I,v had
for 60 yrs. Nice review by the way! Many memories!
Also have a 308.
On wifes ‘puter. Only thing better than a 600 in 6mm is a 660 in 6mm. Have been shooting my 600 in 6mm an my 660 in .222 Rem. over 50 years. Both were bought used. The 6 likes 100gr Nosler SB of ’78 vintage and they don’t make them anymore. One shot on whitetail. The ,222 likes 55gr. Hornady spire points. Would love find a 600 in .35 Rem. No trouble with the plastic and the 6mm Rem. walks on my .243(700 Rem.). The only trouble with the 600 has been finding a gun case that fit. Very good review too.
I need the bolt for my 600(6mm). Do you know where I can find one?
First time I saw a vent rib 600 with that shark fin front sight I just had to have one. By the time I had the money in the mid-’70’s, I couldn’t find one, and resigned myself to accept the sour grapes stories about the plastic vent ribs sagging after a while. I bought a Mohawk instead in 1975, without (sigh) the rib, in 6mm – and keep it clean and oiled; it has all the handling, weight, compactness, and aesthetics that I prize. The trigger recall tempted me to send the gun back to Remington, but its rarity and Remington’s financial problems kept me from taking the chance that it would be a one-way trip. I think looking for a Timney trigger is a better idea to solve that problem. I have looked for a steel or aluminum trigger guard, but never (ahem!) pulled the trigger on getting one. The plastic one is still just fine, and I suppose there’s something to be said for originality. With a 3-9x variable, it’s a tack driver, and the 1:9 twist rate does just fine with heavier weight bullets, although it’s not a Creedmoor-class twist for extreme long range shooting. I chose 6mm over .243 for (call me crazy) aesthetics – I liked the look of the round better than the squat .243, and the higher case capacity struck me as more versatile for a handloader, which it is – if you can find the brass. It would be a perfect smaller-caliber scout rifle if it had a detachable magazine, but that would sure change the aesthetics. It would be neat if someone could conjure up a metal trigger guard with a magazine latch and guide as an interchangeable part with the stock trigger guard. That way you could have a Mohawk Scout (!) – and with a Heritage Arms aftermarket metal rib added, a real chameleon, for those who think of rifles as Legos for grown-ups.
Ha! I stumbled across this site at points two years apart in the past, and just noticed my two different – and conflicting – posts, which show the effects of failing memory. In my first post of 2017, I spoke of my Mohawk with 3.5-10X variable and steel trigger guard. In my post of 2019, I spoke of my Mohawk with a 3-9x variable and original trigger guard. Well, that’s because the 3.5-10x Leupold scope wasn’t on the Mohawk – it was on my .25-06 Ruger No. 1. And the aftermarket metal trigger guard was on my 8mm Mauser, not the Mohawk. Now if I can remember which foot each shoe goes on, maybe I can go out and do some shooting – if I can remember where I keep my rifles . . . (;-)
I have my Grandfathers 600. I’m in the process of refurbishing and upgrading it now. Not only do I have the rifle, I have the original receipt and paperwork. Without looking at them (they are in a file at home) I think it was something like $75-$100 new. Of course with a new barrel, stock, trigger and trigger guard… I’ll have about a Grand in it. But even before the current project it still shot great on the range and I took a single deer with it the one time I went out to the woods with it.
Just bought a Remington 600 Mohawk today in .308 Caliber. I have wanted one for about 20 years. It is in excellent shape and looks hardly used. I plan to put a Leupold on it for Whitetail next year. I will give my brand new Savage Axis to a grandson since I found this little gem. It was a couple a few, several, quite a bit more $$’s over the original price but only about 1/2 price of what they go for on internet sales pages. My buddy found it in a LGS and called me. I had him put a Ben Franklin down on it and ran to get it the next day.
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All I wanted to add was I sure enjoy taking my white tail and mule deer with the model 600 I have inherited from my grandpa. Nobody and I mean nobody will ever get it away from me either!!
I too am a huge fan and owner of the beloved (but hated by some) Rem 600. I have my original 600 in the hard hitting 35 Rem caliber. This was my first rifle back in the early 70s when I was around 12 years old. I love that caliber simply for the fact that it would knock the snot out of whatever I was fortunate to hit. I have recently been on a quest to add more to my collection, whether they are the original 600 or the Mohawk model. They are both great little carbines. I recently acquired one in 350 Remington magnum. An absolutely beautiful piece. I also have one in 222 in the Mohawk version. These 3 rifles are my favorites, simply because of their simple and unique bolt design. I’m on the hunt (Ahem) for the other calibers in either model. The prices have more than doubled just in the last 10 years or so. I think those that love them are holding on to them and those that don’t like them are realizing they can fetch a pretty penny for them. Great personal review back at the beginning, nothing fanc or too technical, just plain old observation of an older bolt gun. Nuff said.
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