Need an intervention

Jessie

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About 10 years ago I bought a Rem. 742 in 30-06 for friends who come to deer hunt.
It's a standard length barrel topped by a Bushnell 3x9.
That was 10 years ago. It's a heavy combo.
I just bought a carbine(18.5")barrel in 30-06.
No scope, much lighter.
I know the history of 742s, but I would probably not put 1000 rounds through either one.
We're these bad buys?
I think these are classic semi-auto hunting rifles.
 
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I've never owned one, but I suspect from the problems experienced by others I've read about that they are ammo sensitive, like many semis.
 
Some of those semi auto hunting rifles can be converted to a pump guns easily. Fixes the reliability issues and stops the gun from beating itself to death.
 
Yeah, I don't expect bolt accuracy. 2 moa will work for me.
The carbine will basically be a camp carbine for anything in Virginia for someone who can't bring a gun in.
 
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Remington won’t even work on the 742 anymore but will give you a $200 voucher if you send it in... the list of problems with this model is very long...
 
Keep the chamber clean and tendency for them to yank the head off the fired case and leave the rest in the chamber will generally go away.
That's one of the biggest complaints about them and requests for service for the 742.

Many of the rifles have rusted and sometimes pitted chambers which worsen the tendency.
They are usually just cleaned from the muzzle as it's a chore to break it down and take the bbl off,,but not all that impossible.

They are hard to really clean out the chamber well from the ejection port though and many never got any maint from there.

The bolt rails machined into the rec'vr sometimes start to wear after alot of use and no cleaning,,just like any other firearm will. Again the no easy TD is responsible for most of that.
Some will tell you if you see 'sawtooth' looking abrasion marks on the rails that they are worn out and any feeding problems are coming from that condition.
Not necessarily so as the mill and shaper cutters used in orig mfg'd leave those marks depending on the sharpness of the cutters, speeds, cutting lub, ect. Rem'ton wasn't using the most advanced equipment in the industry when they made these!.


Removing the bbl & bolt involves taking the FE off, removing the pin at the gas port,removing action spring and it's guide,,take the bbl nut off (special wrench but a cresent will work if you're careful),, pull bbl straight off the gun.
Punch out charging handle pin behind the handle(straight down and out) pull handle out,remove bolt w/action bar off the rifle.

Now..you can clean the thing!


Most fail to feed comes from the magazine and their feed lips being out of proper shape, just plain dirty actions and bolts, no lube or too much of it.

They aren't target rifles, never ment to be. They weren't designed for extreme round count of 100's of 1000's of rounds of use w/no problems. They are hunting rifles and for that they do just fine if maintained and taken care of.
Many never were.
A quick spray inside the ejection port and down the bore w/a fav oil of the moment and a wipe down is about what many got if that.
 
I once put together a dedicated 'loaner' deer rifle. Took an SKS 7.62x39, put the barreled action inside an adult-sized synthetic stock. Lopped off about 5" of barrel, which also rid it of the cumbersome front sight.
Drilled and tapped the top of the receiver, putting on an inexpensive Tasco 4x scope. Elastic loop ammo carrier on the stock, an econo-sling.

It shot surprisingly well, even with Rusky steel cased HP ammo.
And, it apparently had a horseshoe imbedded in it, as nearly everyone borrowing it took deer with it on almost every occasion. One of the guys, with my permission, put a nice rattle-can camo job on it. Why not? There's nothing to mess up.
Anyway, fun cheap project that was fun to do.
 
A friend of mine had one of the Semi's and was not happy with the accuracy. He sent it back to Remington and when he got it back it mentioned "Tested, no adjustment needed". He called them and they told him it met the "Accuracy Standard" for that model rifle. He asked what the "standard" was and was told 6" at 100 yds. He sold the rifle.
 
I was just thinking that the muzzle blast from an 18.5" 30-06 barrel would be impressive. ;)

I have a Ruger International in .308 with a 18.5 barrel and I can attest the muzzle blast and flash are pretty awesome. With a 30-06 the flash might be more due to the slower powders used in the round.
 
My first deer rifle was a Win Mod 100 carbine with the 18.5 bbl, it was loud.

I once took a model 725 Remington in trade, I was young, good ears. A 20" bbl was standard. It was in 06, it was the loudest and most painful to my ears rifle I've ever shot. It went quickly on a trade. Later the guy told me he got rid of it for the same reason.

I've owned a couple of Rem semi autos in both 270 and 06. Being a bolt action accuracy is better guy I did not keep them long. 2 to 4 inches at 100 ammo depending was best groups and I reload, many lost cases and had to use small base dies.

On 742's, my uncles, my brother and lots of local hunters used them.

Over the years all of them got rid of the 742s. For me, Ps it was never my primary rifle, I used the 270 for 2 years when we still hunted some very brushy farms that opened up to 400 plus yards in places. Open you never saw deer out in the open. The year before I used my Sako 270 and shot a wall hanger buck at 400 yards. That was an 80 acre farm, 440 all the way across. He was short of the fence just a few feet from the brush looking at a doe who had stepped out in the field to eat. One shot, broke his spine just behind the shoulders.

The following year, being dumb, I took the 7400 in 270. My brother jumped the biggest white tail buck either of us have ever seen. It crossed the corner, same place I killed one the year before and he stopped in the open, turned back and was watching my bro who was way off to my left and down in a valley.

From the same gate corner post I took a solid rest, 3 shots and no hits. I went down to look for blood, my bro showed up. It had been a very wet year. His tracks were deep, bro slow tracked him over a mile across 2 more farms. The buck swam the Gasconade river into non huntly farms that were brush filled.

My 7400, same gun as the 740, 742 was traded off.

Shortly thereafter my bro was going down a steep Ozark hill in the snow and slipped. He had his 740 slung on his shoulder. He landed on it. It appeared to be fine. A little later he missed a big buck at close range. Just for the record my bro is an excellent shot, standing or running a deer is usually dead.

I had seen him shoot one deer in the head at 200 yards, offhand no rest with that 740 in 06.

He then missed some Does. At lunch I shot his rifle, bullets were 12 inches apart. I lent him a rifle for the rest of the season. We took it to a gun smith, we found out the 740, 760 series bbls were somehow ptessed in and not repairable. Bro bought a Rem 721 in 06 that is deadly accurate.

We were told a loose bbl was common and Rem did not warranty it.

With ear plugs, close range and crossed fingers a 74o might be ok. I do know some guns were more accurate and many guys swear by theirs. I've just seen too many that were not keepers.
 
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The main problem I've had with the 742 is the mags. You have to be sure and unload them after your hunt EVERYTIME. If you leave the mag loaded for any length of time, as in next week,month or deer season, you WILL have to purchase a new mag. The mags are the biggest weak point in my opinion.
 
I have used a 742 .308 every deer season for the last fifty years. Only one issue when I somehow bent the bolt that holds the forearm on. Other than that it has given great service.
Fitted with a Leupold 4x scope, it still prints a 3 shot group at 100 yards you can cover with a quarter.
Guess I'm just lucky.
Most years it will get less than 50 rounds. Most likely 30 or less.
But with pig numbers jumping, it may see more use. :D
 

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