[tator]

anybody shoot this type rifle? my dad has one that i used for years, until i found my own at auction. LOVE IT! has excellent punch and shoot straight. Hope to hand it down to my son some day!

 

[skipper34]

I hunted with the 742 for many years until I went to the TC Encore with 30-06 barrel. I found that I never needed any more than 1 shot when deer hunting. Hence the single shot Encore. I also have the 209 X 50 muzzleloader barrel for the gun. But the 742 is a fine firearm as long as it is kept clean and oiled. It is very accurate for a semi-auto. I shot 150 gr. Remington Core-Lokt in 30-06 from mine and was good out to 150 yards, which was the longest shot I had ever taken a deer at. You will like the 742 just fine.

 

[WisconsinDeer]

My dad has hunted with one since the 80's. Always reliable except he always left his ammo in the magazine so the spring got worn out, then it started jamming. So bought a new mag and it has worked fine since. A few years back he took a 140" or so 9 point at 280 yards with open sights, dropped it on the spot. Great rifle for sure.

 

[WHITETAILFEVER]

I had one also and loved it and i myself went with a tc encore!but if i remember they like to be dry and not heavily oiled because they will jam at least mine did.i have an old winchester mdl 100 in a 308 and it does not like to be heavily oiled.

 

[Karl.Luhr]

My thoughts on the Rem 742

My dad has one in 30-06, a delux version made in the mid 60s. It is a very attractive rifle but the steel butt plate makes it unpleasent to shoot from the bench. A local large gunsmith operation Alman's in Morristown MN works on alot of these. They often wear out their locking lugs on the bolt.
The salesman at the store said the lockup is the same on the slide action model 760 but the 760's don't batter the action like the 742 does.

Karl

 

[Hunting Man]

I had two 742's and they were both very fine rifles. Gave my sister one and sold the other.

 

[WisconsinDeer]

A local large gunsmith operation Alman's in Morristown MN works on alot of these. They often wear out their locking lugs on the bolt.

I've heard they last about 500 rounds before they start acting up. I guess Remington didn't expect people to put many rounds through a hunting rifle.

 

[Karl.Luhr]

Another idea about the durability issue with 742s

I don't know this is accurate but I have to wonder if shooting heavy grain loads in the 742s, anything heavier than 150gr is the cause of the wear that is often seen. I know the M1 garand really doesn't like anything heavier than 150gr, it will shoot them but the rifle gets a pounding.

Karl

 

[WisconsinDeer]

I'd just stick with the 150's to keep minimize the abuse it takes.

 

[onehorse]

I guess I'm the only one who ever had trouble with a 742. After a few years of shooting, my rifle started to get the bolt locked in the open position between shots. Upon inspection, it looked like the rotating bolt lugs had worn grooves in the bolt track, so that when the bolt got to its rearmost position, the bolt lugs engaged the grooves and got stuck. I got rid of the rifle and have been back to bolt actions ever since. Don't get me wrong, I still like Remington products. It probably was just this particular one that had some sort of defect.

 

[rdrader2002]

Have the 742's predecessor, Model 740 Woodsmaster, in 6mm Remington that was handed down from my grandfather. Using it last season it was a one-shot/one-kill using Core-Lokt 100 grain bullets. Great accuracy and the semi-auto makes it really pleasant to shoot. This one's definitely a keeper and will be handing it down someday to my sons or grandsons.

 

[Karl.Luhr]

Shooting a lighter calibre 740/742

I think that the rifle is not taking much of a beating shooting the 6mm cartridge with 100gr loads.

Karl

 

[rdrader2002]

Found an article in the Remington Society of America page on the 74 something(s) family of semi-auto rifles and their history -- interesting read --

Remington Society of America - journals/Model_74N

Enjoy!

 

[tator]

Cool article, thanks!