in .30-06. I think it is the carbine model. The metal is in pretty good shape and the wood is decent, actually very good for the age. I inquired about the function of the gun, knowing they are prone to jamming and cycling issues when dirty. The seller told me that the magazine was worn out, that it didnt lift the next round up enough to be picked up and cycled.
Not sure if that is a real thing? Is it more likely that the gun is just dirty and not cycling or should I try and find a different magazine and give it a run? I have not fired this gun yet.
Before you do ANYTHING, close the action and, with the help of a small light source, check the bolt guide rails behind the bolt on the receiver.. If you notice a series of about 6 square indentations on those rails, you should immediately do NOTHING but re-sell that rifle and move on.
The 742s have so many problems that the vast majority of gunsmiths won't even touch 'em. I quit servicing those rifles about 4 years ago - followed this year by the Winchester M100..
The magazines for the 740-742 et al are absolutely horrible. Buying a new one does NOT ensure it'll work. Usually about 1 in 4 magazines for those rifles will work correctly.. And at $30 a pop it's just not worth it..
FWIW..
Lee,
What causes the guide rail indentations? Pleas elaborate.
Doc
The recoil from (say) a 30-06 causes the bolt to over-rotate and the locking lugs come into contact with the guide rails.. After enough rounds are fired the chattering marks get deep enough that one more shot locks the bolt in the rear position. Now - the owner has a single-shot rifle..
There's' no cure for the guide rails.. Ahlmans at one time tried repairing them for customers but gave up since the cost was high and the life-span of the repair was very short.. I know they offered a 742-to-760 conversion for a while but I had thought they even quit that.. Maybe they still do it..
The bolt assembly on the 742 is very complex, with about a dozen parts; many are very small and quite delicate. Those break. With many of those rifles now over 45 years old it's now getting very difficult to obtain the necessary parts to keep them running..
They fail also due to the difficulty of full disassembly necessary for a proper cleaning - owners don't (1) have the tools and (2) do not have the knowledge as to taking them apart and ensuring all those teeny parts stay in place.. It takes special care and deft fingers to reinstall the bolt and action into the receiver.. I've had about 15 years of practice and it's STILL a pita..
If the owner doesn't keep that chamber VERY clean and VERY shiny (as in: mirror-bright) eventually the next shot will slam that bolt back but the empty case stays in the chamber.. If he's lucky, all that's ruined is the extractor. That's bad enough - but if he's NOT lucky, the front edge of the bolt face will be ripped off and now he's looking at a $150 (rather cheap at that) repair IF the part(s) can be obtained.. Last time I looked - they were not.. The extractors are a typical weak Rem riveted style N/A any longer; except the Marlin M7 extractor is usually able to be substituted..
The 7400 was an improvement in bolt design and basically eliminated any bolt chattering, but even Remington won't touch 'em any more for repairs..
Someone said he's "bought some mags fairly cheap" but I'd bet they're cheap because (1) the original owner got rid of that pos rifle or (2) those magazines didn't work in his rifle so he sold it to someone else.. Maybe they work just fine - more likely they will work much better in a 760/7600 since the user doesn't cycle the action anywhere nearly as quickly (obviously) as a semi-auto..
Best place for a 742 is (1) on the wall or (2) in the trash..
FWIW..
Sorry - got a little long-winded this am...
