A lot of WW2 and Korean War vets who had used the Garand bought semi-automatic hunting rifles in the 1950s and 60s. My Father's deer hunting camp was made up mostly of WW2 Marines and all of them shot semi-autos, mostly Remington 740s and 742s in 30-06. My Father and Bearrr264's Father were the outliers, as they dumped their 740s in favor of Ruger 44 Carbines once they became available. Remington 742s with Weaver K2.5 or K3 scopes installed in Weaver tip-off mounts were very common deer rifles in the area that I grew up in.
That's probably exactly why my father bought a 740 in 1958. Air Corps armament specialist - wanted firepower in the Vermont woods. It had a Redfield 3-9x in a tip-off mount. Never jammed with his 180 Core-Lokts but would never group very well.
I have never had an issue getting a good rifle to shoot. I was at wits end with a 7400 , finally after a box of ammo the extractor broke so I brought it back to Walmart for a refund. They gave me a new one that shot just the same . It was chambered in 270. I sold it for more then I paid for it after hunting season to a guy I worked with. Happiest day of my life with the exception of when I sold my boat.
While stationed in Taiwan I'd shoot with the Chinese army. I could get all the 7.62 Ball ammo I wanted but couldn't check out a M-14 to compete with so put together a 742 BDL Deluxe with a Williams Guide peep sight and was fairly competitive out to 600 meters. Brought it home and put a Tasco WC 2-7 on it sorry no see throughs and gave it to my dad, he killed deer with it for 20 yrs, factory 180gr RNs always stayed round 2". I sold it to the neighbors kid when I bought dad a lighter rifle. It's more than likely still killing deer.
The 742 in 30-06 with an occasional 6mm thrown in was the most common rifle I saw other than sporterized military rifles in the deer camps I grew up in. I eventually ended up with a well used but well cared for 742 in 06 when one of the older guys could no longer hunt and needed money bad. Really did not want it but he made me take it. I guess I got a good one as it would average 1-1/2" groups with 150 grain factory loads and much better with my handloads. It started out as the camp loaner rifle that got used by several people to take deer. I know my B-IL killed at least 8 deer, several turkeys and a truckload of pigs with it over two seasons. I finally started hunting with it and killed a large number of deer and a really big number of feral hogs and goats with it. I ended up selling it to a young man that needed a rifle for what he could afford. The rifle is still killing game every season. If you keep the chambers clean and don't hot rod loads in them they can be good rifles. I think that rifle may have killed more deer than anthrax.
I read some time ago that a big reason for reliability problems with the 740-series rifles and to some extent the 760s, is simply the lack of maintenance they receive from the average once-a-year hunter. The piece mentioned a gunsmith who specialized in repairing (cleaning and lubing) them.
I suppose that folks who were raised on lever-guns with maybe a slathering of chopped mil-surps mixed in thought wiping Ol’ Betsy down with an oily rag and tossing her in a closet was all that’s required.
I had a Rem 742 carbine in 308 Win. Didn't have it long, nor did I shoot it much (30 rounds???). A guy at my range wanted it, and made me an offer I couldn't (and didn't) refuse.
I think it shot in the area of ~ 2.5" @ 100 yards with either 150 Hornady spitzers (maybe 165?) over ~42 (?) grains IMR 4064 and 4x scope.
Keep the chamber clean with a 20 gauge bronze bore brush attached to a short plastic coated cable cleaning "rod.". Dip the bore brush in powder solvent and attach the other end to a variable speed drill. Spin the chamber clean. If you just clean from the muzzle, the chamber never gets clean. This is the reason they are called "jam-o-matics" or "single shot semi-automatic rifles. ". Those Rem 740/742 owners never cleaned the chambers. What did they expect? Keep the chamber clean, use full-resized brass (or a small base sizing die and fully size the case), and it will function as it should.
Sold it 25+ years ago. Only had it it for 3-4 months. It was an ok rifle, and would've been fine for deer hunting in the Maine woods. I just had a buyer who really wanted it, and I helped him scratch his itch. I am a bolt action guy, so I haven't regretted my decision to sell it. No love, or hate, for the Rem 742 family.
Growing up and hunting in the woods of Northeast Mississippi the 740/742/760 in 30-06 were probably the most common rifles you would see at deer camp, Weaver "Flip Scopes" were popular too. This is a page I've shared before with good information on a lot things including Remington firearms. The dimensions for the Williams accuracy block are there also, looks pretty easy to fabricate.
I opened up a little more room for the barrel and replaced a thinner washer. I can slip a business card until it hits the gas block. It is just a little too warm here in NY. I will wait when the temperature cool down a bit and head back to the range.
Most Eastern deer are probably shot inside 100 yards, and for that a 740/742 is probably fine. I've owned 3. 2 '06 and a 308. I really REALLY wanted one that would shoot, but eventually I got a BAR. None of mine ever jammed, but they just won't shoot consistent groups for me. My opinion it's the gas blocks that cause the issues with accuracy. Comparatively, I own several 760s I'd bet good money on against 95% of the bolt guns out there.
They say everything happens for a reason. For me that reason is usually because I've made some bad decisions that I need to pay for.
Most Eastern deer are probably shot inside 100 yards, and for that a 740/742 is probably fine. I've owned 3. 2 '06 and a 308. I really REALLY wanted one that would shoot, but eventually I got a BAR. None of mine ever jammed, but they just won't shoot consistent groups for me. My opinion it's the gas blocks that cause the issues with accuracy. Comparatively, I own several 760s I'd bet good money on against 95% of the bolt guns out there.
Moat are probably killed under 50.
Even here in the Midwest, the bottoms I prefer may give you a 75 yard shot but most will be under 30.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
I wouldn't be opposed to owning another one if I find one with good rails in 308. I never got to hunt with the 30-06 I had because they aren't legal here so it's just a range gun for me anyway
I've owned at least a dozen or more, most were solid 2" rifles with a little load tweaking...every now and then, you'd find one that was sub 1.5". 760/7600's, on the other hand, always seemed to shoot better than 1.5".
I have had 4 742 rifles throughout a span over 50 years , And shot and been present when others have shot theirs I Have never seen one ,that when shot by someone who could shoot with some brand of factory ammo and bullet weight that would not put 3 shots off a bench rest into 2.5 inches.
With some that would do less than 1.5 inches with the above caveats met.
Now I have seen some jam but almost always because the owner of the rifle filled the inside of WD-40 and had never cleaned the rifle.
And some that the cleaning method was to pull the bolt back and reach in with a rag and and WD-40 and wipe inside the action.
Or a couple with bad magazines that with a different magazine would clear up a jamming problem.
Are there truly bad ones out there ? I am sure there are ,but so are there anynumber of rifle brands and actions that get through Quality control at the factory.
But to hear people say that they are by and large Jammomatics or that they cant hit the inside of a barn when standing inside the barn is by and large bull chit.
No doubt mostly havent a lot of experience shooting them or listening to 2nd hand information passed down information from others who have no or very little experience shooting them either.
My brother had one of those abortions as his elk rifle, until I put together a Ruger 77 for him. With the Rem he was a better elk hunter, than an elk shooter......He brought the Rem to me to see what I could do for it, as, after the first round, the next 3 or 4 would go into 3 inches, about 6 inches lower and to one side.
This was AFTER I had reduced the trigger pull from something over 17 lbs (the extent of my weight set) to 6 lbs or so. Before the trigger work, it was a solid 13" to 15" "grouper"
Unable to cure the problem, I called Remington. They said, yeah, some do that, and sometimes putting a new barrel on helped, but not always, and if I figured out the problem, would I give them a call? . I never did either.
My 742 .30-06 will shoot under 2” with 180gr Sierra RN and 4064. Saw the old man shoot a turkey out of the air that we jumped hiking in one day when I was a kid with it. I’m guessing it’s a late 60’s, gas an aluminum butt. Never seen factory ammunition or any other load than the one mentioned.
Like many here, I grew up in SE Texas, we ran deer with dogs until they outlawed them, around '69 or so. Anyhow, I saw a couple older Mod 740s, 30-06 in our group or neighboring lease. Saw many Mod 742s, majority in 30-06. The one my Dad had ( and I used a few years) was a solid 6" (with a 2x7 Weaver) at 100. When Federal came out with their Red Box ammo, loaded with 165 Sierra BT, that brought it down to 4" groups. No sweat as I never shot a deer/hog over 50 steps with it, usually in bow range, ha. BUT, it was a jammo-matic on steroids. The very few I saw in .308, and 6mm Remington were easily 1.5" shooters. Not as prone to jamming either. I shot a Model Four in 270 that was like a good bolt gun! I had a Belgium BAR 270 like that too. The one Mod 750 carbine I had briefly in 35 Whelen was also very accurate. I could never warm up to the Remington pump, but everyone knew they shot well ( from friends who used them that is). I might "try " another Mod 742 again IF it was in 308 or 6mm. I think they work best with short action rounds/
I have a Remington 750 Carbine synthetic stock and forearm in 30-06 with a 2-7x33mm Leupold and the Timney 870/1100/11-87/7400/750/7600 trigger kit. It shoots 1 1/2" to 2" groups with a few different factory loads.
NYH1.
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. I never did either.![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/mDcYTyVM/90263EB0-470C-45EA-BAE5-BD628F2B6FC6.jpg)