There are a number of reasons why few if any gunsmiths will touch these rifles. Rem 742 was an abortion from it's inception. Between being hard to clean properly and the parts hardenening missteps, I don't recommend anyone relying on a 742 to do anything other than self destruct.
I recently helped an older friend clear a jam from his 742. I believe the gun is close to 40 years old and fired less than 200 times. I cleaned the bore from the chamber end while the barrel was off the gun. It was heavily pitted and looked much like a sewer pipe. The chamber was tarnished so I polished it too. The worse part of this gun is the receiver. It was galled and gouged in the rear where the bolt carrier stopped upon firing and the bolt rotates when it stops. Same thing on the front end when the bolt closes on the chamber.
I understand your desire to refinish this rifle, but ask you to consider keeping it as a decoration or conversation piece and not shooting it. Maybe you could glue an empty piece of brass into the chamber to keep others from firing it. Trust me, it's just a matter of time and rounds fired before headspace issues arise and it becomes unsafe to fire.
Thanks, Dinny
