I picked up a mint Remington 742 in 6mm, and not sure what to do with it. How common are these rifles in 6mm? I don't think I have ever seen a 742 in this caliber, seems like 95% of the guns are .30-06, with the remaining models in either .270 or .243.

Are they fairly rare, and is there much of a demand for them?

There is almost no demand for them. It may be worth a few more bucks because of the caliber but the 742 was a big no no by Remington. Many shops won't even work on them anymore. A lot of it is because Remington won't make parts for them.

I used one for a few years and shot my first two deer with one, but even then it was a single shot. But, it's all I had so I used it.

Wasn't talking so much about the 742, mostly about the chambering itself. I'm pretty familiar with the 742/7400 rifles, I've owned quite a few of them over the years (and have worked on even more).

Its just that with all the ones that I have handled, never saw one in 6mm...

Many moons ago, I dated a girl whose mother hunted with a 742 in 6mm. She loved the thing. I can't imagine a rifle kicking less than a gas operated 6mm.

I cannot advise reference accuracy or even reliability, as I never heard her say, but if yours feeds properly, and shoots with a reasonable degree of accuracy, then you have a fine rifle to shoot whitetails, coyotes and groundhogs with.

Good luck and enjoy,
CT

Treat it as an investment, and sit on it for a couple of years !

There is a 742 in 280 REM for sale in my area, but it isnt pretty.

What are they asking for the rifle? I routinely see '06 742's for around $275-300, .243 and .308's go for a little more.

I don't know what you paid but in your shoes I would've bought it too. 6mm's are neat. I was after a 788 6mm but the shop sold it within a week after I saw it there.

I killed a few groundhogs one time with a friends 742 243. It shot better than I would have suspected.

If it was me I would shoot it and see how accurate it was. Try 95gr BT's. I use R-22 because I have it on hand and get almost 3100 fps out of my mid 60's 700.

I am not sure how RL 22 would work in a gas gun. It might cause strain on the rails. At least that is what my old gunsmith told me. He said that 742s need to be loaded with nothing slower than 4350.

Yup, and with the 742 the only speed you can rely on is killing it faster by running it hot.

4350 and the 95 grain Nosler BT are a good combination for the 6mm Remington.

Never messed with a 6mm but had a hunting buddy that had one. He killed a pile of deer.

I've owned a 742 in 243 since the mid 90s. The thing has never hiccuped. Actually shot the old fed premium NPT offering into 1.5". My son has the gun currently and is shooting Federal Blue box when he hunts it.

I had one one time and did not like it at all. The trigger was horrible and it was heavy for a small caliber rifle. miles

I prefer the 760 pump to the 742, but since you have the 742 and the 6mm is about as good as it gets in a deer rifle. Hunt with it, try a couple of boxes of Remington factory 100 gr Corelok's and go deer hunting and send me the brass when you fire it.

Well, ended up getting rid of the rifle pretty quickly for $400. I toyed around with keeping it, but had absolutely no need for another deer rifle...and it wasn't anything I planned on taking to the range to just "shoot". Plus, it would have involved buying brass, dies, etc, and then working up a load on a gun that would likely never get below 1.5"....and I didn't want to risk dinging one of the nicest 742s I've ever seen.

Good news is, I found a semi-local guy who has been after one for quite some time. He grew up hunting with one in the 80's and has been after one for years, so at least it is going to a good home!