Buying an old remington 742/7400 what do I need to know?

[whackmnstackm1775]

Gents

I am on the hunt for a semi auto remington. If you guys could drop me some tips on what to look for or what to check to ensure functionality. Also if you know someone who is wanting to sell one, let me know. I am looking to spend between 300 and 500.

Thanks

Semper Fi

[Syncerus]

http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional_info/Remington_7407427400.htm

Buy a 7600 instead?

j/k

[james25889]

I've seen alot of 742 's have jamming problems  if you reload its not  bad if you use Sb die sets.i think the 7400 is more reliable than the 742. i don't know of anything you can do to check the gun before you buy it unless you can shoot it first 

[fknipfer]

The gunsmith I use for all my needed work on fired has a sign on his wall " I will not work on Remington 740 and 742 rifles, so don't ask)  I ask him why and he said they are to difficult and flimsy to make on money on.  Then sometimes they just can't be fixed.  So the suggestion of previous message "Get a 7600" is a very good one.  Last forever and always work.

fknipfer

[HogFan]

I have one in .243, and it has only jammed once on me. I had it cleaned, and since then keep it clean with no problems. There are a couple problems, but most are either the gun not being clean, or the magazine being bent.

[charles p]

I bought a 742 in 1967.  I reload with small base dies.  Only problem I ever had was when I first started reloading, I didn't have the SB dies, I loaded too hot, and did not trim.  Now that I know what I'm doing, it works without a problem.  Works with factory loads or SB reloads. 

[1marty]

bought a 7400 in 30-06 a little more than 10 years ago. Jam jam and more jams. I keep my rifles clean and this one was no exception. Sometimes when I was firing it the magazine would fall out. But what really was anoying it never really held zero. I had a leupold II scope and changed over to a Nikon Monarch thinking it was the scope-it wasn't. After the gun jammed on my second shot at a 10 point buck I sold it and went back to my old and reliable Rem 700.
I don't really see the need for a auto loader if you are hunting deer, but that's my own personal opinion.

[dscp]

Like a REMINGTON 742 ( older model) in 30-06 with sling , see thru sights and a 3-9 scope in a soft case ? actually fired very little . can supply a variety of ammo with it  (esp ifin you live in Louisiana .)
dscp
P.S. the older verson was milled from a solid block of steel , newer ones not so . And UNDOUGHTLY SO WITH THE NEWER MODELS .Come and shoot mine !

[island66]

P.S. the older verson was milled from a solid block of steel , newer ones not so . And UNDOUGHTLY SO WITH THE NEWER MODELS .Come and shoot mine !

Actually, the 740, 742, 7400 and 750 all have machined steel receivers...based on the 870 20 gauge.  Most of the rifles in these families will function reliably if they're maintained and shot properly. 

The chambers MUST be cleaned religiously.  If you don't clean the chamber, it becomes corroded/rough and will undoubtedly cause extraction/chambering issues.  This can be a problem on older/used rifles because they are hard to clean from breech to muzzle like you would on a 700...so people clean from muzzle to breach.  As the brush hits the chamber, all the fouling/chemicals splatter against the chamber walls...and nobody cleans their chambers.  The orifice hole might need to be cleaned out although it's not usually too much of a problem unless the orifice just happens to be drilled through a land in the rifling...then they tend to foul up a little quicker. 

When I say they need to be shot properly, understand that even though these rifles are gas operated, they do require a little bit of recoil energy or inertia to start the action opening.  If you don't shoulder the rifle properly and lean into the shot, it might not cycle like you'd want it to.  Soft, squishy recoil pads can exacerbate the issue which is why these rifles either had a hard plastic butt plate or a solid rubber recoil pad. 

Remington made some changes to the 750 to enhance the reliability.  From what I understand, they're working pretty well (with the exception of some early magazine problems).  So, if your budget allows, you might want to look at one of those. 

If you're looking at an older used rifle, make sure you can get a gunsmith to put an eyeball on it...specifically checking the condition of the chamber, orifice hole, and action bar rails in the receiver.  If it all looks good, you should have a great rifle on your hands that'll last you for years.  If it's suspect, you'd probably be better off to leave it on the shelf and look for other options.  Of course, like others have mentioned, a 7600 would give you fast repeat shot capability with fewer maintenance concerns...

Jason

[Luckyducker]

Most of the trouble with the 740 and 742 Rems in 30/6 is due to shooting heavy loads and heavy bullets.  The bolt guide rails will become peened from the bolt being slammed rearward with so much force.  They rails can be stoned smooth once and maybe (big maybe) a second time but after they have so much metal removed they are junk.  If you find one that has not been abused and shoot conservative loads in it this rifle will give a long service life.  I am not sure about the newer models, they may or may not have fixed the problem entirely but did hear they were better in this aspect.

[saltydog]

My first recommendation unless you are buying it cheap <$200 and just as a hobby rifle I would pass. I have an old 740 '06 and once I began to throughly disassembled and cleaned it and began to use small base dies and midrange reloads in 150 and 125 gr. range I did not have jam problems - which is why the first owner sold it. That said it is one of my least used rifles. Use the money as a down on a new R25.