Remington 740, 742, 7400

[Blacksmoke]

I am thinking about one of these in .30-06. Plan to add 10 round magazines and a peep sight. Had some problems here and I cannot afford a Garand these days. I was pretty good with a Garand back in the day. Not USMC good but enough to worry troublemakers some.

Which model is best? 740s are fairly old by now. I like the forend on the 740 but if there are improvements with the later models, I would like to know about them.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

None of them are great. Their receivers self destruct.

 

[RonSC]

RUN don't walk away from these models! Each iteration of this rifle was progressively worse than its predecessor! Terrible design, ...the bolt rails will not tolerate the least bit of grime and even with pristine mantainance they are famous for feed/ejection problems and lousy accuracy to boot! I can't begin to recall the number of folks I have met thru the years that curse this rifle. IF you are dead set an an autoloader consider a Browning ..better yet ANY bolt action would be a better choice. You'll thank me later..

 

[Blacksmoke]

Ouch!

What a disappointment.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I like my 740. I picked it up cheap and dirty, with a Weaver K-4 scope and with a low round count. Keep it clean and properly lubed and use reasonable loads and it should last until you can get that Garand. I know mine will - anybody got a line on a decent M-1?

 

[hq]

Which model is best?

The later the better, as far as having inherent design-related issues is concerned. I've turned down a .308 742 that a gunsmith friend of mine tried to give me for free, mainly because it lacks the 4-lug bolt of 7400 hence it's prone to receiver bolt rail damage. Its rail was also already beyond repair but would've probably worked for another couple of hundred rounds just fine.

You have to remember two things: They are not designed for high round counts and they have to be kept squeaky clean. A dirty 740/742/7400 that has seen a lot of range use will jam like you wouldn't believe. Rusted spring guide or chamber, same story. With a well maintained, low to medium round count (<1000ish) example you have a good fighting chance to end up with a nice, reliable rifle. Newer 750:s are usually $100-200 more expensive than 7400:s but their gas system is a bit better, facilitating the use of hot handloads and having better overall reliability.

The prices these rifles go for these days make them an interesting alternative as a quick-handling, lightweight hunting rifle on a budget. Be aware that inspecting the rifle in advance means everything. Buying a worn-out lemon means that you're S.O.L. Additionally, it might be a good idea to forget about the 740 and 742; even if they don't have rail damage yet, it's only a matter of time before they do.

I'm about to take my chances with a 750 in a few weeks. For a gun that will be shot a couple of hundred rounds a year it seems like a good option, providing that you do your homework before purchase.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

How about a Rem pump gun instead?

 

[bersaguy]

I am personally a big fan of the 760/7600. I had a 760 I 30.06 and now have a 7600 in 270. I grew up shooting pump shotguns, so the action in a rifle is intuitive for me. They point well, follow up shots are quick, and the pump action is not too sensitive to dirt. Picked one up used for about $350 and I'm getting about 1.5" groups at 100 yds, can't ask for much better than that. The recoil was pretty stout with 30.06, 270 is no problem

 

[jmr40]

Remington won't even repair them anymore, or so I'm told. I wouldn't touch one with a 10' pole. The 760/7600 pump rifle is somewhat better, but still not anywhere near my top pick. There are so many other options out there that are more accurate, more reliable and priced the same or less.

Rapid shooting is over rated anyway, especially with anything with more than 5-10 ft lbs of recoil and if any accuracy is expected. With "AIMED" shots where the shooter is required to actually hit a deer sized vital zone at 50 yards or so with 3 out of 3 shots there is no significant difference in the times to do that with anything other than a single shot.

Start shooting light recoiling rifles like AR's or some pistol caliber carbines and you can do it a little faster with a pump or semi-auto. Or if you're just trying to empty the magazine without actually aiming. But not with 30-06 class cartridges.

 

[FL-NC]

I've heard nothing good about them. I was going to buy one some years ago in 243, but was advised against it by some knowledgeable people.I ended up getting a 700 in 243 and never looked back.

 

[ontarget]

I have a 740 in 30-06. I know that I'm at least the 3rd owner of the rifle.
What they are is a hunting rifle designed for the guy who shoots a couple of boxes of rounds per season. At that rate they WILL last a lifetime.
What they are NOT is a high round count range toy. They will beat themselves to death in a hurry if you try to treat them like a combat rifle.
Mine runs well and I only use it for hunting.
I use the AR15 for range blasting.

 

[Reloadron]

I have a 7400 in 30-06 which is about 25 to 30 years old. As a hunting rifle it has worked just fine but has only seen maybe 20 rounds a year for the first 5 years and after that I reolaced it with a 444 Marlin as I hunt mostly West Virginia. The rifle just sits, cleaned in the safe but it never gave me a problem when I used it. I also hunted quite a bit with a Remington 760 and it always worked just fine. Again, neither rifle saw thousands of range days and rounds.

Ron

 

[LoonWulf]

I had a 7400 in highschool. I kept it in the condition your average teenager keeps anything. Chamber rusted enough to stick cases on one occasion. Other than that it was exceptional.

 

[GRIZ22]

I have a 7400 in 270 Win. 1 1/2-2" groups at 100...from a cold barrel. Barrel heats up fast and groups open up. I did try shooting off one of those 10 round magazines at a fairly rapid pace and it opened up to 6-7".

The 7400 is useful for many things. A combat rifle is not one of them.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Thank you for the comments. I best find another solution.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Thank you for the comments. I best find another solution.

Had a 760 pump- was an OK gun, but don't regret selling it. The chamber was tight and some brands of ammo would seize it solid after firing. The mag release was very difficult/uncomfortable to operate. The magazines Remington still sells for the 760 and 7600 DONT fit the 760! I did find a couple of old aftermarket 10 rounders that worked OK.
On the plus side it was attractively finished and accurate. But I wouldn't recommend it unless it was dirt cheap.
BTW, run away from the contemporary Winchester M100s if you're set on an autoloader.....a commercial Garand it ain't.
The only commercial .30-06 semiauto I can think of that might fit your bill would be the Benelli R1, but they are not exactly common or cheap. My advice (if you're not an AR guy) is give up on a .308 or '06 and just get a clean used SKS or (if you like Garands) a Mini 14 or 30. These are cheap and fun to shoot and will keep you happy while you save up for that Garand.......

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Since I'm on the subject, brother, as much as I love my Garand, unless you reload they are too expensive to shoot alot.....and without a modified gas system, you really shouldn't shoot factory hunting loads in them without risking damage to the op-rod anyway.
They are complicated, antique, machines which require specialized tools and knowledge to support, repair, and tune. They can be a joy to own and shoot, but are not cheap, carefree range toys.
You will probably never wear out or hurt an SKS- load, shoot, wipe down,......repeat.

 

[entropy]

The 740 was the best of the worst. If you find one with intact internal receiver rails, they are not a bad gun for the use ontarget mentions, the guy who shoots one box a year. They last longer with lower-powered rounds, this is a good one to reload for, in whatever caliber. You need to inspect the receiver rails for burrs, and particularly marks from the bolt lugs. (More common and much more visible on the 742, with it's many more lugs) If it has that. RonSC is correct, RUN from it! It's a parts gun at that point. The last shop I worked in, when someone would bring one in to work on, we'd look at the receiver rails, and if they were hatched, we''d offer them $50 for parts. Pissed a few guys off, but we'd explain that it would never be a reliable shooter again whether we worked on it or not.

 

[Captcurt]

Why not grab a Ruger Mini? Most aren't tack drivers, but they are fun guns and come in calibers that don't take deep pockets.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The Remington 740, 742, and 7400 are good looking rifles for sure. My stepdad owned a 742.

J.B. Wood "Trouble shooting Your Rifle and Shotgun" notes that the ejection port cover was steel on the 740s and first 742s but switched to plastic for the rest of the 742 production run. If the plastic cracks the gun may continue to function. The purpose of the cover is to keep dirt, leaves, etc out of the mechanism. If it breaks, the pieces can jam the action. "The ejection port cover costs less than a dollar, but installation requires removal of the barrel, and for most people this means a trip to the gunsmith."

The NRA Guide to Firearms Assembly has instructions on removing the fire control mechanism and removing the forearm to clean the gas system.

Apparently, detail cleaning or replacement of parts of the bolt requires services of a gunsmith or a person familiar with removing the barrel from the action. The 740 required a special spanner for the nut holding the barrel in the receiver. The 742 has a hexagonal "breech ring nut" that can be opened with a common wrench. (Imagine an AR where you had to unscrew the barrel nut and remove the barrel to clean or repair the bolt/boltcarrier.)

The more I learned about the difficulties of user maintenance of the Remington 740 Woodsmaster series, the less charmed I was by its good looks. (Ever have a gal pal like that?)

Odd aside: The 760 Gamemaster pump-action rifle preceeded the 740 Woodsmaster autoloading rifle. Both have parts in common. The pump-action rifle was successful, so they developed a gas-operated version with a lower model number.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Had a 760 pump- was an OK gun, but don't regret selling it. The chamber was tight and some brands of ammo would seize it solid after firing. The mag release was very difficult/uncomfortable to operate. The magazines Remington still sells for the 760 and 7600 DONT fit the 760! I did find a couple of old aftermarket 10 rounders that worked OK.
On the plus side it was attractively finished and accurate. But I wouldn't recommend it unless it was dirt cheap.
BTW, run away from the contemporary Winchester M100s if you're set on an autoloader.....a commercial Garand it ain't.
The only commercial .30-06 semiauto I can think of that might fit your bill would be the Benelli R1, but they are not exactly common or cheap. My advice (if you're not an AR guy) is give up on a .308 or '06 and just get a clean used SKS or (if you like Garands) a Mini 14 or 30. These are cheap and fun to shoot and will keep you happy while you save up for that Garand.......

Had a Tula made SKS and loved it. Sadly, it was stolen. Had a Mini 14 .223 and was impressed with reliability but not accuracy.

The recent problem I had which prompted this inquiry requires 400 yard accuracy and effectiveness. Hence, the .30-06 specification. That is asking a lot from an SKS. Perhaps a Mini 30?

 

[hdbiker]

I owned a 742 in .308 Win for over 40 years, prolly killed 50-60 deer deer with it. I,ve heard and seen all the bad press about 742,s, and it seems the only ones effected were the longer ctgs. 30-06, 270 and 280, the .308 243 no issues. Mine in .308 after thousands of firings, showed a light wear on the blueing inside the receiver but no damage. Local gun shops won't even take them in trade anymore. I talked to the person I sold mine to and it's still running great !!! hdbiker

 

[SamT1]

I had a 243 7400 that ran really good. But you couldn’t carry it in the truck or dirt would mess it up.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Hmmm, semi auto, effective at 400yd - for less than the price of a Garand (say $1000).

That's a tall order in an autoloader, or for any of the intermediate cartridges, 7.62x39 included.

Might want to go with a bolt gun for now....$350 bux will get a perfectly good .308 or '06 turn-bolt that will reach out that far all day long. At 400yds, your not going to need rapid fire capability anyway.

Ultimately, you may want to look into an AR10 or M1a for a good do-it-all at any range gun, but they ain't cheap.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Hmmm, semi auto, effective at 400yd - for less than the price of a Garand (say $1000).

That's a tall order in an autoloader, or for any of the intermediate cartridges, 7.62x39 included.

Might want to go with a bolt gun for now....$350 bux will get a perfectly good .308 or '06 turn-bolt that will reach out that far all day long. At 400yds, your not going to need rapid fire capability anyway.

Ultimately, you may want to look into an AR10 or M1a for a good do-it-all at any range gun, but they ain't cheap.

That occurred to me. I even thought about A "Spanish Hornet" or a Turkish Mauser in 7 X 57. Both with proven ability to give offenders a haircut at 400 yards!