About 12 years ago, my dad wanted to trade in his Remington 740 .30-06 rifle in order to get me my first rifle for my 18th birthday. We were at Cabela's at the time looking at the used rifles in the gun library. My dad had talked to one of the associates there about trading in his rifle or selling it to them. They said they could not offer anything or take it in, because of an issue these rifles had, and never got officially remedied. What problems did these rifles have that would cause a firearms dealer to not take it in on trade?
Remington 740 issue
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351 WINCHESTER
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They have a habit of self destructing after a relatively low round count. Don't get me wrong - they will last the average deer hunter a lifetime if the chamber is kept clean and dry and the mechanism is lubed.
Dave DeLaurant
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Don't know the answer to this, but I found a pretty neat article about the history of the 740 here:
https://www.remingtonsociety.org/remington-model-740-model-742-and-model-7400-autoloading-rifles/
Haven't read the whole thing yet -- maybe there's something in the text.
https://www.remingtonsociety.org/remington-model-740-model-742-and-model-7400-autoloading-rifles/
Haven't read the whole thing yet -- maybe there's something in the text.
No idea on the round count on my dad's rifle. He actually got it used I believe in the 1980s from a co-worker if I remember the story correctly. I know I've put probably about 40 rounds through it, one of those got me my first deer. Only issues we've ever had was failure to feed from the box magazines.
Guessing they had sheet metal issues or was it bolt issues that caused the self-destruction?
entropy
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The bolt lugs will munch up the top of the inside of the receiver, causing the dreaded Jam-O-Matic so many rave on about. The two major cause are heavier ammo than it was designed for, and owners whanging the bolt back and pulling up on it at the same time.
We've only ever shot Remington Core-Lokt 150gr. But it's good to know not to go higher. Though when I was using it as a brush gun, i was thinking about locating 200 and 220gr ammo to use. Sounds like it was a good thing that I never did at that point. Far as I'm aware of, there isn't any aftermarket options to fix this.
NIGHTLORD40K
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Short bolt lug/receiver life- also they were unusually prone to chamber corrosion, leading to difficult extraction and jams.
entropy
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There aren't. One shop I worked at would offer those who brought them in to 'get fixed' $50 for parts. Some of them got indignant about it and took the gun to a gun show and either got a lower offer from a dealer there, or sold them to someone who had no idea about it.
The gun was designed for the guy who shoots one box (or less) to sight it in, a couple rounds a year at deer, and cleans it meticulously. (Not a easy task the way it was designed.)
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When I was young and dumb, I decided I had to have a 7400. Went to a well respected local dealer/gunsmith and told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted a 7400 that I needed to go elsewhere, for he would not, under any circumstances, order or be part of the sale of one. Huh? He told me why. This was before the Internet, but some old school research at the local library more or less enlightened me about his attitude: the comments above are what I found.
The 740/742/7400/4/750 series of rifles have always had a reputation for poor accuracy and reliability. I'm sure there will be several people who will post about how well their particular rifle performed for them if this thread remains active long enough. And for them, that may be true. Not every rifle from that series was problematic. Especially if kept very clean and used lightly. They were not designed for a lot of use and had to be kept perfectly clean.
But there are enough of them that are better used as tomato stakes than rifles that not many people are willing to take a chance on one. If you've got one with family history keep it and use it. Especially if it is one of the ones that works. But it has little value and will be hard to sell. That's why Cabela's didn't want it.
But there are enough of them that are better used as tomato stakes than rifles that not many people are willing to take a chance on one. If you've got one with family history keep it and use it. Especially if it is one of the ones that works. But it has little value and will be hard to sell. That's why Cabela's didn't want it.
EIB0879
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I never had a 740 but the comments apply for the 742 also. I had one as a teenager and traded it off then inherited my Dad's when he died. I took a lot of deer with it before I started having issues with it. I have been toying with the idea of sending it off to make a slide action out of it but I have several other hunting options so it's been low on the priority list.
My BIL and his brother both have 742s that they use but they don't put a lot of rounds through them. Back in the 70's and 80's where I grew up almost everyone had a 742.
My BIL and his brother both have 742s that they use but they don't put a lot of rounds through them. Back in the 70's and 80's where I grew up almost everyone had a 742.
entropy
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I bought my 742 Carbine from my aunt when I was 14, and immediately started handloading for it, because the 180 grain factory ammo I got with it produced fireballs that would make a Mosin M44 blush. I figured a lot of powder (and power) was being wasted. I didn't even know about the bolt/receiver issues yet. I tamed my handloads down with IMR3031and kept them light with 165 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips ( a fairly new bullet at the time) and same weight Partitions for hunting. I still have some of those .30-06 165 Partition deer loads I loaded up in 1978. The has long since gone down the road. I kept it immaculate, and didn't shoot it much (though more than my Aunt did) and when I let it go, the top of the receiver was still unmarked by the bolt lugs.
I was one and for those very reasons, plus tailoring my loads down for more efficiency, and accuracy. Most guys weren't and eventually ended up swearing at their 740 series rifle.
100% correct. Even in Minnesota where every deer camp had at least one of them, they were either in the 'bargain rack', or the parts bins at the bench.
I was one and for those very reasons, plus tailoring my loads down for more efficiency, and accuracy. Most guys weren't and eventually ended up swearing at their 740 series rifle.
100% correct. Even in Minnesota where every deer camp had at least one of them, they were either in the 'bargain rack', or the parts bins at the bench.
lightman
Member
The few that I have been around has extraction problems. Sometimes scrubbing the bolt face with a brush and cleaning the chamber helped, and sometimes not. And they were rough on brass, often bending the rim.
Usually a sign of rust chamber syndrome.
d2wing
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There are a few articles on the problems with these rifles. Heavy loads, corrosion, too many rounds, and rapid fire destroy these quickly. Also, as others said they need to be kept clean and lubed. Also the feed lips on magazines can get wonky. The newer the generation the better they are. the 7400 and 750 and much better but still can have problems. Years ago, Remington had an exchange program, but I don't remember the details.
A place called Ahlmanns in Minnesota used to convert them to 760 pumps. I think that is done with as are online gunsmiths that repaired them. I have a 742 BDL that I think I gave to someone as a keepsake.and a 7400. I haven't shot them for years. An old gunsmith fixed my 742 once but he is long gone. They were the gun to have 40 years ago. In 30-06 of course. They did come in other choices.
I would take care of it, get magazines while you can. And don't shoot it much. And 150 gr factory bullets are best. I used 165 gr Boattails but they don't feed as well. I don't know of any current repair places for them but a good gunsmith might still work on them. Any magazine for any version and 750's as well as 760 pumps will work. Your rifle is probably over 50 years old.
someguy2800
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I’ve heard about them wearing out the receiver rails with heavy use but this is the first I’ve ever heard of them be prone to some sort of dangerous failure. They used to be everywhere here in Minnesota but I haven’t seen one in a long time now.
d2wing
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I don't think anyone is talking about dangerous failure. I was referring to jams due to the much discussed rails getting damaged. I have seen them lock the bolt solid part way open.
A guy my dad worked with before he (my dad) retired, wants to do a trade for his rifle. In trade is a bolt action .243, no idea what brand or model it is. It is a caliber he's wanted for most of my life, as it is what he wanted to get me when I was 12.
Heir Kommt Die Sonne
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But are Remington 700s good?
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
I had a 760 as well, long after my 740 went down the road. It also suffered from hard extraction issues, and the modern magazines Remington was advertising for both the 740 and 760 (with the bolt hold-open feature) would jam up solid in my pump gun.
I had a few Ram-Line plastic 10 rounders which were so-so, but the only really good magazine for it was the lone original vintage one that came with it.
NIGHTLORD40K
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Haha, now THATS a whole 'nother thread my friend- and a long one!
Bottom line, they are a strong action, but older ones had a dangerous problem with the trigger/safety and quality control and accuracy of newer ones is questionable.
entropy
Member
A Hi-Point 9mm carbine is even a good trade for a 740. A 700 would be highway robbery. (For the party trading off the 740)
I'll take a Savage Axis or Savage 10 over any Remington 700.
On another tangent not relating to the 740 in question, when my dad and I were looking at rifles for me for hunting, I looked at the 770, man was I ever disappointed in how sloppy that bolt was and how cheap the stock felt. Compared it at the time with a Savage Edge (pre-Axis), night and day difference. Though instead of getting a Savage, I ended up with a Mossberg 800a .308.
Catpop
Member
I ran a rural gunsmith shop during the 742 heydays. And I worked on hundreds of them.
The main design issue with the 742 was it cycled too fast. If it had been designed with a piston like the BAR was designed it would still be with us. Quickly pitted chambers due to lack of maintenance would grip the hot expanded brass before it had time to contract and pull the case rim off.
The 760 never experienced these problems because the case cooled before extraction.
The 760 was one of the best designed repeaters of all time, whereas the 742 was a disaster especially in areas of high humidity like the east coast!
Jmtcw
The main design issue with the 742 was it cycled too fast. If it had been designed with a piston like the BAR was designed it would still be with us. Quickly pitted chambers due to lack of maintenance would grip the hot expanded brass before it had time to contract and pull the case rim off.
The 760 never experienced these problems because the case cooled before extraction.
The 760 was one of the best designed repeaters of all time, whereas the 742 was a disaster especially in areas of high humidity like the east coast!
Jmtcw
NIGHTLORD40K
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Man, I dunno bout that. My 760 jammed up so solid once, I had to smack the buttstock hard on a concrete floor to get it to open up.......
Didnt know enough at the time to think about polishing the chamber (that was pre internet days), but even when it did cycle properly, accuracy was only fair, and I found removing the magazine difficult, even painful, with that tiny latch.
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