Is anyone shooting a Remington 742 Woodsmaster? I just picked one up in 30-06 from a guy I work with. It has a Leupold vari x II 3-9 40mm scope. I haven't shot it yet, but looks like a lot of fun. I'm going to go hog hunting with it sometime soon. We have a wild pig problem in SC too. My turn to help out the cause.
- Thread starter dagwood
- Start date
While not all 742's have ejection issues and yours may be AOKAY, before you fire it, take the stock off and inspect and clean the chamber. This design was intended to be cleaned from the muzzle end and cleaning the chamber can be a challenge. Taking the stock off will allow you liberally spray some cleaner in there and use a brush.
The 742 action can have ejection issues and it's generally related to chamber wear or cleanliness.
If you keep it clean after each use you should be ok as long as there isn't any pitting or high wear on the action.
Nickle plated casings can sometimes be a remedy for ejection failures.
The 742 action can have ejection issues and it's generally related to chamber wear or cleanliness.
If you keep it clean after each use you should be ok as long as there isn't any pitting or high wear on the action.
Nickle plated casings can sometimes be a remedy for ejection failures.
If the bolt rails have chatter or are chewed up in any way...you're probably effed.
I had a 742 in '06...nice feeling field rifle, killed a couple deer with it, only "minute of whitetail heart/lungs" accurate and even less reliable. Sold it for a couple hundred bucks to a gunsmith who evidently was a glutton for punishment and/or looking for a project rifle.
I had a 742 in '06...nice feeling field rifle, killed a couple deer with it, only "minute of whitetail heart/lungs" accurate and even less reliable. Sold it for a couple hundred bucks to a gunsmith who evidently was a glutton for punishment and/or looking for a project rifle.
Uhh I would pass on the 742.
I used one for 10 years deer hunting and got 12 deer in those ten years . It wasn't new when I started using it and would jam sometimes and a friend suggested using 180 grain loads instead of the 150 and no more jamming .I guess it needed just a little more recoil to operate the action . Arnie
i took it apart last night and the rails look pretty good. The gun needs a good cleaning. That wasn't done often if at all. Time will tell if I got a good deal or a lemon.
Poked holes in several WT as a kid including my first buck. Momma gave me one the year after my Dad left home and after learning that if the chamber is not cleaned VERY often it becomes a Jam-O- Matic, it ran flawless. It will never be a precision rifle but it will kill Deer. Remember one rain will rust the crap out of it especially in the chamber. Haven't shot mine in 20+ years but it will never be for sale.
I was thinking about loading some 125gr rounds in it, just a little hotter than normal to see if it will cycle ok. I think the 180's will just beat up the action due to the heavy recoil. I will experiment with different loads to find the best combination.
Just remember it is a semi-auto, do not load as if it is a bolt. Mild/standard velocity. My son had a friend with one and I would swear the manual said have a smith clean/inspect every year. Said friend now has a DPMS which he is very happy with. Good luck.
Rem 742
It seems that a Rem 742 was standard issue here in North Georgia because everyone and their brother seem to have one and only about 5% of them work and the other 95% that don't work rotate between all the pawn shops. They are notorious for jamming, having extraction and feeding problems. Me personally believe that the barrels metal was substandard because on a quiet night you can here the chambers rusting. On a serious note: The big issue is how the barrels are attached to the receiver with the lug screw that pulls the barrel to the receiver below the chamber into some sort of a trunion block. No one seems to keep these tight or even check them and the barrels droop and cause misalignment with the bolt. I have two in my shop now with broken bolt lugs and extractors and guess what? When I inspected the rifles both barrels were loose. The big problem is that the parts, shipping, cleaning and repair usually cost more then the rifle is worth. I had to quit taking them in the shop. If you have a good one keep it clean and don't try to over power the loads if you reload and keep an eye on the barrel lug screw and keep it tight.
It seems that a Rem 742 was standard issue here in North Georgia because everyone and their brother seem to have one and only about 5% of them work and the other 95% that don't work rotate between all the pawn shops. They are notorious for jamming, having extraction and feeding problems. Me personally believe that the barrels metal was substandard because on a quiet night you can here the chambers rusting. On a serious note: The big issue is how the barrels are attached to the receiver with the lug screw that pulls the barrel to the receiver below the chamber into some sort of a trunion block. No one seems to keep these tight or even check them and the barrels droop and cause misalignment with the bolt. I have two in my shop now with broken bolt lugs and extractors and guess what? When I inspected the rifles both barrels were loose. The big problem is that the parts, shipping, cleaning and repair usually cost more then the rifle is worth. I had to quit taking them in the shop. If you have a good one keep it clean and don't try to over power the loads if you reload and keep an eye on the barrel lug screw and keep it tight.
Thanks for all of the good info. I bought this to help out a guy that needed some cash. I told him it would really just be a loan. Hopefully he wants it back.
Steve
Steve
I got one for Christmas about 50 years ago. It too jammed a lot.
Charles
Charles
Jamming? I have 1 that belonged to my father-in-law (never jammed, very accurate - he wouldn't keep a rifle that wasn't - but it did break the firing pin return spring once and that stopped it from firing). I have one that belonged to my dad (never jammed, never broke but dad didn't shoot his rifle except to kill deer with it - like my FIL, one shot, one deer). I bought one for my oldest son. No issues with it either.
Ours have never used anything but 180 grain bullets, Remington or reloads.
Had a buddy with one. Same thing. One shot, one deer. No jamming issues with his either.
Jamming?
Rust? No issues with rust either, but then again, we clean/wipe down every time we hunted, whether it was shot or not.
Ours have never used anything but 180 grain bullets, Remington or reloads.
Had a buddy with one. Same thing. One shot, one deer. No jamming issues with his either.
Jamming?
Rust? No issues with rust either, but then again, we clean/wipe down every time we hunted, whether it was shot or not.
Sounds like maintenance is the key to a reliable rifle, who'd have thought of that! Glad 81z4me you enjoy yours. Question on your reloads, are they mild/standard or, max bolt gun can't get any more powder in the case type?
