Would worn out rails be the main cause of cycling issues?

Often times, that’s the culprit. Blows my mind the lack of quality in the metal at that time. They’d wear down and essentially “clatter” as the action cycled not allowing it to transition smoothly and with enough force to operate correctly. Shame too. Those guns had some potential.

I read, that piece is not replaceable either. I don’t want to buy a problem that can’t be fixed.

Thanks.

what your looking for is the bolt bite. best seen when you pull the trigger assembly look at the back of the rails the bolt over rotates on modem ammo and bites into the rail causing notches that get cut in the receiver and the action bars those start to hang up.

this is a very common issue with the 742

followed by rusty chamber

Magazine issues are of course possible also as they are the most common issue in most cycling issues in all semi auto guns.

I have a theory that since the 740 was really just a couple years behind the M1 garand in development and that the Green and white box Rem corelok ammo was M1 safe gas port pressures that the rifles were not designed for the gas port pressures of modern ammo.

that and Rem had bean counters and price points they were trying to make even in the 1950s.

a gun that lasted 500 rounds at a price point they could sell sportsmen that could rapidly deliver 4 rounds of 30-06
they likely figured a 20 round box of ammo a year for 25 years would be a lifetime of hunting for most

the interesting thing is you don't hear about these issues in the 308 version , the action is identical , the magazine and barrel are the only difference

1940 30-06 was mostly loaded to modern day 308 velocities 2750fps with a 150 gr bullet

when I realized mine was starting to bite the rail I had been using Win white box super X 30-06 I had purchased in 93 when I purchased the rifle I really had not shot it much 100 rounds it was made in 1966 so someone had owned it before me not sure how much they shot it probably not a lot it looked almost new in 93 when I purchased it .

I started loading my 30-06 ammo to 308 velocities and it is such a soft recoiling gun now. not that it was hard before , shot a buck with it this last year it now shucks the cases out about 3-4 feet out it used to fling brass about 20-25 feet over gassed with a non adjustable , non compensating gas system.

I don't know if it will make it last forever but I figure a good while longer and the deer don't know the difference I shot just in front of the right shoulder and got exit just before the ham on the left side 165gr Speer btsp

44gr H4895 under the 165 gr speer btsp was just right for mine. I have not chrono the load but by loading book should be right about 2650fps

I was talking about this issue with a gun smith who said he fixes a bunch of them he stones the action bars and receiver and the gun lives 100 to 200 more rounds of standard ammo.

if this is something you don't already own unless the price is almost give it away cheap I would not buy it parts are getting harder and harder to find


now if you find a 760 or 7600 pump they lasted and lasted because they were not getting beat up by the gas system they also sell for more because they are sought after

Also gas ports clog

742 jam-O- matic's

We had 2 in the 80's sold 1 .243. My Mom kept her 6mm out of nostalgia

What about a Remington 740 in 30.06? I have my fathers he bought in the 50"s.

742 replaced the 740 I believe.
I have a 742 BDL Deluxe. It was a special order left handed model with a cheek piece on the right side of the stock; left handed safety. The cases eject from the right side.

The only problem I ever had was a broken ejector. I always loaded my own shells but had to use a small base die.

Every time the 742 is brought up some one uses this name for them. I've never owned one because of that

Several 742, in several calibers.
Didn't care for the recoil.
Went to the Winchester autos.
Accuracy was marginal.
(Like stated serious issues for me ,using the best eye relief scopes i could afford.)
Maybe it's just me ??

Just sold a beautiful 7400 in 30-06 last week. Ran fine, I killed a buck with it last fall, just didn't warm up to it, so down the road it went

A Remington semi auto was the heaviest single shot I ever owned.

The biggest thing with them is to keep them clean. By clean, I mean have the barrel removed, chamber buffed and gas ports cleaned at least every other year. My Dad has done 1,000's of them and if kept clean they are fair. The biggest mistake people make is to spray a half can of WD-40 into them, stick them in a fuzzy imitation sheep skin case and then take them out in the cold to hunt. There are many pieces, many small that break on the 742 and there is no fix.
Interestingly enough, Ahlmans in MN used to take 742's with bad rails and covert them into a 760 pump. The conversion cost slightly more than buying a whole new rifle.

They use to do the samething with the Remington 1100, They would turn them into 870's.

I have worked on lots of 740,742 and 7400. The biggest problem is people take a screwdriver to them when ever there is a problem. They are not a bad gun, just takes a little more care. Most people dont know how to clean them and then they cause more problems.

I have never seen an 1100 conversion. With the barrel lug being different between an 1100 and 870 I am trying to picture how that would work.

There is the answer..keep them clean. I treat mine as I would a muzzle loader, clean and lightly lubricated after each use. The problem went away.

I agree with 160user keep clean and WD-40 is not a gun oil it is slow drying spray varnish

the concept was terrific , if some one could make a solid auto loading rifle in hunting cartridges and not have it cost 1000 dollars and last and have replaceable parts be easy to clean. the market would have bought them up , millions of the 742s sold



such an excellent concept and get it almost there.

kept very clean and lubes , with M1 safe ammo if in 30-06 I think it can run a long time , but the rail bite even if clean and lubed will cut life short.

people who own the rifle in 308 had reported much longer life , there were however a lot less of the 308win made I recall reading that around 80% of all of them made were 30-06.

been seeing a bunch in shops here , have not seen one yet that wasn't showing rail bite from the bolt locking lugs.

I found one that is pretty cheap and the owner noted the cycling issue. So far, my reading is telling me to leave it alone.

742's were also known for to break firing pins. One of the problems with the mags were that people would drop them or otherwise rough handle them and the little tab in front would get bent in, preventing a solid lockup.

The only time I ever had a problem with my 742 not recycling my reloads was before I started using a small base die. Got that tip right here on Trapperman from somebody. After I started using the small base die in my Rock Chucker, I had no more problems.

When I shot Federal Premiums with Nosler bullets, I didn't have any problems with jamming. Now, I reload with Barnes TSX 150 grain bullets with no problems.

I've never owned one but will add that in the local gunsmith shop here there is a large sign behind the counter that reads exactly this:

"Remington model 742's are JUNK, they were JUNK when they were made and they are still JUNK today. We do not service them, please don't even ask."