For whatever reason, I have a "need" for another rifle. I really like the looks of these old school guns. I'm partial to a 30-06 or 308. Anyone have one and how do you like it?

I had two, regret selling them both. Both were chambered for 30-06.

Would refrain.

Grandpa deer hunted with one in 300 Savage. I've only shot it a handful of times.

I've got a 742, 30-06 ... I wish it was a 760 in 270 Win.

Brother & myself bought our dad 1 in 243, late 80's. Good shooting rifle, dad killed several deer. Not the best trigger , but darn good rifle, keep the action clean, and oiled. Dad never had a problem with it. I have it in my safe, beting money, pull it out load up and it will still shot well. I also have a soft place for those older rifles.

I have the 742 bought it when I was 14 a few months after buying my 1100
nearly the perfect deer rifle with one issue
they have a limited lifespan with 30-06 factory ammo , that is longer than most people need
an adjustable gas system or something would have made it last longer.

that said the 760 doesn't suffer over gassing because it is a pump it keeps locked up and you cycle it so the bolt doesn't slam into the receiver

it points like a shotgun fast on target , put a low power variable scope on it and I think you will love it

they are not cheap because people recognize how handy they are

make sure to keep the chamber clean that was one of the complaints on the 742 was the chambers would corrode because with the mag out the bolt wouldn't stay open they would come from a cold wet woods to a warm truck and condense and not everyone does the best maintenance
although less of an issue on the 760 as you could keep the slide back easy enough.

as for 30-06 vs 308 , more were made in 30-06 and the actions are all long even if it is a 308
308 is basically 5% less velocity and energy than 30-06 with 15% less recoil , more top end costs you more recoil.
the 760 isn't exactly a 1000 yard precision gun , it is a 5 to 200yard deer rifle for the woods.

Most of your more serious deer trackers in New England carry a 760/7600. I've owned a couple 742s but not the pump. I might end up with one. They start at around $750.

Yes, I plan to send this one out for a re-bore to either 6.5 Transgender or 7.82 Manbun.

Amish machine gun.

I’ve got the newer version, 7600 carbine in 30-06. Not much good for long range but great for deer drives.

My brother had one in 6mm. I wish I could get my hands on it. I'm not sure where it went after he passed.

I had one in .35 Whelen, but sold it. Pump rifles aren't accurate enough due to the side-to-side wobble inherent in the slide. Bolt-actions and semi-autos don't have this issue.

The other thing I didn't like was the length of pull--longer than I'm used to and too long for me to shoot comfortably.

I loved the cartridge, though. Someday I may look for a .35 Whelen in a good bolt rifle.

Jim

Nail on the head there GCP, same thing happened to mine. Just a small rough patch in the chamber is enough to prohibit extraction for a second or 2.
If the rim wasn't snagged off, it would extract soon after. Makes for a PITA single shot. Grandad gave it to me, it's a keepsake now. Checked into getting it fixed years ago, not feasible, if even possible with no parts available.
Thanks for the explanation
Worked well for many years, but I'd rather had the pump.

Get the ‘06. The 308 is based on the same action length so really no benefit to getting a short action cartridge in a 760/7600.

This was THE deer rifle to have in PA in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I was never a big fan of them but it is kinda neat to have a Remington centerfire pump, .22 pump, and an 870.

I would go 358 Winchester

it isn't a long range pea shooter it is a woods deer/bear thumper .

because nothing quite says good night like a .358 225gr slug at 2540fps

Ahhh the trifecta.
760
572
870
... what more could you want.

After it is drilled and tapped for a scope, stock cut and padded added who cares?

160 your going to make me cry

I shot my first big buck with my dad's in .30-06 and a whole bunch of deer with my 760 in .243 as has my son and now my granddaughter. I also own one in .222 and hope to smack a coyote or two with it someday.

I read about keeping the chamber clean and always kept mine very clean and oiled the other issue was the plastic shroud for the bolt would break off I had that happen and I have been running it without.

I never did much shooting besides sight in and hunt once I realized it had a limited time.
when I started reloading for it I used an M1 Garand load which was intentional so I could have one round for both the M1 and the 742
the 740 was being developed at basically the same time as the M1 then put on hold for WWII
M2 ball was the ammo of the time period and at the time Rem ammo was nearly the same I suspect the development work takin place in the late 30s was mostly using the same velocity 30-06 as was being used for the M1
.
went from brass sailing 30 feet to drops them in a nice little pile about 4 feet away , very soft shooting and the buck I shot didn't know the difference

the differences 740 to 742 were ejector , and extractor were beefed up.
the barrel threads became left hand so it wouldn't walk loose
the ejection port cover went from metal to plastic
the sights went to screwed on form dovetails or soldered
all these changes followed to the 760 to keep them the same but no change to the 760 numbers

here is a lot of good info on the 740/742/7400
https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20Articles/remington_7407427400_semiauto.html

here is info on the 760/7600
https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20Articles/remington_760_7600_pump_rifle.html