Remington 742 models were manufactured from 1960-1980 as an improved version of Model 740.
Its primary weakness was jamming, becoming known as jamomatic rifles and still functioning quite reliably if kept clean. The 742 was eventually superseded by the 7400 Woodsmaster in 1980.
Wood
The Remington 742 stock utilizes high-grade wood that is highly durable and long-lasting, as well as resistant to fungus and insects – perfect for outdoor use! There is an assortment of styles and finishes available; some feature wood from different sources, while others feature exotic varieties – each machine-cut for optimal fitting with the receiver.
Remington initially produced and popularized the 740 as a hunting rifle; this model proved itself over time. Eventually, it was overtaken by the 742 Woodsmaster, which offers superior design features as well as more powerful cartridges with ease of cleaning and maintenance.
If a 740 rifle owner plans to use their 740 for varmint hunting, they should consider equipping it with a scope and mounts to improve accuracy and improve target acquisition. A degree and mountains will make shooting safer while improving sight.
On average, American guns typically go through one box of shells every year – that’s quite a lot for rifles! Never thrown away or used for competitions; typically, these rifles last an average of 15 years before finally succumbing.
The 742 model includes a bolt latch located within its body slot designed to prevent its bolt head from rotating out of the battery. This small latch has two components; the front features a downward angled ear that recesses, with a spring-loaded hole near the rear for the pivot. A round pin with one end going UP fits into this hole, providing extra support and acting as a pivot.
As it rotates during cycling, the bolt head is secured to its carrier by the latch and slammed against receiver rails, resulting in gouges and dings in their surface. Furthermore, as it hits lugs of bolt guide grooves, causing them to wear down further, it can result in jamming or damage of its own as it travels along its trajectory.
Finish
When painting a stock, be sure to use only high-quality products designed specifically for gunstocks. They should include both a brush and a bottle of solvent. When applying paint with a brush, be sure to make circular movements while painting in order to distribute pressure evenly across its surface. Otherwise, any unapproved solvent could ruin its finish completely.
Problems with the 740/742 are frequently caused by repeated firing, as their receiver rails become battered/worn from repeated use. These rails guide the bolt lugs when they move both rearward and forward and must operate smoothly with hardened steel barrel extensions to secure its locking. Unfortunately, their construction combines soft, easily machineable material for these rails, while their bolt lugs must engage a set steel barrel extension to ensure themselves properly.
As a result, the lugs often strike bolt-guide grooves and chew up their corners, damaging both bolt and receiver irreparably and necessitating replacement at a cost higher than any gun in good condition might be worth. A new receiver would usually be necessary, however.
Remington once offered a program whereby, if you returned your non-repairable 740 or 742 firearms, they would replace it with one priced wholesale; unfortunately, this cost more than what the gun itself was worth, so the program has since been canceled.
Another issue commonly experienced with the 740/742 is its inability to accept magazines easily or its magazine becoming locked up due to its design. Remington changed this feature on later guns (after February 1977 and date code LO), changing to an easier-to-use design that still requires some modification but will go in and out more quickly than their predecessors.
Comb
Remington 742 stocks feature a rounded comb designed to provide a comfortable hold on the rifle and prevent its bolt head from spinning during firing. They also come in different colors to complement any overall aesthetic of their firearm. Furthermore, this lightweight component does not add weight.
Remington manufactured various models of the 742 rifle series, such as Woodsmaster and Model 4 / 7400 models. These fast-firing yet soft-recoiling guns were ideal for deer hunters in dense woods; unfortunately, they became notorious for having jamming issues, earning the nickname “aromatics.”
One of the main issues with these rifles was wear on their receiver rails. This top receiver rail guides bolt lugs on both their movements rearward and forward and is subject to gas pressure on backward movement and spring pressure on forward motion, and its inertia exerts a sufficient force that the lugs often contact the LH side of the rail slot and wear it down over time. On 742s with bolt latches that prevent over-rotating at their most rearward stop position, these may become loose over time as wear causes excessive rearward motion on these rails and also wears away.
Remington rifles were notorious for having issues with their ejection port covers being knocked off or dislodged accidentally, and this could require replacing it with one made by another company (Rimington no longer manufactures its versions; other options exist; some use plastic, while others utilize metal). When this happened, replacement covers were necessary; these could either be purchased directly from Remington or via other third-party retailers; some used plastic, while others utilized metal construction.
MecGar was contracted out to make replacement magazines until recently, when their original tooling wore out, and MecGar could no longer produce them. These new magazines feature a deeper bottom and two separate latches instead of the single drawn piece used initially, and when their tooling deteriorated further, they could no longer produce them.
