Remington 740 30-06 questions...

I

ilovegunz

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Location
Chilliwack British Columbia
First off, this is NOT a thread asking what people think about them. I don't care if you think they're jam-o-matics, this one seems to work fine and for $60 I did not go wrong.

Here's the deal, it's really not accurate and I'm looking for ways to fix this. I don't expect it to ever be a tack driver, but I do expect it to put bullets in the general area of POA on deer. I've read about a "Williams accuracy block" but it appears to be discontinued for many decades now and impossible to find. It's supposed to space the forend away from the reciever a bit from what I gather. Has anybody ever seen one of these? What does it look like and how easy is it to replicate? I've also read about filing the metal insert of the forend to properly free float it. Any other ideas on tightening up shot groups? Perhaps a bullet weight they like more than others?
 
Have you tried different ammo or just one brand? Sometimes a different bullet weight makes the difference. I have also heard of filing the metal forend piece, but I have never had one to comment on it.
 
$60? a good case of beer is $60! I think you got one hell of a deal like iceman2 says try different ammo with different grains I tried some cheap federal powershok 180gr stuff that my rifle just seemed to love i could touch holes at 100 yrds pretty good for cheap stuff
 
I have a 7400 30/06, I have heard that the remi's work best with Remington ammo. I have used 165 gr and 180 gr Remington ammo and the gun works well with either.
 
I've only had it out with a box of Federal 150gr so far (to test it, make sure she wasn't a jammer). I bought 3 boxes a couple days ago, I'm planning to go back to the range with them and see which she likes...150gr, 165gr, and 180gr. The first and last are Remington and the 165's are Federal (all they had in 165). I'd like to try "accurizing" it a bit first before I go tossing bullets at paper though, it has a little round spacer looking thing at the front the forend but since I've never had one of these apart before I don't know if that's factory or not. I can't find any pics of it or the "accuracy block" on the interweb. Does anybody here have a 740? Would it be possible to get a pic of the inside of the forend? Thanks
 
Just remove the forend bolt and remove the forend. Clean what is in there while your at it. Look to see if the wood is marked from rubbing on the barrel. I have heard that this can really mess up accuracy. Look for the obvious ie scuff marks etc. You could try removing any obvious high spots, run a round file on the metal washer to relieve any excess pressure and try again. Make sure scope mounts are tight, and maybe even change scope to eliminate that as a problem. Keep us in the loop.
 
ilovegunz said:
I've only had it out with a box of Federal 150gr so far (to test it, make sure she wasn't a jammer). I bought 3 boxes a couple days ago, I'm planning to go back to the range with them and see which she likes...150gr, 165gr, and 180gr. The first and last are Remington and the 165's are Federal (all they had in 165). I'd like to try "accurizing" it a bit first before I go tossing bullets at paper though, it has a little round spacer looking thing at the front the forend but since I've never had one of these apart before I don't know if that's factory or not. I can't find any pics of it or the "accuracy block" on the interweb. Does anybody here have a 740? Would it be possible to get a pic of the inside of the forend? Thanks
Click to expand...

"Accurizing" a rifle usually refers to working on a rifle that shoots good, to one you hope will shoot damn good.
It sounds like yours is shooting a pattern that a goose could fly through. If this is the case, forget accurizing and look at basics, the bore.
 
H4831 said:
"Accurizing" a rifle usually refers to working on a rifle that shoots good, to one you hope will shoot damn good.
It sounds like yours is shooting a pattern that a goose could fly through. If this is the case, forget accurizing and look at basics, the bore.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt accurate rifles have a monopoly on the word "accurizing". If anything, poorly shooting guns are the only ones that should have the word applied to them. How do you "accurize" something that's already accurate? The bore isn't mint by any stretch but it is good enough. These weren't precision rifles from any account I can find. But there are things that can be done to help, and that's what this thread is about.

I had the forend off last night and did notice scuff marks here and there. The wood actually cracked on one side when I was shooting it, the barrel was quite close to it. I'm thinking I should just do whatever it takes to make the forend free float and go from there. I also hate the front sling mount, it's a sort of half moon deal with a bolt in the center that fastens to the barrel itself, clearly that won't help things. I'm very curious to know what the Williams accuracy block looks like, however. The idea with it was to space the forend off the gas block, something the 742 did using a bolt with two different thread pitches.

BTW I'm not hoping for MOA here, 3-4" at 100 yards would be fine by me. That's a solid kill shot on a deer.
 
ilovegunz said:
I highly doubt accurate rifles have a monopoly on the word "accurizing". If anything, poorly shooting guns are the only ones that should have the word applied to them. How do you "accurize" something that's already accurate? The bore isn't mint by any stretch but it is good enough. These weren't precision rifles from any account I can find. But there are things that can be done to help, and that's what this thread is about.

I had the forend off last night and did notice scuff marks here and there. The wood actually cracked on one side when I was shooting it, the barrel was quite close to it. I'm thinking I should just do whatever it takes to make the forend free float and go from there. I also hate the front sling mount, it's a sort of half moon deal with a bolt in the center that fastens to the barrel itself, clearly that won't help things. I'm very curious to know what the Williams accuracy block looks like, however. The idea with it was to space the forend off the gas block, something the 742 did using a bolt with two different thread pitches.

BTW I'm not hoping for MOA here, 3-4" at 100 yards would be fine by me. That's a solid kill shot on a deer.
Click to expand...

I'll stick to my original definition. Accurizing is just another word for tweaking.
If this statement I made about your original post is correct, tweaking/accurizing will not do it, neither will changing ammunition brands.

"It sounds like yours is shooting a pattern that a goose could fly through. If this is the case, forget accurizing and look at basics, the bore."
 
Exactly what groups are you getting with it? Are you using a bench rest/ scoped rifle?
Is your fore end tightened properly with a Big screwdriver.

Are the groups stringing in anyway?

The most common complaint I've seen on 742/7400 in my 30+ years around them is varying fore- end tightness for accuracy and chamber dirty and action bar dirty for reliability. One of my 7400s in .243W would string up the side of a barn at 100yds if the fore end was not tight and kept tight. It was around an MOA rifle with my pet 100gr speer load otherwise. I used mild loctite or even nail polish to ensure it stayed put throughout the hunting season.

My 7400 in '06 like yours, shoots Remington factory 180gr PSPCL's well, as already mentioned by NB444.

No reliabilty issues whatsoever and good groups for an old jam o matic on budget fodder.

I would like to to see pics of your groups, and the details of your shooting. If your temps are like they are here right now, any Rifle fired quickly and in the frustration mode, won't look pretty on paper.

You may be running way ahead of where you should be with the willams block idea yet.:canadaFlag:
 
I have a 7400 in 30-06 and can agree with the fore end screw being loose causing accuracy problems. I seem to get caught once in a while and start adjusting. Next thing you know you’re a mile out and the screw is loose. Tighten the screw and hopefully you remembered what you adjusted.
The 7400’s are accurate enough for the game I hunt in the thick bush of Ontario. I have reloaded and tweaked the firearm but came to the conclusion that I am lucky to shoot 100 yards at game and 90% of all shots are less than 50 yards. You can make them shoot MOA, but for me what was the use, I should just use a bolt gun if I need that accuracy.

RememberTheSomme said:
Exactly what groups are you getting with it? Are you using a bench rest/ scoped rifle?
Is your fore end tightened properly with a Big screwdriver.

Are the groups stringing in anyway?

The most common complaint I've seen on 742/7400 in my 30+ years around them is varying fore- end tightness for accuracy and chamber dirty and action bar dirty for reliability. One of my 7400s in .243W would string up the side of a barn at 100yds if the fore end was not tight and kept tight. It was around an MOA rifle with my pet 100gr speer load otherwise. I used mild loctite or even nail polish to ensure it stayed put throughout the hunting season.

My 7400 in '06 like yours, shoots Remington factory 180gr PSPCL's well, as already mentioned by NB444.

No reliabilty issues whatsoever and good groups for an old jam o matic on budget fodder.

I would like to to see pics of your groups, and the details of your shooting. If your temps are like they are here right now, any Rifle fired quickly and in the frustration mode, won't look pretty on paper.

You may be running way ahead of where you should be with the willams block idea yet.:canadaFlag:
Click to expand...
 
This is a 740, not a 7400. The 742 and 7400 had a different screw to bolt on the forend, which did essentially the same thing the block did on the 740, which was space the forend off the gas block. I suspect that is why forend tightness would affect your groupings. I didn't keep track of groupings too well since I was shooting to test reliability rather than accuracy, but at roughly 75 yards I would guesstimate the groups to be all over the place in the 6" range. She was smoking hot however, which surely didn't help. I rapid fired it a few times, I was really trying to make it jam (to no avail, hence I was happy enough to buy it). So from the sounds of it I could skip ammo testing and just use 180's, ah well gives me an excuse to blast them all off at the range.
 
Sorry on that one. I saw 7400, not 740, double vision I guess. Yes they could be tempermental in the forearm. Way worse than just maintaining a consistent tightness in the later versions i had.
 
I had a Rem 74 in 30-06 that I sold 9 or 10 yrs ago. It shot vertical strings that no end of changes would fix. That said, are you shooting off a bag or with your hand under the foreend? Are you shooting with the irons or see through bases or low mounted rings? In my experience, some of which was bought 20 rds at a time with that rifle and DCRA target rifle strings, is that head and cheek placement with any rifle is critical. Scoped or not, unless your eyeball and eyeglasses are absolutely centred the same way, you won't get the results you need. Another suggestion would be to clean your eyeglasses well, then make a little masking tape window to sight through. I used to have a pair of glasses that had a distinctive scratch just where I needed to see. Move the head fractionally, and start shooting!

The foreend nut should be tight. The wood should not touch the receiver. If you need, maybe think about a squirt of glue inside the foreend cap to move things up. One accurizing trick for Garands is to screw the wood to the ferrule out in the middle of the barrel.
 
It came with a Bushnell Banner 3-9 in low mount rings. I'm going to start by free floating the forend completely, then I'll work on my technique at the range. I do shoot off rests when I'm at the range. It might take a bit to find the time but I'll update with the results when I do.
 
In my experience a 740 with a good bore should shoot 2 inch groups with good ammo off a bench. I have owned a few old 742's and one 740 and they were 2 moa rifles. Which is perfectly fine for a woods rifle. I would give the bore a good cleaning, get some Remington 180 grain loads and try it with a cold bore. You can't compare a 740 to a model 7400/4/74, they are a different design altogether.
 
Mike Webb said:
In my experience a 740 with a good bore should shoot 2 inch groups with good ammo off a bench. I have owned a few old 742's and one 740 and they were 2 moa rifles. Which is perfectly fine for a woods rifle. I would give the bore a good cleaning, get some Remington 180 grain loads and try it with a cold bore. You can't compare a 740 to a model 7400/4/74, they are a different design altogether.
Click to expand...

+1 I have a old Woodsman 740, she will easily shoot 1-2" groups at 100 yards with 180 grain .30-06 ammo and it doesn't jam, I think I will keep her :)
 
Well, you finally answered your oown question, about the inaccuracy of your rifle.

"It came with a Bushnell Banner 3-9 in low mount rings."

I was just presuming it had iron sights.
Your Bushnell Banner has done what Bushnell Banners, and many other scopes, often do-shoot loose inside.
Don't even dream of doing anything to the rifle until you change the scope, with something else, to try.
Remember, I told you not to bother trying to "accurize," a rifle that shot groups like yours did. It is something major that causes those kinds of problems. I mentioned the bore, but didn't know it had a cheap scope on it.
 
ilovegunz said:
It came with a Bushnell Banner 3-9 in low mount rings. I'm going to start by free floating the forend completely, then I'll work on my technique at the range. I do shoot off rests when I'm at the range. It might take a bit to find the time but I'll update with the results when I do.
Click to expand...

Have you tried a different scope? The 740 rifles can actually be very accurate: far better than the three minutes you are saying you would be satisfied with.

Ted
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom