This is an old model with the BDC turret. From what I've gathered they were made in Japan and are much better quality, but who knows. I'll try one of my roomies scopes as well.
Remington 740 30-06 questions...
- Thread starter ilovegunz
- Start date
This is an old model with the BDC turret. From what I've gathered they were made in Japan and are much better quality, but who knows. I'll try one of my roomies scopes as well.
I didn't mean to run down the Bushnell Banner in particular, I know of one Banner that is still OK after about thirty years of use, that is why I added, "and many other scopes."
Right now I have a Bushnell 3200 Elite at the warranty shop, because it shot loose, making patterns abut right for goose hunting.
This spring a friend of mine had two scopes go. I was with him at the range while he couldn't get his rifles (two of them) sighted in. I figured out it was the scopes. He sent them in for warranty and sure enough, both scopes were loose inside.
I also had a good quality Refield that started making two groups at 100 yards, about a foot apart. Scope gone west.
A few years ago I got a whale of a good buy on a good 30-06, because the owner said it was the worst shooting rifle he had ever had.
I first tried the rifle with the Bushnell Banner he had on it and it shot just like he said it did. I put another scope on it and it instantly shot groups the size one would expect from a high quality rifle.
- Location
- Haliburton County, Central Ontario
How guilty did you feel about that deal?
Middle aged man, done quite a bit of shooting and he suggested the price he wanted for it. I paid his price.
As soon as I agreed on his price he came out with couple of boxes of factory loads for me.
I don't feel guilty at all.
If I put anything other than CoreLokt ammunition in mine it all goes to hell. If I put 180gr PSP ammunition in it moose die!
Good luck with the scope- that could be an easy fix for you.
I recently acquired two 742's for special purpose, while even knowing their rep. one is a 308 carbine and the other is in 6mm. I haven't had a chance to work with them yet, I only test fired them before I bought them. They will both be getting Leupold scopes. Good thread here, good info.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
As others have stated - change scopes first and see if that works.
If that doesn't work, look for obvious things on the rifle, like serious bore problems or obviously loose parts, or pressure points on the barrrel.
If the scope can be confirmed as good, and the rifle looks good as well, try different ammmo.
A completely normal 740/742 should reliably do around 1.5" off the bench at 100 yards in my experience, unless something is wrong.
If that doesn't work, look for obvious things on the rifle, like serious bore problems or obviously loose parts, or pressure points on the barrrel.
If the scope can be confirmed as good, and the rifle looks good as well, try different ammmo.
A completely normal 740/742 should reliably do around 1.5" off the bench at 100 yards in my experience, unless something is wrong.
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
two-dogs,... you know except for the accuracy issue with the fore screw, I can't say as I've heard alot from pople who shoot them here.
I've owned two personally, still have the '06, and have handloaded for, and fired many over the past 30 years without ever seeing this reliability issue. Would it be op rod crud from never ever removing forearm????
Was it in a specific caliber? I never had anything to do with one in .270Win or the Whelan.
A friend bought a lovely Model 4 in 30 '06 back @ 1988. I bought RCBS SB dies just to load for him, while I had a M70 LWT in '06 at the time.
That Model 4 had the nicest grained dark stock I ever saw on a 7400/4 and it was a great shooter, as stock semi's go. I still remember working up the first 150 Nosler BTs with 4064, half grain increment, 5 rounds to each charge. I remember the whole 30 rounds being in a hole , not much bigger than 1 1/4 and that going up 3 grains of powder!! If I rmember it would do 3 shots into .75", with 165 sierras. This 7400 I have now , I picked form a co-worker 2 years ago but haven't fired a handload out of it.
I've seen alot on here referring to the reliability issue's with these rifles, I'm not sure if it is second hand info or not.
If you shoot alot, use your chamber brush. Nail polish your fore arm screw for the duration of the hunting season.leave it for zero, and you should be good to go. Only possible trouble I could see from doing that, is if you beat the brush say, with your carbine and fill the forearm full of fir needles and the like.
Also, don't ride the action closed, to be quiet after getting out of your truck in the early morning and loading up either. If it dosen't go fully into battery, it won't fire. And imagine the feeling of squeezing the hell out of the trigger, with a nice buck standing there, and finally having to fully cycle the action and...... crash,.. he's gone!
Let her rip that cartridge from the mag, and slam home fully locked.
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
Check the crown. Just re-crowned a 760 barrel for a fellow and it brought the 3 inch group back under an inch.
The crown looks really good, actually. I just spent a bit of time free floating the forestock, we'll see if it helps. I'm beginning to agree that the scope may be the main culprit however, when I was reinstalling it just now I noticed the rear of the scope wobbles slightly. I checked the scope my roommate is lending me to test and the rear of that scope is solid. I'm hoping to get out to the range this weekend and settle the issue once and for all.
So I got her out to the range today. It was quite disappointing. It started off well, using the scope I got with it my first 3 shots were within 1" of each other using Remington Core-Lokt 180gr. But the 4th shot flew on down and over a bit, a good 3" away from the rest of the group. The next round was the same scope with 165gr Federals. It shot between 3"-4". Then I changed the scope, and it all went to hell. I tried both kinds of ammo and it couldn't group nearly as well as the first scope, which would clearly indicate that this scope is in even worse shape. Then I tried putting the other scope back on...and couldn't get it back on paper. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get the damn thing on. I used up the rest of my ammunition trying and then called it a day. So that leaves the results pretty much inconclusive. I do think the barrel itself bears some of the blame, that baby heats up FAST and doesn't cool down fast. I went through 40 rounds in about 2 hours and even that was probably too quick for this wimpy barrel. After a few shots the heat waves coming off the barrel are enough to obscure proper vision through the scope.
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Get your scope on tight and don't panic when firing over a 3 shot group.
Stick to 3 shot groups at max. Spaced at intervals you can reaim and squeeze properly. This will give indication of accuracy firing at a running buck down over a chopping. Bang.......................... Bang........................... Bang.
Remember the first shot on that cold, and usually clean if you are so inclined barrel, is what counts, in about 97% of the shots.
5 shot groups from a spoter barrel in 35C temps,.. forget it.
My old Nork M14 will do 2.5" on three, will go to 3-3.5" on 5 , and then usually barely holding 4" or more by 10.
Similar barrel weight so I used it for comparison only on firing in the heat of summer.
I never fired more than 3 shots from those semi's in summer time without complete cool down between.
When you get your scope up and running again, put up 5 centerfire rifle bullseye targets at 100yds or even just small bulls on a white background, as long as they are precise aiming points, in a configuration much like those .22LR Shooting Federation targets with 5 bulls look.
Fire 2 rounds at each Bull. With a minute or so between each bull. Compare the first 2-shot bull, to the last 2-shot bull and let me know how it turned out, if you don't mind using up 10 more rounds to try this.
When I get some 180's for my 7400 '06, I'll do the same, and we can compare accuracy. I feel mine would be an average shooter, and fine for it's intended range and game size.
Also look at your crown as mentioned already by Gunner100 and supercub.
I own a 740 in .308, and it had accuracy issues as well. After some googling, I found that if you keep the barrel exceptionally clean ( a good reaming with a 7.62 jag followed with a phospher bronze brush with lots of Hoppes No.9) dramatically improved my groupings. Give that a whirl.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
You are using trash scopes and you are shooting the gun way too hot.
tylerjwitty
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Ontario
why the heck was this old thread dragged up
Get the muzzle re-crowned or at least get it look at to see if the rifling at the muzzle is damaged/worn. I suspect that's where your problem is coming from. All the 740s and 7400s I've shot had no problems shooting 3" groups at 100yds. Most of the rifles were shooting in the 1.5"-2" range. I recently sold a .30-06 7400 that would shoot 3/4" 5 shot groups...with Federal "blue box" 180 grainers!
