Remington 742 Woodmaster advice sought

tiriaq said:
How about the opinions of folks who have worked on them as gunsmiths?

When the action slams open all the way, the multiple interrupted threads on the bolt hammer divots into the receiver. This causes serious malfunctioning. The displaced metal can be tapped back to a certain extent, and smoothed over, but it is only a matter of time before the receiver is unserviceable.
742s were taken out of production years ago, and replaced with a revised model that did away with the interrupted thread bolt. Parts availability is spotty.
If a 742 is working, fine. Use it and enjoy it. Some provide excellent service for years. But Remington didn't drop them without reason.
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I take it the Model 8 and 81 suffered from the same issues, as they were models that preceded the 742?
 
I would doubt it. They use a totally different operating principle; they are long recoil, not gas operation.
 
Dosing said:
The bolthead is hardened (and tested) from the factory. The 742 in particular had a variety of updates to them over the years. The big issue in most peoples minds is the early over-rotation, and the galling on the receiver and potentially the bolt head locking lugs. I say 'in their minds' because if you mention a 742 this gem gets thrown up every single time, like Ross rifles and the 'deadly bolt of doom'. In reality most 742s run fine even if there is over rotation, and in most cases cycling issues are down to the gas piston/nozzle/port area, and pressure curves of the load used. I have seen very few 742s that had much in the way of real over rotation issues, but the legend is stronger than reality. Add to that paranoia of the legend, and any small over rotation marks in the receiver and galling of the lugs, and it takes on an Ebola like hysteria.
The reality is on later 742s the upgrades to the bolthead over-rotation latch pretty much nullified the problem, and even that can be improved on with an increase in spring tension. For a deer gun they run fine, if the owner does their part, which 99% of owners don't.
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Thanks for taking the time to elaborate, I find the mechanics of it quite interesting.
 
My old man has a slue of 742's and 7400's he has bought over the years. The latest was a 742 carbine .308 that was pretty beat up. He paid $125 for it....My brother cleaned it up with steel wool and lots of elbow grease, No bluing left on it....But she functions fine.....It has pretty rough locking lugs, But it still functions fine with Rem corelokt 180's....He fired 5 quick shots off twice and it cycled everytime....Decently accurate at 50 yards....Kill moose and deer.



I also have a 742 .308 carbine, I hardly ever use it....Its in very good shape hardly used....I bought it off my uncle for $500....(Bit much, but excellent condition)
 
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